Scomi committed to finish KL monorail expansion project

Once all the 12 four-car trains are in operation, the 2-car trains will be decommissioned. They will be sold to other companies.

SEPANG: Scomi Engineering Bhd is committed to complete the RM494 million Kuala Lumpur Monorail expansion project, said chief executive officer Rohaida Ali Badarudin.

To-date, she said, the provider of public transportation solutions in the rail and commercial vehicle industries has completed 82.9% of the works, of which the remaining was to deliver the other six trains.

"Works are in progress and we intend to complete the project. It is Malaysian-made and is a good product," she said after the handing over of equipment Mobile Command Post and Hazmat by Scomi Engineering to Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd in Sepang on Tuesday.

Elaborating on the progress of the monorail expansion project, she said, the company has almost completed it, which included the signalling system, upgrade of the stations, five sets of trains in operation currently, one set of train in testing stage and another six trains still in manufacturing process. 

Asked whether the company was facing cash-flow problems despite having secured a number of projects, Rohaida said: "As far as I'm concerned, we have good potentials and technology, and we should look after the organisation and make sure it grows."

Meanwhile, the principal contract was signed in 2011 with Prasarana Malaysia Bhd which is the operator of monorail and light rail transit lines in the Klang Valley.

Scomi was contracted to deliver 12 sets of new four-car monorail trains, construct a new depot and install a new signalling system as well as to upgrade the Kuala Lumpur monorail stations, including the electrical and mechanical systems for RM494 million. 

According to Prasarana, the second supplemental contract required Scomi to deliver 10 sets of the four-car trains, including seven sets for revenue service, by Dec 31, 2015.

To date, it was reported that only six sets had been delivered, of which five sets were currently in revenue service.

On Scomi's overseas ventures, Rohaida said, the company was eyeing up to RM20 billion worth of projects.

"For the future of the Malaysian company, we are actively looking at the opportunities, including partnering other companies in the country we penetrated, and we are eyeing RM20 billion in value of overseas projects," she added. 

Rohaida named Thailand, Turkey and Sri Lanka as among the countries as well as in the African continent but added that it would take about three to four years to realise the projects. 

Scomi exported its products to over 13 countries including China, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Yemen. - Bernama