Datuk Zohari Sulaiman was appointed project director of the MRT Circle Line
KUALA LUMPUR: Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) has appointed Datuk Zohari Sulaiman as project director of the MRT Circle Line which is being implemented without the role of project delivery partner (PDP) this time.
Zohari, who has more than 36 years experience in the rail industry, will oversee the third line of the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT) project which would be developed based on the turnkey project model.
MRT Corp Chief Executive Officer Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar said Zohari would be an advantage for the project as it expands further into the third line without the PDP.
“Zohari has been in the industry for more than 36 years. His extensive background in rolling stock engineering, maintenance, refurbishment, technical safety as well as his experience in the heavy rail and light rail operations would be vital as the MRT network further expands in Klang Valley,” he said.
Shahril said this vast experience was a great asset as the MRT Circle Line and this would require MRT Corp to have direct supervision of the construction as well as safety of the project.
Previously, the MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang (SBK) Line and the MRT Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya (SSP) Line were carried out by project delivery partners directly supervising the construction of the elevated sections of the projects.
The MRT Circle Line will be 40km in length, of which 32km will be underground. It will have 26 stations.
The line, which will run around the periphery of Kuala Lumpur city centre, will intersect with all of the Klang Valley’s urban rail network, expanding its coverage significantly and providing greater mobility to commuters.
Prior to joining MRT Corp, Zohari was chief executive officer of Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Prasarana Malaysia Bhd.
During his stint in Rapid Rail, Zohari had first-hand experience with the KVMRT Project as Rapid Rail was the operator of the MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line which construction was completed in July 2017.
In Prasarana, Zohari had also held the position of CEO of Prasarana Rail and Infrastructure Projects Sdn Bhd, where he was responsible in the development of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Line Extension Project (LEP) for Ampang/ Sri Petaling Line and Kelana Jaya Line.
Prior to heading the division, he was the group director and CEO of Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd.
Zohari began his career in the railway industry when he joined Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd in 1982.
In 1995, Zohari joined Sistem Transit Aliran Ringan Sdn Bhd (STAR-LRT) where he was part of the team that operated the first LRT system in Malaysia, now known as the Ampang and Sri Petaling Lines. At STAR-LRT, he implemented operations and engineering training.
A year later he joined Projek Usahasama Transit Ringan Automatik Sdn Bhd (PUTRA-LRT) where he became General Manager of Engineering. PUTRA-LRT was subsequently taken over by Prasarana in 2002 and was renamed the Kelana Jaya Line.
Zohari holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of John Moores, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
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