KUALA TERENGGANU: A total of 38 cases of cable and other component thefts in the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project were recorded in the Terengganu and Pahang stretch, from January to September this year, involving RM2.9mil in losses.
Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak (pic) said that to address this, the company and the Royal Malaysia Police have put in place several security measures, including installing 116 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and hiring 67 security guards.
He added that the plan is to watch over areas that are often targeted for theft.
"So far, we have recorded incidents in Terengganu and Pahang, so it's not confined to one location. We've received good cooperation from all the states involved to conduct more frequent engagements.
"This is a continuous effort, and we want all parties to take this issue seriously, as it could affect the opening (of ECRL operations) if it persists," he told reporters after opening the ECRL Subcontractor Work Package G1 and G2 Bumiputera Draw Ceremony for Terengganu at Wisma Darul Iman here Wednesday (Oct 29).
Meanwhile, Darwis said the ECRL project in Terengganu has achieved 93.55% progress.
"Overall, the ECRL project has reached 88.08% completion. This shows that we are on the right track to fully complete the project by December 2026 and begin operations in January 2027," he said. - Bernama
