SEGAMAT: The Electric Train Service (ETS) that connects Johor Baru and Kuala Lumpur will begin no later than mid-December, says Anthony Loke (pic).
The Transport Minister said technical work is being wrapped up to ensure the service begins next month, marking a major boost to public transport connectivity between Johor and the nation’s capital.
“While final preparations are ongoing, we are also looking for a suitable date because some final preparations still need to be done.
“The service should be able to begin no later than mid-December,” he told reporters, who asked about the progress after he officiated the Johor DAP annual convention here yesterday.
Loke said the new route will enhance travel convenience as Johor prepares to welcome tourists for Visit Malaysia 2026.
“The ETS has already linked Kuala Lumpur to Segamat earlier this year and Kluang a few months ago, so I am confident this will also be a catalyst for Johor’s tourism sector,” he said.
He said the extended route will benefit towns along the line, including Segamat, Labis, Kluang and Kulai, creating spillover effects.
On ticket sales for the Johor Baru-Kuala Lumpur ETS, Loke said it will be announced once the launch date is confirmed.
“Usually, ticket sales will start a month before the commencement of the service, but we will try to shorten that period. Once we announce the date of operations, we will also announce the pricing information,” he said.
Separately, Loke said the successful hosting of Asean Summit 2025 in Kuala Lumpur last week has given civil servants more confidence in the government.
He admitted that there was some scepticism among civil servants when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim first took over the administration.
“We cannot blame the civil servants‘ initial scepticism towards the current government’s lasting power because of what had happened from 2020 to 2022 – there were three different governments in the span of three years.
“During the recent Asean Summit where world leaders were present in Kuala Lumpur, we have proven that not only can we last, we can also govern and lead the country,” he added.
Meanwhile, Loke, who is DAP secretary-general, said the strategy and candidates contesting the Sabah election will be left to the party leadership in the state.
“We encourage party members in other parts of the country to provide support to our Sabah counterparts and election candidates,” he said.
The Sabah election is on Nov 29, with nomination day on Nov 15 and early voting on Nov 25.
He also said the party’s central executive committee has formed a special committee, headed by deputy secretary-general Steven Sim, to oversee its 60th anniversary celebration next year.
“The committee will outline programmes to be conducted at the national, state and grassroots levels so the celebration is not just limited to a dinner event.
“We should have more programmes such as sports, leisure, exhibitions and creative performances to disseminate information about the party, especially among the younger members who might not be familiar with the party’s struggles,” he added.
