Commuter woes: The Shah Alam LRT stretches from Johan Setia (pictured) in Klang to Bandar Utama in Petaling Jaya. — AZMAN GHANI/The Star
PETALING JAYA: Those travelling for work from Klang to Kuala Lumpur will have little to cheer, as the long‑anticipated Shah Alam LRT line (formerly LRT3) is now projected to be delayed to at least the second quarter of 2026.
According to industry sources, the primary cause of the delay lies in the final and most demanding stage of the project – system testing and commissioning.
The line is currently undergoing a mandatory “fault-free run” as prescribed by the Land Public Transport 2010.
During this phase, the 22 trainsets, along with their wayside and supporting systems, must demonstrate the ability to integrate and operate continuously and reliably, as expected of a top-tier driverless train system using the Grade of Automation 4 (GoA 4) standard.
Under this testing regime, the rolling stock, signalling, communications and electrification systems must all perform seamlessly together, not just in isolation, before the regulator, the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad), can certify the system as safe and fit for service.
Insiders say the trainsets have struggled to achieve and sustain the designated operating speed of 80-90kph, something which cannot be dismissed as a “minor issue”.
“If trains cannot reliably maintain these speeds, the planned service headway of six minutes becomes unachievable, directly impacting capacity and frequency for commuters, and falls short of the specifications spelt out in the Railway Scheme put up for public inspection,” said the source.
Other important things that remain unsettled include the required documentation, with critical standard operating procedures (SOPs) reportedly not yet “fully locked in” or finalised.
The source said without approved SOPs and complete documentation, testing cannot proceed in a structured, traceable manner – an essential requirement in any modern rail system, where safety cases, audit trails and regulatory compliance are non-negotiable.
As a result, comprehensive testing of the trains was understood to have been suspended for the remainder of this month, making commercial operations this year impossible.
“This alone raises serious doubts over whether a few additional months in 2026 will be sufficient to bring things up to global best practices in rail testing and commissioning,” the source added.
On Aug 4, The Star reported that the Shah Alam LRT would miss its original Sept 30 opening, following an announcement by Prasarana Malaysia Bhd on Facebook that the trainsets would require continuous testing until Oct 30.
On Nov 17, Transport Minister Anthony Loke told the Dewan Rakyat that the opening date had been revised to Dec 31, subject to the “outcome of ongoing tests”.
Rail professionals agree that testing and commissioning is the most technically complex phase of any railway project.
It is here that an entire range of subsystems – train control, signalling, communications, power supply, platform systems and safety mechanisms – must be validated as a cohesive whole.
“This phase requires meticulous planning, precise execution and thorough documentation to ensure all systems function together as intended. It is a process that cannot be rushed,” said Yuslizar Daud, a railway systems specialist and former head of the Land Public Transport Commission’s Rail Division.
Recent experience at KLIA involving the aerotrain underscores this point.
The aerotrain’s seemingly hurried reopening on July 1 has since led to significant operational constraints, with the service now only available during peak hours while extensive remedial works are carried out at “non-peak hours”.
“In view of this, it is absolutely crucial that the Shah Alam LRT system pass the regulatory checklist, and no one should put undue pressure on technical experts and regulators to go easy or issue ‘conditional approvals’,” Yuslizar added.
The Shah Alam LRT is owned by Prasarana and will be operated by its subsidiary Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd, with Setia Utama LRT3 Sdn Bhd (SULRT3) – a subsidiary of Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB) – serving as the main contractor.
SULRT3 took over from the previous project delivery partner, MRCB George Kent Sdn Bhd.
Stretching from Bandar Utama in Petaling Jaya to Johan Setia in Klang, the line links densely populated residential areas to major commercial hubs within the Greater Klang Valley.
The Shah Alam line was expected to provide a vital alternative to the KTM Komuter service, which has been facing repeated disruptions due to Phase II of the Klang Valley Double Track Rehabilitation project.
For instance, no Komuter services were available yesterday (Sunday) from Klang to Kuala Lumpur, with only bridging buses provided from selected stations to Subang Jaya.
These disruptions are expected to continue until 2029, at the earliest, significantly affecting many commuters.
When contacted, a Prasarana official said a media briefing on the Shah Alam LRT will be held on Dec 15.
