Monday, August 22, 2011

Prasarana to continue to manage issues until handover to MRT Co

KUALA LUMPUR: Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad (Prasarana) will continue to manage all issues related to the My Rapid Transit (MRT) project until the establishment of MRT Co.

In a statement Monday, Aug 22, Prasarana group managing director Shahril Mokhtar said that the company would be working closely with the Government and the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) to ensure all works related to MRT project would continue to progress smoothly and in accordance to the work schedule.

He said works on the MRT project needed to continue and that Prasarana would carry on with all works and programmes that had been decided before it officially hands it over to the new MRT Co.

'There are plenty of things that are already in the works like matters on procurement and briefings. Like today, we had already scheduled a briefing with property owners at Jalan Bukit Bintang on the land acquisition issue for the MRT.

'Tomorrow, we have scheduled a pre-tender briefing for all the pre-qualified contractors. All these meetings and all the firmly scheduled events need to go on and continue without disruption,' said Shahril, adding that Prasarana welcomed the Government's decision to establish MRT Co.

'We are a company set up by the Government to support its efforts to transform the country's public transportation system. In delivering our objectives, we, too, need support from other relevant parties.

Shahril said public transportation was about working closely with all its partners and stakeholders.

'MRT Co is now a new partner to work with us on the MRT, which eventually will be part of our services and responsibility when it's ready,' added Shahril.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak on Aug 18 announced that the Cabinet had decided to set up MRT Co under its Minister of Finance Inc, to directly oversee the multi-billion ringgit Klang Valley MY Rapid Transit (MRT) project.

Najib said that MRT Co will officially become MRT project and asset owner, which is currently held by Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd, from September 1.

With MRT Co in the picture, the Prime Minister said, Prasarana would now be able to focus on its role to ensure an efficient and reliable public transportation service in the Klang Valley.


Najib had also said that Prasarana's immediate tasks would be to improve the current light rail transit services and line expansion projects, as well as expand monorail capacity and existing bus services, and resolve congested routes.

MRT Co would have a project management and technical team comprising experts in mass rail. The team would also include experts seconded from Prasarana's MRT team.

Once completed, the MRT would be handed back to Prasarana where its subsidiary RapidKL would be the operator of the project.

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