Malaysia has reached another major milestone in the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, with the first batch of Malaysian trainees officially graduating from a specialised railway operations and maintenance programme in China.
66 Malaysians complete intensive railway training
A total of 66 Malaysians successfully completed a one-year training programme at the Liuzhou Railway Vocational Technical College (LRVTC) in Guangxi, China, under the ECRL Industrial Skills Training Programme (PLKI-ECRL).
The programme is owned by Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) and China Communications Construction ECRL Sdn Bhd.
Future ECRL workforce already being prepared
According to Transport Minister Anthony Loke, the graduates will officially join the ECRL workforce, marking a major step as they transition from trainees into professionals within Malaysia’s growing railway industry.
He added that the programme is part of a larger national initiative, with 259 Malaysian students currently undergoing railway operations and maintenance training in Liuzhou, China, to prepare for the ECRL’s upcoming operational phase.
Malaysia Rail Link (MRL) chief executive officer Darwis Abdul Razak urged the trainees to bring back the technical knowledge, discipline, and hands-on experience gained in China and apply it towards strengthening Malaysia’s railway industry.
ECRL project now nearing completion
According to Darwis, the ECRL project is progressing steadily, having achieved significant milestones across engineering, construction and system development, with overall progress reaching 93.66% to date.
The project is targeted to commence testing and commissioning activities in July 2026 and slated to commence commercial operations in January 2027.
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