KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 — The government has been urged to clarify the continuous delays to the Gemas-Johor Baru (JB) double-track rail project, with transport think-tank My Mobility Vision saying taxpayers deserve transparency.
My Mobility Vision founder Wan Agyl Wan Hassan said that if the government is committed to transparency and accountability, it should provide regular and clear updates, according to a Free Malaysia Today report.
He said that Malaysians should be informed about the reasons for the delays instead of receiving “vague statements and shifting deadlines.”
Wan Agyl said Malaysia needs a strong policy framework to prevent such delays from becoming routine.
He added that the repeated delays have highlighted the government’s tendency to “put out fires” instead of proactively planning for potential roadblocks, such as land acquisition disputes or technical challenges.
His comments came in response to a Singapore news report detailing delays in the RM9.55 billion project due to electricity supply issues for the trains in Segamat, which pushed back the start of rail services from Gemas to Segamat, originally set for July, to late November.
The Gemas-JB project is part of a 692km rail network from Padang Besar to Johor Baru, with work on the 192km southern stretch beginning in 2017.
The completion date, initially set for October 2021, has been pushed to April 2025.
Wan Agyl also questioned the performance of YTL Construction and joint venture partner SIPP Rail, noting the public remains unclear about whether contractors face real penalties for missed deadlines or have incentives for timely completion.
“Malaysians also have good reason to wonder how contractors for this project were chosen and what standards they’re being held to,” he said.
He warned that the project’s current management style could erode public trust, pointing out the gap between ideals of transparency, accountability and good governance and the reality.
