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RM9 billion double-tracking project – penny-wise and pound-foolish

RM 9 Billion Double-Track Project

RM9 BIL DOUBLE-TRACKING PROJECT — PENNY WISE POUND FOOLISH
Z. IBRAHIM
Klang

I refer to the report stating that the Government now intends to go ahead with the RM9 billion double-track electrified railway which it earlier shelved 3 years ago. That this project is being revived so close to the elections only seems to increase rumors that the ruling party needs the money for the elections in the form of kickbacks. The project itself is poorly thought through.

KTM since British colonial times has been running services on meter-gauge tracks. Meter gauge tracks were basically designed at least during those days for industrial use and in Malaysia’s case — to transport tin.

However we failed to modernize and completely neglected our rail services in favour of road transport and continued using these meter gauges even for our passenger services.

In most parts of the world passenger services started running on standard or broad gauge.

To achieve decent transit times between KL and Penang etc, double tracking on a meter gauge will be slow and clearly will not be competitive.

Obviously this is a half measure as it seems the project is trying to avoid investing in rolling stock as would be the case if standard or broad gauge are adopted instead.

Simply put you cannot run a train fast if your tracks are not broad enough for stability at high speeds. For you to achieve speed and stability you need standard or broad gauge.

Despite double tracking Rawang-KL, Seremban-KL and Port Klang-KL, the services still remain as “commuter services”. Passengers will not hop onto trains if you cannot make KL-Seremban in half an hour. A train ride even from Port Klang to KL easily takes an hour. Even if there were direct Port Klang-KL services I doubt they can do it in half an hour on our meter gauge tracks and signaling systems.

The best-run conventional railway systems are still in India as British Rail almost always fishes technical staff from there. But the current project would be a complete waste of money and is doomed to fail if the meter gauge stays and the entire project at the end of construction risks being obsolete.

While the whole world including India and China moved forward in rail transport, all 1,699 km of Malaysia’s tracks have been narrow gauged which can only support low speed trains. This project does not make sense.

46 Replies to “RM9 billion double-tracking project – penny-wise and pound-foolish”

  2. This is another of many cases of “half-baked” policy planning with ulterior motives and hidden agenda of the ruling politicians built on free tax payers’ free-flow money.

    It is indeed criminal to spend such a colossal sum (9 billion Ringgit) of taxpayers’ money on a project that which is obviously not well thought out nor evaluated extensively; and as stated in the above blog “But the current project would be a complete waste of money and is doomed to fail if the meter gauge stays and the entire project at the end of construction risks being obsolete.”

    Do not tell the citizens of this country that the “railway experts” in KTMB and EPU (Privatization Agency) are not aware of the consequence, the cost benefits of such a huge spending that would be doomed to fail and the whole spending become obsolete?

    Just for the sake of the hidden agenda, could be coming GE, the politicians are committing a crime that will be remembered for generations to come.

    The “railway experts” in the government should rethink re-evalaute the project in the light of the new concerns and new findings and put the the spending on hold or scrape the project.

    They should have learned from the grave mistakes they had committed in the double tracks that had been constructed as mentioned above:

    “Despite double tracking Rawang-KL, Seremban-KL and Port Klang-KL, the services still remain as “commuter services”. Passengers will not hop onto trains if you cannot make KL-Seremban in half an hour. A train ride even from Port Klang to KL easily takes an hour. Even if there were direct Port Klang-KL services I doubt they can do it in half an hour on our meter gauge tracks and signaling systems.”

    Members of the Parliament, please look at such spending and debate the feasibility studies, is there is one, thoroughly in the current session of the Sitting. Don’t just go to the Parliament and slumber while enjoying the airconditioning and all the food and beverages, or start quarreling among the “big-mouths” with saliva flying antics. Are these and others considered “big Issues” to some of the MPs?

    Kindly provide some good shows with substance for the benefits of the country and the people and not be a “yes-man” all the times.

  3. If each were given few millions just to sit and eat in parlaiment one would just remain tight lip. Afterall the good times might end soon for some. Take whatever they can now and not rock the boat.

    Perhaps one person who can enlighten us on this KERETAPI thingy – En Zakaria.

  5. well .. wat do u expect ??

    when advice from experts, engineers, architects and consultants are ignored and bulls**t from upper echelon are stamped as the truth and the right thing to do.

  6. This Lu Lu kind of a person believes that a parallel broad gauge track can be build beside the present track. This costs a fraction of rm 9b. After the new trains have started running efficiently the gomen can replace the old 1699 km track(the umoputras can sell the metal parts as besi buruk). Only then can the boleh gomen think of electrifying the double tracks.

  7. wow a very very big opportunity to make certain ppl very filthy rich again!!!

    wonder what’s next? maybe they will even consider replace the whole stretch of north-south highway??? looks like in this bolehland, semua pun boleh!!! malaysia boleh!!!

  8. I am really shocked that this multi-billion project did not provide for a modern track system that will indeed give Malaysians a modern rail system.

    Simply building a double track based on old technology is really throwing our monies down the drain for the cause of “expediency in government budget allocations?”

    Gee, any fool can surely waste money. More pointedly, any crooks in government will surely profit from such slack project guidelines.

    I don’t believe there was any public debates on the type of double tracks we were getting.

  9. It seems that most mega projects are not initiated by the government after careful study, but rather by businessmen who want to milk taxpayers’ money. They will dream up all sorts of projects that will cost billions and can generate 50% profits for themselves and the approving officials. Remember the bridge to Sumatra!
    I am sure the JB/Sing half bridge was conceptualised in such manner.
    So was the “national service”.

  11. this is not pound foolish. the half past six is not a no brainer. we see only the gross misuse of the malaysian blood money but the half past six see it as a long term money laundering plan.

    they knew the track problem in the very first place, but what the heck just ingnore it so 5 years down the road they can suck another 9 billion malaysian blood money to upgrade the track. this is a long term pocket lining plan.

    just look at the sapanggar naval base in sabah, can u believe that the navy base is completed and occupied by the navy but without water supply. everyday hundreds and hundreds of tanker deliver water to the tank on top of the hill. why is it no water ? is it because of bad planing during the project ? i do not think there is such a stupid consultant or project director exist in this part of the land. but the half past six make u believe it did. the only reason there is no water is because someone see the prospect of making some money out of the water delivery everyday and purposely planed in such a way. just imagine one tanker u take rm20 and for 200 tanker u will get rm4000 so called commision. this is what being in power about.

    shake head……….

  14. Dear Mr. Lim,

    DAP and your associates must form a common platform for the up and coming elections. We are dying to vote in a stronger opposition to the Barisan Nasional as this will strengthen oversight over government spending and policies.

    We need an Opposition that can articulate our concerns and improve the quality of debates in Parliament. This means quality candidates from DAP.

    Please take this opportunity when the Badawi Government is bankrupt of ideas to win more seats.

    Thanks.

  15. When I worked in KLIA express, I came to know something about train. I was extremely shock when I came to know we have never been upgrade to the standard gauge, stick to the a meter gauge for more than 100 years and KTM proudly shouted to our fellow Malaysian .. “100 years old”. Then someone suggested to have a double track of old meter gauge. What kind of CowSense they have? Do we need rocket science knowledge to figure out that we need the standard gauge for future expansion ?

    I came to have a deep interest about train when I was in Europe. I was also extremely shocked of my life what progress they have made over the hundreds years. Then I started to compare their progress with our KTM. What kind of donkey progress KTM have made slightly more than 100 years!

    In Malaysia, only KLIA express has the standard gauge for fast train. KTM has a long way to go. I always like to take the train even the KTM often failed to reach the destination on time. Most of the time failed due to tons of various reasons. Some staffs in KTM has done their best but that was only handful of good dedicated staff. Many of them don’t gave a DAMN on their job. The main issue in this country is CORRUPTION!

    When I started question to some staffs from Siemens on the cost of our KLIA express trains about the sky high price of these trains that we have purchased, the answer again came out “CORRUPTION”

    This word “Corruption” is very sickening in this country and what is worst is “We as a common people find it almost impossible to get rid of this pariah way of life”. Now the “Corruption” has evolve unto “BIAS CORRUPTION”

    Election is around the corner soon. I am sure I have to vote DAP even I don’t have the “confident” they able to win. at least to shoot down the majority win of corrupted party!

  16. When I first opened this article, I had no idea what the fuss was all about concerning railway gauges and what the hell it had to do with transportation and so on forth. However, before passing judgement, I felt that a visit to wiki was in order. Here’s what I found:

    Apparently, our KTM runs on narrow gauge, and has been so ever since colonial times. Narrow gauge is measured at 3feet-6inches, also in a rough sense of 1000mm, which gives it the term meter gauge. Without going too much into detail, the advantages are that they are cheaper to build and are more suitable for transporting goods such as minerals and logs, which would make perfect sense why the British built them in the first place.

    However, because of the width of the gauges, trains would have a higher centre of gravity as when compared with standard gauge, and because of this, the speed as well as the tonnage of the carriage would have to be limited, to reduce risks.

    Standard gauge on the other hand (seemingly quite similar to broad gauge) measures at a width of 4 feet 8 inches (1422 mm). According to wiki again, our own LRT tracks use standard gauge. Though there is quite a bit of discussion on whether standard gauge is better than the former, from a theory point of view, the latter is more suited for faster rail transport or for heavier tonnage, namely because of the centre of gravity involved.

    Double tracking, on the other hand, unless I’m mistaken means two tracks instead of one, presumably to make way for twice as much allowance of traffic. I’m not entirely sure if the writer actually means dual gauge, which is another thing altogether.

    Which brings us to the question: How much does it cost? Or is it really necessary, to have a working system put away for a newer, modern one? I’m not privvy to such details, but would it mean replacing all of Malaysia’s narrow gauge tracks with standard gauge, instead of supplying another metre track to accompany the other? Upgrading, in my belief, would be a heck lot more expensive than simply building another track, even if it does mean that I cannot ride the bullet train from KL to Penang in an hour for a few more years.

    Any railroad enthusiasts in the house? Enlightenment would be really helpful right about now.

  17. very obvious another mega project is being forced to go ahead in order for BN cronies to receive kickbacks…

    …this despite our country being heavily in debt from the Nusajaya mega project,…

    – and this excludes the numerous penalties we have to pay for cancelling the johor bridge, fixing the MRR2 flyovers, etc!

    malaysia bodoh!
    (for continuing to vote these imbeciles back into govt every time)

  18. Hi Kit (from another Kit),
    I’m very uncomfortable with the Government’s practice in awarding the contract to build the double track project without any open tender, and as usual it goes to a politically connected company.

    But I do support the broad economics of the project. Railways are the most energy efficient form of land transport existing. They have many obvious drawbacks, but they are an important part of the surface transportation system, negelected for too long in Malaysia.
    In an ideal world we should have gone for a total rebuild of the railway system to standard or wide gauge, with a new alignment with larger curve radius AND double tracking. But that’s probably not doable right now, so a compromise somewhere was inevitable.

    Its true the maximum operating speed of standard gauge railways is much higher than what’s possible with the metre gauge. But we are not trying to build a bullet train here.
    The average safe operating speed of the railways – a more important practical consideration – can be quite good for a metre gauge if the track is build to good engineering standards, sharp curves reduced and good, well-maintained rolling stock. 100 – 130 km/h is achievable, which would be very competitive with the road highway system. Beyond that, some countries have gone for tilt trains, but I don’t want to go into those details here.
    Double tracking would improve the average safe operating speed substantially. With the single track, trains currently have to wait frequently at remote sidings for the oncoming train to pass. I also believe the double tracking project will involve substantial upgrading in the quality of the track and trackbed.I’m not sure if there is any plan to improve the track alignment, as that will involve land acquisition.

    My overall view is the double-tracking project was probably a necessary compromise given the available resources, but will improve the railway’s efficiency very significantly.

    What is sad is that the government contract award process is still as secretive as ever.

  21. Mr. Ibrahim underestimate the intelligence of our ‘wise’ leaders. He does not note that at no time has the government promise high-speed rail with the double tracking project. They have not even mention faster service. ALL they are promising is MORE services.

    The idea here is not to have a comprehensive train service planning but as many train projects as they can come up with so that they have excuses to spend money. The will do the double tracking first. They they will reveal that its not for high speed service, so the will implement a high-speed train line (as proposed by YTL), then they will come back and say look how good the high speed line is and implement standard/wide gauge on the current line. With so many future projects, all the more money to share between the cronies…

    That is the point…

  23. In Singapore, everytime their govt announce a project, it will brief their citizens what are the benefits and what kind of growths are expected out of it. Over here in lala land, our govt make announcement of project by boasting how much it is going to cost, or how big how big it is going to be, these projects are not for the people, it is for the contractors, because they are the one who is interested in knowing how much a project is worth, need no guess, and we will be paying our ass off.

  24. Seriously, if all of us wanna kill off BN, voting for e opposition will not b realistic. Judging fr e number of bn supporters vs opposition supporters or how uneducated e current lot of people are to continue to vote for e crooks… w e rising family size of umno malays n shrinking chinese n indian families, rise in e number of bumiputera indonesians. we can all talk about kicking out bn but somehow, e numbers don seem to point in tt direction.
    well, one thing tt tdm said does come to mind… e chinese r e ones who contribute most in taxes. i think w e number of chinese migrating, e total contribution is dwindling. soon, tax money wont b enough for them to swallow as wat is apparent right now since they r dipping their hands into EPF.
    so for those who still continue to stay in bodoh-land, juz a little reminder, imagine wat will happen when there really is not enough to go around e umno table. ur table will b raided. they r already recruiting mat rempits for this so be v wary.
    as much as i would like to stay back in bodoh-land, somehow e bodoh-ness of bodoh-land prevents me fr gg back. it has so much to give yet so much taken away by force. going to miss the kai-si-hor-fun in ipoh.

  27. We don’t seem to learn the lessons of our recent history on transportation, and we will be forever doomed to repeat those mistakes. TDM allowed the Klang valley to have 3 different light rail systems, with no common operational equipment, and no proper interface in stations. How much could we have saved with better co-ordination and commonality of equipment ? Alas, savings mean less to go round amongst thieves, so the key is to inflate costs, to promote inefficiencies.

    We will have double tracking and even triple tracking. We will soon see different light rail systems in Johor Bahru and Penang. Then we will have the high speed train between KL and Singapore, and if nothing comes out of the negotiations with Singapore, then the high speed train will simply stop in JB. This is the way that Bodohland operates, and nothing we do or say is going to change it. Regime change is the only option.

  28. double tracking railway is not a bad idea though, but it is just being a bad idea if were introduce by BN government.

    Our goverment are actually start to realise that they have losing so much sharing a piece of cake in Asian economy boom, this is due to our badly design transport system. They knew it long time ago, but our government are just too poor and couldn’t afford to finance all this project. But then they need some extra income for their personal use hence therefore they use that small amount implemented the lousy infrastructure and yet cosy.

    An PLUS highway is an example of what our government are trying to do, they couldn’t afford to finance of building the highway but they come out with the way imposing toll charge from citizen, one thing they could create job opportunity, and also improve our road transport system that will attract some foreign investment to establish a plant in Malaysia, and further they can have some little extra income, especially SEMI VALUE, he can use the money to plant his hair.

    For those who know about Star Cruise, you definitely would know that you going on board in S’pore is much cheaper than ex Port Klang. i just couldnt understand why Star Cruise being Malaysia base company could have charge a higher rate for those who prefer to ex Port Kalng than Ex Singapore. I got my answer when i approached my travel agent on last year. Singapore goverment are just too smart, cause they charge a lower port fees to attract more foreigner to travel to Singapore when they get onboard to Star Cruise. And they also build a shopping complex right at the port, provide those traveller a chance for a little shopping while waiting to get onboard. In fact what we have in Malaysia?

    Why does DrM was so angry about the new link to Singapore being abandoned by our current goverment, the reason is his son is the one who are the major shareholder of the newly build Port in Johor, If the current link do not bring to demolishment then any ship that sail from west past through Malacca strait will stop at Singapore port for their ship repair and maintainance. He is trying to make the ship to stop at Johor Bahru port this port belongs to his son.

  29. hey not only befroe GE they wanna make some money but looks like they themselves thnk this is their last hurrah to make big money. Who knows after GE they wont be anymore such easy deals that neednt any proper feasibility studies.

  30. Paying my annual taxes is becoming increasingly painful, not because of the amount, but because of the knowledge that all the tax money is going towards non-value added projects like this, and to enrichen a small group of corrupt Malaysians. Don’t waste your vote on UMNO and its puppets MCA and MIC in the coming GE!

  31. Talking about ‘bullet’ train from KL to Penang, is there one right now?? It reminds me of the time I took the ‘shinkansen’ from Tokyo to Osaka. The typhoon reduced it to the speed of a bullock cart.

    You cannot beat mother nature.

  32. This approval to proceed sounds suspiciously similar to TDM’s admission that the Cabinet then were quite ignorant when they approved all those privatisation concessions.

    This same half past six Cabinet (AAB retained most of TDM’s “ignorant” Cabinet) are now approving this double gauge project without understanding a hoot what they are approving. All an interested party needs to do is to work out a deal with someone with clout to get this proposal to Cabinet level with a sexy story and you can bet your sweet bippy our ignoramus Cabinet will approve it. They will even vote sending their Grandmas to a torture march if someone can sell the idea to them it is good for their health.

  33. RM9 billion Double-tracking project ! Is it that so urgent and necessary?

    Whilest Japan had its first bullet train – the Shinkansen lines in the sixties, today we are looking to double tracking on meter gauge(not even broad gauge) and it’s year 2007. To me, it just does not make sense. Why we are into a project that will go obsolete soon. Why not bullet train KL to Penang? Sorry, I smell a rat.

  35. In todays Star, the ministry of arts and culture is giving all ministers “jalur gemilang” lapels worth RM3000 each to “commemorate” 50 years of merdeka. This is utter rubbish, in light of poor families who don’t even see RM100 worth of food on their dining tables every month. The BN government has lost touch with reality and its people.

  37. Read in the news somewhere of Johor’s intention to install — if i remember correctly —24 more units of some sort of detector for Singapore cars …..those that have not paid fines/summons.

    Each unit cost 2.5 MM RM. That’s a filthy 1MM SG each! 24×2.5 MM RM = !!!!!!!

    Whatever they are installing, there seems to be really something wrong with the procurement process…….someone sure will be laughing all the way to the bank…

  38. I yearn a return to the days of the bullock carts, bicycles and trains no matter how slow these were. It is also a period without tolls, ‘modern’ airports, buildings with 88 floors, longest bridges and internet cafes and cellular phones and LRT.

    It would be a return to the period when trains would take some ten hours to go from Bk. Mertajam to KL. I would still be happy – and being happy is what counts.

    With modernization and westernization comes abuse and corruption – and social unrest.

  40. Like other reckless spending on mega projects, this project will benefit BN component parties and their politicians – directly or indirectly.

    They are prepared to grossly exploit their position of trust, power and influence to achieve their personal, selfish and greedy ambitions at the great expense of the country and her ordinary people.

  41. What happen to the YTL Proposed High Speed Bullet Train connecting KL to Singapore with 2 hour travel time??

    The project dead? Haiz.. dissapointed. Malaysia will always lag behind other country.

  43. Somehow, I smell a big-rat. Introduce obsolete technology. Dupe the stupid Malaysians. Charge high amount. Quickly sign the documents maybe before GE? With all the sunshine termination clause.

    That whatevery type of these contracts be – whoever won in the next GE, the profits are locked down for at least 3 generations for the cronies and family members.

    And if lets say the GE was won with very big majority again. OK. The technology would be phased out in the next 5 years again.

    More opportunity to make more money. Semua boleh makan. Sama-sama makan.

    And sama-sama close one eye.

  44. sorry – sunset termination clause … which makes revoking the contracts a pain in the @ss and to revoke would cost more. And some give-aways goodies need to be given for a revoke. And more money to be made.

    And the cyclic process begins again.

  45. ai yo, every major project in this country sadly has to be backed by a crony – otherwise how are the ‘putras’ to make a living?

    if we had a fair tendering process involving local and foreign companies from the beginning, fiascos like the Matrade building, MRR2 flyover and countless other delayed/abandoned projects would have been avoided…

    but then we would have ‘stolen’ the food baskets of these cronies now, wouldn’t we?

  46. Pingback: Kit Siang, meter gauge is enough for the time being. | LANDASAN

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