Government will continue with Gemas-JB double rail line, says Najib

The federal government will continue with the Gemas-Johor Baharu electrified double-tracking rail project, the prime minister said.

"I am pleased to confirm that the federal government will continue with this project as set out in Budget 2016 recently," Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also finance minister, said at the grand opening of the Forest City real estate development here today.

The ceremony was graced by the Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar.

It was announced last year that Malaysia was awarding the Gemas-Johor Baharu electrified double tracking (EDTP) project to China Railway.

The line will complete the whole electrified double-tracking rail network up to Padang Besar.

It was reported that currently, there are 1,641.4km of railway network in Malaysia, of which 46 per cent are electrified double tracks.

The completion of the Gemas-JB EDTP in 2020 will extend the rail network to 58 per cent, it said.