The 688km East Coast Rail Line (ECRL) project is expected to balance development between the east coast and west coast of the peninsula.
“All this while, investments, whether from domestic or foreign sources, have always concentrated on the West Coast,” said Yusri Yusof, President of the Malaysia Malay Chamber of Commerce Pahang chapter.
“However, with a rail service that will traverse the smaller towns in Pahang like Bentong, Mentakab, Maran, Gambang, Kota SAS, Kuantan Port City I and II, and Cherating, it will be a blessing for the state in attracting investors to this part of the country.”
Set to be completed in 2024, the RM55 billion project will not only change the economic landscape of the East Coast states but also their social structure, particularly in the rural areas.
This comes as the mega-project will provide over 80,000 job opportunities for local residents.
“In Pahang, we have many higher education and skills training institutions established by the state government and various ministries, so a mammoth project like ECRL will offer many job opportunities to the local people across the east coast,” said Mohd Shahar Abdullah, who represents the voice of youth within the state.
“From the social aspect, many of the local youth need no longer migrate to the cities and big towns to work, leaving their family behind…Indirectly, living with their own family will help them cope better with the rising cost of living.”
Aside from this, the ECRL project will also help boost property prices in the suburban and rural areas as well as attract more tourists to the state’s ecotourism destinations such as the National Park in Jerantut.
Image sourced from The Star.
This article was edited by the editorial team of PropertyGuru. To contact them about this or other stories email editorialteam@propertyguru.com.my
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