Earthworks for LRT project in Penang to start in fourth quarter of 2026

PENANGITES can expect earthworks to commence on the RM10 billion Mutiara Light Rail Transit (LRT) line project in the fourth quarter of next year.

Contrary to reports which indicated that work will commence this year, the project owner - Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Corporation Sdn Bhd's chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Zarif Hashim stressed that major construction will start in the fourth quarter of next year.

Before the construction can begin, the contractor needs to start a soil investigation along the LRT alignment, he pointed out.

"In the past, this type of soil investigation has already been done. So, the data is already there. It's not a new thing, but, it's possible that there are some situations or locations that the contractor needs to first address" he said after attending the Mutiara Line LRT Hari Raya Aidilfitri open - house here.

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow was the guest of honour.

The last soil investigation was done around 2018; hence, he said that the contractor needs to do another round of soil investigations in the area.

He said that once the soil investigation is completed, the contractor will be able to finalise the design, as it needs to take the soil conditions into account.

"Then, once the design is finalised, the first step is to assess whether there are any utilities at the site that need to be relocated," he said.

He said some of the utilities on the road reserve will need to be relocated first.

During the relocation, which Zarif expects to start this year, small machinery will be seen working to relocate the utilities.

"However, for the big scale of construction, like the viaduct, I think you can see it taking shape by quarter four next year. Next year is only 2026. With the target delivery date on Dec 31, 2031. we still have five years to go," Zarif said.

He said it is normal that during the initial years, projects like the LRT line would follow an S-curve once it reaches critical mass.

“It is not like a spike and therefore, you will see slow progress until sometime next year.

And I would say the S-shape will come in after 2027, 2028, where you can see the slope of the curve. By the time we reach 2029, it is already at that top of the S curve and that brings us for another two years until the end of 2031," he said.

Zarif said MRT Corp was doing its best in order to expedite the project.

On another matter, Chow revealed that the swearing in of Tun Ramli Ngah Talib as the Penang's ninth Yang di-Pertua Negri would be done on May 1 at the historic Dewan Sri Pinang complex in George Town.

Ramli, aged 84, succeeds Tun Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak, who will step aside after serving one - term as the state's governor since 2021.

Ramli will also assume his term from May until April 30, 2029.

"Tun Ramli is an experience administrator and has served both the nation and Perak well during his tenure as mentri besar and a deputy federal minister, as well as the Dewan Rakyat Speaker," said Chow.

The state will also organise a mega appreciation dinner for Ahmad Fuzi on April 28, as a gesture of gratitude towards his services for Penang. - April 26. 2025.