KUALA LUMPUR, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Friday that the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), a mega rail project in Malaysia being built by the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), will facilitate balanced development in the country.
He made the remarks at the launch of the construction of the railway's first station in Kelantan state.
He said that the connectivity improved by the ECRL will help integrate the Southeast Asian country's developed west coast with its less developed east coast through better mobility as part of a wider public transport system.
Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the ECRL project drives the well-being of the community and encourages economic growth.
As a major infrastructure project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the ECRL runs from Malaysia's largest transport hub Port Klang and travels across the peninsula to Kelantan state in northeastern Malaysia.
The rail link is expected to greatly enhance connectivity to bring more balanced growth to the country upon its completion.
Produced by Xinhua Global Service
