KUCHING, Nov 11: Ibraco Berhad and China Railway Group Limited have secured a construction project valued at RM568.61 million for infrastructure works along the Blue Line-Package 1 Rembus to Stutong as part of the Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) network project under the Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS).
Ibraco, through its wholly-owned unit Ibraco Construction Sdn Bhd (ICSB), together with China Railway units, China Railway Engineering Corp (M) Sdn Bhd (CRECM) and Nanyang Tunnel Engineering Sdn Bhd (NYTE), have successfully bid for the KUTS project from Sarawak Metro Sdn Bhd (SMSB).
The Letter of Acceptance was officially accepted yesterday (Nov 10).
Sarawak Metro is the KUTS project implementer that aims to transform Kuching into a dynamic and competitive city by providing user-friendly mobility services through the Greater Kuching area with the introduction of autonomous rapid transit.
According to Sarawak Metro in a statement today, the project involves the constructing a 15-kilometre ART alignment, starting from the Depot in Rembus and along the Kuching-Samarahan Expressway up to Stutong, seven stations and a bridge that will cross Sungai Kuap.
In its announcement on Bursa Malaysia yesterday, Ibraco highlighted that ICSB partnered with the two companies to leverage the collective skills, experience and capabilities of all parties to participate in the open tender by Sarawak Metro.
Under the agreement, Ibraco added that a joint venture (JV) company will be incorporated to undertake and execute the project in accordance with the laws of Malaysia and applicable to Sarawak.
The formal announcement of the JV company’s incorporation will be made at a later date.
The project is expected to be completed by Dec 31, 2025, for Stage 1 and June 30, 2026, for Stage 1A.
CRECM, a state-owned enterprise of the People’s Republic of China, has extensive experience in local infrastructure works, including bridges, railways, highways, buildings, roads, harbours and ports. NYTE is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CRECM with a track record of completing railway infrastructure works and stations.
The KUTS project is being developed in phases with Phase 1 consisting of the Blue Line, the Red Line and the Green Line.
The Blue Line will be from Rembus in Kota Samarahan to Hikmah Exchange in the city centre; the Red Line, from Kuching Sentral to Pending; and the Green Line, from Pending to Damai.
Covering a total distance of 70 kilometres, Phase 1 of the KUTS project is scheduled to begin passenger service in stages, starting from the fourth quarter of 2025 and expected to complete by end of 2027.
The backbone of the KUTS project is the introduction of the zero-emission mode of transportation, comprising of the ART vehicle and supported by the hydrogen powered feeder bus network.
Both vehicles are powered by hydrogen fuel cell, in support of Sarawak’s effort to reduce carbon emissions and in line with Sarawak’s agenda to advance the hydrogen economy. — DayakDaily
