Two more MRT2 packages to open for tender in 3Q

KUALA LUMPUR (July 5): Mass Rapid Transit Corp Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp), which announced yesterday the award of three work packages worth RM1.38 billion for the Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya (SSP Line) of the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit — also known as the MRT2 — will be seeking bids for two more work packages for the same project in the third quarter of this year (3Q16).

According to MRT Corp director of strategic communications and stakeholder relations Datuk Najmuddin Abdullah, the packages will be awarded in 2017.

“For Serdang and Seri Kembangan we have two packages, V205 and V206. The tender calling for both will be held in 3Q16. We will award the two packages in 1Q17, and the construction will begin in early 2Q17,” said Najmuddin at a media briefing on the SSP Line yesterday.

Package V205 entails the construction and completion of viaduct guideway and other associated works from the Sungai Besi station to the Serdang Raya (North) station, while package V206 is for works from the Serdang Raya (South) station to the UPM station.

Meanwhile, of the RM1.38 billion work packages awarded yesterday, which comprise two system work packages and one advanced work package, MRT Corp said the first system work package (SY205) was awarded to Colas Rail Consortium with a contract price of RM683.03 million.

The work is for the engineering, procurement, construction, testing and commissioning of power supply and distribution system for the SSP Line, according to a statement from MRT Corp.

The second system work package (package SY206) was awarded to bumiputera-led consortium Sapura-EVD Consortium for RM632 million. It entails the engineering, procurement, construction, testing and commisioning of communications, government integrated radio network, commercial telecom (Infra) and information technology system for the SSP Line.

As for the advanced work package for the construction and completion of Sungai Besi police headquarters and other associated works, worth RM59.5 million, it was awarded to SN Akmida Holdings Sdn Bhd, it said.

MRT Corp also shared that there’s been a change in the requirement for the SSP Line compared to the Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line (MRT1), whereby foreign companies tendering for the MRT jobs will now need to not only source at least 30% of their parts from local companies — but they must be from one with whom they have a joint venture partnership.

This, said MRT Corp chief executive officer Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar, is because MRT Corp wanted local companies to actively participate in the MRT project to further encourage knowledge transfer into the nation’s economy.

Back to the media briefing, MMC-Gamuda KVMRT (T) Sdn Bhd (MGKT) deputy project director Maslan Othman said the remaining packages for the SSP Line will be called for tender this year.

“For the whole alignment, there are 10 packages. There are three for the northern part, six for the south and one underground package,” he said, noting that packages 1, 2 and 3 and the underground portion have already been awarded.

To recap, the underground work package was awarded to MGKT, worth RM15.47 billion, the largest work package for the line. Meanwhile, packages V201, V202, V203 and V210 were awarded to Sunway Construction Sdn Bhd, Ahmad Zaki Sdn Bhd, IJM Corp Bhd and Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd, respectively.

Currently, the parties have completed about 10% to 15% of the land acquisition for the entire line, according to Maslan.

“The hearing process is ongoing now, which will take a period of time. We have completed about 10% to 15% of the land acquisition, out of the total 761 lots,” he said, adding that 290 were government lots, while 471 were private lots.

The SSP Line measures a total 52.2km, with a total of 11 stations stretching from Sungai Buloh to Putrajaya. Phase 1 of the line is expected to be completed by July 2021, while phase 2 in July 2022.

Do not ask your BFF about the value of your home. Go to The Edge Reference Price to find out.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on July 5, 2016. Subscribe to The Edge Financial Daily here.