Penang Mutiara Line enters next phase with RM3.03 bil systems contract

PETALING JAYA (Aug 6): The Penang Mutiara Line has entered its next phase with the award of a RM3.028 billion railway systems contract, allowing railway systems design to proceed alongside ongoing civil works as construction of Penang's first metro rail project gathers pace, according to Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp).

In a statement on Wednesday (Aug 6), MRT Corp said it had awarded the System Turnkey Contract (STC) to the Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB)-Theta Edge Bhd joint venture, aligning railway systems implementation with the project's civil construction programme.

The contract covers seven core railway systems: electric trains and depot equipment; signalling and train control with automatic platform gates; trackwork, conductor rail and maintenance vehicles; power supply and distribution; railway supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and computerised maintenance management systems; telecommunications and information technology systems; and the automatic fare collection system.

The award comes as construction under Civil Main Contract 1 (CMC1), covering the alignment from Silicon Island to Komtar, continues under a parallel design-and-build approach that allows construction to proceed while detailed designs are finalised.

To date, 45 pile caps and 32 pier columns have been completed, with work underway across 14 of the 19 planned construction sections. MRT Corp said 93% of the land required for the CMC1 package has also been made available through cooperation between the federal and Penang governments and relevant agencies.

Preparatory works are also advancing at key locations. Soil investigation works have begun at Silicon Island ahead of depot construction, while demolition and site preparation have been completed at the Tapak Pesta site following its handover by the Penang government in April, allowing works to commence soon.

Separately, MRT Corp said Bumiputera participation under the CMC1 package has exceeded 20% of the total contract value as the main contractor continues awarding station and related subcontract packages.

The corporation said it remains committed to delivering the project on schedule while minimising disruption to the public during construction.

Meanwhile, tender evaluation for Civil Main Contract 2 (CMC2), covering the extension from Komtar to Penang Sentral, is underway, with MRT Corp targeting a contract award in November 2026.

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