Transport minister Anthony Loke said earlier this year that the 192 km KTM ETS stretch from Gemas to Johor Bahru would be ready for service by August 2025, but there has been no update since the line was extended to Segamat in March.
Now, a report by The Star claims that it’s impossible for the service to start anytime this quarter, never mind this month, based on the paper’s recent inspection of the progress.
The media outlet found that significant electrification and signalling works remain incomplete, especially along the 100 km stretch between Kluang and JB Sentral. At a section near JB, the catenary system is still incomplete, with contact wires and other critical components of the overhead line equipment (OHLE) yet to be installed.
OHLE is the system of overhead wires and supporting structures that supply electricity to power electric trains, and it is a critical part of railway electrification.
The report pointed out that when KTM opened advance ticket sales on June 30 for travel up to the end of 2025, no southbound ETS tickets were offered beyond Segamat. Last week, KTM announced the suspension of advance ticket sales beyond December, saying that it will not be offering January 2026 tickets anytime soon. The company typically sells tickets up to six months in advance.
According to train systems specialist Yuslizar Daud, who was the former head of the now-defunct Land Public Transport Commission’s rail division, the process of fully installing and testing an overhead electrical system can be lengthy.
“Stringing of the OHLE, tensioning, adjustment with the tracks, energisation, testing and commissioning will take considerable time. Then there is the final inspection by the APAD (Land Public Transport Agency) before the green light is given. I don’t see (from The Star‘s pictures) how it can be ready even by September,” he said.
However, the report said that KTM is attempting to accelerate the opening of the 90 km stretch from Segamat to Kluang, so that ETS can reach the Johor town famous for its coffee this quarter. The application is yet to reach APAD, though.
What’s for sure is that the new third-generation ETS train sets, which recently arrived from China, are undergoing testing. The statutory requirement is for the first unit – known as the golden train – to log at least 8,000 km without demonstrating any fault in what the industry calls a fault-free run (FFR).
FFR is a standard requirement to ensure the integrity of the system before commercial operations can begin, and all new train sets are required to undergo the procedure. Similar train sets may pass with a lower mileage provided the golden train clocks 8,000 km or more without hiccups.
The report says that it is assumed that KTM will attempt to operate ETS services to Kluang using its older ETS trains, if APAD gives the green light for the stretch. The publication said that it sent queries to KTM and the transport ministry without getting any insight on the matter.
So, those from the south who have been yearning for a fast and reliable train service, like those in the north have enjoyed for years, will have to wait for awhile more for ETS to come to town.
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aiya.. standard la.. Malaysia kind of standard of keeping promise in schedule.
Anything that Ah Loke said before cannot be trusted. Too many delays already under his ministership.
Good info guys, for someone like me who likes to not driving, which is tiring enough nowadays
Loke must step down for not meeting this KPI. High time for him to chow lah!