Malaysia's East Coast Rail Link: Revival of Belt & Road project a huge boost for many regions

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02:44

Hope is growing that Malaysia's plan to revive a multi-billion-dollar railway could boost the economy. Supporters say the Belt & Road project could better connect remote villages. CGTN's Rian Maelzer spoke to a Chinese company in Malaysia about the possibilities.

China's leading rolling stock company CRRC has kept busy here, despite Malaysia's government putting the brakes on plans for a high-speed rail link to Singapore and initially scrapping the East Coast Rail Link or ECRL, across the peninsula.

At its plant in central Malaysia, It has been building train sets and carriages for the capital's light rail network and commuter rail service as well as electric, and hybrid diesel trains for the country's main north-south rail line.

HUANG HAI GENERAL MANAGER, CRRC MALAYSIA "Malaysia's rail transit industry has broad space for development. CRRC can provide green and energy saving and some modern transit products and it can significantly improve Malaysians' travel experience, load capacity and transportation speed."

And CRRC will certainly be expected to have a role to play in the revived East Coast Rail Link.

The ECRL is bringing new hope to towns like Mentakab, which has been in decline since being bypassed by a new highway between the capital and the east coast some 15 years ago.

RIAN MAELZER PAHANG, MALAYSIA "An antiquated rail line trundles through Mentekab on its way north via the sparsely populated interior of the peninsula."

But it will be a key stop on the new East Coast Rail Link.

The ECRL will link ports on the east and west coast of the peninsula, slashing transportation costs for industry in the interior.

CHRIS LAI CHINESE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, TEMERLOH DISTRICT "With the abundance of land in Temerloh district, with a very reasonable price, I think the manufacturers from overseas or from other states might come here and invest with this new station. I think young people will come back to their hometown and start their opportunity here."

It's a hope that will be shared by other towns along the ECRL, which will traverse some of the most economically backward parts of Peninsular Malaysia. Rian Maelzer, CGTN, Pahang, Malaysia.