ECRL cable theft: 200 auxiliary police personnel to be stationed at hotspots from November – MRL CEO
A total of 200 auxiliary police personnel will be stationed at East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) cable theft hotspots from November as part of enhanced security measures against cable theft, as well as to ensure smooth rail operations,Bernamahas reported.Among the measures are the installation of detection devices, alarm systems, and closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, while security guards and enforcement agencies have also been engaged, said Malaysia Rail Link (MRL) CEO Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak.“Throughout the construction of the ECRL, we suffered losses of about RM4 million due to cable theft, including three cases last month,” Darwis said.Malaysia Rail Link, as the project and asset owner, remained confident that the ECRL could begin operations by mid-December 2026, based on the positive results from systems integration testing, Darwis added.Progress made in the testing and commissioning phase had allowed fault-free runs (FFRs) with the Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) for passenger services and electric locomotives for freight services to begin this month, one month ahead of schedule, without compromising safety or quality, he continued.Yesterday, minister of housing and local government Nga Kor Ming said thatthe government is considering heavier penaltiesto combatcable thieves, especially those involving syndicates.Cable theft has also affected other rail services. In December 2025, Prasarana stated that cable theft hascost the group RM20.6 million in lossesover the past three years. This has also causedover 1,300 hours in delays to KTM ETS and Komuter serviceslast year.Add paultan.org as a preferred source on Google SearchAddFollow paultan.org on Google NewsFollow
