KUALA LUMPUR, 26 JULY 2024: The East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) presented the transformative potential of the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) at the Selangor Investment & Industrial Park Expo (SPARK 2024), emphasizing the significant impact of the upcoming land-bridge connectivity on the local economy and investment landscape. The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), will be a major game-changer for the region, that will link Port Klang on the west coast to Kuantan Port and on to Kota Bharu on the east coast, reducing travel time and costs, and spurring economic activities along its route.

SPARK 2024, held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, featured a key discussion on ‘Seamless Connectivity: ECRL’s Role in Optimizing East and West Coast Port Logistics’, moderated by YBhg. Dato’ Ragu Sampasivam, Chief Operating Officer of ECERDC. Panellists include the Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Rail Link (MRL), Dato’ Sri Darwis Abdul Razak; the Chief Commercial Officer of Kuantan Port Consortium Sdn. Bhd., En. Mazlim Husin; the Chief Executive Officer of Northport (Malaysia) Bhd, Dato’ Azman Shah Mohd Yusof; the Chief Executive Officer of Invest Selangor Berhad, Dato’ Hasan Azhari Haji Idris, and the Chief Executive Officer of Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Pahang (PKNP), Dato’ Mohd Faizal Jaafar, who shared their insights and efforts that are being put in place.

The panel discussion highlighted ECRL’s importance in the country’s connectivity and logistics efficiency. The panelists emphasized the impact of the creation of ‘land-bridge’ connectivity in ECER which is poised to transform the local economy and investment landscape.

The ECRL as a land bridge will create the agglomeration of cities, particularly between Kuantan and Kuala Lumpur, supported by multimodal connectivity infrastructures. It integrates economies of the ECER SEZ and Klang Valley region and trades of two ports; Port Klang as West-bound shipping routes and Kuantan Port as gateway for East-bound trade between Malaysia and Far East Asia.

“The ECRL will significantly enhance ECER’s connectivity and logistics efficiency, making it an ideal destination for businesses looking to expand their reach. ECER also offers cost effective-land options,” said YBhg. Dato’ Ragu Sampasivam, Chief Operating Officer of ECERDC after moderating the panel discussion.

SPARK 2024, held from the 25th to the 27th of July 2024, holds significant strategic importance for ECER, serving as a pivotal platform for industries to explore new market opportunities within Malaysia and across ASEAN. The event brought together key stakeholders from various sectors, including industrial park developers, investment agencies, and service providers. This provided a unique opportunity for networking, knowledge sharing, and collaboration, enabling participants to forge strategic partnerships that can enhance ECER’s economic growth and attractiveness to investors, particularly through strengthened bilateral ties with Selangor. 

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