FOLLOWING Gamuda Berhad’s withdrawal of its bid for Segment 2 (Macallum-Penang Sentral) of the Penang Mutiara Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) project, the company will now focus its resources on delivering the civil engineering works for Segment 1 (Silicon Island-Komtar).
In response to this, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said that by withdrawing from the Segment 2 bidding process, the company will be able to concentrate more fully on the successful delivery of the project.
Chow said that as for the state government, the positive aspect is that Gamuda can now better focus on traffic management once the work on Segment 1 begins in full swing.
“This withdrawal will not affect their performance on Segment 1 but in fact, it will indeed enhance it.
“Segment 2 is currently under the tender process,” Chow said in response to a reporter’s question during a press conference held in Komtar today.
Gamuda is a leading engineering and construction firm in Malaysia and majority shareholder of SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd.
He also added that the tender for Segment 1 was offered to SRS through direct negotiation due to contractual obligations with the state government.
However, this does not prevent Gamuda from tendering for other segments of the project.
The Malaysia Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) serves as the developer and asset owner for the project.
Apart from that, Chow further emphasised that the MRT Corp has set specific requirements for contractors bidding for the LRT project, specifically involving foreign contractors, who are required to form a joint venture or consortium with Malaysian contractors holding at least 50% equity to be eligible for the tender.
Story by Tanushalini Moroter
Pix by Siew Chia En
Video by Noor Siti Nabilah Noorazis