Mutiara line

The Mutiara LRT line (English: Pearl) is a proposed light rapid transit system in Penang. The 29 kilometres (18 mi) line is planned to connect George Town's city centre with its southern suburbs of Jelutong, Gelugor and Bayan Lepas, with a link towards Seberang Perai across the Penang Strait. Once completed, it is owned by the Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRTC). The line, a component of the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP), is projected to contain 22 stations. Construction of the line is expected to begin in September or October 2024, and will be completed by 2030.^[1]

Mutiara Line
Overview
Native name	Laluan Mutiara
Status	Proposed
Owner	Mass Rapid Transit Corporation
Locale	Penang
Termini	Pulau Silikon Penang Sentral
Stations	22
Website	penanginfra.com
Service
Type	Light rapid transit
Depot(s)	Sungai Nibong Silicon Island
History
Planned opening	2030
Opened	2030 (fully operational)
Technical
Line length	29 km (18 mi)
Character	Elevated
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Route map Legend S0 Penang Sentral  ETS   1   2  Strait of Penang S1 Macallum S2 Komtar S3 Jalan Gurdwara Pinang River S4 Solok Sungai Pinang S5 Sungai Pinang S6 Jelutong Timur S7 The Light S8 Gelugor S9 Jalan Universiti S10 Batu Uban LRT Depot S11 Sungai Dua S12 Sungai Nibong S13 Bukit Jambul S14 SPICE S15 Jalan Tengah S16 FIZ S17 FIZ Selatan S18 Sungai Tiram S19 Penang International Airport S20 Permatang Damar Laut Strait of Malacca Segment 1-4 Segment 5 S21 Pulau Silikon

The line was previously known as the Bayan Lepas line, introduced by the Penang state government in 2015 as part of the PTMP. The plan envisaged a rapid transit system along George Town's heavily urbanised eastern shorelines in a north-south axis, with an extension towards reclaimed islands south of Batu Maung. It received conditional approval from the Malaysian government in 2019, and construction was scheduled to begin in 2020 amidst overwhelming public support. However, construction was repeatedly delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and a nationwide political crisis which resulted in a withdrawal of support by successive governments of different political parties.

After the general elections in 2022, the Malaysian government expedited development of the rapid transit line with additional funding, before fully taking over the project from the Penang state government. The line was re-designated and its alignment was substantially redesigned to its present state, which added a cross-strait link from George Town to Seberang Perai.

Overview

The Mutiara line forms the backbone of the Penang Transport Master Plan, an initiative created by the Penang state government in 2015 to improve transport infrastructure throughout the state.^[2] Among the components of the plan, the construction of several rapid transit lines, especially a line across the north-south axis of Penang Island's eastern coast, are prioritised for implementation, as the lines will serve a highly densely populated urban and industrial corridor along the eastern coast of George Town, specifically between the city centre and Bayan Lepas to the south.^[3][4] In addition, the transit service would facilitate easier commute for tourists arriving via the Penang International Airport.^[5]

History

Initial design

In April 2015, news reports emerged about the proposed Light Rail Transit (LRT) line from Komtar to the Penang International Airport. The 17.5 km (10.9 mi) line was expected to cost around RM4.5 billion.^[6] Chow Kon Yeow, who held the position of Local Government, Traffic Management and Flood Mitigation Executive Councillor at the time, was quoted as saying that the LRT would take five to six years to complete.^[7] Months later, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng announced the appointment of SRS Consortium as the Project Delivery Partner (PDP) for the Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP). The consortium consists of Gamuda Berhad as the majority shareholder, Penang-based Loh Phoy Yen Holdings and Ideal Property Development.^[8]

In December that year, SRS Consortium announced that the construction of the Bayan Lepas LRT would commence in 2018, with the goal of completing it by 2024.^[9] The original route of the Bayan Lepas LRT was disclosed in February the following year.^[10] The proposed route consisted of 19 stations spanning a 22 km (14 mi) stretch between Komtar and Permatang Damar Laut, with another eight stations planned for the proposed Penang South Islands (PSI) reclamation project, bringing the total length of the LRT line to 30 km (19 mi).^[10][11]

As public transportation falls under the ambit of the Malaysian federal government, in March 2016, the state government submitted the proposed Bayan Lepas LRT system to the federal Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) for approval.^[12][13][14] An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was also submitted to the federal Department of Environment (DOE) in 2017.^[14]

Funding became a contentious issue, as at that point, Penang was an opposition state governed by the Pakatan Rakyat bloc (now Pakatan Harapan).^[15][16] The Najib Razak administration had ignored requests by the state government for federal funding, forcing the state to resort to the PSI reclamation project to fund the PTMP.^[15][17] The state estimated that the sale of the reclaimed islets would generate RM70 billion in revenue, which would help finance the cost of PTMP. Additionally, the development of the islets was projected to result in economic spillover of RM100 billion.^[15][16]

Receiving government support

The PSI project became a political issue prior the elections in 2018, with the incumbent Barisan Nasional federal government opposing the reclamation on the grounds of protecting the livelihoods of the affected fishermen.^[18] The PTMP, along with the PSI, formed part of Pakatan Harapan's (PH) 68-point election manifesto for Penang.^[19] Consequently, the Bayan Lepas LRT, which was dependent on the reclamation project, did not receive approval until after the elections when PH came into federal power. In 2019, the federal Ministry of Transport gave conditional approval for the Bayan Lepas LRT. The estimated cost of the line had increased to RM8.4 billion.^[20]

Detailed plans of the Bayan Lepas LRT were put on public display in 2019 as part of the conditional approval.^[21] Despite dissent from certain interest groups, the LRT received close to 98% support from the public.^[22][23] Chow, who succeeded Lim as Chief Minister after the election, stated that construction of the LRT would begin in 2020, and that the state government had secured a sovereign guarantee from the Mahathir administration to issue bonds for the LRT.^[12][24][25]

Successive withdrawal of government support

 

 

Komtar

 

Macallum

 

Sungai Pinang

 

Solok Sungai Pinang

 

Jelutong Timur

 

The Light

 

Gelugor

 

Jalan Universiti

 

Batu Uban

 

Sungai Dua

 

Sungai Nibong

 

Bukit Jambul

 

SPICE

 

Jalan Tengah

 

FIZ

 

FIZ Selatan

 

Sungai Tiram

 

Penang International Airport

 

Permatang Damar Laut

 

Penang Sentral

 

Pulau Silikon

 

Jalan Gurdwara

class=notpageimage|

Locations of the stations. Interchange stations are marked in red and provisional stations in black.

Following the Sheraton Move that led to the toppling of the Mahathir administration by the right-wing Perikatan Nasional (PN) in 2020, the federal government rescinded the guarantee for a US$500 million loan application to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for financing the Bayan Lepas LRT.^[12][26] PH politicians from Penang subsequently accused the PN administration of "political vendetta".^[27][28] In the midst of the political feuding and the nationwide quarantine imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the state government announced that they would pursue other financing options for the LRT project.^[28][29] By then, the project was estimated to cost RM9.5 billion.^[28]

Revival and redesign

In 2022, the state government initiated a request for proposal (RFP) to obtain private funding and pre-qualify potential operators of the Bayan Lepas LRT.^[30] The RFP received eight submissions from local and international consortiums by the end of the year, with the state government planning to commence construction in 2023.^[31][32]

The federal election in 2022 resulted in a unity government headed by PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim. As Prime Minister, Anwar announced additional federal allocations in May 2023 to expedite the development of the Bayan Lepas LRT line.^[33] With more funds being made available, the state government decided to scale down the PSI project from three to one islet (Silicon Island).^[34] After months of further studies, in 2024, the federal government took over the LRT line, renaming it the Mutiara LRT Line.^[35][36] Mass Rapid Transit Corporation was appointed the developer and asset owner, while SRS Consortium is to be offered the contract for the first segment that stretches from the Silicon Island to Komtar. Significant changes were made to the alignment, including a cross-strait extension from Komtar to Penang Sentral at Butterworth, as well as the relocation of the proposed depot to Sungai Nibong.^[35][37] The line is projected to be completed by 2030.^[38]

Station listing

The following list of proposed stations was released by Mass Rapid Transit Corporation as of 3 May 2024^[update].^[39]

Station service legend
	Station contains parking for "park and ride" initiatives

Locality	Station	Platform type	Operation date	Transfers
Seberang Perai
Butterworth	Penang Sentral	Unknown	c. 2030	KTM ETS   KTM Komuter North  1  Ipoh–Butterworth line  2  Padang Besar–Butterworth line   Penang ferry service   Rapid Penang public bus terminal  17  Penang Sentral–Sungai Petani  62  Penang Sentral–Kulim  601  Penang Sentral–Kepala Batas  603  Penang Sentral–Kuala Muda  604  Penang Sentral–Taman Desa Murni  605  Penang Sentral–Teluk Air Tawar  613  Penang Sentral–Padang Serai  701  Penang Sentral–Bukit Mertajam  702  Penang Sentral–Bukit Mertajam (Permatang Pauh)  703  Penang Sentral–Seberang Jaya  706  Penang Sentral–Taman Pelangi  709  Penang Sentral–Machang Bubok  801  Penang Sentral–Nibong Tebal  EB60  Penang Sentral–Sungai Petani  EB80  Penang Sentral–Parit Buntar
	Crossing across the Penang Strait
George Town
City centre	Macallum	Unknown	c. 2030	–
	Komtar	Unknown	c. 2030	Tanjong Tokong line (proposed)   Ayer Itam line (proposed)   George Town tram line (proposed)   Rapid Penang public bus terminal  11  Weld Quay–Batu Lanchang  12  Weld Quay–Bandar Sri Pinang  101  Weld Quay–Teluk Bahang  102  Teluk Bahang–Penang International Airport  103  Komtar–Pulau Tikus–Komtar  104  Komtar–Tanjong Bungah  201  Weld Quay–Paya Terubong  202  Weld Quay–Paya Terubong (Farlim)  203  Weld Quay–Ayer Itam  204  Weld Quay–Penang Hill  206  Weld Quay–Lotus's Tengku Kudin  301  Weld Quay–Relau  302  Weld Quay–Batu Maung  303  Weld Quay–Bukit Gedung  304  Gurney–Bukit Gedung  306  General Hospital–Penang International Airport  401  Weld Quay–Teluk Kumbar  401E  Weld Quay–Balik Pulau  502  Weld Quay–Balik Pulau (Pekan Genting)  CAT  Congestion Alleviation Transport  CAT14  Komtar–Bukit Mertajam
	Jalan Gurdwara	Unknown	c. 2030	–
	Crossing across the Pinang River
	Solok Sungai Pinang	Unknown	c. 2030	–
Jelutong	Sungai Pinang	Unknown	c. 2030	Penang skycab system (proposed)
	Jelutong Timur	Unknown	c. 2030	–
	The Light	Unknown	c. 2030	George Town–Butterworth line (proposed)
Gelugor	Gelugor	Unknown	c. 2030	–
	Jalan Universiti	Unknown	c. 2030	–
Paya Terubong	Batu Uban	Unknown	c. 2030	–
	Branch towards rail depot
	Sungai Dua	Unknown	c. 2030	Sungai Nibong bus terminal
	Sungai Nibong	Unknown	c. 2030	–
	Bukit Jambul	Unknown	c. 2030	–
Bayan Lepas	SPICE	Unknown	c. 2030	–
	Jalan Tengah	Unknown	c. 2030	–
	FIZ	Unknown	c. 2030	–
	FIZ Selatan	Unknown	c. 2030	–
	Sungai Tiram	Unknown	c. 2030	–
	Penang International Airport	Unknown	c. 2030	Penang International Airport
Teluk Kumbar	Permatang Damar Laut	Unknown	c. 2030	–
	Crossing across the Strait of Malacca
Silicon Island	Pulau Silikon	Unknown	Provisional station	–

See also

• Penang Transport Master Plan
• Transport in Penang
• Kelana Jaya line
• Rapid Penang

References

1. "Construction of Penang LRT project expected to begin in September or October, says CM". Malay Mail. 29 March 2024.
2. "Penang Transport Master Plan (PTMP)". Penang Property Talk. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
3. "Penang rolls out LRT scheme". The Star. 2 April 2016.
4. migration (2015-04-17). "Penang to ease island's transport woes". The Straits Times. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
5. "LRT". pgmasterplan.penang.gov.my. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
6. "Penang to get first LRT project next year, report claims". Malay Mail. 16 Apr 2015. Retrieved 31 Mar 2024.
7. "Penang to ease island's transport woes". The Straits Times. 17 Apr 2015. Retrieved 31 Mar 2024.
8. Opalyn Mok (14 Aug 2015). "Local consortium wins bid for RM27b Penang transportation plan". Malay Mail. Retrieved 31 Mar 2024.
9. Yimie Yong (2 Dec 2015). "Penang LRT construction work to start in 2018". The Edge. Retrieved 31 Mar 2024.
10. "Penang public transport plan revealed – LRT, BRT, monorail and trams to connect island to mainland - paultan.org". Paul Tan's Automotive News. 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
11. "Bayan Lepas LRT – Penang Master Plan". 2019-07-13. Retrieved 2024-03-29.
12. Gooi, Hsiao Leung. "Enabling Decentralisation and Improving Federal-State Relations in the Federation of Malaysia" (PDF). Penang Institute: 29–31.
13. Tan, Sin Chow (2 Apr 2016). "Penang rolls out LRT scheme". The Star. Retrieved 31 Mar 2024.
14. "Cost of Penang's transport master plan has not surged: Chow". The Sun. 19 Jun 2017. Retrieved 31 Mar 2024.
15. Opalyn Mok (27 Jun 2019). "So what exactly is the Penang Transport Master Plan and how is it being funded?". Malay Mail. Retrieved 31 Mar 2024.
16. Azhar, Kamarul (27 Aug 2020). "Cover Story: The long & winding saga of the Penang Transport Master Plan and its political fallout". The Edge. Retrieved 29 Mar 2024.
17. "RMK-11, permohonan P. Pinang tidak dilayan – KM". Buletin Mutiara (in Malay). 1 Jun 2015. Retrieved 31 Mar 2024.
18. "Fate of Penang Transport Master Plan hangs in the balance (Updated)". The Sun. 26 Aug 2017. Retrieved 31 Mar 2024.
19. Amarthalingam, Sangeetha (27 Apr 2018). "Penang Pakatan sticks to undersea tunnel, LRT in manifesto". The Edge. Retrieved 31 Mar 2024.
20. Idris, Ahmad Naqib (18 Jul 2019). "Penang gets conditional nod for Bayan Lepas LRT". The Edge. Retrieved 29 Mar 2024.
21. "Public inspection of Penang LRT plan from Aug 19". Free Malaysia Today. 27 Jul 2019. Retrieved 31 Mar 2024.
22. Nambiar, Predeep (29 Aug 2019). "Overwhelming public approval for Penang's LRT project, says CM". Free Malaysia Today. Retrieved 29 Mar 2024.
23. "97% support for the Penang LRT project: Chow". The Sun. 27 Nov 2019. Retrieved 31 Mar 2024.
24. "PTMP: Construction work on LRT, PIL, PSR to begin by Q4 2020 , says Chow". Malay Mail. 13 Feb 2020. Retrieved 29 Mar 2024.
25. Opalyn Mok (7 Nov 2019). "Armed with federal guarantee, Penang eyes bonds to fund RM46b transport blueprint". Malay Mail. Retrieved 31 Mar 2024.
26. Zainul, Emir (28 Nov 2020). "Putrajaya pulls back govt guarantee for Penang's US$500m loan to finance LRT project". The Edge. Retrieved 31 Mar 2024.
27. "DAP MP slams Putrajaya for cancelling RM2 bil loan guarantee for Penang LRT". Free Malaysia Today. 28 Nov 2020. Retrieved 29 Mar 2024.
28. Opalyn Mok (1 Dec 2020). "Penang LRT project to go on with other financing options, says Chow". Malay Mail. Retrieved 31 Mar 2024.
29. Sekaran, R. (20 Jun 2020). "Mega projects in Penang to go ahead". The Star. Retrieved 29 Mar 2024.
30. Sekaran, R. (4 Jun 2022). "Penang to roll out the LRT". The Star. Retrieved 31 Mar 2024.
31. Vimal, Kevin (25 Oct 2022). "CM Chow: Bayan Lepas LRT project should go as planned if we follow the timeline". Buletin Mutiara. Retrieved 31 Mar 2024.
32. "Bayan Lepas LRT construction expected to start in Q4 2023". The Sun. 21 Oct 2022. Retrieved 31 Mar 2024.
33. McIntyre, Ian (6 May 2023). "Putrajaya to provide additional funds for Penang's LRT: Anwar". The Vibes. Retrieved 29 Mar 2024.
34. Christopher Tan (11 May 2023). "Penang South Islands project scaled down to one island – Silicon Island". Buletin Mutiara. Retrieved 31 Mar 2024.
35. "Loke: Federal gov't takes over Penang LRT Mutiara Line project from state gov't". The Sun. 29 Mar 2024. Retrieved 29 Mar 2024.
36. Azhar, Kamarul (19 Sep 2023). "Government committed to both MRT3 and Penang LRT, says MOT". The Edge. Retrieved 29 Mar 2024.
37. "曹观友：横跨槟威海峡 槟城将迎轻快铁大桥 - 地方 - 北马新闻". 星洲网 Sin Chew Daily Malaysia Latest News and Headlines (in Chinese (China)). 2024-03-29. Retrieved 2024-03-30.
38. Chester Tay; Zainul, Emir (29 Mar 2024). "Govt offers Gamuda's 60%-owned SRS Consortium works on first segment of Penang LRT". The Edge. Retrieved 29 Mar 2024.
39. "槟铁珍珠线22站点出炉 跨海桥衔接槟岛北海". Kwong Wah Yit Poh (in Chinese). 4 May 2024. Retrieved 5 May 2024.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to LRT Mutiara Line.

• Penang Transport Master Plan
• Bayan Lepas LRT Archive of news articles, maps, and other reports.