Although it has approved the Mass Rapid Transit 3 (MRT3) project, the government says it has yet to finalise the decision to go ahead with the Circle Line, which is estimated to cost RM50.2 billion to build.

According to deputy finance minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan, this is because the government believes that the cost of constructing the loop line can be lowered, and has requested that the matter be looked into further, Berita Harian reports.

“There is a view that it can be lowered to RM45 billion, so we are waiting for a proposal on that. The MRT3 distance is 50.8 kilometers to complete the urban rail network. If we don’t build MRT3, we won’t be able to carry out the entire journey,” he said during the winding-up session of the Supplementary Supply Bill (2022) 2023 in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

He added that the government will also carry out a comprehensive study of the effectiveness of implementing the MRT3 project compared to Bus Line Transit (BRT), taking into account the suitability of locations, traffic volume and overall cost. “This matter will be discussed further with the transport and finance ministries,” he said.

He was replying to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (PH-Kuala Selangor), who asked if the finance ministry would conduct a comparative impact study between MRT3 and BRT, taking into account the factors of service use and cost.

The MRT3 Circle Line is set to be the last piece in completing the urban rail network in Kuala Lumpur, running along the perimeter of the city and linking areas that aren’t connected at present. It will go around Kuala Lumpur through high-density areas, including Setiawangsa, Titiwangsa, Mont Kiara, Pantai Dalam and Pandan Indah.

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