NEARLY 1,000 Bumiputera engineering and construction firms have applied to register for sub-contractor jobs in the civil works component of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project.

Project owner Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) said the project main contractor China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC) received 1,321 applications from companies registered with the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) during a pre-qualification  exercise.

That Bumiputera companies make up 72.25% of the applicants at 994 is very encouraging, it said..

“The level of enthusiasm shown by Malaysian construction companies in particular from the G7 CIDB rated companies augurs well for the increase in civil works participation for local contractors from 30-40% of the ECRL project as per the inking of the supplementary agreement between MRL and CCCC on 12 April 2019,” MRL said in a statement today.

A pre-qualification exercise was held in May to identify potential sub-contractors to fill the 40% local content quota for the infrastructure project.

The impressive number of applications, said the company, stands proof of local contractors’ capabilities and confidence in participating in mega projects, MRL added.

“The participation of local contractors will not just act as a stimulus for the local construction sector but will also serve as a catalyst in the transfer of knowledge and technology in view of the ECRL project’s status of being among the most challenging engineering and construction projects in Malaysia,” MRL chief executive officer Darwis Abdul Razak said.

CCCC managing director Bai Yinzhan said that he hoped to see Malaysian contractors  benefit from the sharing of knowledge and technology.

“As such, we hope that Malaysian local contractors would highly benefit from the co-operation and sharing of knowledge and technology that will, in the end, maximise the commercial impact of the Malaysian government’s investment in increasing competitiveness and in improving the quality of products and services provided by Malaysian contractors.”

MRL and CCCC will announce the shortlist of qualified companies by the year end.

The revised RM44billion rail network will connect the east coast states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang with the central states of Negri Sembilan and Selangor and the administrative capital of Putrajaya. – June 12, 2019.