SEPANG: The government is still in discussion over laying of railway tracks by India-based IRCON International for the Seremban-Port Klang line.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said that so far, it had yet to finalise and make any decision on awarding the project to IRCON.
"Malaysia will continue to improve the rail services in the country. We have the East Coast Railways project and the rail connections between Serendah to Port Klang. We still need a new railway track to connect Seremban and Port Klang.
"For now, we are still discussing whether or not we should award the project to IRCON. This is because it involves several agreements including palm oil exports from Malaysia to the Indian market," he said after the launch of the Second Phase of Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA here.
Recently, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in his visit to India said that the government was studying to award a railway project connecting Seremban-Port Klang to IRCON.
He said, however, the government needed to set the terms that both parties can accept and follow.
In the same visit, Najib also expressed concern over the 15 per cent increase in import duty for Malaysian crude palm oil, from 15 per cent previously.
He said he had asked the Indian government to revise the rates as India was Malaysia's second-largest palm oil export market.