KOTA BARU: The federal government has given its assurance that the prices for East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) train tickets will be affordable and that it will not burden the people.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the government would adopt the 'Rahmah' concept when fixing the fares for the ECRL trains.
"The government has high hope that the people especially those residing in the East Coast states will benefit from the development of the ECRL project
"We will take into account the interest of the people and want to ensure the ticket will not burden them," he told reporters after attending the launching ceremony of first ECRL station near Tunjong today.
The launching ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Also present during the ceremony were Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob and Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak.
Loke said discussion on the ticket price would also be held between MRL and the main contractor for the project, the China Communications Construction (ECRL) Sdn Bhd (CCC-ECRL).
On another note, he said the government was planning to develop industrial factories along the 665km-long railway.
"We want the ECRL to not only become the main transport project but also as an important component connecting state to ports in the country," he said.