KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 18): East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) contractor China Communications Construction (ECRL) Sdn Bhd (CCC-ECRL) is expecting to engage more local vendors and encourage more participation, especially from the East Coast.

In a statement Thursday (Feb 17), CCC-ECRL managing director Kong Qi said the firm will continue to provide opportunities for knowledge transfer and upskill more local railway professionals in Malaysia.

Kong also said CCC-ECRL is awarding 30 of its vendors, all of whom are locally contracted partners, with the Award of Excellence 2021.

In a statement Thursday, CCC-ECRL said the award, in its second edition, recognises the best practices and good performance of local project partners in areas of health, safety and environment (HSE) management, quality management, progress management and resource allocation.

The firm said as of January 2022, the ECRL project has achieved 27.19% completion so far.

It said the targeted achievement for the ECRL completion is expected to reach 37% by the end of 2022.

CCC-ECRL said that to date, there are cumulatively 459 subcontractors, 827 suppliers and 89 consultants to make up an aggregate of 1,375 local contractors participating in the ECRL project.