KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 12): Berjaya Rail Sdn Bhd, the rail arm of Berjaya Land Bhd (BLand), has appointed the daughter of Sultan of Johor, Tunku Tun Aminah Sultan Ibrahim Ismail, as its chairperson.

In a statement on Tuesday, the property and hospitality company said Tun Aminah, who holds a 30% stake in Berjaya Rail, brings a wealth of experience from her leadership roles in various private companies.

She currently sits on the board of Berjaya Corp Bhd, Berjaya Assets Bhd, Berjaya Capital Bhd, Berjaya Hartanah Bhd, Bukit Kiara Resort Bhd and REDtone Digital Bhd.

“I look forward to working with Her Highness in realising Berjaya Rail’s potential to redefine the way we travel, connect and experience the world,” said BLand group chief executive officer (CEO) and Berjaya Rail board member Syed Ali Shahul Hameed.

Berjaya Rail, which was launched in May this year, is actively participating in the request for information (RFI) exercise by MyHSR Corp for the revitalised KL-SG High Speed Rail (HSR) project and is committed to working closely with stakeholders to ensure the success of the high-speed rail industry.

Other players said to be eyeing the project include MMC Corp Bhd, WCT Holdings Bhd, YTL Group and Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB), The Edge reported in May.

An initial plan to develop the HSR was suspended in 2018 and later terminated in 2021, resulting in Malaysia paying RM320.27 million to Singapore as compensation for costs incurred for the development of the HSR project, and in relation to the extension of suspension of project.

The project’s revitalisation will “foster a new era of connectivity”, said Berjaya Corp founder and advisor Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun on Tuesday.

Tan said he is confident that Berjaya Rail can play a leading role in shaping the future of the rail industry.

“This interconnectedness will not only stimulate economic growth and tourism for Malaysia but also cultivate cultural exchanges and enrich people’s lives by reducing travel time and enhancing accessibility,” he said.

Berjaya Rail, which is led by its chief executive officer Farizul Baharom, will focus on five strategic areas, namely advancing HSR development, delivering integrated rail solutions, driving transit oriented development (TOD)/transit adjacent development (TAD), elevating user experience and harnessing synergistic partnerships.

BLand’s share price finished unchanged at 27 sen on Tuesday, giving the group a market capitalisation of RM1.33 billion.