GKENT JV with CCCC

KUALA LUMPUR: George Kent (Malaysia) Bhd and China Communications Construction Co Ltd (CCCC) have won a RM1.01 billion work package for the mass rapid transit (MRT) Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya (SSP) Line.

This is the third rail infrastructure project secured by George Kent in five years.

The company, controlled by Tan Sri Tan Kay Hock, previously won a RM1.1 billion signalling system package for Prasarana Malaysia Bhd’s light rail transit (LRT) Ampang extension line.

George Kent has also teamed up with Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd to win the project delivery partner role for LRT Line 3.

The work package for the 52.2km SSP Line was awarded by Mass Rapid Transit Corp Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp).

The package for engineering, procurement, construction, testing and commissioning of trackworks, maintenance vehicles and works trains was awarded after a meeting by the One-Stop Procurement Committee chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Hong Kong-listed CCCC, which has a market capitalisation of HK$205 billion (RM107 billion), holds a 51 per cent stake in the joint venture and George Kent the remaining 49 per cent.

MRT Corp chief executive officer Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar said the contractors would have to award 35 per cent of the work package to Bumiputera firms, an increase from 30 per cent required of the systems contracts for the MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line.

MRT Corp has to-date awarded 22 work packages worth RM25 billion for the SSP Line.

Shahril recently told Business Times that MRT Corp would be awarding two packages worth about RM1.5 billion for the SPP Line.

The second package, which will be awarded soon, is for automotive fare collection worth more than RM100 million.

In a statement yesterday, Shahril said the work package was one of the major contracts for the construction of the SSP Line. The George Kent-CCCC joint venture was one of seven tenderers which had quoted the lowest price, he said.

“They also fared very well in the technical portion of the evaluation. CCCC comes with very good technical know-how after having handled many infrastructure projects, including railway construction.

“George Kent, meanwhile, has a strong presence in the railway industry in Malaysia,” he said.

Shahril said the MRT project would benefit from the two companies’ experience.

Among the criteria for technical evaluation were compliance with specifications required by MRT Corp, proposed solutions, performance level, track record, works programmes and compliance with key dates, project execution plan, maintenance plan, quality and site safety, health and environment assurance.