SPNB awards RM1.7bil jobs for LRT extension

PETALING JAYA: Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB) has awarded contracts worth RM1.7bil for the first phase (Package A) of the RM7bil light rail transit (LRT) extension project involving the Kelana Jaya and Ampang lines.
In a statement yesterday, SPNB, which was established by the Finance Ministry to facilitate, undertake and expedite infrastructure projects for the Government, said the main contractor facilities job for Package A of the Kelana Jaya line, valued at RM950mil, was awarded to Trans Resources Corp Bhd. The work will take 30 months to complete.
UEM Builders Bhd and Intria Bina Sdn Bhd were jointly appointed the nominated sub-contractors for the fabrication and delivery of segmental box girder jobs worth RM93.16mil, which is expected to take 21 months to complete.
Package A of the Kelana Jaya line will be a 9.2km extension from the Kelana Jaya station to Summit (Station 7). Package B will involve a 7.8km extension from Station 7 to the Putra Heights station.
Meanwhile, the main contractor facilities job for Package A of the Ampang line was jointly awarded to Bina Puri Holdings Bhd and Tim Sekata. Valued at RM634.64mil, the work will take 27 months to complete.
Bina Puri and Tim Sekata were also jointly appointed the nominated sub-contractors for the fabrication and delivery of segmental box girder jobs, which is valued at RM67.70mil and expected to take 19 months to complete.
Package A of the Ampang line will be a new 7.4km stretch from the Seri Petaling station to Station No. 5, while Package B will see a 10.3km extension from Station No. 5 to the Putra Heights Station.
SPNB said recipients of the main contractor facilities jobs would be responsible for all guideway sub-structure and main structure works, foundation work for stations and traction power sub-stations (TPSS), to launch and install segmental box girders and to supply and install parapets and noise barriers.
In addition, within the total contract value, the main contractors will also manage the nominated sub-contractors for contracts worth RM469mil (Kelana Jaya line) and RM305mil (Ampang line).
SPNB said the selection of the contractors was done through an open-tender process starting from November 2009. A total of 119 applications were received, but one was rejected due to failure to comply with application guidelines.
The tender for the facilities works under Package B for both lines will be called upon approval of the final railway scheme, which is expected by mid-2011.
With the appointment of the main contractors, it is expected that work on the line extension projects will start as soon as possible, SPNB said.

source: TheStar

LRT extension jobs to be awarded soon

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is expected to award the jobs for the long-awaited light rail transit (LRT) extension project soon, and successful bidders have been short-listed, sources said.According to a source familiar with the matter, parties that had lobbied for the LRT extension jobs for the Ampang and Kelana Jaya lines include UEM Group, IJM Corp Bhd, Bina Puri Holdings Bhd and TRC Synergies Bhd. The contracts to be awarded will be for the building of LRT stations, laying groundwork and alignment before constructing the railway. The total extension length of the Kelana Jaya line is 17km and for the Ampang line 17.7km. Both extensions will see an additional 13 stations each.It is learnt that Bina Puri is in the forefront to win the LRT extension job for the Ampang line worth about RM600 million. Bina Puri has won several jobs of late, including the construction of a RM9 million hospital in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, and more significantly, the RM997 million contract to develop the main buildings at the proposed new low-cost carrier terminal in Sepang.Bina Puri will develop a portion of the LCCT via a joint venture with UEM Construction Sdn Bhd, a unit of the UEM Group. Meanwhile, TRC is tipped to bag the main contract for the Kelana Jaya line extension, estimated to be worth between RM900 million and RM1 billion, a source said. "UEM Builders Intria Bina Sdn Bhd (UEM Builders), a wholly-owned unit of the UEM Group, is believed to be eyeing the job as well, but is not likely to get it," the source said.UEM Builders is wholly-owned by UEM Group, which in turn is wholly-owned by government investment arm Khazanah Nasional Bhd.Both TRC Synergy and UEM Builders are understood to be in the last lap of bagging the contract, but sources said Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd, which is in charge of the country's strategic planning for public transport, had recommended TRC Synergy to the Ministry of Finance to be the main contractor for the LRT extension project. Despite Prasarana's preference for TRC, it is said that UEM Builders was lobbying hard for the job. The LRT extension is one of the government's major infrastructure projects under the Economic Transformation Programme. The proposed Kelana Jaya LRT line extension will commence from Lembah Subang-Kelana Business Centre, through Subang, USJ, Alam Megah and end at the hub in Putra Heights. Meanwhile, the proposed Ampang LRT extension line will commence from the present Sri Petaling station, pass through Puchong, Kinrara and end at the hub in Putra Heights. It is believed that construction on the extensions is slated to commence by the end of this year. The first phase, or Package A, of both Kelana Jaya and Ampang lines will see 9.2km and 7.39km of construction length respectively.

source: TheEdge

Klang Valley LRT extension project at design stage

KUALA LUMPUR: The government's plan to extend the light rail transit (LRT) service in the Klang Valley is well underway, the Dewan Rakyat was told on Tuesday, Nov 23.Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri said the extension project was now in its final stages of detailed designing, with over 95% already completed."Meanwhile, land acquisition and utility relocation are being done simultaneously," he said in reply to a question from Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed (BN-Kulai).He said the project involved a 17.7 kilometre route extension to the Ampang line which will create 13 new stations and a 17 kilometre extension to the Kelana Jaya line whereby 13 new stations would.Abdul Rahim said this in response to Nur Jazlan's question on the status of the LRT extension project in the Klang Valley and its benefits in terms of economic returns and interests to the public.Abdul Rahim said the RM7 billion project was expected to be complete in 2013 in efforts to cater to passengers during peak hours, as well as provide commuters more comfort while travelling.In addition to that, the project will present 2,000 job opportunities during its construction and 800 more after it operates."The 26 new stations will positively affect the economy of surrounding areas. Usually 60% of land and development within 400 metres from the LRT station will increase in value by 15%," he said. Abdul Rahim said extension of the LRT lines will prove to be beneficial to the public in terms of reduced travelling time, traffic congestion, direct costs such as fuel, tyre wear and tear and toll fare, as well as improving comfort and living standards of the people.He added that upon completion, the two LRT lines will connect at the Putra Heights station and form a complete rail system in the Klang Valley.The Kelana Jaya line extension will be able to increase passenger capacity up to 98,000 during peak hours, while extension of the Ampang line can cater to 79,800 passengers.

source: Bernama

Plenitude net profits surge 72.3% to RM20.24m for 1Q

KUALA LUMPUR: Plenitude Bhd's net profit surged 72.3% to RM20.24 million for its first quarter ended Sept 30, 2010, from RM11.74 million a year ago, underpinned by higher revenue.The group had posted turnover of RM77.08 million, representing a 33% increase from RM57.95 million, according to a filing to Bursa Malaysia on Monday, Nov 22.Plenitude had attributed its financial performance to "progressive profit recognised on properties sold, completed and handed over", namely Taman Desa Tebrau (Johor), Taman Putra Prima (Selangor), Bayu Feringghi (Penang) and Bandar Perdana and Lot 88 (Kedah)."Based on the group's commitment to the timely completion of the on-going projects, the board of directors is fairly optimistic that the group would be able to continue to record satisfactory results for the financial year ending June 30, 2011," it said in notes accompanying the announcement.

source: TheEdge

Carrefour to stay in Malaysia, Singapore

French retail giant Carrefour said Thursday it had abandoned a planned sale of its Malaysia and Singapore stores, pledging instead to build up its market share in the Asian nations.

The world's second-biggest retailer behind US colossus Wal-Mart, Carrefour had said this week it was offloading 42 stores in Thailand and was also looking to sell its 23 Malaysian and two Singaporean outlets.
But the firm decided to retain its presence in Malaysia and Singapore following a "strategic review", Carrefour chief executive Lars Olofsson said in a statement issued in Malaysia.
"We have decided not to sell our operations in Malaysia and Singapore because their market position and their growth prospect are consistent with our strategy," Olofsson said.
The Wall Street Journal earlier reported Olofsson as saying the planned auction did not attract high enough bids, but the chief executive played down those claims in his statement.
"We received good offers but we came to the conclusion that we can create more value by ourselves," he said, adding that the company can capitalise on its significant market share in the Malaysia's retail market.
Carrefour is the third-largest retailer in Malaysia and Olofsson pledged to invest "the necessary means" to improve its position in the market.
The French company on Monday said it was selling its Thai business to rival Big C, part of the French Casino group, for 868 million euros (1.19 billion dollars).
Reports emerged in July that Carrefour was planning to sell its businesses in all three Southeast Asian countries in an apparent bid to consolidate and shift resources to the booming Indian market.
However, the company denied the reported realignment in August.
According to Carrefour, Asia accounted for 7.6 percent of its total net sales of 85.96 billion euros in 2009, compared to 13.7 percent for Latin America and 35.7 percent for Europe excluding France.
Overall, Carrefour's sales in the third quarter were up by 6.7 percent to 25.61 billion euros (36 billion dollars). The growth was higher than a 6.1-percent increase forecast by analysts.

source: Agence France-Presse 18/11/2010

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New highway links Puchong to Tropicana

A new proposed highway linking Kinrara in Puchong to the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) will be cutting across Petaling Jaya near Tropicana.
The new link, which is off the Kesas Highway cuts through Section 4, Section 8, Jalan Timur, Jalan Semangat, Rothmans roundabout, Damansara Intan and Damansara Kim.
The toll highway, expected to start construction soon, also goes along the Sprint Highway all the way to the NKVE near Tropicana area.

Traffic planning consultant Goh Bok Yen said the new link would help alleviate the traffic problems in Petaling Jaya.
“Petaling Jaya badly needs roads that provide good access. It basically requires dispersal link to access the highways for ingress and digress,” he said.
Goh cited as an example the NKVE which, he said, cut on the west side to Kota Damansara, Ara Damansara and Tropicana.
A few links that are mainly used are Persiaran Surian, the FAS tunnel and Tropicana.
For the entire Kota Damansara, Damansara Perdana and Mutiara Damansara, he said logically there should be another route to allow traffic out of Persiaran Surian.

source: TheStar