This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on December 15, 2025 - December 21, 2025

The commissioning of the Light Rail Transit 3 (LRT3) Shah Alam line has been delayed again because of unresolved technical issues.

Until the glitches are rectified, project contractor Setia Utama LRT3 Sdn Bhd (SULRT3), a unit of Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (KL:MRCB), cannot say for sure when the system will be open to the public.

The project was first launched in 2016 when the Barisan Nasional government was in power. In 2018, under the Pakatan Harapan government, it was downsized and its cost revised downwards, leading to delays. The two pandemic years further slowed the project down.

In Budget 2024, five LRT3 stations that had been shelved were reinstated at a cost of RM5.3 billion. According to reports, the total cost of the project is RM21.9 billion.

The original date for commissioning was Sept 30 this year. It was postponed to Dec 31 and now to a later date to be announced by the middle of next month.

Prasarana, which is the owner of the asset, had said that the delays would not cost it any money because it is a fixed lump-sum contract given to SULRT3.

But delays are a cost. While the money to build the project has been expensed, no revenue is coming in because the service is not yet open.

The LRT3 line, which stretches between Bandar Utama and Klang, will serve an estimated 67,000 commuters daily. It is a critical to improving the Klang Valley’s public transport system. There is a hidden cost as long as the service is not open.

In its defence, SULRT3 had said that it would not open the service to the public until it was satisfied with its safety and reliability. This is the right move because the last thing anyone wants to see is the train stopping mid-way, forcing passengers to walk along the guideway — as has happened with the KLIA Aerotrain.

However, while safety and reliability are crucial, the question now is how long the rectification work will take and whether there be further glitches after completion.

Save by subscribing to us for your print and/or digital copy.

P/S: The Edge is also available on Apple's App Store and Android's Google Play.