KUALA LUMPUR — In an earnest push to deliver a long-awaited boost to Klang Valley’s public transit network, Prasarana Malaysia Bhd is intensifying efforts to launch the Shah Alam Light Rail Transit (LRT)—formerly known as LRT3—before year-end, after its original September 30 target slipped off-track.
In a memo now circulating among staff, Prasarana’s newly appointed president and group CEO, Amir Hamdan, invokes a more spiritual rallying cry: he calls for “collectively undertaking supplicatory prayers for the project,” hoping the crucial fault-free run (FFR) that began on August 25 will proceed without incident. The FFR test requires each train set to accumulate thousands of fault-free kilometres, and any significant technical glitch resets the process entirely. The stakes are high: these trains must complete the full route in under 60 minutes, with intervals no longer than six minutes, ensuring the line can move up to 18,630 passengers per hour per direction.
Although Transport Minister Anthony Loke had earlier noted that the project reached 99.21% completion as of July 10, the absence of delay signals in official statements appeared in stark contrast to other hints of setbacks. Notably, a July 25 social media post by Prasarana had stated trains were undergoing round-the-clock tests “until October 31,” a clear nod to a revised timeline. That post was silently edited following broader media coverage of the delay.
Stretching approximately 37 kilometres from Johan Setia in Klang to Bandar Utama in Petaling Jaya, the Shah Alam LRT has long been viewed as a lifeline for commuters, especially as KTMB’s KTM Komuter services remain disrupted by the sprawling Klang Valley Double Track (KVDT) rehabilitation project. This line promises to restore much-needed connectivity across key corridors.
The project’s journey has been fraught with cost-cutting and design changes since its official launch in August 2016 under Prime Minister Najib Razak. Originally overseen by a project delivery partner—MRCB‑George Kent JV—it shifted to a fixed-price turnkey model in 2018, leading to reductions in trainsets, station designs, and even the scope of certain stations. Still, the project persevered, with numerous modifications along the way.
Now, amid one final full-system validation, Prasarana remains hopeful that December will bring not only the end of testing but also full-scale service—ushering in a new chapter of mobility across Shah Alam, Klang, Petaling Jaya, and beyond.
