Kerteh: The gas pipeline leakage involving Petronas Gas Berhad (PGB) at the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project site in Kerteh last Saturday will not affect the progress of the project, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said. He stated that immediate action was taken to shut off the gas supply once the leak was detected, followed by repair works by the relevant parties.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, police had closed the main Kerteh-Ranggon road to all vehicles following the gas leak at the ECRL Section 5 site on Saturday morning. Loke mentioned that the incident is currently being investigated by several agencies, including SIRIM, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and other relevant authorities. Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) has already submitted a report to him, and NIOSH is conducting its own probe. He expressed confidence that the matter could be resolved promptly, as Petronas is responsible for the repairs.

Loke clarified that a full report regarding the cause of the leak has not yet been received. He indicated that the timeline for repairs can only be explained by Petronas since it involves their asset, and he assured that the incident is not expected to disrupt the overall ECRL development.

Meanwhile, in his speech earlier, Loke announced that the Federal Government has allocated RM40.81 million over five years, or RM8.16 million annually, to support eight routes under the Stage Bus Service Transformation (SBST) programme in Kuala Terengganu. He noted that since the expansion of BAS.MY Kuala Terengganu in February this year from four routes to eight routes, the average monthly ridership has increased to 24,000 passengers up to August 2025. The BAS.MY implementation in Kuala Terengganu covers eight routes across four local authorities - Kuala Terengganu City Council, Hulu Terengganu District Council, Setiu District Council, and Marang District Council.