The West Coast Expressway (WCE) project for Section 11, involving the Beruas and South Taiping interchanges, is anticipated to commence operations in the first quarter of this year, no later than April. Dr. Nadzrol Fadzilah Ahmad, Deputy Director-General (Development) of the Malaysian Highway Authority, mentioned that efforts are being made to enable the section to be operational before the Chinese New Year celebration, expressing confidence that it could happen before Aidilfitri.
Stating the commitment towards this goal, Dr. Nadzrol mentioned, “We are working towards that; we are trying, but we can’t confirm before Chinese New Year. The target is set for the people’s convenience to avoid congestion, but it is still subjective because safety factors are our priority. Today is already January 17, so it’s quite challenging (to be operational before Chinese New Year). We will try if possible before Chinese New Year; if not, in the first quarter. However, I don’t think it will go until April; I believe it will be before Aidilfitri,” during a media briefing held today, told Bernama.
Earlier, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad, along with the state government’s EXCO members, conducted a thorough inspection and received a comprehensive briefing regarding the implementation progress of the WCE project.
Providing insights into the development, Nadzrol Fadzilah highlighted that the toll plaza in Section 11 is nearing completion and will undergo additional processes. He also noted that toll plazas, which were previously opened for free based on past events, may not necessarily follow the same pattern this time.
WCE Holdings Bhd CEO, Lyndon Alfred Felix conveyed that the construction of Section 11 has achieved over 98 percent completion by December 31 of the previous year. “Currently, we are in the stage of examination, monitoring, and certification by LLM. This phase must be completed before the highway can be opened. We completed construction on December 31, and after the examination and monitoring process,” he stated.
Emphasising the strategic significance of the WCE project, Saarani highlighted its role as a vital route to expand the transportation network, connecting not only towns and districts but also linking Perak with key economic growth centers, including Port Klang, Lumut Port, and Penang Port.
“This route is crucial as a catalyst for Perak’s plans to drive socio-economic growth along the west coast, transforming the tourism landscape of Perak by facilitating access to strategic destinations in line with the Visit Perak 2024 campaign. When it is opened later, road users will have an alternative route option to the existing road to the west coast areas in Perak, such as Teluk Intan, Manjung, Pangkor Island, Beruas, Trong, Changkat Jering, and Taiping,” he added.
According to Bernama, Saarani disclosed that they were briefed today, receiving explanations about the current status of the project carried out by West Coast Expressway Sdn Bhd through a privatization initiative, connecting Taiping and Banting, Selangor, covering a total length of 233 kilometers (km).
As of now, five out of the total 11 sections of the highway construction have been opened to traffic, namely Section 5 (Klang-Kapar) and Section 6 (Kapar-Assam Jawa) in Selangor, while Section 8 (Hutan Melintang-Teluk Intan), Section 9 (Kampung Lekir-Changkat Cermin), and Section 10 (Changkat Cermin-Beruas) in Perak. Section 11 (Beruas-South Taiping), spanning 35.5 km, complements the WCE route in Perak.
