Public Review Opens for Revised Penang Mutiara LRT with Cross-Sea Link at Core

Malaysia Rapid Transit Corporation (MRT Corp) has opened a three-month public inspection period for the revised Penang Mutiara Light Rail Transit (LRT) project, with a proposed six-kilometre cross-sea alignment now forming the centrepiece of the updated plan.

“The public consultation runs from February 24 to May 24 under Section 85 of the Land Public Transport Act 2010, giving Penang residents and stakeholders the opportunity to review changes to the route alignment, station locations and overall project scope,” the firm said in a statement.

At the heart of the revision is a direct rail link between Komtar on Penang Island and Penang Sentral on the mainland. The cross-channel journey is expected to take about eight minutes, significantly improving connectivity between the island and Seberang Perai.

Penang Sentral will serve as the main mainland station and function as a multimodal hub integrating ferry services, KTMB rail and bus networks. MRT Corp said the revised scheme also includes around 1,000 additional parking bays at Penang Sentral, allowing commuters to park and continue their journey via LRT to Komtar, the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone and Penang International Airport.

“The updated railway scheme reflects broader adjustments to development plans, including the scaling down of the Penang South Reclamation project. As a result, 3.15 kilometres of the original alignment within the reclaimed area and three previously planned stations have been removed,” it added.

However, a 1.5-kilometre stretch of track on the reclaimed island will be retained. Station PSR-A has been reclassified as a provisional station to cater for future demand as development progresses. Additional updates include a confirmed station at Penang Sentral, a provisional stop at Bagan Luar and a secondary depot at the Sungai Dua Festival Site for train stabling.

The overall Mutiara Line will span 29.67 kilometres and, once completed, will feature 20 permanent stations and two provisional stations. The RM16.8 billion project will connect a reclaimed island near Penang International Airport to Komtar before continuing across the channel to Butterworth via a cross-sea structure.

Construction began in 2025 and operations are targeted to commence in December 2031.

To facilitate public participation, MRT Corp has set up exhibition booths at Komtar, Penang Sentral and Butterworth KTM station. Project details are also available online at mymrt.com.my, where members of the public can submit feedback during the inspection period. Enquiries can be directed to MRT Corp’s customer service hotline.