Gamuda, Sunway Construction, Binastra: Getting Things Moving With MRT3
Construction
18 July 2025
Malaysia Sector Update
Construction & Engineering | Construction
Getting Things Moving With MRT3; OVERWEIGHT
- Maintain OVERWEIGHT. Top Picks include Gamuda, Sunway Construction, and Binastra. The Final Railway Scheme for the Mass Rapid Transit 3 (MRT3) circle line has been formally signed and approved by the Transport Minister Anthony Loke – marking a major milestone of the project. Post approval of the Final Railway Scheme for MRT3, the land acquisition process would begin and is expected to be completed by end-CY26. As such, we envisage MRT3 contract awards and construction to likely commence in CY27.
- Prior to the approval of the Final Railway Scheme, the public inspection exercise was held from Sep to Dec 2024, during which Malaysia Rapid Transit Corporation (MRT Corp) received over 45,000 written feedback submissions. An overwhelming 93.3% of the feedback expressed support for the project – reflecting strong public and stakeholder endorsement, according to MRT Corp. The three-month public inspection exercise was done in accordance with Section 84 of the Land Public Transport Act, which features detailed information, ie alignment maps, site plans, and project details.
- Based on the feedback received from the public inspection exercise, MRT Corp has made several improvements to the placement of stations and viaducts along the project’s alignment, as well as the design of the MRT3 Circle Line’s rail system. During the public inspection exercise held from Sep to Dec 2024, 32 stations were planned for MRT3 – 22 elevated, 7 underground, and 3 provisional ones with an alignment spanning 51km (39km elevated, 12km underground). MRT Corp highlighted that land acquisitions have been reduced from 1,012 to 690 lots, and improvements were made to station and viaduct placements along the alignment.
- Key beneficiaries of MRT3 can be divided into the first-liners (main contractor) and second-liners (subcontractor). Based on track records in the previous MRT1 and MRT2 projects – contractors such as Gamuda, Sunway Construction, IJM Corp, Malaysian Resources Corp, WCT Holdings (WCT MK, NR), Gadang Holdings (GADG MK, NR) and Mudajaya Corporation (MDJ MK, NR) are expected to be the first-liners. Meanwhile, builders such as Econpile, Gabungan AQRS, Kimlun Corp (KICB MK, NR) and TRC Synergy (TRC MK, NR) could play a role as subcontractors under the MRT3 project.
- We envisage some details on MRT3 to be announced during the upcoming tabling of either the 13th Malaysia Plan (31 July) or Budget 2026 (10 October), ie the funding mechanism, latest estimated cost, and also if a fresh round of re-tendering is required. Recall that in the revised Budget 2023 (tabled in Feb 2023), the Government announced an intention to review the cost of the MRT3 project in the hope of reducing the total amount to below MYR45bn from the estimated MYR68bn in 2018.
- Key downside risks to our sector call are unexpected slowdown in job rollouts and labour shortages.
Company Name | Rating | Target (MYR) | % Upside (Downside) | P/E (x) Dec-26F | P/B (x) Dec-26F | ROAE (%) Dec-26F | Yield (%) Dec-26F |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Binastra | Buy | 2.64 | 44.1 | 12.0 | 4.1 | 39.0 | 2.5 |
Econpile Holdings | Buy | 0.48 | 18.3 | 52.5 | 1.7 | 3.2 | 0.6 |
Gabungan AQRS | Buy | 0.33 | 73.2 | 3.7 | 0.2 | 5.0 | 5.3 |
Gamuda | Buy | 5.86 | 13.8 | 20.1 | 2.3 | 11.8 | 1.9 |
IJM Corp | Buy | 3.30 | 23.7 | 16.4 | 0.9 | 5.2 | 3.0 |
Kerjaya Prospek | Buy | 2.80 | 32.9 | 13.2 | 2.0 | 16.4 | 5.7 |
KKB Engineering | Buy | 1.74 | 29.0 | 13.4 | 0.9 | 6.7 | 3.7 |
Malaysian Resources Corp | Buy | 0.67 | 25.9 | 34.9 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 1.9 |
MGB | Buy | 1.02 | 95.4 | 4.7 | 0.4 | 9.9 | 6.4 |
Pintaras Jaya | Buy | 2.06 | 35.2 | 9.4 | 0.6 | 6.6 | 4.3 |
Sunway Construction | Buy | 6.80 | 17.7 | 21.2 | 6.6 | 33.1 | 2.8 |
Source: Company data, RHB
Figure 5: Overall alignment of MRT3 (shown during the public inspection exercise from Sep to Dec 2024)
Stations (from UM, clockwise):
- Underground Alignment: UM, Universiti, Pantai Permai, Pantai Dalam, Jalan Klang Lama, Kuchai, Salak Selatan, Salak Jaya
- Elevated Alignment: Sri Permaisuri, Taman Yaacob Latif, Jalan Loke Yew, Taman Midah, Taman Cheras, Pandan Kencana, Kampung Pandan, Taman Indah, Tasik Ampang, Taman Hillview, AU2 (Provisional), Setiawangsa, Rejang, Setapak, Danau Kota, Jalan Langkawi, Kampung Puah (Provisional), Titiwangsa, Kompleks Duta, Taman Dutamas, Sri Sinar, Segambut, Bukit Hartamas, Sri Hartamas, Bukit Kiara, Bukit Kiara Selatan
Legend:
- Park and Ride
- Provisional Station
- MRT Kajang Line
- LRT Ampang Line
- LRT Kelana Jaya Line
- KTM Tanjung Malim – Pelabuhan Klang Line
- MRT Putrajaya Line
- LRT Sri Petaling Line
- KL Monorail Line
- KTM Batu Caves – Pulau Sebang Line
Source: MRT Corp
Figure 6: MRT3 estimated cost breakdown assuming the lowest bidders based on The Edge’s article – prior to any cost review by the Government
Work Packages | Value (MYRbn) |
---|---|
Breakdown of construction component into five packages: | 34.3 |
CMC301 – Malaysian Resources Corp (lowest bidder) | 2.9 |
CMC302 – Syarikat Pembenaan Yeoh Tiong Lay (lowest bidder) | 10.8 |
CMC303 – MMC Gamuda (lowest bidder) | 13.3 |
Project management consultancy (PMC) package awarded to HSS Engineers (HSS MK, NR) | 1.0 |
Systems package | 6.3* |
Land acquisition | 8.4 |
Project management | 5.6 |
Others | 1.9 |
Total | 50.2 |
Note: Based on the parliamentary reply in Aug 2022, Land Public Transport Act 2010.
Note 2: * Amount left of after taking into account the PMC and civil construction costs (based on lowest bidders highlighted in The Edge’s article).
Source: RHB, Land Public Transport Agency, various media
Figure 7: List of contractors for the viaduct construction and underground works under MRT2
No. | Contract Title | Date of Award | Contractor |
---|---|---|---|
GUIDEWAY (VIADUCT) | |||
1 | Package V201: Construction and Completion of Viaduct Guideway and Other Associated Works From Sungai Buloh to Persiaran Dagang. | 31 March 2016 | Sunway Construction Sdn Bhd |
2 | Package V202: Construction and Completion of Viaduct Guideway and Other Associated Works from Persiaran Dagang to Jinjang. | 04 April 2016 | Ahmad Zaki Sdn Bhd |
3 | Package V203: Construction and Completion of Viaduct Guideway and Other Associated Works From Jinjang to Jalan Ipoh North Portal. | 19 May 2016 | IJM Construction Sdn Bhd |
4 | Package V204: Construction and Completion of Viaduct Guideway and Other Associated Works from Bandar Malaysia South Portal to Kampung Muhibbah. | 14 November 2016 | WCT Berhad |
5 | Package V205: Construction and Completion of Viaduct Guideway and Other Associated Works from Kampung Muhibbah to Serdang Raya. | 10 March 2017 | Trans Resources Corporation Sdn Bhd |
6 | Package V206: Construction and Completion of Viaduct Guideway and Other Associated Works from Serdang Raya to UPM. | 10 March 2017 | Gadang Engineering (M) Sdn Bhd |
7 | Package V207: Construction and Completion of Viaduct Guideway and Other Associated Works from UPM to Taman Pinggiran Putra. | 15 December 2016 | Mudajaya Corporation Berhad |
8 | Package V208: Construction and Completion of Viaduct Guideway and Other Associated Works from Taman Pinggiran Putra to Persiaran Alpina. | 17 November 2016 | MTD Construction Sdn Bhd |
9 | Package V209: Construction and Completion of Viaduct Guideway and Other Associated Works from Persiaran Alpinia to Persiaran Apec. | 10 March 2017 | Acre Works Sdn Bhd |
10 | Package V210: Construction and Completion of Viaduct Guideway and Other Associated Works From Persiaran APEC to Putrajaya Sentral. | 19 May 2016 | Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad |
UNDERGROUND WORKS | |||
1 | Construction And Completion Of Tunnels, Stations And Associated Structures from Jalan Ipoh North Escape Shaft to Desa Waterpark South Portal. | 31 March 2016 | MMC Gamuda KVMRT (T) Sdn Bhd |
Source: MRT Corp
Figure 8: MRT1 Timeline
December 2010
Government approves Klang Valley MRT project and construction of MRT Sungai Buloh – Kajang Line (MRT1).
February 2011
Start of the three-month public display of MRT Kajang Line Railway Scheme.
February 2012
First two main work packages for elevated works; V5 and V6 were awarded to IJM Corp and Ahmad Zaki Resources (AZR MK, NR).
March 2012
The underground work packages of MRT1 was awarded to MMC-Gamuda KVMRT (T).
September 2012
Gabungan AQRS was awarded with a subcontract from Syarikat Muhibah Perniagaan & Pembinaan for the completion of a viaduct gateway and other associated works from Sungai Buloh to Kota Damansara under MRT1.
Source: Various media
Figure 9: MRT2 Timeline
October 2014
Approval on MRT Putrajaya Line (or MRT2) project.
May to August 2015
Three-month public display exercise for MRT2.
October 2015
Final approval for the MRT Putrajaya Line Railway Scheme.
March 2016
The viaduct works package (main contract) is awarded to AZR.
October 2016
Econpile secured the subcontract related to bored pile works for a viaduct gateway from AZR worth MYR43.5m.
Source: Various media
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