Kuala Lumpur, 22nd July 2014 – Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd (ERL) will once again be sending its staff to Saudi Arabia to support the Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro operations during the Hajj season this year.

Also known as the Makkah Metro, the line is an 18-kilometre railway system connecting the holy sites of Arafat, Muzdalifah and Mina and it only operates 7 days a year to transport the pilgrims during the peak Hajj week. The success of Makkah Metro has generated positive influence and received global praise and recognition from Muslims worldwide. The train services considerably reduce congestion and pollution previously caused by thousands of buses and cars while at the same time, providing a safer and more comfortable pilgrimage.

Noormah Mohd Noor, Chief Executive Officer of ERL said: “This year marks our third year in providing operational support to Makkah Metro. We have recently renewed our contract with China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC) Saudi, the railway operation company appointed by the Saudi Government to operate the Makkah Metro line this year. I’d like to attribute this achievement to our good track record, operations expertise and competent staff. This renewed partnership with CRCC will further bolster our commitment and dedication in providing rail service to the millions of Hajj pilgrims.”

Manpower Requirements

• CRCC requires more than 5,000 people to run the whole train operations during the Hajj season. Their jobs include: station management, platform and waiting room operations, operation control centre and train drivers.
• Apart from operations work experience, the pre-requisites for selection include physical and mental fitness in preparation for the long hours and continuous shift duties during the Hajj week.
• 13 employees of ERL and its wholly-owned company, ERL Maintenance Support Sdn Bhd (E-MAS) were selected for the first outing in 2012 and another 29 employees were sent in 2013 to fill up the following station management positions: Station Masters, Assistant Station Masters, Station Control Room Agents.
• This year there will be a total of 28 staff members from ERL and E-MAS, seven of whom had already left for Makkah in early June for the purpose of recruitment and training of temporary local staff.
• Another 12 employees will be provided by Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad (Prasarana). This is the first time ERL is working with Prasarana to help fulfil CRCC’s manpower requirement.
• All the staff from the second group will be flying out to Saudi Arabia on 1st August 2014. All 40 staff including from the first batch will be expected to return on 19th October 2014.

In his speech, Prasarana Group Director for Rail Division Haji Khairani Mohamed thanked ERL for inviting Prasarana to collaborate in the project.

“We sincerely hope that the collaboration will not just benefit the two parties; but also foster closer relationship between the entire rail operators’ community in Klang Valley,” said Khairani, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd.

At the staff send-off ceremony in KL Sentral today, YB Datuk Ab Aziz Kaprawi, the Deputy Minister of Transport presented the Malaysian flag to the team leaders from ERL and Prasarana during a flag handover ceremony. He commended the joint initiative between the two rail operators and the spirit of solidarity being shown in bolstering the country’s image on the global front. He also hoped that the cooperation with CRCC can further boost the local operators’ achievements and strengthen international relations.