MMC-DOM consortium awarded Johor ART project?

MMC-DOM consortium awarded Johor ART project? [WATCH]

NST Tue, May 05, 2026 03:05pm - 18 hours

A consortium led by MMC Corp Bhd and DOM Industries Sdn Bhd has emerged as the winning bidder for Johor Baru’s autonomous rapid transit (ART) project. NSTP/MOHD FADLI HAMZAH

KUALA LUMPUR: A consortium led by MMC Corp Bhd and DOM Industries Sdn Bhd has emerged as the winning bidder for Johor Baru's autonomous rapid transit (ART) project, beating competing proposals from YTL Corp Bhd–SIPP Rail Sdn Bhd and a separate consortium involving WCT Holdings Bhd.

According to a financial portal citing sources familiar with the bidding process, the Public Private Partnership Unit (Ukas) under the Prime Minister's Office is expected to issue a letter of intent (LOI) to the MMC-DOM consortium today.

The project, which has been under evaluation for more than a year following a request for proposal issued on March 12 last year, is structured as a public-private partnership (PPP), with costs shared between the government and the concessionaire, it said.

It is understood that the MMC-DOM consortium proposed an automated people mover (APM) system, commonly used for short-distance, closed-loop applications such as airport shuttles.

In contrast, the YTL-SIPP Rail consortium proposed an autonomous rapid transit (ART) system, typically designed for longer-distance urban mobility corridors.

ART is a trackless, electric, multi-articulated train-bus hybrid developed by CRRC Zhuzhou Institute.

The system uses LiDAR sensors and cameras to follow a "virtual rail" mapped on road surfaces, enabling precise navigation without physical tracks.

Operating on rubber wheels, ART vehicles are typically 30 metres or longer and can carry between 300 and 500 passengers per unit.

They are powered by either electricity or hydrogen fuel cells, making them a lower-emission alternative to conventional rail systems.

Often described as "trackless trams", the vehicles can steer dynamically to navigate existing urban roads while offering low-floor boarding for faster passenger access.

The system was first introduced in Zhuzhou, Hunan province, in 2017 and has since been deployed or tested in multiple cities in China.

In Malaysia, pilot trials have taken place in Putrajaya and Johor, while a larger hydrogen-powered ART project is currently being developed in Kuching, Sarawak.

Industry sources told Business Times that ART is increasingly viewed as a more advanced and cost-efficient solution for city-scale transport.

It offers lower operations and maintenance costs, greater route flexibility, and stronger scalability, particularly in rapidly urbanising cities in China.

APM, meanwhile, is typically suited for confined environments like airports and short routes.

"ART is designed for longer-distance, high-capacity urban transport," said a source, adding that legacy APM systems, including those used at KLIA, have faced operational limitations.

The Johor Baru ART project is expected to play a key role in easing congestion and improving urban connectivity in one of Malaysia's fastest-growing economic corridors, particularly as cross-border travel with Singapore continues to rise.