Study on multi-billion ringgit Trans-Borneo Railway reaches final lap

KUALA LUMPUR: The feasibility study for the Trans-Borneo Railway, a proposed high-speed rail network connecting Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei, and Kalimantan, Indonesia, is on track for completion by the third quarter of 2026, according to Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.

He said in a written parliamentary reply to Vivian Wong Shir Yee (PH–Sandakan) that a local consultancy firm has been appointed to conduct the 12-month study for the Sabah and Sarawak segments, which began in June 2025.

The RM7 million study, fully funded under the 12th Malaysia Plan, will deliver a detailed comparative analysis of the project's technical requirements, commercial and operational models, socio-economic benefits, governance framework, and overall viability. Key outputs will include a strategic blueprint, a phased implementation schedule, and an actionable rollout plan – all developed with stakeholder consultation to ensure broad acceptance and support.

If implemented, the Trans-Borneo Railway – with an estimated price tag of RM63.3 billion – would be one of Southeast Asia's largest cross-border transport infrastructure projects.