People pose for photos at a ceremony to mark the installation of the first communication, information and signaling (CIS) systems of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) at the Kota SAS Station in Pahang state, Malaysia, May 30, 2025. The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), a mega rail project in Malaysia being built by the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), marked another key milestone on Friday with the installation of its first communication, information and signaling (CIS) systems at the Kota SAS Station in Pahang state.(Xinhua/Cheng Yiheng)

KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 (Xinhua) -- The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), a mega rail project in Malaysia being built by the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), marked another key milestone on Friday with the installation of its first communication, information and signaling (CIS) systems at the Kota SAS Station in Pahang state.

Designed to meet international standards, the CIS systems form a critical component of the ECRL's overall engineering system. These systems play a vital role in ensuring safe, efficient, and reliable railway operations through functions such as automatic train protection, traffic control, and real-time passenger information, CCCC said in a statement following a ceremony to mark the installation.

These advanced railway technologies are crucial for automatic train protection, traffic control, and real-time passenger information, CCC-ECRL Managing Director Deng Bo said.

"The CIS systems are often described as the nervous system and brain of the railway. ECRL KotaSAS Station is the first station equipped with these critical components of ECRL operations. This First-Article Assessment serves as the cornerstone for verifying construction feasibility and setting quality standards, laying the foundation for system installation across the 20 ECRL stations stretching from Kota Bharu to Port Klang," he said.

Malaysia Rail Link Chief Executive Officer Darwis Abdul Razak said the project is committed to meeting the highest standards of quality, interoperability, and compliance for rail operators.

"Today's assessment ceremony signifies a thorough and transparent evaluation of ECRL's engineering systems -- the benchmark model that will be deployed across the entire ECRL's network," he said.

The ECRL extends from Malaysia's largest transport hub Port Klang and across the peninsula to the northeastern Kelantan state. It is expected to greatly enhance connectivity and bring more balanced growth to the Southeast Asian country by linking its less-developed region on the east coast to the economic heartland on the west coast. ■