KUALA LUMPUR – The Fault-Free Runs (FFR) for the Shah Alam LRT3 project are progressing steadily, with five out of 22 train sets successfully completing the rigorous safety tests.
Prasarana Malaysia Berhad’s Chief Operating Officer (Strategy and Development), Dr Prodyut Dutt, confirmed that the trains from the first batch had passed with stable and consistent performance.
“Meanwhile, one more train in the same group is now in the final stage of testing and is expected to complete the FFR soon,” he said during a media briefing at the Johan Setia Depot.
Eight trains from the second group are also nearing the end of their trials and are scheduled to finish progressively by February 2, 2026.
Once testing for the first two groups is complete, contractors will have seven days to update and enhance system software and operations. The remaining eight trains in the third group are expected to conclude their FFRs by 28 February 2026.
The FFR is a comprehensive integration test covering signalling, communications, train sets, and operational control systems.
Following this, all 22 trains will undergo a Final Careful Inspection (PCA) to ensure compliance with railway schemes and technical proposals, a prerequisite before applying for the Rail Operating Licence from the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD).
Dutt stressed that safety remains the priority.
“We are not fixated on time, but rather on the delivery. The trial run must be completed 100% successfully before Prasarana will agree to take over (from the contractor) to carry out the trial logs.”
He explained that the testing process involves three phases: FFR, followed by trial runs conducted by the contractor, and finally trial operations under Prasarana’s responsibility.
“At that stage, (trial ops), we should be able to come up with the date (of operations for public use),” he said, adding that Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) must be refined to cover all possible scenarios.
“These are SOPs for any circumstances – whether it’s a lightning strike or whether a cat jumps on the track – anything that can possibly happen, the SOPs must be refined.”
Also present at the briefing was the project director of Setia Utama LRT3 Sdn Bhd, Patrick Hwang Chee Leong.
Contractors also confirmed that the Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC) was secured in December 2025, while APAD has completed inspections at 51 of 52 sites, with only the Guideway pending.
Earlier, 33 issues identified during testing were resolved, ranging from train stopping accuracy to door operations. Adjustments were made to both hardware and software, with patches incorporated and tested across multiple FFRs.
The next stage will see Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd conduct trial operations before the line is ready for full service. – January 30, 2026