Media Release
For Immediate Release
ERL Joins Forces with Prasarana to Send Operations Staff
to Makkah Metro to Support the 2014 Hajj Season
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.
EXPRESS RAIL LINK Sdn Bhd
Level 2, KL City Air Terminal, KL Sentral Station, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel 603-2267 8088 Fax 603-2267 8910 Email air-rail@KLIAekspres.com
www.KLIAekspres.com

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.
-endYou can download videos and images via: http://goo.gl/PELgau
About Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd (ERL)
Express Rail Link (ERL) is the operator of KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit train services
that connect Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA & KLIA2) and the Kuala Lumpur
city centre. ERL received the ISO9001:2008 certification for Quality Management System
and was recently awarded the coveted AirRail Link of the Year Award for the second time in
3 years at the Global AirRail Awards 2014 in Oslo.
About ERL Maintenance Support Sdn Bhd (E-MAS)
ERL Maintenance Support Sdn Bhd (E-MAS) was established in 1999 to operate and
maintain the ERL train system. E-MAS was awarded the ISO14001:2004 certification for
Environmental Management System.
About Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad (Prasarana)
Estabished in 1998 and operational since 2002, Prasarana is the asset owner of RapidKL rail
and bus services as well as the bus services of RapidPenang and RapidKuantan. The rail
services are operated by Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd, which runs Klang Valley LRT and monorail
services and the soon-to-be completed MRT1.
Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd
For media enquiry, please contact: Sheila Shamsudin, +603-2267 8010/ 012-925 1225
Email: Sheila@KLIAekspres.com
EXPRESS RAIL LINK Sdn Bhd
Level 2, KL City Air Terminal, KL Sentral Station, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel 603-2267 8088 Fax 603-2267 8910 Email air-rail@KLIAekspres.com
www.KLIAekspres.com