Citing a statement by project owner Malaysia Rail Link (MRL), it said China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), which has been tasked with building the railway, would select the qualified sub-contractors who would then be shortlisted to tender for work packages in the project.
This includes packages such as earthworks, formation works, drainage works, foundation works, building works and tunnelling works, the report said.
The applications were received by MRL during a roadshow to reach out to Malaysian sub-contractors in the east coast states and Selangor.
According to MRL CEO Darwis Abdul Razak, the process of land acquisition in the east coast states is progressing smoothly, with full-scale site clearing in areas along the ECRL alignment expected to begin early next year.
The official cost of the ECRL project, which will cover some 688km from Gombak in Selangor to Tumpat in Kelantan, is RM55 billion.
However, The Edge financial daily recently reported that the cost may go up to RM70 billion.
Quoting sources, it said the current estimate of RM55 billion has yet to factor in several requisite expenses such as the double-tracking of the line from Port Klang, Selangor, to Pengkalan Kubor, Kelantan, as well as land acquisition costs.