KUCHING: The Sarawak government will ensure that the proof-of-concept (POC) test for the Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) project runs smoothly and is implemented in China and Sarawak.

Minister for Transport Sarawak Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin stressed this following a recent report from the Jakarta Post which informed that the Ibu Kota Nusantara (IKN) plans to return the ART prototype unit to China following failures detected during the trial and POC tests, especially related to the autonomous driving system.

According to him, the Kuching Urban Transport System (KUTS) project, on the other hand, is not expected to face the same problems as these challenges have been addressed through close collaboration with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to refine the ART design and technology to meet the design and performance requirements for ART operations in Sarawak.

"Our ministry and relevant stakeholders have also conducted comprehensive inspections at both the POC and final design stages in Yipin, China, to ensure that the ART system is adapted to the specific environmental and operational conditions in Kuching before it is approved for delivery.

"Now, for the final version, our team also went to China, to the manufacturing plant, for trial testing. I myself went there to inspect it. So, our team was there. In the final version, they will go through a checklist to check all the items.

"When the unit arrives in Kuching, we will conduct another trial test here. So, there will be several trial tests before we finally issue the certificate for use. We will carry out thorough re-measurement and inspection measures," he said.

He said this at a press conference after the winding up of his ministry's debate session at the 19th Sarawak Legislative Assembly Sitting on Monday.

The Senadin Assemblyman added that the ART manufacturer for the KUTS project is an expert in the ART system itself, unlike the ART manufacturer for Nusantara who is an expert in high-speed trains.

He explained that both ARTs are from China but Sarawak uses production from Yipin and OEM companies that are experts in manufacturing ART systems.

Meanwhile, Nusantara, he said, uses a company that specialises in high-speed trains where the ART system is very different compared to the ART project in Sarawak.

“The difference is that we have given them our specifications. So, when they come here, at the proof of concept (POC) stage, we check again to ensure that they meet our specifications.

“We do inspections. Anything that does not meet the specifications, we will tell them to change and amend it. That is why we have a proof of concept here,” he revealed.

Also present at the press conference was Sarawak Deputy Transport Minister Dato Henry Harry Jinep.-UKASnews