Malaysia Rail Link CEO Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak indicated that the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) might be extended beyond its current final station in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, to reach Sungai Golok. There's a proposal to revive an existing rail line between Pasir Mas in Kelantan and Sungai Golok, bordering Malaysia and Thailand, which was damaged by flooding in 2006 and has been idle since. This revival aligns with previous agreements between the Thai and Malaysian governments under KTMB.

Darwis mentioned the possibility of the ECRL going to Rantau Panjang instead of Pengkalan Kubor, with hopes of it becoming part of the Pan Asian Railway from Kunming, China, to Singapore, potentially extending to Laos and Kunming. As of the end of May, the ECRL is projected to be 90% complete by December and fully complete by December 2026. However, cable theft incidents pose a threat to the project's timeline. The first two electric multiple unit (EMU) trainsets and two electric locomotives are expected to be shipped from Dalian, China, in October, with arrival in Malaysia anticipated in November. These EMUs will undergo testing before full operation.