MCA publicity spokesman and Religious Harmony Bureau chairman Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker has lauded the government’s decision to continue with the development of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), reported Bernama.
“Putting politics aside, this is a good move as the ECRL brings many benefits to the East Coast states and was studied since the 1980s,” he said.
“It also shows that the government is listening to the people and has the people’s interests at heart beyond politics.”
A necessity to reduce congestion as well as facilitate economic growth, Ti explained that the ECRL project had been approved “after much groundwork, consultation and expert input”. Hence, stopping the project would be a “waste and an injustice to the people of the East Coast states”.
Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng earlier revealed that the government will proceed with the ECRL but with the prices subject to renegotiation.
It is believed that the China-backed ECRL could be completed for less than RM40 billion but its cost had been inflated to between RM60 and RM70 billion.
Ti described the re-negotiation of contracts as a common process.
“Similarly, if the construction of the house was too high or if the contractor’s terms were not agreeable to the house owner, do you stop construction and tear down the house or do you re-negotiate towards a variation order?”
“If there is a problem, the government should solve it instead of taking the easy way out to cancel the project and in the process, pay a huge penalty and take away the economic opportunities which the East Coast population can derive from the project.”
If the government believes that kickbacks have been made in the project, then they should ask the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) to step in, stressed Ti.
“Give MACC the authority to investigate this thoroughly so that all parties are satisfied. The ECRL also does not need the taint of corruption,” he said.
“Public transportation in Malaysia is still very much underdeveloped and more so in the East Coast, as most of the country’s infrastructure projects have been concentrated in the West Coast states.”
“The major highways have avoided Pahang, which is Peninsular Malaysia’s largest state and is located in the centre of Peninsular Malaysia.”
Image sourced from NST Online
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