Transport Minister Ong Tee Keat today dismissed the views of certain quarters that Malaysia acted hastily in agreeing to relocate Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad's (KTMB) Tanjong Pagar rail station in Singapore and jointly developing KTMB's land parcels in the city-state.

He said the views were incorrect and totally baseless and that the issue had been discussed in fine detail before Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong made the announcement on the deal on Monday during Najib's visit to the neighbour.

"I as the transport minister and other government officials had had countless discussions on the issue with our Singapore counterparts... can this be said as doing something hastily?" he told reporters after launching Wesak Day celebrations organised by the Miao You Buddhist Association in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur today.

He was commenting on remarks hurled by Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and others that the matter was done in haste and might negatively affect the interests of Malaysia.

Ong also took to task detractors who had insinuated that Malaysia had given up KTMB's land in Tanjong Pagar easily in return for land in Marina South Ophor Rochir n the city-state, which they claimed had a far lesser value.

"They are simply trying to twist the facts around in pursuing their own agendas," he said, adding that Malaysia would gain very much through development projects in Marina South and Ophor Rochir.

Monday's decision to move the Tanjong Pagar rail station to Woodlands in Singapore is based on a Point of Agreement (PoA) signed by both countries in 1990.

- Bernama