Dr Mahathir Mohamad is still of the opinion that the crooked bridge project to replace the causeway connecting Malaysia and Singapore should be pursued.

The former prime minister said it would help ease traffic congestion between Johor Bahru and the island.

mahathir ikmal presidential lecture 290410 "Yes," was his brief answer when asked by reporters whether he felt the project, which was cancelled when his predecessor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, should be continued.

Earlier, he had attended a leadership talk and launch of the MAYC Veterans Club in Johor Bahru.

Also present were Johor Menteri Besar Abdul Ghani Othman and the club's president Sanusi Junid.

Besides easing traffic congestion between Johor Bahru and Singapore, the bridge would have also facilitated free flow of water in the Tebrau Strait besides allowing ships heading to east coast ports of the Asian continent to bypass Singapore.

BN can still win back Chinese voters

O crooked scenic bridge 110406 samy vellu looking at model n political matters, Mahathir said he believed that BN still had time to attract back support from the Chinese community before the next general election, which must be called at the latest by 2013.

"If the community feels it is treated fairly, I think they will return to support the BN," he said.

Support for BN from the community dropped in the 2008 general election and in the last two by-elections, Hulu Selangor in April and Sibu earlier this month, there appeared to be a further erosion of support from Chinese voters.

On proposed subsidy cuts by the government, Dr Mahathir said:"I think we must accept that the prices are going up and we cannot always expect when we buy, prices will stay at the same level."

However, he cautioned that the cuts should be done gradually so as not to burden the people.

- Bernama