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'Shocking' that crooked bridge being mulled in a time of austerity - Khaled
Published:  Oct 17, 2018 5:08 PM
Updated: 9:56 AM

It is "shocking" that a megaproject like the crooked bridge is now being reconsidered when the government is trying to better manage the country's finances, Mohamed Khaled Nordin said today.

In a statement today, the former Johor menteri besar estimated that the project, which cost RM1.1 billion in 2003 before it was scrapped, could cost three to four times more today.

"There is no need to spend unnecessarily and consider reviving this project for political expediency.

"In fact, the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail project, which was crucial to the economic situation of the country's southern region, was postponed due to the country's weak fiscal standing.

"Why would then, the government, consider investing big amounts of money into building the crooked bridge?" he asked.

Yesterday, Johor Menteri Besar Osman Sapian said both the third bridge and the crooked bridge projects were on the table.

However, Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali said today that this was Osman's own proposal, and had not reached the federal level. 

"It was proposed by the Johor menteri besar but certainly, we have mentioned on many occasions that our fiscal situation, at present, isn't good. So we need to prioritise infrastructure projects," the minister said.

Conduct cost-benefit analysis

Khaled, the Umno vice-president, also said the government would be better off spending money on infrastructure projects more beneficial to the rakyat.

He cited the examples of the Mass Rapid Transit Line 3 (MRT3), the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), and the Sabah natural gas pipeline project – all shelved by the Pakatan Harapan government since assuming federal power. 

"If discussions about the crooked bridge are ongoing, I urge the Johor government to conduct a cost-benefit study on the feasibility of reviving the project.

"The study should also take into account, the sovereignty of our country, since we can expect Singapore to reciprocate in a greater manner over the revival of the project," he said.

"This latest development shows that the state government is only interested in continuing the agenda and dreams of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, which were previously unfulfilled.

"This is not something new, and definitely not 'New Malaysia'," he added.

Khaled also noted that the state government should act with the interests of the people in mind, instead of bending to the whims of the federal government, he added.

The crooked bridge project was originally proposed as a six-lane bridge to replace the Johor Causeway.

However, as Singapore did not agree to the project, it was modified to incorporate a sharp curve on the Malaysian side to allow vessels to pass underneath, thus earning it the 'crooked' moniker.

The bridge would then join up with the undemolished portion of the Johor Causeway on the Singapore side.

The project was greenlit 2003, during Mahathir's first run as prime minister, before being cancelled by the Abdullah Ahmad Badawi administration.

Mahathir then reportedly lobbied former premier Najib Abdul Razak to build the bridge, but was unsuccessful.


RELATED REPORTS

Johor DAP: Third bridge more important than 'crooked bridge'

Najib: I tried to persuade Singapore to replace Johor causeway

Azmin: Crooked bridge was Johor MB's proposal, hasn't reached Putrajaya yet

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