The proposal to revive the crooked bridge "came from the floor", and was not his own, said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today.

Speaking at a press conference at the Parliament lobby, the premier claimed this is what happened during a meeting with Johor Menteri Besar Osman Sapian last month.

To a question of whether it is confirmed that the government is looking at reviving his pet project when he was the prime minister the first time around, Mahathir said: "This came from the floor, they said they want to build the crooked bridge, but someone said no crooked bridge, but a third bridge.

"(We have) to ask consent from Singapore, but Singapore might not allow it. The crooked bridge does not involve Singapore at all, so we can build it any time, but for the third bridge, we must get Singapore’s approval," he said.

To a follow-up question on whether the government will then explore the option in the near future, Mahathir replied: "(The) suggestion came from the floor, so (we will) look into it."

Osman had, on Tuesday, told the media that the crooked bridge project, linking Johor to Singapore, is now back on the table.

"At an Iskandar Regional Development Authority meeting last month, he (Mahathir) asked me whether Johor still needed the crooked bridge.

"I said 'It's up to you. If you say you want to continue, I'll just follow.' It has a lot of benefits," Osman told reporters at the Parliament lobby.

The possible revival of the project, which two of Mahathir's successors refused to implement after he retired, had been met with mixed responses.

Umno vice-president Mohamed Khaled Nordin said he was "shocked" that the government is reconsidering the project in a time of austerity.

Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali also said the crooked bridge revival was just a proposal by Osman, and has yet to be presented at the federal level.

The federal government's current priority is on projects that could directly benefit the people, such as schools and hospitals, he had said.

Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also clarified today that it has not received any official proposal or communications from Malaysia related to the construction of the crooked bridge, or any other new link between Malaysia and Singapore.

The crooked bridge idea stemmed in 2003, during Mahathir's first tenure as prime minister, when he wanted to replace the Malaysian half of the causeway with a 25m elevated portion to allow small vessels to pass below. It would also allow stagnant water along the Tebrau Straits to flow freely.

Singapore had then refused Malaysia's request to have the entire causeway replaced on grounds that the bridge was still usable.

It was cancelled by the Abdullah Ahmad Badawi administration. Mahathir then reportedly lobbied former premier Najib Abdul Razak to build the bridge, but was unsuccessful.