Anwar to use Parliament to seek explanation on ECRL realignment plan
Port Dickson MP Anwar Ibrahim said he would use the coming Parliament session as a platform to object to any costlier realignment proposal of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL).
He said he would also seek an explanation from the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government over the proposal as reverting to the initial alignment of the multi-billion ringgit project is speculated to incur additional cost.
“The original costing (of the initial alignment) is much higher. What is...
Port Dickson MP Anwar Ibrahim said he would use the coming Parliament session as a platform to object to any costlier realignment proposal of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL).
He said he would also seek an explanation from the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government over the proposal as reverting to the initial alignment of the multi-billion ringgit project is speculated to incur additional costs.
“The original costing (of the initial alignment) is much higher. What is its importance? Whose interest (does it serve)?
“[...] Negotiations must be held to reduce the costs as much as possible, (and) benefit as many people as possible,” said Anwar.
The PKR chief and opposition leader was speaking during a party event in his constituency.
He added that the alignment proposed by the former Pakatan Harapan federal government would run through Negeri Sembilan, which would help to develop and increase the quality of life in areas such as Port Dickson and Malacca.
This comes as earlier this month, Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong (photo) revealed that the government had discussed a proposal to revert the ECRL to the alignment first proposed by the BN administration.
Under the BN government prior to GE14, the ECRL was to pass through Mentakab in Pahang, and then travel northwest to Bentong, before going southwest through the challenging Klang Gates Quartz Ridge and then onto Gombak in Selangor.
The Harapan government altered the alignment so that it wouldn't go through Bentong and Gombak as initially planned, but instead run south to Kuala Klawang in Negeri Sembilan before entering Selangor, thus avoiding the need for a costly 17.8km tunnel through the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge.
As such, Harapan claimed to have saved RM21.5 billion upon negotiations, cutting the project cost from RM65.5 billion to RM44 billion.
“We will use the Parliament space to pressure the government for an explanation and to oppose all efforts to return to the form of claiming riches which I consider to be a robbery.
“[...] To ignore the process of negotiations, and bring back to the original cost, to me is irresponsible.
“You (PN government) have to explain to the Parliament and to the general public, why do you choose to bring (the alignment) back?” Anwar said to reporters.
The new government recently brushed off a report which estimated that the latest realignment could add as much as RM20 billion to the original cost of RM44 billion.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mustapa Mohamed said on Tuesday that what was claimed by the report was just a “rumour”.
“(I) cannot comment on this based on a rumour," he reportedly said, adding that talks for the realignment were still in the “discussion stage”.
Defending the speaker
Parliament is set to resume on July 13, after just a one-day session on May 18 in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Meanwhile, to a question on motions to be brought to the Dewan Rakyat, Anwar said Harapan would defend the position of speaker Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof (above) and his deputy Nga Kor Ming.
“There are those who think changes (of a speaker) is common. They do not understand Parliament's history.
“We think of the institution of the speaker as an important institution, not just for protocol but in terms of Parliament authority.
“[...] So, we will firmly and strongly defend the position of Ariff and Nga,” he said.
Last month, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin had submitted motions to replace both Ariff and Nga. The motions are expected to be tabled during the Parliament sitting.
Ariff had said his office had accepted both motions for debate.
Ariff, a former judge, had quit his party post as Amanah disciplinary chief and quit being a member of its experts' advisory committee prior to being proposed as a speaker. Nga, who is Teluk Intan MP, is with DAP.
Deputy speaker Mohd Rashid Hasnon, who is the Batu Pahat MP aligned with the PN government, was not affected by the motions.
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