‘Whatever happened to LRT extension plan?’
(Harakah Daily) KUALA LUMPUR, Apr 1: The government should focus on executing the Light Rail Transit (LRT) extension project and make better preparation and study before developing the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), said PAS’s Kuala Selangor member of parliament.
Questioning the sudden silence of the LRT extension project, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (right) said the proposal to extend the line from Kelana Jaya and Ampang LRT stations should be implemented first.
“This project which is estimated to take RM7 billion has suddenly become mute and lost direction after the prequalification round to identify companies which tendered this project openly,” he said.
According to Dzulkefly, the Kelana Jaya LRT extension would cost RM3.6 billion across two phases covering some 9.2 kilometres, while RM3.4 billion would be spent to extend Ampang LRT by 7.4 kilometres.
He said it was strange that the whole project was now eclipsed by the MRT from Sungai Buloh to Kajang.
“This is the strange part, as if there are quarters who have assumed as the ‘boss’ to decide the direction or priority of SPAD,” he added, in comments targetted at the Land Public Transport Commission.
Dzulkefly advised the government to allow more time for SPAD to conduct its study on how to integrate public transportations including LRT, Monorail, KTM Komuter and bus services.
‘Handle with caution’ He said mega projects like MRT should be handled with caution, warning that it could possibly end up in another bailout should the project failed to become commercially viable.
To a claim by prime minister Najib Razak that the MRT project would be funded by private sectors, Dzulkefly said it was clear that the government would bear the expenditure thus further pushing the national debt.
He said Bank Negara Malaysia had issued bonds in the form of Malaysian Government Securities, MGS and Government Introductory Investment (GII) amounting to some RM88 billion to support the deficit in the budget tabled last year.
