Please look after affected workers and environment after cancelling ECRL says Bentong rep
(The Star) – The Government has been urged to look into the welfare of local workers following the (reported) cancellation of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project said Young Syefura Othman (pic).
The DAP assemblyman for Ketari (a state seat within Bentong) said although the decision was not surprising as Pakatan Harapan had promised to review foreign-linked mega-projects, the Government should still consider the direct impacts on about 2,000 workers.
“Even though it cannot be denied that the ECRL project would have benefited Bentong’s economic growth, the cancellation is still supported based on the exorbitant costs and the current financial burden the Government is saddled with.
“It is regrettable however, that over 1,000 of the workers are Malaysians and locals from Bentong.
She also called on the Government to take mitigating measures on the construction sites that will be left behind.
“The ECRL construction work in the Genting and Bentong areas is said to have reached 13 to 14%. There are forests that have been cut down, land that has been bulldozed and hills that have been dug up to build railroads and tunnels.
“If these sites are abandoned after the cancellation, it will have dire effects on the environment, causing disasters in the future,” she said.
Young Syefura added that the Government has to ensure that the contractors and the relevant parties carry out rehabilitation at the sites as soon as possible.
She said that the construction sites are located at environmentally critical areas in Bentong and it worried about possible disasters during the east coast monsoon.
“The Government has to be sensitive that after stopping such a huge project like the ECRL, there are important steps that have to be taken, especially on economic, social and environmental aspects,” she said.
On Tuesday (Aug 21), Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was reported to announce the cancellation of the ECRL and two gas pipeline projects in Sabah owing to the country’s financial situation.
