ECRL project sensitive, must be handled carefully, urges Daim

(NST) – Issues related to contract with China Communications Construction Group Ltd (CCCC) to build the East Coast Railway Link (ECRL) mega project is a delicate matter, which must be handled carefully as it involved the bilateral relations of two nations.

Tun Daim Zainuddin described the multi-billion ringgit project as a sensitive matter, which should be discussed and deliberated discreetly among the respective ministers and their ministries.

“Ties between two countries are very complicated to an extent that it has become sensitive.

“They (the ministers) should instead seat among themselves and work quietly (to address this issue).

“In some occasions, the media are pressing ministers to answer questions (related to ECRL). The ministers does not want to respond but was compelled to do so because they were asked by you (the media),” he told reporters.

The former finance minister had earlier delivered his speech at the Luncheon Talk: Future Bumiputera Economic Atmosphere at the Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) here today.

UiTM vice-chancellor Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Hassan Said, the university’s board member Datuk Mohd Zaini Hassan and Media Prima Television Networks (MPTN) news and current affairs group managing editor Datuk Manja Ismail were present.

Daim urged all quarters to stop pressuring the government over issues related to the development of ECRL.

“Sometimes, wrong choice of one word could be translated into something else,” he said.

Daim explained the government needed to manage all matters carefully including those involving trade and security.

“Apart from the ECRL contract, there are other matters that we need to handle it carefully.

“I have experience in managing a lot of thing. We need to handle matters carefully,” he said.

It was reported that Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the government has yet to decide on the status of the contract with CCCC to build ECRL.

Dr Mahathir said this after two senior ministers seemed were reported of being at odds with each other over the RM81 billion project.

Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali said the cabinet had decided on Thursday to cancel the project. Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, however, said that he was “shocked” by the announcement.

An online portal reported last week that the government had cancelled the ECRL contract with CCCC.

The report, quoting sources, said the government was looking for a new contractor to develop the 688km rail project connecting the Klang Valley to the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia at half of the original estimated cost of RM81billion.