What Dr Mahathir says after his Beijing trip
The Edge Markets
Govt will reveal ECRL’s contract, but have to consider China’s feelings
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the government will reveal details of the revised contract on the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) to the public, though it also needs to take into consideration China’s feelings in the matter.
“We want to reveal the contract to the public. And we have already revealed some of the information. But there is sensitive information in the contract.
“China understands our problem and has agreed to reduce the cost. This is an attitude which is understanding … But we have to take into account the sensitivity of others, (as) we don’t want to say anything that would hurt their feelings,” the prime minister told Malaysian media yesterday before heading home after his visit.
CCCC’s RM1b refund is the extra that previous govt paid
The RM1 billion refund from China Communications Construction Co Ltd (CCCC) is money that the previous government paid in advance before work on the ECRL was done, said Dr Mahathir.
He said the Barisan Nasional government paid more than it should to CCCC as advance.
“We will pay the sum when the works are done later (in future). We will have to pay RM44 billion for it,” said the 93-year old leader.
When asked whether the government has received the refund, Dr Mahathir told reporters to refer the question to Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng. He added that any further cost reduction will depend on the project’s scope of works.
Putrajaya announced the revival of the ECRL, a 648km rail project connecting the west and the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, about two weeks ago after it renegotiated for the cost to be cut by RM21.5 billion to RM44 billion, from RM65.5 billion originally.
The supplementary agreement signed to effect the cost reduction includes the RM1 billion refund within one month. The amount is part of the RM3.1 billion the previous administration paid as advance for Phase 2 of the project.
No signs yet of HSR revival
While mega infrastructure projects like the ECRL and Bandar Malaysia have been reinstated, there are no clear signs yet that the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) will enjoy a similar fate.
Dr Mahathir said no mention of the HSR project was made by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his five-day visit there to attend China’s Second Belt and Road Forum.
“No, not in the [leaders’ roundtable] dialogue,” Dr Mahathir said when asked if Xi brought up the issue during his trip here.
It is understood that both the ECRL and the HSR form a significant part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as China intends to help develop connectivity in countries spread across Asia via railway infrastructure. However, the HSR, under which a station was initially planned in Bandar Malaysia, has been suspended since September last year and deferred until end-May 2020.
Search for Jho Low not mentioned
Dr Mahathir said he did not ask the Chinese government to search for fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, during his official meeting with Chinese leaders here last week.
Before the prime minister’s arrival in Beijing, the Chinese ambassador to Malaysia Bai Tian told the media that China is always ready to restart its search for Jho Low in China if there is new information.
Jho Low has been described by investigating authorities as the central figure in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal that has put former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the accused dock in the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
Jho Low was mentioned on the fourth day of Najib’s trial in relation to the missapproriation of funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former 1MDB unit. Najib’s lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, however, claimed that the former prime minister is a victim of a conspiracy by “Jho Low and gang”.
One-stop-centre planned to cut red tape, spur FDIs
To attract more foreign direct investments (FDIs), including Chinese investments, Dr Mahathir plans to set up a one-stop centre to cut red tape and expedite the process of obtaining investment approvals.
“If we can ease the approval process for investments, the investments will come pouring in [to Malaysia],” he said, adding he hopes the one-stop centre will be established as soon as possible.
He said foreign investors have complained they now have to go to about 20 offices in different places to secure approval for their investments, making the procedure a time-consuming process. “The centre will be effective only if there is an authority that can make decisions there, which will quicken the process,”he added.
Vote me out if you want, Dr Mahathir tells TMJ
Only the people can change the prime minister, said Dr Mahathir.
“If he can vote … then vote me out,” the prime minister said when asked to comment on a YouTube video showing the Tunku Mahkota of Johor or TMJ (the Johor crown prince), Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, as saying the prime minister should be changed.
“He thinks he is orang besar (someone big), but he is just orang kecil (an ordinary person),” said Dr Mahathir, stressing that the prime minister can only be changed through the polls, unlike the royalty.
“Last time, there was a time when a TMJ (crown prince) had been changed to the younger brother. The TMJ can be changed,” he added.
