PAKATAN Harapan can criticise Putrajaya’s mega-projects now, but will have to revise its own statements if it becomes the government, former minister Syed Hamid Albar said, adding that the opposition has to say such things in order to be different from the government.

The former chairman of the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) also reminded opposition leader Dr Mahathir Mohamad of his own policies while he was prime minister on public transportation projects.

“I have nothing to say to them (Pakatan Harapan). They are a political party… in order to convince the public, they have to set up a different agenda.

“But their agenda is something that needs to be proven to succeed, so I’m not surprised they came up with this.

“Otherwise, the public will question why are they wasting our time (listening to ceramah)?

“So, don’t be overly excited about their promises. If they win the elections, they have to review their previous statements. 

“Now they are not in the government, they can say all sorts of things,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Syed Hamid served in Dr Mahathir’s administration as a minister in the foreign and defence portfolios.

He said the former prime minister had been a staunch believer in rail projects to boost growth and development.

“He was one of the greatest supporters of high-speed railways and that sort of thing. It was his policy that public transportation be the catalyst for development.”

Dr Mahathir, who now heads PH and chairs the Bersatu party, has described some mega-projects by the Najib administration as “unnecessary”.

He has singled out the RM55 billion East Coast Rail Line (ECRL) project connecting the Klang Valley to Kota Baru, Kelantan, through Pahang and Terengganu, and the RM43 billion High-Speed Rail (HSR) project that will connect Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Syed Hamid said Malaysia’s development should not only be focused on the west coast while neglecting the east coast of the peninsula.

He has said previously the ECRL would generate up to RM50 billion worth in socio-economic spin-offs to rural areas in the east coast. 

“We are not looking at a five-year perspective, we are looking at a 20-year perspective according to the SPAD master plan.

“We look at these projects from the economic perspective, the side benefits to local development and the people. One day, we will reap the benefits.”

Syed Hamid served at SPAD for seven years until former Felda Global Ventures chairman Isa Samad took over in early June. – August 25, 2017.