CARETAKER prime minister Najib Razak has warned Sandakan’s Chinese community of a backlash from Beijing if Pakatan Harapan takes over the country and scraps major projects involving Chinese investment.

PH has said that if it comes into power, the coalition will review all major development projects, including the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), which sees significant investment from China.

Najib said that such a move would ignite the Chinese government’s anger and threaten trade relations between the two countries.

“The implications are very serious if you sully relationships with China. If China decides not to buy palm oil from Malaysia, the price will fall.

“Workers and palm oil plantation owners will suffer,” he said at a meeting with the Chinese community in Sandakan today.

Najib also said that the tourism industry in Sandakan would suffer from a fallout with China.

“If China instructs its travellers not to come to Sabah, hotels might go bankrupt. Kota Kinabalu will face problems, Sandakan will face problems,” he said.

In its manifesto, PH listed a review of the ECRL project worth RM55 billion.

PH chairman Dr Mahathir Mohamad has said the coalition plans to scrap the project as the large Chinese investment signals a threat to the country’s sovereignty.

Najib said Dr Mahathir’s caustic relationship with foreign countries had caused Malaysia to lose out in the past.

“My politics is to be on good terms with all parties – with the United States and China, so that all parties will benefit,” he said.

In the two-hour meeting, Najib was accompanied by BN Sabah chairman Musa Aman, Liberal Democratic Party adviser Chong Kah Kiat and party president Teo Chee Kang, as well as several local Chinese community leaders. – April 30, 2018.