PRIME Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has denied the veracity of a letter stating the government’s confirmation that the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project is cancelled.

He urged the public to be patient and wait for an announcement by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.

“Is the letter legitimate? Now, there are many who take the government letterhead, cut it out and use it to make a (false) letterhead. That is not official,” he told reporters in Putrajaya today.

He was commenting on a letter dated January 18, addressed to the Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd CEO and purportedly signed by Lim, that has been making the rounds on social media.

The letter, which said the government has decided to cancel the ECRL project immediately, bears a letterhead that reads “Menteri Kewangan Malaysia” (Finance Minister of Malaysia).

Former prime minister Najib Razak, who shared the letter on his Facebook page, told Lim to come clean on the project’s status.

Dr Mahathir acknowledged the confusion arising from conflicting announcements by Lim and Economic Affairs Minister Mohamed Azmin Ali on ECRL.

Two days ago, Azmin said the cabinet, on Thursday, decided to scrap the multibillion-dollar project, citing its RM500 million annual interest payments as the main reason.

Mere hours later, Lim told reporters that he was shocked by Azmin’s announcement, saying the latter may not have been updated on Dr Mahathir’s decision.

The prime minister today said Lim will make an announcement on the project.

“We will wait. Sometimes, people make mistakes. This is a new government, and our mistakes are not many, but people see it as if there are many mistakes because it is a new government.”

ECRL is among several mega infrastructure projects involving Chinese companies that the Pakatan Harapan administration has shelved or put on review as part of moves to reduce national debt. – January 28, 2019.