THE government should be careful about how it handles matters involving the East Coast Railway Line (ECRL), as it involves “complicated” bilateral issues, said Council of Eminent Persons chairman Daim Zainuddin.

Daim said anything involving project negotiations should not be exposed to the mass media.

“Anything bilateral is very complicated because there are so many issues involved. When we deal with another country, it cannot go to the press, it is very sensitive. We (the government) have to sit down and do everything quietly.

“We have been quite diplomatic and the press should not pressure the government. The moment a small mistake is made, that will become more sensitive,” he told reporters after a luncheon at Universiti Teknologi Mara today.

He said this when asked to comment on Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s statement yesterday that the final decision on the ECRL project had yet to be made and was still in the negotiation process.

Citing his experience handling projects involving bilateral relations in the 1980s, Daim advised the ministers involved to stay up to date and avoid mistakes when giving statements to the media.

When asked on his personal opinion on the Pakatan Harapan government, the former finance minister said he was confident that the cabinet would do better.

He said it was better if the PH government temporarily set political issues aside to concentrate on implementing all the pledges made to the people before winning GE14

“The learning process is over. Now is the time for implementation. They must honour their promises and it can be done provided there is unity. They must sit down together and work for the rakyat and country.

“Everybody must sit down as a team. Time to deliver. The rakyat are watching.” – Bernama, January 30, 2019.