DISCUSSION about the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) should focus on the economic benefits it can generate for Malaysians, Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Dr Ong Kian Ming said today.

Speaking to reporters after the launch of a World Bank report on China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Ong said the government needs to implement the memorandum of agreement signed between Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and China Communication Construction Company Ltd (CCCC).

“What is important now, is we have to properly implement the MoA in different details that have been spelled out (in the agreement)… building and selecting two industrial parks one on the east coast and one on the west coast, and building transit development hubs and logistics hubs in at least seven key stations along the ECRL.

“This would increase economic activity that would make ECRL sustainable, rather than to keep looking at the cost that we already renegotiated. Let us look at the increase of economic activity,” he told reporters after the event.

Ong was responding to the views of prominent economist Prof Jomo Kwame Sundaram who said there was no reason for Pakatan Harapan to commit itself to the ECRL project, following the emergence of evidence in court on how the project was used to bail out 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Jomo was referring to the testimony of Najib Razak’s former special officer Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin in the 1MDB trial last week.

Amhari had said the ECRL was among a few projects used to bail out 1MDB.

Jomo said the testimony in court was reason enough for Putrajaya to reassess whether it should proceed with a project that has been linked to corruption.

“I think we have a huge opportunity now to reopen the whole question.

“I’m sure this is the time when we should not commit ourselves,” the economist had said last week at the Budget 2020: Making Shared Prosperity a Reality forum.

The PH government has already revised the cost of the ECRL from RM66 billion to RM44 billion.

The project, connecting Port Klang on the Peninsula’s west coast with the east coast and the north in Kelantan, was revived in April after being put on hold last July, following a renegotiation between Putrajaya, main contractor China Communications Construction Company Ltd and the Chinese government. – September 30, 2019.