PUTRAJAYA has acted like a big bully in unilaterally deciding to revert to the northern alignment for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, said Selangor executive councillor Teng Chang Khim. 

Teng said the Perikatan Nasional federal government did so after failing to convince the Pakatan Harapan state government on the northern alignment. 

He also said Selangor would not acquire the land for the federal government if it insists on the BN-era northern alignment for ECRL. 

“The federal government has behaved like a big bully for unilaterally making the decision after failing to convince the state government of the northern alignment.

“Under Section 20A of the Town and Country Planning Act, the federal government shall consult the planning committee of the state for such a proposed development.

“A meaningful consultation is one that satisfies the needs of both parties and not one that is favoured by one party without the permission of the other,” he said in a statement. 

Earlier today Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong announced that the ECRL would be reverting to its original northern alignment to connect Pahang and Selangor, revoking a plan by the previous PH government to undertake a southern alignment instead.

Selangor had objected to the northern alignment as it claimed the southern alignment would open more new economic areas, apart from preventing disruption to water catchment areas around the Selangor river basin.

Wee today said the project would now be known as ECRL 3.0 and cost RM50 billion. Construction will take seven years and will be operational in 2027. 

The 201km northern alignment, which connects Mentakab to Port Klang through Bentong, Gombak, and Serendah, will replace the southern alignment, which travels through Negri Sembilan. 

Wee said the northern alignment improves the project’s sustainability and will have greater benefits for the public and the economy. 

He added that the northern alignment involved the construction of seven stations over a long period of time with five stations being built during the early stages.

These are the Temerloh, Bentong, ITT Gombak, Serendah Baru and Jalan Kastam stations.

Two more stations – in Puncak Alam and Kapar – will be built later on.

Meanwhile, Teng said Selangor has completed the preliminary work required for acquisition of land for the southern alignment as requested by the Transport Ministry before. 

“The MoT’s flip-flop has wasted all the effort and time of the state government spent on the southern alignment. 

“The insistence on the northern alignment and the hurriedness of MoT are unjustifiable and obviously fishy,” he said. 

Meanwhile Negri Sembilan, which will now miss out on the ECRL, has asked Putrajaya to reconsider its decision. 

State executive councillor Teo Kok Seong said the move discriminated against Negri Sembilan folk. 

“This move to return to the original ECRL alignment as proposed by the BN administration is meant to exclude Negri Sembilan. 

“This announcement places political differences above national interest,” Teo, who holds the urban wellbeing, housing, local government and new villages portfolio, said in a statement. – April 5, 2021.