Tempers flare in Malaysia as opposition MPs slam new terms of China-backed ECRL project
- Members of Barisan Nasional, the coalition in power when the deal was first signed, have hit out at changes to the plans brought in to bring down costs
- They also called for the proportion of local involvement in the project to be raised from 40 to 50 per cent – despite it only being 30 per cent originally
On Thursday, Transport Minister Anthony Loke fielded a barrage of questions in parliament from opposition politicians asking for an explanation on the government’s decision to axe three of the stations that were planned for Kelantan state on the country’s east coast. They also called for the proportion of the project that local contractors can bid on to be raised from 40 to 50 per cent.
“Why did you not ask the previous Barisan Nasional government why it wasn’t 50 per cent?” Loke said in response, leading to uproar in the lower house as opposition MPs demanded that he answer their questions.
In parliament, Loke insisted that despite cost cutting, there would be “no downsizing” in scope for the ECRL project, and that the realignment would benefit more areas across Malaysia.