IF YOUR MATHS IS SO GOOD, NAJIB, YOU WOULDN’T HAVE LEFT SUCH A GAPING HOLE IN 1MDB: DESPITE HIS DISGRACE, EX-PM TELLS DR M – ‘YOUR RM10 BILLION PRICE TAG FOR ECRL DOESN’T ADD UP’

PETALING JAYA – Najib Razak today asked if the RM10 billion supposedly quoted to Putrajaya for building the East Coast Rail Link project is realistic.

The former prime minister said the figure gave rise to doubt, especially if the ECRL was compared with similar projects carried out by neighbours Thailand and Indonesia.

He noted that the cost of constructing the high-speed rail linking Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang and U-Tapao airports in Thailand, which stretches for 260 km, came up to RM29.5 billion. This meant it cost RM113 million for every kilometre, he said.

The 250km high-speed railway which connected Jakarta to Bandung, in Indonesia, cost RM24.2 billion, Najib said. This meant it cost RM96.8 million for every kilometre, he added.

“But the prime minister says that local companies have offered to construct the ECRL for RM10 billion. For a 688km project, it means they will spend RM14.5 million for every kilometre.

“Is this price realistic when compared with other projects?” he asked in a Facebook post.

ECRL, the RM81 billion-project spanning 688km linking Port Klang and Kota Bharu, was launched last year by the Najib government and was slated for completion in 2024.

Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad recently said studies were still being done on whether to defer the China-backed multi-billion ringgit project or deal with it in some other way.

Yesterday, Mahathir said Putrajaya had received offers from local and Chinese companies to undertake the project for as low as RM10 billion.

Mahathir said his administration would definitely consider cheaper alternatives, adding it would be foolish to ignore them.

Najib mocked the RM81 billion sum cited by the finance ministry as the final cost of the project after taking into account land acquisition, interest, fees and other operational costs.

“It’s akin to buying a RM55,000 car and then including the petrol, hire-purchase, maintenance as well as insurance costs and claiming the car’s price tag is RM81,000.”

He said when other nations announced similar projects, they did not include such costs. The same rule, he said, should apply for Malaysia.

– FMT