PM must explain push to remove AssetsCo from HSR project, says Anwar

 

Anwar Ibrahim says the cancellation was a mistake from an economic standpoint and in terms of future benefits.

PETALING JAYA: Anwar Ibrahim said Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin must address Singapore’s claim that Putrajaya wanted to remove the Assets Company (AssetsCo), a fundamental part of the high-speed rail (HSR) project that recently fell through.

The opposition leader said Singapore’s statement raised concerns and questions here in Malaysia.

“Why is the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government against having a joint asset company that has the skillset both countries lack?

“Especially if we could have negotiated to ensure it included increasing the capacity and technical ability of our own local companies, providing growth for them, and long-term employment for Malaysians?” he asked in a statement.

The PKR president said doing it jointly with Singapore would have ensured neither side could abuse the process and created transparency for the rakyat.

“Perhaps this is the reason.”

Putrajaya and Singapore were unable to come to a consensus on the proposals before the bilateral agreement lapsed on Dec 31, 2020.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economic Affairs) Mustapa Mohamed said disagreements over project structure, alignment and station design is what led to the project falling through.

Anwar said the cancellation showed either a fundamental lack of understanding of what this project represents or economic incompetence on behalf of those entrusted with the nation’s development.

He also said the cancellation was a mistake from an economic standpoint and in terms of future benefits.

Anwar said that the HSR from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore would have significantly opened up economic opportunities for Johor, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan, noting that a high number of Singapore tourists visited his constituency during the holidays.

He went on to say that what was even more concerning now is that the PN government is ready to “throw good money after bad” by exploring a “domestic” HSR that ends in Johor Baru.

“With an existing rail line by KTM, this new HSR plan will be another white elephant, a testimony to this government’s penchant for wasting public funds.”

Putrajaya had prior to the expiry of the suspension period of the project said it would conduct a study on the viability of a domestic high-speed rail network, with the line ending in Johor Baru. - FMT