BN govt paid RM257mil over cancellation of crooked bridge in 2006, says Baru Bian

KUALA LUMPUR: The previous administration had paid some RM257mil in compensation for the cancellation of the crooked bridge 12 years ago, says Works Minister Baru Bian.

"The proposed project was shelved by the 5th Prime Minister (Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) in April 2006 due to international legal and moral considerations.

"Owing to this, the government had to pay a compensation of RM257.4mil.

"Of this, RM155mil were paid to project contractors Gerbang Perdana Sdn Bhd, RM67.4mil to the sub-contractors and RM35mil as ancillary compensation," he said when answering a question raised by Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam) during the Minister's Question Time in Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Oct 30).

To a supplementary question by Dr Wee, Baru said he did not have the exact amount of compensation paid in connection to land acquisition.

At the moment, Baru said that the proposed project would only be revived upon agreement with Singapore.

The RM1.13bil crooked bridge project was mooted as an alternative Causeway, linking Johor and Singapore to the present Causeway built in 1923.

To a question by Wong Shu Qi (PH-Kluang), Baru said that the government would consider upgrading the existing Johor-Singapore Causeway to ease congestion affecting Johoreans working in Singapore.

Talk over the revival of the crooked bridge project was sparked by Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Osman Saipan earlier this month, when he said there was a likelihood of discussions between Johor and Singapore to revive the project.