Axing of ECRL won’t affect ties with China, says Saifuddin

KUANTAN: The government’s decision to cancel the contract with China Communications Construc­tion Company Ltd for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project will not affect Malaysia’s relationship with China, says Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah (pic).

He said the government had made this known to the Chinese government during Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s visit to the country in August last year.

“They understand. That’s why we are now focusing on efforts to attract more investors to China’s other investment areas in the country, including the Malaysia-China Kuan­tan Industrial Park (MCKIP),” he told reporters after attending the Sehari Menyemai Bakti programme in Kam­pung Sungai Ular here yesterday.

Saifuddin was commenting on the Cabinet’s decision this week to cancel the ECRL project after it found that the cost was too high and beyond the government’s financial capabilities for the time being.

Saifuddin, who is also Indera Mahkota MP, said to offset the shortage of job opportunities in Kuantan, especially as a result of the contract being cancelled, Malaysia would intensify efforts to attract Chinese investors to MCKIP.

“We want to continue the agenda to make Kuantan the East Coast industrial hub. For that purpose, we will focus on MCKIP’s development.

“So far, only one site has been developed from the three sites available at MCKIP and only 25% of that site has been utilised to build the Alliance Steel factory. We still have plenty of space to develop.

“We also still have a large space in Kuantan Port. All these are able to attract new investments, especially from Chinese investors,” he said.

Saifuddin also said the Prime Minister had appointed him as chairman of the Pahang State Act­ion Council from Jan 1.

The council was formed to prove that the Pakatan Harapan government had not sidelined the development or welfare of people in the state, which is under the opposition.

He said members of the council would be appointed soon, with the first meeting to be held on Feb 11. — Bernama