Report: Malaysia, China to sign ECRL agreement on Friday (April 12)

KUALA LUMPUR (ANN): The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) may finally see the light of day as a news report claimed Malaysia and China will be signing an agreement on the project in Beijing on Friday (April 12).

Chinese language newspaper Sin Chew Daily cited a source in the Malaysian negotiation team, who said the prime minister's special envoy to China, Tun Daim Zainuddin, had arrived in Beijing and was negotiating the final details.

The report added that Daim will hold a press conference at the Malaysian Embassy at 2pm where he is expected to announce the outcome of his negotiations.

On Monday, Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali had said he was hoping that the negotiations would conclude before Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad left for China for the Belt and Road Forum, which starts on April 26.

The Pakatan Harapan government suspended the 688km ECRL when it ousted Barisan Nasional in the general election last year due to its high cost.

Dr Mahathir, had also said that the project would leave the country indebted for an entire generation.

Last month, however, he said the project could continue only if the price is right.

Last Friday, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng raised expectations that the negotiations were going well when he hinted that the alignment of the rail line would be rerouted to benefit Negri Sembilan.

He had also said the project would go on if the cost of construction could be reduced from RM66bil to RM35billion. – Sin Chew Daily/Asia News Network