KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 ― The government will be transparent regarding the multi-billion East Coast Rail Link project and reveal its per kilometre cost when finalised, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said.

Liow reportedly criticised DAP MP Tony Pua over remarks on the costs of the ECRL project that will connect Port Klang and the Kuantan Port, despite talks on the cost yet to be concluded.

"We have to go into negotiation on every kilometre, so where did he (Pua) get the cost?

"When we implement this project, we will tell the public exactly how much one kilometre costs. When we go into negotiation, we'll see which areas we can cut cost,” he was quoted saying by local daily The Star.

"Let's look at how we're going to implement it fast and we will be transparent about the cost of the ECRL,” he also said of the project that will be carried out through multiple agencies including the Finance Ministry, the Economic Planning Unit and Transport Ministry.

Pua had yesterday questioned the award of the ECRL project, which he said would cost RM91.7 million per kilometre with a tag of RM55 billion for 600 kilometres.

In a separate report by local paper Sin Chew Daily, Liow said the RM55 billion low-interest loan by China for the ECRL project is a framework, adding that capital costs will be cut if possible in negotiations on the cost.

Liow also responded to PKR MP Rafizi Ramli's revelation that the local firm handling the ECRL project only has RM2 of paid-up capital, claiming that the latter was trying to twist the matter and cause panic.

Liow accused Rafizi of mounting an attack on the government's ECRL project as the latter is worried that the national economy will grow.

On November 2, Malaysia and China reportedly agreed to the Framework Financing Agreement and Engineering, Procurement, Construction Contract for the US$13.10 billion (RM55 billion) rail link between the east and west coasts of the Malaysian peninsula.

The agreement was signed by Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd and China Communication Construction Company Ltd (CCCC), and witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his Chinese counterpart, Li Keqiang.

Rafizi yesterday also raised a discrepancy between the project’s reported cost of RM55 billion and a report on the CCCC website that described the contract as being worth RM46 billion.

The 620km ECRL, once completed, is expected to make travel to the east coast of Malaysia more accessible while aiming to increase incomes of industries along the rail route.

The project that will connect Port Klang to Gombak; Gombak to Dungun; and Dungun to Tumpat, is expected to start construction early 2017.