KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 ― Opposition lawmakers demanded today Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan show proof to justify the hefty RM55 billion price tag awarded to a Beijing-linked company to build the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL).

Despite the minister’s previous explanation that the exorbitant cost was due to the construction expertise required for the massive land tunneling works under the Titiwangsa mountain range, the Pakatan Harapan MPs remained sceptical.

"We challenge Datuk Seri Rahman Dahlan to show proof that a conventional railway project would cost anything more than the above or that there are no local companies with the necessary expertise who are able to complete the ECRL project for far less than the RM55 billion awarded to China Communications Construction Company,” Rafizi Ramli, Tony Pua and Hatta Ramli said in a joint statement.

They pointed out that Malaysian engineering and construction firms have undertaken similar rail projects in the country.

As examples, they named the 329km Ipoh-Padang Besar and 179km Gemas-Johor Bahru double-tracking link, which cost RM44 million and RM39.8 million per kilometre respectively in contrast to the ECRL which Petaling Jaya Utara MP Pua previously claimed would devour  RM91.7 million per kilometre at the estimated RM55 billion for 600km total.

The trio also berated the minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for comparing the proposed conventional rail project to high-speed rail lines in European countries just because they were tunnel-intensive, saying he should compare like with like.

"These European HSRs travels up to a top speed of 300km per hour compared to the ECRL project proposed at 170km per hour,” they said.

To put into perspective, they said the minister was trying to justify the sale of the slower ATP turboprop propeller plane to a Boeing 747 jet plane.

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.

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