KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 — Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has defended the government’s decision to axe the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) project, claiming that high-speed trains are usually not a popular mode of transportation among travellers.
The deputy prime minister told reporters at a buka puasa event in Lembah Pantai today that the decision was made following careful consideration by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad after various factors had been taken into account.
“The prime minister has his reasons for doing so. I think he has taken into account many things... whether or not we can afford it [or] whether or not it is cost-effective.
“It’s possible HSR will not be the mode of transportation of choice since we have cheap domestic flights, especially when time is of the essence these days,” she told reporters at the Pantai Eco Park Community Centre after Maghrib prayers
When asked if there are any plans to renegotiate another mega project, the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), Dr Wan Azizah said the terms relayed to the federal government were “very strange”.
She added they will need to be further reviewed by Dr Mahathir since the initial agreement was made with the previous Barisan Nasional government.
“The terms we were told are very strange. It doesn’t go by the work progress… the agreement between the Chinese bank and Chinese contractors.
“The prime minister will have a look at it because we don’t want to pay any compensation that will incur a loss for our nation.
“We have to look at it carefully but it is a strange agreement,” she said.
Dr Wan Azizah was one of the attendees of Lembah Pantai constituents’ first meet-and-greet with their new MP Fahmi Fadzil.
