Jomo: No need for ECRL, just take a flight

Jomo: No need for ECRL, just take a flight

The rationale given that the East Coast Railaway Link (ECRL) would speed up the connection between the West Coast and East Coast is merely a ruse by those interested in enriching themselves with such “fake projects”, says economist Professor Jomo Kwame Sundram.

“I understand the government needs space to solve and minimise the losses (from the cancellation of ECRL).

"There will definitely be losses from the cancellation of ECRL. The question is how do we minimise that loss?

“Those who are for it say that it is to develop the East Coast. Actually no. This project does not develop East Coast.

"There are other problems in the East Coast, such as the water problems in Kelantan, lack of sanitation and the issue of flooding, which must be given more attention,” said Jomo.

He also said the excuse that ECRL, once built, would speed up the connection between the West Coast and East Coast did not hold water.

“There are those who say we are ignoring the East Coast. This is a mere ruse by those who want to save such fake projects.

"It is not as if there is no rail line to the East Coast.

"It may be slower but what is it we want to speed up for the East Coast. Apparently, they want to use high-speed trains.

"Who is it that is in such a hurry to come from there? If you are in a hurry, why don’t you just take a flight?” asked Jomo.

He was speaking to the media after a dialogue at the Malaysian Press Institute.

Jomo has been at the forefront in asking for the ECRL be scrapped, saying that it is a burden to a country already deep in debt due to mismanagement by the previous government.

He was part of the Council of Eminent Persons, an advisory council set up by the Pakatan Harapan government in its early days to discuss the state of the nation inherited from the previous Barisan government.

~Courtesy of The Star~