Release feasibility study ahead of Malaysia’s East Coast Rail Link talks: Think tank

KUALA LUMPUR, Sep 10, 2020, FMT. A think tank wants Putrajaya to release the feasibility study and Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project ahead of fresh negotiations, Free Malaysia Today reported.

The Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) welcomed the government’s intention to lower the cost of the project, but called on the government to provide the public with a feasibility study that comprehensively showed that the proposed realignment would lower cost and save time.

It was responding to a statement by Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong on Tuesday that the government was seeking another renegotiation over the ECRL alignment, saying it “has the potential to lower project costs and reduce the amount of time required”.

In a statement today, Tricia Yeoh, IDEAS CEO said, “Large infrastructure projects such as the ECRL require a significant amount of public funding.

“The government must ensure that the decisions around these projects are based on achieving value for money and high-quality service delivery.”

Internationally accepted standards for transparency require the government to publish information such as the estimated budget, land and property acquisition, price of materials, environmental impact and mitigation measures.

In 2019, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government had renegotiated to shrink the cost of the project, which saw a RM21.5 billion reduction and a significant realignment of the ECRL.

However, PH did not complete the EIA required by the Environmental Quality Act 1974, or publish the feasibility study.

Yeoh said: “These studies should also be published as part of a robust assurance process. The failure to disclose them undermines evidence-based decision-making.

“This is a perfect opportunity for the current government to demonstrate higher transparency standards than the previous two administrations,” she said, adding that it would also allow the ruling Perikatan Nasional government to set a good example across the region.