ECRL, among issues to be discussed during Mahathir's China visit

KUANTAN: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's scheduled visit to China next month, will discuss among many things, the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, according to Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.
He said, apart from ECRL, other matters to be discussed were education and trade, as well as enhancing long-standing cooperation between the two countries.
Thus far, he said, he was in contact with the China's foreign ministry to determine the date and the itinerary pertaining to the Prime Minister's visit.
Commenting on ECRL, Saifuddin, who is also MP for Indera Mahkota, said they would discuss the agreement signed by the previous government.
"It does not mean that we want to stop (ECRL) but we want to see how certain things can be improved with added value," he told reporters after officiating the Pahang state level Parents Day celebration at Kampung Chengal Lempong, here today.
ECRL, the railway link infrastructure project connecting Port Klang in Selangor to Pengkalan Kubor, Kelantan, was approved by the Cabinet in 2016 and 2017, in which the China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC) was appointed as the main contractor.
The overall cost of the ECRL was expected to reach RM81 billion, including land acquisition cost and loan interest during the project's construction, but its implementation was suspended on July 3 following the government's directive.
Apart from ECRL, other projects that have been suspended were the Multi-Product Pipeline (MPP) and Trans-Sabah Gas Pipeline (TSGP), worth a total of RM9.4 billion.
Saifuddin also said the main objective of the visit to China was to maintain trade relations between the two countries. — Bernama