Exclusive | ‘Malaysia revived China deals to boost Belt and Road Forum spirits’, country’s foreign minister says
- Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah rejects opposition claims that government gave in under pressure from Beijing
- Malaysia on April 12 announced the East Coast Rail Link would go ahead after China shaved off nearly a third of its cost
Malaysia had pushed through fresh pacts to revive two stalled China-backed projects worth billions to ensure the two countries went into this week’s Belt and Road Forum in “renewed spirits”, Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said on Sunday.
In an interview with the Post, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s top diplomat dismissed talk that the government had only grudgingly given the green light for resumption of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project and the Bandar Malaysia township.
Malaysia’s opposition, headed by Mahathir’s predecessor Najib Razak, has been singing that tune – suggesting the government was arm-twisted into reviving the two projects to avoid diplomatic repercussions from Beijing.
The Mahathir government on April 12 announced the ECRL – stalled since it came to power last May – would go ahead after China shaved off nearly a third of its cost.
Last week the prime minister announced that work on Bandar Malaysia, a prime Kuala Lumpur property development shelved by Najib in 2017, would resume with the original China-backed consortium that won an open tender for the project.
