‘MRT3 DELAYED, NOT SCRAPPED’
Construction will resume once nation’s financial status improves, says minister
TRANSPORT Minister Anthony Loke said the implementation of the Mass Rapid Transit Line 3 (MRT3) has been postponed, not scrapped.
He said the decision was taken to reduce the burden of the government, and the cabinet would determine when the MRT3 construction could resume.
He said major projects, such as the MRT3, would be given priority when the nation’s financial position had recovered.
“Any such big decisions need to get the cabinet’s approval.
“But at present, the government’s priority is to reduce our national debt.
“For projects like the MRT3, it will be reviewed when the nation’s financial status recovers,” he said in reply to a question from Khairy Jamaluddin (Umno-Rembau).
Khairy had asked the minister to state the rationale and implication of scrapping projects, such as the MRT3.
Loke said the government did not deny that the project would bring various benefits, but its implementation should be reviewed in view of the high national debt.
He said based on the Progress Report prepared by MRT Corp last year, the MRT3’s project line was 40km long, with a circular line that passed through areas, such as Jalan Duta, Setiawangsa, Pandan Indah, Salak Selatan, Bandar Malaysia and Kerinchi.
“As the line passes through urban areas, which have high density, almost 80 per cent of the line is underground, which contributes to its high construction cost of RM50 billion,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama.
He said to encourage the public to use public transport, thus helping to reduce road congestion, the government would give priority to various types of buses that would be upgraded in terms of their service quality and networks, as well as improving the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Komuter system in the Klang Valley via upgrading and repairing its tracks.
“The postponement of the MRT3 project gives us the opportunity to review our budget priority, in which the government will focus on improving bus services and infrastructure development, not only in the Klang Valley but throughout Malaysia, in line with the government’s manifesto to improve the quality and coverage of our public transport.”
On another matter, he said Malaysia was not ready to implement ride-hailing because of the high accident rate involving motorcycles.
He said the implementation of ride-hailing required a high standard of safety before it could be realised, and authorities, such as the Land Public Transport Agency, needed to conduct a study before implementing it.
“We have just introduced ehailing for cars... and it has become a big issue. So, for now, the government is not ready to approve ride-hailing.”