Kelantan, Terengganu laud Federal Govt

KOTA BARU: Kelantan yesterday praised the Federal Government for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project to connect all the three states in the east coast.

State Local Government, Housing and Sports Committee chairman Datuk Abdul Fattah Mahmood said it hoped the ECRL project would attract more investors to Kelantan, as it had huge natural resources which could be developed.

“We hope the 688km railroad project will inspire confidence in investors to come to Kelantan.”

Fattah said the project should be a new catalyst for economic development in the state.

When opening the ECRL project in Kuantan yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was reported to have said the project was set to be a “game changer” and “mindset-changer” for Malaysia as it would cut travel time between the east and west coasts.

Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman said the project would boost Terengganu’s New Transformation Plan.

He said having ECRL stations in Chukai, Dungun and Kuala Terengganu would be a huge catalyst for development.

“This will speed up the state modernisation with numerous infrastructure, logistics, com-munications, commerce and trade.

“It will also spur socio-economic growth and transform Terengganu into a first-class region to work and live in,” he said while announcing the establishment of the Terengganu Petroleum Council at Wisma Darul Iman in Kuala Terengganu. By Sharifah Mahsinah Abdullah and Adrian David