KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad says that a multi-billion-dollar rail link project backed by China would “impoverish” the country, saddling the government with excess debt for the next 30 years.
Since winning a historic vote last May, Mahathir’s government has axed or reviewed large-scale infrastructure projects to rein in surging national debt that it blames mostly on corruption in the previous government.
But there is confusion over the status of the $20 billion East Coast Rail Link.
Mahathir’s comments Tuesday suggested it might be canceled.
Mahathir said the government “just cannot pay” as the project cost could exceed 100 billion ringgit ($24.3 billion).
He said paying compensation would cost less.
A Chinese government spokesman in Beijing said the project was agreed to “on the basis of mutual respect and equality.” /gsg