Lim Guan Eng shocked by Azmin's announcement of ECRL scrapping, says report

KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 26): Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng was shocked by Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali’s announcement about the scrapping of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, reported The New Straits Times (NST) today.

Lim started out by saying during a media conference just hours after Azmin’s announcement that the latter may not have been updated on the decision made by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad as the Economic Affairs Minister was not present at the latest Cabinet meeting.

“I am acting under the instruction of Tun [Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad] and the cabinet,” Lim clarified, according to the NST report.

* Azmin: Govt finalises cancellation of ECRL contract with CCCC

*Dr Mahathir says 'not sure, not aware' whether ECRL contract terminated

*ECRL may still go on after all – report

But moments later, Lim clarified that: “Sorry, I wouldn’t say that Azmin wasn’t in the Cabinet meeting. What I meant is that he wasn’t privy to the decision made by Tun.”

When asked again if Azmin actually attended the Cabinet meeting, Lim explained: “I don’t want to say that as it may lead to all kind of unhealthy perception. All I want to say is that maybe he was not informed of the prime minister’s intention.”

Lim also said a “statement will be issued next week, if necessary”.

Azmin had said that the decision to cancel the ECRL was taken after reviewing the costs which were deemed too high and beyond the government's financial capabilities for the time being.

"If the project is not terminated, the government will have to bear the interest rate of about RM500 million a year.

"Therefore, the project needs to be terminated without affecting relations with China," he told reporters after officiating the Silat Cekak Hanafi Annual General Meeting 2019 and Outstanding Awards.

Meanwhile, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin stayed clear of the issue, saying that the ECRL is not under his purview

He said that “he is unsure about it, and would like to leave it to the ministers in charge of the matter”.

“Perhaps the prime minister or the finance minister will be able to explain in detail. But I am not involved with ECRL,” he told the media after launching a book in Kuala Lumpur