Infra rakyat overlooked by ex-leader: Najib

KUALA LUMPUR: Infrastructure for the people (Infra Rakyat), which is crucial for the country and economic growth, was overlooked by a former leader, while public transportation was completely neglected, said Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.
The caretaker Prime Minister said the nonagenarian "car tester" had unrealistic dreams and a lack of commercial understanding, resulting in the country falling behind.
"We were clear that we not only had to catch up, (but also) had to get ahead of the competition and have a public transport system that is truly world class," he said in a speech at the National Supply Chain Conference on Rail Projects and Career Fair 2018, organised by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority, here today.
The text of his speech was read by caretaker Second International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan.
Addressing the fear-mongering and lies that certain opposition politicians have been spreading about the transport projects, Najib said it would be a catastrophe for Malaysia if the projects were cancelled.
"The country would be known as a country that did not keep its words. Ten of thousands of Malaysians would lose the jobs they have or are preparing for," he said.
Citing the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) as an example, the Prime Minister said the East Coast states of Peninsular Malaysia would feel betrayed as they would be left behind once again if the project was scrapped.
On the ECRL, he described it as an ambitious aim to develop a modern, efficient and well-connected transport network that would make a huge difference to the people's lives and keep the country on course to becoming a high-income nation.
The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) is expected to create 130,000 jobs, while ECRL construction alone will create over 80,000 jobs, he said.
As for the High-Speed Rail (HSR) project, it will provide about 22,000 jobs for professional and skilled workers and leveraging the synergies along the railway.
The estimated impact of HSR over a 50 year period is expected to be an extra RM650 billion in Gross National Income (GNI) and a massive 442,000 new jobs.
Najib said due to government's responsible approach, along with the hard work of millions of Malaysians, the National Transformation Programme has delivered.
The country had seen GNI increasing by over 50%, with the creation of 2.7 million new jobs, including over one million high-income jobs, he added. — Bernama