Putrajaya won’t revive crooked bridge, says NazriKUALA LUMPUR, July 3 — The Najib administration has no intentions of reviving the crooked bridge project proposed by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed to replace the Johor Causeway, according to Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.
The Minister in the Prime Minister’s department said the government will stick to the decision reached during Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s predecessor Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s administration.
“The decision of the current government administration stands and follows the decision made by the previous administration, under Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
“The crooked bridge will not be built. There have been no talks to revive the project,” Nazri told The Malaysian Insider.
He pointed out bluntly that the government “cannot simply react” to news reports on individuals pushing for its renewal, and stressed that agreements and requests from various parties still needed to be considered before the project could be revived.
“We cannot simply react to reports on the news media. There has to be an official request from the Johor state government (for the revival of the bridge) and Singapore has to also first agree to this.
“The Singaporean government has not agreed to this. So it’s difficult on so many levels to go ahead with the project,” said the law minister.
“During his time, Dr Mahathir had wanted the bridge to be built to ease the congestion of the Causeway. But Singapore did not agree to it (even) back then,” explained the Padang Rengas MP.
The government’s decision comes amid calls by Dr Mahathir and the Sultan of Johor to revive the abandoned project.
The former prime minister has questioned Najib’s reluctance in continuing the project despite a request by the Sultan of Johor for Putrajaya for to revive the replacement for the Causeway that was built in 1923.
“The question that many have asked me, and I am convinced that this is also being asked by a majority of people, is why Datuk Seri Najib as the powerful prime minister is not willing to continue building this bridge?” asked Dr Mahathir in a posting on his popular blog two days’ ago.
“Is Najib tied in a deal with the fifth prime minister? What is the status of this deal?” he added, referring to former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Badawi who had cancelled the crooked bridge project.
The proposal to build a “crooked” bridge to replace the ageing Causeway, linking peninsular Malaysia to the island republic, was mooted by Dr Mahathir when he was the prime minister.
However, relations between the two countries were often chilly during his administration, causing Singapore to shoot down his idea which was eventually cancelled by his successor Abdullah.
Besides easing traffic congestion between Johor Baru and Singapore, the proposed bridge would also facilitate the free flow of water in the Tebrau Straits in addition to allowing ships heading to East Asia to bypass Singapore.
Najib (right) and Singapore PM Lee at their last meeting in KL on June 22. - Picture by Choo Choy May
In response to the Sultan of Johor’s call for the bridge project to be revived, Najib had said that his administration would look into the matter but did not elaborate further.
tunku : why Najib keeping "not well informed" minister in his cabinet? just imagine tomorrow Najib announces that the bridge will be build, then what will this "not well informed" minister will say? the Sultan of Johor had said and the MB to had said that they want the bridge and the construction was on even though singapore doesn't agree but they can't stop Malaysia from building it.We are only building it on our side.we don't need their consent.the construction was stopped by the sleepy head pm.we hope Najib will not be like the sleepy head.
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8 comments:
Nazri is not "not well informed", he is persistently doing damage to Umno and BN from inside by hurting the rakyat feeling. Nazri and Zahid work hand in hand to continuously provide bullet to the enemy to shoot Umno. Yet Najib did nothing to stop them.
I'm considering giving up on Umno, and it will be soon, very soon.
Umno Member
This arrogant expired fella still has a grudge against Tun Mahathir...this fella once rub shoulder aka ampu Tun M, then ampu AI when he thought AI would become the PM then.
When it didnt happen, he turned around to ampu Tun M again. After Tun M retired he ampu the slumberjack sleepy Pak Lah and backed the Kitol's in law all the way. Now, he knows his time is about to expire, he really want to show Najib that he is still "power".
That's his game lah, ampu ampu ampu and kowtim....
About this crooked bridge, he will soon be "cornered" like his buddy Shahrir Sam who also dislikes Tun M thru' his skin...
I think there's something wrong in this DICK HEAD Nazri's brain.
He always make a "Not Well Informed" comments and retract it later i.e. The New Parliament Case.
It's either he's Brain Drain or Brain In The Drain or No Brain At All.
1280-K Taman Malik
anon 2:12AM
don't worry. A lot of UMNO member are having the same feeling. I am in UMNO temerloh and over here, not only ketua bahagian is sombong and bodoh, he also keep a lot of contract and stupid ideas for the sake of his family.
Changing luxury cars and talking like KJ is normal for this ketua bahagian and of course their ketua cawangan.
and yet, they want the UMNO members to vote for them. Remember norza? Even the Norza accuser can be bought in temerloh.
1. Anon 2.12 AM : I'm on the same wave-length as you though not to the extent of leaving UMNO , not just yet anyway ! Having been an UMNO member for more than 40 years, with spats of holding quite high positions at Cawangan and Divisional levels, including having the privilage of attending UMNO's Perhimpunan Agung as a delegate for countless times ; you sort of grow with the party, knowing every nook and corner of its intrigues, failures and successes !
2. I have seen presidents come and go, each having their own visions to lift UMNO to higher levels. Noble though their ideals may be, sadly ,some under-performed. We were and are still talking about expectations. The members expect their leaders, including those that are lucky to be made ministers, to perform. Admittedly, evaluations are sometimes marred by emotions, biased inclinations and self-surviving interests. But though a bit flawed, one can still make a safe decision as to whether a Minister is fit to be there or not ! Or whether he or she can live up to the rakyat's expectations !
3. It's also about expectations when we talk about the nation's sovereignity, our foreign policy, the economic strategies, our defence policies including our internal affairs policies and enforcements. The KPI is indeed a wise self-assessment strategy that will assist the govt to improve at all material times.
4. Perhaps, it is in the light of this expectation that we should explore and gauge the viability of having a bridge, crooked or otherwise, across the Tebrau Straits. Many factors surely must be considered before the final decision is delivered. I am pretty sure the present government is all ears to suggestions, to empirical studies with acceptable data and statistics and to the voice of the majority including those from Johor, whose lives will be tremendously affected by such decision.The Sultan of Johor had made known his feelings and stand. The MB, on behalf of the Johoreans, spoke favourably of having 'that bridge' ! Other political and government stalwarts do give their support, though not all are brave enough to do so OPENLY !
5. If there is strong public support now, then coming out with statements that the present govt will be sticking to the decision made by the previous PM and his administration, speaks volumes of how insensitive those at the higher echelon can be. Though Dato' Seri Najib had not clearly responded to this issue , yet a Minister has seen fit to offer a conclusive statement which if accepted as true would have far-reaching implications, not only on Najib as the PM but also on the entire Cabinet. It would also point to a certain degree that the present government is held to ransom by the previous, thus extracting further comments of weaknesses and negative attitude of the present leaders.
6. Being out-spoken is NOT necessarily a must-be trait, EXPECTED of a Minister. For example, misinforming the public about the shifting of Parliament to another vicinity, aptly describes incompetency though offering apologies afterwards lessens NOT the mistake. So, will there be another apology for statements made about the 'crooked bridge' ??? I guess we'll have to wait and see !
A verly complacent minister who had be there way toooooooooooo looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong.
Nani Cheras
Stupid is what stupid does Tunku, this Nazri should be sacked for telling us that we need permission from a foreign Government to build a structure within our sovereign boundary. If PM Najib says the same thing about not building the scenic bridge without first getting Singapore's permission then PM Najib should sack himself as well for not being able to defend our sovereignty.
Mungkin ramai yang tidak suka Nazri dan mahu dia dikeluarkan dari kabinet dan dia pernah diminta tutup mulut oleh Najib untuk memberi sebarang komen terhadap Mahathir.
Apapun barisan kabinet sekarang adalah majoritinya peninggalan Paklah yang cukup handal untuk menjadi 'yes man' dan adalah perlu Najib untuk menyimpan 'anjing yang pandai menyalak ikut arahan tuannya'.
Nazri sangat diperlukan oleh Najib untuk menyatakan sesuatu yang 'pahit' yang mungkin sukar untuk Najib sendiri luahkan.
Suka atau tidak, apa yang Menteri luahkan adalah luahan Najib secara tidak langsung, rakyat perlu memahami 'signal' ini.
Kalau tidak benar, masakan Nazri masih berdiri sombong di sana.
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