KUALA LUMPUR: A backbencher yesterday asked the authorities to consider the justification for the anticipated rise in the construction cost of the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) project to RM50 billion from the original estimate of RM36.6 billion.
Datuk Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) said the government should exercise caution in coming up with a budget for any project and consider the impact on the country prior to implementation.
“The (feasibility) study has yet to be done, but the tender forms are already out. I feel that while we go for greater urbanisation of cities to become a developed nation, the government should not get sidetracked into developing one area and neglecting another,” he said during the debate on the royal address in the Dewan Rakyat.
Bung Moktar said that if the estimated cost of the project were to hit RM70 billion, an allocation of 10 per cent of that sum would enable his constituency of Kinabatangan to be well developed.
Similarly, a five per cent allocation would do the same for Santubong, the constituency of Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, he added.
Bung Mokhtar said he did not object to the project but added that the Barisan Nasional government should remember that support for the coalition was greater in the rural areas than in the urban centres.
The government is studying the overall cost of the MRT project which is scheduled to begin in July because the RM36.6 billion estimate made in 2009 was expected to change depending on the value of real estate and rise in cost of materials.
Tenders for the project are expected to open next month and a decision is to be made by the middle of May.
The government has also appointed MMC-Gamuda as the project development partner.
Tony Phua (PKR-Petaling Jaya Utara) said he hoped that the government would take steps to ensure that the project really benefited the people.
He also said that the government should improve the bus services which were widely used by city folk.
“Focusing on rail communication and not improving the bus services will not solve the (transportation) problem. Furthermore, the MRT stations are not going to be linked to other stations such as KL Sentral which serves the LRT (Light Rail Transit), commuter and rail services to the rural areas,” he said. — Bernama