Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad wants proof, not just talk, of how Malaysia will lose if the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) is called off.
Umno strategic communications spokesman Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan had said that cancelling the HSR project would see Malaysia lose an estimated RM209 billion in gross national income (GNI) contribution and 70,000 potential jobs opportunities.
In response, the Prime Minister has asked Abdul Rahman to show proof of his allegation.
“When we said Malaysia has RM1 trillion debt, we had the documents to back it up. Don’t just talk, show us the proof,” he told reporters yesterday (May 29).
Previously a minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Abdul Rahman had overseen the inking of the mega project.
He had quoted a study by the research body Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organisation (IDE-JETRO), which found that once the HSR is in operation, it would deliver a US$1 billion (RM4 billion) economic gain to Malaysia annually.
Last week, Dr Mahathir said Malaysia will be scrapping the high-speed rail link, which may incur the new government close to RM500 million in penalties.
The project, valued by analysts at about US$17 billion (RM67.8 billion), is out for tender and targeted for commercial operations in 2026.