On 12th December 2003, just about 40 days in the office of the Malaysian prime ministership, having succeeded his boss, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Pak Lah made the first ever drastic decision in his life when he announced the cancellation of the Mahathir-backed RM14.5bil double track railway project which Mahathir had awarded to his crony MMC-Gamuda just 3 days before he retired in 31st October 2003.
Pak Lah has very clear directions in the administration of the country. He was sure that Mahathir had over-spent and over-built and many of these mega projects were unnecessary and a waste of national funds. He has to put a stop to all these excesses and consolidate the nation's financial position even at a cost of angering the man who handpick him to be the successor.
“There are too many projects we have to give priority to. These include healthcare, education, agriculture and other socio-economic projects to ensure the well-being of the people,” Pak Lah said.
So, the first salvo was fired - Double-tracked Railway project was cancelled. Then followed many other decisive decisions, one after another - Putrajaya monorail project was also canceled; Penang 2nd bridge project was also shelved; and ultimately, the most hilarious crooked-bridge project replacing the Johor causeway was also canceled.
Thus, the war with Mahathir began. Two years of diatribes and blitzkrieg trading began. Mahathir felt contrite and regretted his decision of his life for appointing a betrayer of his trust. But Mahathir was debilitated and emasculated.
So, the first salvo was fired - Double-tracked Railway project was cancelled. Then followed many other decisive decisions, one after another - Putrajaya monorail project was also canceled; Penang 2nd bridge project was also shelved; and ultimately, the most hilarious crooked-bridge project replacing the Johor causeway was also canceled.
Thus, the war with Mahathir began. Two years of diatribes and blitzkrieg trading began. Mahathir felt contrite and regretted his decision of his life for appointing a betrayer of his trust. But Mahathir was debilitated and emasculated.
Since then, Pak Lah had decided it is time to relaunch those unnecesssary and non-vital projects. The Mahathir cronies were converted and baptised into the new religion - becoming the new followers of the current deity.
Penang 2nd bridge was given the go-ahead. Now, the double-track railway is also given the go ahead. Deputy PM Najib was given the honor to announce the government's decision to proceed with the 330km RM14.5bil North-bound railway project. The South-bound portion had been promised to the Indian government and Ircon (Indian Railway) would be back to where they were post-MMC-Gamuda.
The very reason for canceling the project was non-priority and lack of funds. Now, the reason has been invalidated and voided even though the funds ain't there. It was a case of double-tongued and selective and creative decision-making. It was afterall, a case of replacing a new crony over a crony from the old regime - the only similarity, is that the party awarded is still the same guys and organization: cronies were converted and indoctrinated and baptised as a new convert of the new regime.
The journey of what Rehman Rashid said: the rectum seekers was the same; and Rehman was back to the old fold in a new dress, working for the same guy who hibernated-castrated him. He now return with a new set of balls - square and flat type with a new pair of shoe polisher. Cheers, Rehman!
The journey of what Rehman Rashid said: the rectum seekers was the same; and Rehman was back to the old fold in a new dress, working for the same guy who hibernated-castrated him. He now return with a new set of balls - square and flat type with a new pair of shoe polisher. Cheers, Rehman!
BTW, below is an interesting article:
2 comments:
Hi Maverick,
Actually I support the broad economics of the double-tracking project, but my criticism is on the usual practice awarding the tender to selected cronies with a totally opaque decision making process on the price and tender award.
Railways are still the most energy efficient form of land transport invented so far, and they can and should be an important portion of our surface transport system. Few seriously consider the trains for transporting goods or travelling in Malaysia anymore, partly because we are still stuck with a 1920's system that hasn't had any major improvement for nearly 100 years. With the single track, trains still have to wait frequently for up to 1/2 an hour at some far out siding to allow the opposite train to pass.
The country deserves a more modern train system. But this should not have been done through secret backroom deals with politically connected companies.
A grim reminder to rectum seekers -- Rock Hudson was one, and he paid the price when aids got him. So have countless thousands of others
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