Using ECRL to swing voter support for MCA, MIC?

[superadmin]

Apparently, the Selangor state executive council has rejected the transport ministry’s proposal for the East Coast Rail Link to traverse a northern Selangor alignment.

The proposed route would have involved massive land acquisition in Selangor. Therefore, the state Exco’s approval was required.

At the centre of the ministry’s application is their preferred alignment for Section C of the ECRL. The route reads like this: Mentakab – Bentong – Janda Baik – Gombak – Rawang (Serendah) – Kapar – Port Klang – North port – West port.


From Gombak, the alignment is planned to go back up north, passing through Selayang north-west to Serendah, before making a south westward journey towards Batu Arang, Kapar, Meru and Port Klang.

Eventually, it would connect to North port after which it terminates at West port.

It all sounds very complicated, right?

Political ploy
Yes, indeed, as the zig-zag alignment in the northern part of Selangor was coined by none other than the sole MCA minister in the cabinet (Wee Ka Siong) who is also the transport minister.

At first glance, this alignment appears fairly innocent. But according to a few political analysts in Selangor, the alignment will have effect on at least five parliamentary seats in Selangor, not to mention many state seats too.

Those seats are: Hulu Selangor (P94), Gombak (P98), Kapar (P109), Selayang (P97), and Klang (P110) as well as several state seats within those parliamentary constituencies.

The parliamentary seat of Bentong (P89) will be the main target and so will be the four state seats of Bilut (N33), Ketari (N34), Sabai (N35) and Pelagai (N36) within that constituency.

In this dubious plan, Gombak will be turned into the central ECRL station to serve Kuala Lumpur passenger traffic.

A local political pundit was quick to point out that it was not only a poor decision, as the northern alignment will cost a lot more, but it was also a crafted and calculated proposal to serve the hidden political agenda.


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