Malaysia had pushed through fresh pacts to revive two stalled China-backed projects worth billions to ensure the two countries went into this week’s Belt and Road Forum in “renewed spirits”, Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said on Sunday. In an interview with the Post, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s top diplomat dismissed talk that the government had only grudgingly given the green light for resumption of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project and the Bandar Malaysia township.
Malaysia’s opposition, headed by Mahathir’s predecessor Najib Razak, has been singing that tune – suggesting the government was arm-twisted into reviving the two projects to avoid diplomatic repercussions from Beijing.
