Show proof if cancelling HSR will result in losses - Dr M
KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has urged those who claim that the country would be at the losing end should the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) project be scrapped, to provide evidence to support their claims.
He said issuing statements and allegations without evidence would be meaningless.
"Show (us) the proof. When we say the government is saddled with a national debt of RM1 trillion, we have the evidence and documents to back up the claim."
"But he is merely talking, tell him to show evidence, where and how," he told reporters after attending an Iftar ceremony with Royal Malaysia Police staff at the Bukit Aman Mosque here tonight.
Also present were the Prime Minister's wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali; Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun.
Dr Mahathir was asked to comment on the statement by former Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan today claiming that the country would lose RM209 billion in Gross National Income and 70,000 jobs if the HSR project was cancelled.
The prime minister yesterday confirmed that the government had decided to cancel the HSR project and was likely to pay RM500 million in compensation to Singapore.
He said this was because the project was seen as not beneficial to Malaysia as it was going to cost the country a huge sum of money, and that the government would not make money from it at all due to its short track.
Meanwhile, asked to comment on the withdrawal of bodyguards and police outriders assigned to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Dr Mahathir said the former prime minister was being investigated over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case.
Najib would enjoy back the perks as former prime minister once the probe is over and if he is found to be innocent, he added.
-- BERNAMA
