KUALA LUMPUR: Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin believes that an official statement will be issued by the government on the status of the China Communication Construction Company Ltd (CCCC) contract over the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project.
Without elaborating, Muhyiddin said it had been handed to the ministry responsible for the matter to be explained in detail.
“I think an official statement will be made, so I hope no one can say that or this…there is just one stand, (an) official statement by the government. It does not matter who, it will make everybody clear of the decision,” he said.
He was speaking to reporters after launching a book written by Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad titled “9 Mei 2018 Catatan Dari Garis Depan” or “9th May 2019 Notes From the Frontline”, at a shopping complex here yesterday.
Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali yesterday said the government had cancelled its contract with the CCCC for the ECRL project which was suspended in July, at the Cabinet meeting two days ago, after reviewing the cost which was too high and beyond the nation’s financial capability for now.
However, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said he was shocked by the statement by Azmin, which led to sarcastic comments from former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Asked about Najib’s sarcasm regarding the Pakatan Harapan government ministers not having “WhatsApp group” application to communicate by, Muhyiddin said: “We have many WhatsApp (groups).”
Meanwhile, commenting on the G25 Group’s call for the government to withdraw the ban on their book entitled “Breaking the Silence: Voices of Moderation: Islam in a Constitutional Democracy”, Muhyiddin said the group should refer to other authorities of power before making a decision.
“It (the book) has got some matter (material) which is of interest to the Muslim community, it touches on the issue of Islamic teachings, akidah (beliefs), which basically KDN (the Home Ministry) is not (an) authority of,” he said.
He said although the government was concerned with human rights and freedom of speech, it had to take into account the impact on religious and racial issues. – Bernama
