The crooked bridge was among the mega projects scrapped during the Abdullah administration.
The decision to do away with the project further strained relations between the (then) PM and his predecessor Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Abdullah attributed the decision to scrap the project in 2006 to "the people's wishes". Later, some files were declassified to show there were legal implications and ramifications with regards to some historical agreeements with Singapore.
On April 1, in a meeting with editors, (outgoing PM) Abdullah was asked why the project was scrapped.
He explained that it was due to federal budget deficit.
In December last year and early this year, there was talk that the project might be revived.
Today, Bernama quoted Johor Umno Youth who expressed hope that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will review the decision on the project.
Johor Umno Youth information chief Khalid Mohamad said today all the people of Johor, regardless of religious belief and race, wanted the government to review the decision.
"The people of Johor are placing high hopes on the Prime Minister to review the decision to cancel the crooked bridge project across the Johor Straits.
"The effects from the construction of the crooked bridge will be most positive to the Johor economy. We urge the government to reconsider (the cancellation) as soon as possible."
Khalid is also the Johor Baru Umno Youth chief.
Read the full report HERE.
HAI SIS, I DO AGREE WITH THEM, IN MY OPINION, I SERIOUSLY THINK THAT WE HAVE TO BUILD THE BRIDGE!
ReplyDeleteINI UNTUK KEBAIKAN NEGERI JOHOR LA SIS!
JAMBATAN ITU AKAN BOOST EKONOMI NEGERI JOHOR! TDM KNOWS WHAT IS THE BEST FOR THE COUNTRY!
KAMI NAK JAMBATAN BENGKOK TU!
After Mahathir did a lot of bitching with Badawi, that rascal Velu rushed in with indecent haste and the Works Ministry paid out $700 million compensation to Gerbang Perdana for the Crooked Bridge projcet which was suspended
ReplyDelete'permanently.' In whose hands this huge sum actually ended up in is a great mystery till today.
Now these crooked Johor politicians and fraudtrepreneurs want to revive this ill-conceived project?
They seem to have forgotten the little matter of a legal opinion that is in the hands of our AG that M'sia cannot build this stupidly designed bridge without S'pores consent. This is part of the original agrrement for the Causeway.
I trust they will not create another fiasco like they did with Pedra Blanca and lose face internationally should S'pore fight it again at the International Court of Justice!
Carrying on from earlier, another White Elephant and financial scandal, we do not need!
ReplyDeletedpp
Why revive mahatirism? Enough is enough! He has caused so much controversies already. Let the bridge and mahatirsm go. Tak faham2 ke?
ReplyDeleteWhat about the compensation already paid to the construction company will that be returned to the federal tresury. This is the problem with politicians they have no idea regarding the economics of scale, don't these people realise the world is facing an economic brekdown, are these people from Umno still in lala land, like they were saying Malaysia won't be affected by whats happening across the world, with the famous statement of 'OUR FUNDAMENTALS ARE STRONG!!!"
ReplyDeleteBalik, balik, crooked brigde!!
ReplyDeleteThey should at least come out with a better plan like a straight bridge, maybe then we will all support it! But hold on, who will fund it?? Where is the money to build a new whole bridge coming from?? Oh no, don't tell me from my savings in EPF? ...cry, cry, cry
Salam Puan Nuraina,
ReplyDeleteIt never cease to amaze me how some politicians can make the claim that they speak for ALL the citizens. I quote from NST online : Johor Umno Youth information chief Khalid Mohamad said all the people of Johor, regardless of religious belief and race, wanted the government to review the decision made in 2006 to cancel the construction of the crooked bridge.
How did Khalid arrive at this conclusion? I am a resident of JB, and I don't recall him getting my views on this.
I do however, support the building of a bridge to replace the causeway. But it should be a normal straight bridge... not something crooked that will remain a testimony of sour relations for years to come.
What a load of rubbish. Suddenly from not wanting the bridge the Johore people now needs a bridge?
ReplyDeleteI remember how the mainstream media had published interviews on people who didn't think the bridge was necessary... i bet now the media will do otherwise.
say no to mahajib.
"Later, some files were declassified to show there were legal implications and ramifications with regards to some historical agreeements with Singapore".
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that this fellow from Johor Bahru is unaware of these documents. Or most likely he is only thinking that he can fill up his pockets if project revived, after all he is the Ketua Pemuda UMNO Johor Bahru. Must be a Mukhriz's supporter too. Only if he knows who are the actual beneficiaries of the proposed bridge project... A crooked bridge proposed by crooked people.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteOnce there was a Crooked Bridge to be Built by a Crooked Man who used to live in a Crooked House.
The Crooked Man chased out his Not-so-Crooked Butler who sat on his Crooked Seat.
He said "Begone you Crooked One" for the Crooked Seat is meant for his Crooked Pal.
The Crooked Man made sure that his Crooked Pal keeps his Crooked Son.
Such will be the Tale that will be Told in the Future on the to be Crooked Land
DalaiLlama
Convenietntly a mahathis pet project.
ReplyDeleteKak Aina,
ReplyDelete"The people's wishes".
Its sure looks like "people" here are very much Umno centric, but then coming from Johor, you don't expect anything less.
I seem to remember the now Deputy Umno Youth member parroting the "I agree" to the cancelation when the issue was brewing back, but I could be wrong.
Isn't it wonderful that the PEOPLE Yesses can easily be turn into noes in politics.
Were there in fact any gauging of the people wishes in the first place.
Apologies, I always forget that politicians are people to.
PS: Just like the press fondness to skew street poll, five yesses from seven pollster can esily be headline as "the people's wish".
I am, of course, exxagerating. :)
friends,
ReplyDeleteactually, i'd have wanted the bridge -- crooked or scenic, whatever it should be called -- to have not been scrapped.
a federal budget deficit could not really have been the "real" reason for cancelling the project.
"legal implications blah blah"? was that not surmountable?.
but...wht had happened is in the past. whatver decision Najib makes will have to consider several key factors.
raison d'tre: i so agree. the only transparent thing about politicians is that they switch loyalty ever so easily. they are survivors and that's because of the way Umno politics works.
haha. no need for apologies, Raison. not when you're tlking politics and politicians.
thank you
mahathirism is good, whaaat?
ReplyDelete22 years running the country...man, you're bound to trip. he handpicked Anwar Ibrahim who turned out to be so dangerously ambitious and tried to topple the old man.
stupid anwar. if he had waited patiently, our course of history would have been different. maybe just as well.
anwar has turned out to be someone who'd ..oh never mind..
mahathir brought us a lot of great things.
Pak Lah in just 5 years brought us hell. look at the state of things now.
i'm not going to puji and keji Najib.
let's see what he can do...
BE FAIR, people.
It's a bridge over troubled water.
ReplyDeleteMalaysians are one funny lot of people. Yes today, no tomorrow. Clearly victims of indecision.
Personally, I believe that the Causeway is obselete and is a hindrance to the development of ports within Johore.
Singapore needs the causeway because it benefits their port operations. If the causeway goes, shipping would probably be redirected to the Johore ports and change the geographical strategics all together.
In any case, a lot of unnecessary funds have been wasted by recent political reasonings, and it would be much more expensive to restart this on/off project once again.
Whether it was Mahathir's idea or otherwise, the causeway should be demolished, and it is not necessary to build another at the same spot. This will give the Singaporeans a run for their money. No, wait.... why not build another bridge from Kukup to Singapore instead? It is much shorter in distance,isn't it?
A GOOD MAN DOES NOTHING.
Whats the point of building half a bridge if singapore is not building on their side?
ReplyDeletePlease la dont be bangang in agreeing to everything mahathir says.
sheesh
When Singaporean agreed to come to B Iskandar for investment ,they will agree with the bridge...let move forward ,no point digging PakLah decision..
ReplyDeleteGood idea! To make it faster just stop allocation for Jambatan Pulau Pinang and channel that money to this project. Anyway, Penang's people dont really need the help from federal government.. Cheer for Johorean..
ReplyDeleteCouldn't somebody who is really bright, and really honest, tell us all that we want to know about this darn bridge
ReplyDeleteWhy is it crooked ? Why should or shouldn't it be built ? Can we really really afford it ? Even so can we put it off to a more oppotune time ?
Put it to us so we can be rid off all these second-guesses
And tranparently so, if I may add
allanwee
allan wee,
ReplyDeletethe crooked bridge or the scenic bridge was to have replaced the malaysian part of the old causeway. it would have benefited malaysia greatly, in particular the ports of johor. if i remember, the bridge will allow movement and activities below.
singapore need not agree to build from where the malaysian side ends. but i think, singapore may not have a choice if malaysia builds it.
or something like that. there's more. but i cannot quite remember.
Build an additional bridge. two are better than one.
ReplyDelete