11/16/2005

malaysian mps airing unhappiness in parliament over crooked bridge

the new straits times reported on the unhappiness of malaysian mps in parliament over the soft approach adopted by malaysia on the bridge issue. in their views, the bridge is for mutual benefits and there should be no conditions attached to it, citing singapore bargaining for the use of malaysian airspace. what they did not consider is the cost involved. it will be a different issue if malaysia would to offer to build the whole bridge and absorb the full cost. without that, for singapore to agree to build the other half of the bridge, it will have to cough out $500 mil at first go. then the other costs will come in, demolishing of the causeway, disconnecting and re laying of the water pipes, dredging the seabed, relocation of all the ciq facilities in woodland. our newly built ciq will be wasted and a new one will have to be built. all these may cost singapore another $500 mil. and all for an unnecessary bridge that will give more problems than the existing causeway. and all the users of the bridge are going to pay all the way. then there will be complaints and problems from the shopowners and businesses in woodland centre for lost of business. it is not simply building a bridge. a billion dollars are at stake for a superfluous project which can be done without. would they think it is a small issue if they understand the cost and problems involved?

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