5/12/2007

building more bridges

Bridge obsession One thing I can say about Malaysian leaders, they are obsessed with building bridges. Penang island has two bridges now. Probably a third is in the pipeline. Singapore has two bridges, and more are expected. Abdullah has said that Malaysia and Singapore should be joined by many bridges. We have, many people to people and business bridges. One other thing that I find it strange is the need to burn or cut bridges to build new ones. The causeway is the most efficient of all the bridges that are built to link two places. Why the need to cut it? If the Malaysians are really interested in improving land transport then a simpler way is to expand the causeway to a 10 or 20 lane land bridge. And if they still want to build more bridges, I know that collecting toll is a very easy and sure profit business, they may want to think of links to the eastern coast of Malaysia and Singapore. A link to Desaru will be more meaningful while the present causeway be enlarged to cater for more users when the IDR takes off. Travellers to the east coast can have a short cut to their destinations, saving travel time and distance. The days of thinking crookedly to built crooked bridges should be thrown away to the dawn of history and a rationally conceived bridge should be built to benefit both sides, cheap and efficient. And not expensive and good to collect higher toll fees.

5 comments:

  1. Building bridges is a good thing.

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  2. im surprised u think the causeway is a good thing. anyway, my humble view -- http://sophiesworld-sophiesworld.blogspot.com/2007/01/causeway-blues.html

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  3. hi harro and sophie,

    there is nothing more stable, flexible and cheap to maintain than a piece of land joining two countries. a bridge is a contraption that is very costly, expensive to maintain and limited flexibility for expansion.

    if they can expand the causeway by a hundred metres on each side, we will have a big thoroughway and travelling will so easy.

    a bridge, when an accident happens, it will be choked up. and accidents are waiting to happen.

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  4. I think one must be sincere when one wants to build bridges. For one, I dont give a hoot abt what goes on the other side of the causeway. There have been too many bad airs built up for so long and I doubt things will ever changed. Abt the new IDR, the execution risks of investing next door have to be weighed against other established and rational places like India, China and Middle East where there have been good track records and returns for a long time. In contrast IDR is a new and untested concept. I will pass!! Just my 2 cts thoughts..

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  5. the recent maybank incident is a good reminder of what can go wrong down the road.

    if only abdullah badawi could remain as pm forever, or if there are other rational leaders to continue what he is doing. but looking at thos next in line, quite precarious.

    if no politics, malaysia will be our best bet. we can grow together and prosper together. if....

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