Construction of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), a mega rail project under the Belt and Road Initiative in Malaysia being built by the China Communications Construction Company, is in full swing.
The project, 60 percent of which was completed in March, is expected to greatly enhance connectivity and bring more balanced growth to Malaysia by linking its less-developed region on the east coast to the economic heartland on the west coast upon completion.
China is willing to work with Malaysia to steadily advance the construction of major projects, such as the East Coast Rail Link and the “Two Countries, Twin Parks” project while expanding the scale of trade and investment and promoting cooperation, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Wednesday while meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Li is on an official visit to Malaysia from June 18 to 20.
China’s model of partnership featuring amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness is no doubt a refreshing alternative brought to the table of multilateral cooperation in Southeast Asia. The dividends accrued were translated into a tailwind upon which the BRI is riding to triumph in the region where Malaysia is one of the key beneficiaries, Ong Tee Keat, president of the BRI Caucus for Asia Pacific and former transport minister of Malaysia, wrote in an article published on Wednesday.