KUALA LUMPUR: Two former Prime Ministers and several ministers have been named as defendants in a lawsuit over the cancellation of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) project.
Mohd Hatta Sanuri from Tanjung Karang filed the suit at the High Court on Jan 20 and is also seeking RM1 million compensation for all Malaysian citizens.
He has named former prime ministers Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, former minister in the prime minister's department (economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, former transport minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong and the government as defendants.
The plaintiff in his statement of claim said Mahathir and Muhyiddin were negligent and had committed the tort of misfeasance in public office when they were the prime ministers.
He claimed Mahathir's decision to postpone before Muhyiddin decided to terminate the project had caused the country to pay compensation to Singapore involving millions of Ringgit.
He claimed the cancellation of the project also had caused the loss of foreign investors' confidence.
He is seeking a court order to declare the cancellation of the project null and void.
He is also seeking RM1 million compensation for all Malaysian over the delay of the project.
Malaysia and Singapore signed a bilateral agreement on the project on Dec 13, 2016, but terminated the project on Jan 1, 2021, after several delays.
The 350km HSR would have shortened the travelling time from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore to 90 minutes.