KUALA LUMPUR: It was shameful for Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali to claim he met Singapore officials to discuss the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high speed rail (HSR) project when the meeting never took place.
Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said it was also shocking for Azmin to have made such claim.
“The official statement by the Singaporeans that the meeting never took place has shamed Malaysia.
“It makes us look like big liars who go round making up stories,” he said in a statement.
Earlier today, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) refuted Azmin’s claim that he met with ‘senior officials from Singapore’ over the weekend to discuss the HSR project.
On Monday, Azmin said he had met Singapore authorities while he was in the Republic on Sunday visiting Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is recuperating from surgery to remove a pancreatic tumour.
Azmin did not reveal who the Singaporean officials he spoke to were, but according to Bernama, he said: “The meeting went in a positive manner.”
He added: “The official meeting will take place sometime in August.”
However, a spokesperson from MOT said no meeting had been scheduled, nor had taken place between Azmin and Singapore officials overseeing the HSR Project.
“As of 6 August 2018, the Malaysian Government has not provided the clarifications sought by Singapore and has not communicated their proposed dates for such discussions,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying.
Zahid said it was difficult to understand why Azmin had made up the story.
“It’s either he wanted to tell the people that the HSR project is still on or just to show the people that the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government is doing its job,” he said, adding the people should just be told the actual situation concerning the project.
He claimed the government had already “created the biggest lie” about the actual amount of debt the country was in and the people were now being fed other lies.
“It is not even three months since they cruised to power but the people have been fooled with all kinds of trickery over why they cannot fulfill their manifesto promises,” he said.
Zahid said the government had backtracked on many promises, including to abolish the National Security Act and close Biro Tata Negara (BTN) which they claimed was used by BN for its political benefit.
“The latest is their U-turn on plans to recognise the Unified Examination Council (UEC) examination. Although we have opposed it, the government must explain why they need five years to decide on the matter.”
Zahid also touched on PH’s concentration on getting more investments from China and Japan, when the BN was previously accused of selling the country to the same investors.
He said the government should stop twisting the facts and start concentrating on improving the economy and livelihood of the people.