JOHOR BARU: The Tunku Mahkota Johor (TMJ) said it would be better for the government to improve healthcare and proceed with the construction of a hospital in Pasir Gudang instead of the `crooked bridge` project.
In a tweet, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim said:
“In my opinion, it's better to go ahead with the hospital in Pasir Gudang that (the) government tunda (postponed) and increase healthcare budget for the state.
“All hospitals in JB including districts need more beds and medical equipment. Just my humble opinion,” he said in response to a tweet asking what he thought of a proposal to revive the "crooked bridge" project linking Johor Baru and Singapore.
It was reported that the proposed 300-bed, RM500-million hospital, was approved under the 11th Malaysia Plan, with a 20.23ha plot of land in Jalan Gunung in the Bandar Seri Alam township identified as the site.
However, in May, the state government announced that it was among several projects being reviewed.
Johor Works, Infrastructures and Transport executive councillor Mazlan Bujang was quoted as saying that the Finance Ministry issued letters asking for these projects to be reviewed due to the alarming national debt of RM1 trillion.
The issue concerning the crooked bridge has cropped up again after Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian yesterday revealed that the project is now back on the table.
Osman said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had hinted that he was very keen to revive it.
“At an Iskandar Regional Development Authority meeting last month, he asked me whether Johor still needed the crooked bridge.
“I said, ‘It’s up to you, it’s your idea. If you say you want to continue, I’ll just follow.’ It has a lot of benefits,” Osman told reporters at the Parliament lobby on Tuesday.
The six-lane bridge project was mooted by Dr Mahathir before his retirement in 2003.
However, as Singapore did not agree to the project, it was modified to incorporate a sharp curve on the Malaysian side which would allow vessels to pass underneath, thus earning it its “crooked” moniker.
The bridge would then join up with the undemolished portion of the Johor Causeway on the Singapore side.
Osman said the crooked bridge was expected to be among issues to be discussed in a meeting between the state government and the Singapore government later this month.
He revealed that the meeting would be held in Singapore and he would be joined by Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.
Meanwhile, in a related development, Johor DAP chief Liew Chin Tong said the "crooked bridge" project was not an immediate priority.
Instead, he said the party would support the third bridge project linking Johor to Singapore, as it was more important to ensure smoother traffic flow on both sides.
Liew, who is also Deputy Defence Minister, said this when met at Parliament lobby today.
It has been reported that Johor plans to build a third bridge in Sungai Rengit in Pengerang, Kota Tinggi district to ease traffic congestion at the Johor Causeway and the Second Link Crossing.
The bridge would link the southeast part of Johor with Pulau Ubin in Singapore.