REMBAU: Changes were made to the original East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) route alignment to avoid the construction of an 18km tunnel cutting into the Titiwangsa Range.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the alteration allowed the government to reduce the overall cost of the entire project.
He also said changes made to the original route will bring positive impact and benefits to more states.
"We changed it so that the route will enter Negri Sembilan. From four states, now five states (will be in the ECRL's path)," he said during a ceramah at Bandar Sri Sendayan near Rantau here, on Friday night.
Loke said that the people of Negri Sembilan, especially those living in rural areas, stand to benefit from the ECRL project.
"If a station is built in this state, it will definitely bring development to rural areas of Negri Sembilan. This will also create more job opportunities for the youth in the state," he said.
Loke also denied claims that the realignment of ECRL's original route was deliberately announced during the Rantau by-election to fish for votes.
Discussions on the changes, he said, were carried out since last year.
The Negri Sembilan DAP chairman, however, made it clear that the Pakatan Harapan-led government has every intention to develop the state.
It was previously announced that the ECRL project would be continued at a cost of RM44 billion, RM21.5 billion less than the original amount of RM65.5 billion.
China and Malaysia agreed to resume the controversial project, but the length of the track will be reduced from 688 kilometres to 648 kilometres.