Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the project was postponed due to the high national debt.
He said the 40km project which will run through Jalan Duta, Setiawangsa, Bandar Malaysia and Kerinchi would cost RM50 billion.
“It will go through the city centre, so it will be built underground and would cost RM50 billion.
“We do not deny that the project will benefit the people, but we are also looking at the cost benefit due to the high national debt,” he said during the question and answer session at the Dewan Rakyat.
He said the implications of the cost were still being studied by MRT Corp.
For the time being, he said, the government would add bus services as well as more frequent KTM train services.
“There is still a lack of bus stops and terminals, or map applications to plan out journeys. Commuter services are also being improved,” he said.
He was replying to Khairy Jamaluddin (BN-Rembau), who asked the transport minister to state the rationale for cancelling the MRT Line 3 project as well as the implications this would have on finances, road congestion, the urban growth network and consumer comfort.
Loke said the ministry would also focus on bus services in rural areas and on implementing the RM100 monthly pass for public transport by early next year.
He also said the government had no plans to implement e-hailing for motorcycles like Indonesia’s Go-Jek, citing the high rate of road accidents involving motorbikes.
He said the government had only just introduced regulations for car e-hailing which were met with controversy and objections.
“It’s not easy to regulate e-hailing, what more ride-hailing for motorcycles. We are not ready for that yet.”