Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the government has already agreed to take six months to review the project, whether to continue with it or look at other plans.
“What is clear is that the link does not resolve congestion problems between Malaysia and Singapore.
“If we build the trains, they cannot carry all the passengers from Malaysia to Singapore. The trains cannot carry all the motorcycles.
“The trains are limited in terms of their capacity,” he said at a press conference after a Pakatan Harapan (PH) presidential council meeting here today.
He was asked to comment on the status of the project, following reports that one of five plots of land for the Rapid Transit System (RTS) project has been transferred to Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar.
Asked whether the reports are true, Mahathir said if the land has been acquired by anyone, the government will claim it back.
“To acquire any land, they need to go through due process,” he said.
On whether the land had been acquired by Sultan Ibrahim, the PH chairman said they had only learnt that it had been transferred to the sultan from “rumours” in the press.
“We have yet to receive a full report,” he said.
Asked whether the government was willing to pay RM495 million to buy back the land, Mahathir said: “If he has paid, of course we have to buy back. But if he hasn’t paid, we won’t have to buy back. It is our land.”
He said the land is required as it is part of a plot acquired to put up certain buildings.
Asked whether the issue on the land transfer will reignite tensions between Putrajaya and the Johor palace, Mahathir said: “There’s no tension. What tension?”
Documents sighted by FMT showed, among others, that the change of title for the 4.5ha plot took place under the Barisan Nasional administration.
They also revealed that the land has been leased to a company to operate a parking lot for three years to November 2020.
A source said the federal government will have to buy back the land although it was part of a land swap deal with the state for the construction of the Johor Bahru Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine Complex (CIQ).
Charges faced by Zakir Naik
On whether Putrajaya will assist the Indian government by sending controversial preacher Zakir Naik back to face charges, Mahathir said they will study the matter based on legal provisions.
It was reported that India had brought formal charges of money laundering against Naik, accusing him of acquiring about Rs1.9 billion (RM114.5 million) worth of criminal assets.
Naik was charged in absentia in a court in Mumbai.
India’s Enforcement Directorate also claimed that Naik had made “inflammatory” speeches and lectures which incited a number of Muslim youths in India to commit terrorist acts.
Funds allegedly misappropriated from 1MDB
Asked to comment on reports that US authorities were preparing to return about US$200 million (RM828.14 million) allegedly misappropriated from 1MDB to Malaysia, Mahathir said he was aware of it.
“I heard about it. They know it is our money. They will give it back. Singapore also,” he said.
He said he did know how soon Malaysia will get the money back.
The reports, quoting two people who asked not to be named, said the money includes about US$140 million from the sale of a stake in New York’s Park Lane Hotel and some US$60 million from a settlement paid by the producer of the “Wolf of Wall Street” movie.
It was also reported that Singaporean authorities are preparing to return to Malaysia about S$35 million (RM106.3 million) surrendered by former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng and his family.