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But for Najib’s idea to take off, he may have to agree to Kuan Yew’s request and lift the sand ban imposed by Mahathir in 1997, an idea that has been emotionally rejected by many in Johor. In fact, the Johor Sultan has already shot down the proposal.
By Wong Choon Mei, Suara Keadilan
Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is not about to give up on his “crooked bridge” idea to replace the existing Causeway link to Singapore.
In fact, the wily veteran may be trying to ride the current wave of negative reaction to Singapore’s demand for sand to revive his own frozen S-shaped bridge.
After a recent official visit, Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew had said his government could only consider a new third link project proposed by Prime Minister Najib Razak if a 12-year ban on sand export to the island-state was lifted.
In his latest blog posting, the fiesty Dr M – known for his 22-year ham-fisted rule of the country – also fired several missiles at his successor-turned-foe Abdullah Badawi for pulling the plug on his idea launched towards the tail-end of his premiership.
“The work was started during my time. Had Abdullah not stopped it, the bridge would have been almost complete by now,” Mahathir said.
“Since Singapore would only agree to a straight bridge if one billion cubic metre of sand is sold to it; since the people of Johore are against selling sand and allowing Singapore fighter planes to practice over Johore, the option for the Malaysian Government is to revert to building the scenic bridge in our territorial waters. This is the sovereign right of an independent nation.”
Not all about sand but Dr M is striking while the iron is hot
By scenic bridge, Mahathir was referring to the curve-shape that his bridge would have to adopt.
It must be mentioned that this crooked shape came about not just because Singapore would not agree to a straight bridge unless Malaysia sold it sand, but also because Mahathir himself wanted to boost traffic between the country’s fast-rising ports at Pasir Gudang and Tanjung Pelepas.
For this to happen, the bridge replacing the Causeway must be high enough for ships to pass under it. Currently, they are forced to re-route all the way around Singapore because the Causeway is too low.
Hence, the dramatic curve shape to allow for the road to gain the necessary height needed to overcome the short distance between the two coasts.
“If the Causeway is opened up there would be constant flow of water in both direction, thus flushing out the water in the strait. Without the Causeway boats and yachts can sail in either direction.
“Transport of goods and people between Pasir Gudang Port to Tanjung Pelepas Port would be facilitated. This would be good for the growth of both ports – something which perhaps Singapore would not like to see.
“The free movements of boats along the strait would itself create business. The bridge which would be wider than the causeway would speed up the flow of traffic. The CIQ was designed to handle this increasingly heavier traffic.
Najib had proposed a totally different third link, from an eastern point in Johor linking the eastern coast of Singapore nearby Changi to tap the international airport’s traffic. The existing Causeway Bridge links Johor Baru to Woodlands while the Second Link connects Nusajaya to Tuas.
But for Najib’s idea to take off, he may have to agree to Kuan Yew’s request and lift the sand ban imposed by Mahathir in 1997, an idea that has been emotionally rejected by many in Johor. In fact, the Johor Sultan has already shot down the proposal.
Amid the politicking and as Malaysian policy-makers look for other ways to resolve the traffic woes at the new Immigration checkpoint, the ancillary infrastructure already put in to support Mahathir’s un-built crooked bridge may force a rethink of the idea described by many as “harebrained”.
Who knows the indefatigable Dr M may actually get his own way in the end – harebrained or not! But of course, the key question remains – does Malaysia need this sort of mega-project right now or would a simpler more down-to-earth solution be wiser?
http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/23626/84/
Dr M wants Najib to use 'crooked bridge' as bargaining chip
Posted by admin
Friday, 26 June 2009 22:32
By Leslie Lau, The Malaysian Insider
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has stepped up his campaign to revive the idea of a crooked bridge to replace the Johore Causeway connecting Malaysia with Singapore, by calling on the government to once again use it as leverage in resolving outstanding bilateral issues with the republic.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has come under considerable pressure since he proposed a third bridge to connect the two countries earlier this month, instead of reviving Dr Mahathir’s scenic bridge proposal to replace the Malaysian portion of the Causeway.
But a number of Umno politicians have already objected to the third bridge, especially since it is likely that Singapore would want Johor to lift its ban on the sale of sand to the republic before agreeing to it.
Last week the Johore Sultan also rejected the third bridge proposal.
Writing in his blog today, Dr Mahathir said that since Singapore would only agree to a straight bridge to replace the Causeway if the ban on selling sand was lifted and that considering Johoreans were against the sale, the government’s only option was to build the crooked bridge.
“This is the sovereign right of an independent nation,” said Dr Mahathir.
The crooked bridge was the brainchild of Dr Mahathir before he left office in 2003.
His administration had decided to unilaterally build a crooked bridge and demolish the Malaysian portion of the Causeway.
But in 2006 his successor Tun Abdullah Badawi’s government decided to scrap the plan, leading to the souring of ties between the two men.
Dr Mahathir began an intense political campaign against Tun Abdullah and eventually left Umno last year, returning to the party only recently when Najib took office.
But Najib is now beginning to come under pressure from Dr Mahathir even though the latter has not openly criticised the current administration yet.
The former PM continued to single out Abdullah for blame in his blog entry today.
“Tun Abdullah decided not only to not build the bridge but to stop negotiating over all the other issues,” he wrote.
Dr Mahathir cited the package of outstanding bilateral issues, including Singapore’s refusal to release CPF contributions to Malaysians, the railway land issue and the low rate in which the island republic pays for water from Malaysia.
“All these issues are in Singapore’s favour and not negotiating better terms because the Johore people refuse to sell sand is like cutting one’s nose to spite one’s face.
“We are the losers. I think it is a very stupid way of punishing Singapore.”
Last week, Najib said no firm decision had been made yet on whether to go ahead with the proposed third bridge.
http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/23625/84/
By Wong Choon Mei, Suara Keadilan
Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is not about to give up on his “crooked bridge” idea to replace the existing Causeway link to Singapore.
In fact, the wily veteran may be trying to ride the current wave of negative reaction to Singapore’s demand for sand to revive his own frozen S-shaped bridge.
After a recent official visit, Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew had said his government could only consider a new third link project proposed by Prime Minister Najib Razak if a 12-year ban on sand export to the island-state was lifted.
In his latest blog posting, the fiesty Dr M – known for his 22-year ham-fisted rule of the country – also fired several missiles at his successor-turned-foe Abdullah Badawi for pulling the plug on his idea launched towards the tail-end of his premiership.
“The work was started during my time. Had Abdullah not stopped it, the bridge would have been almost complete by now,” Mahathir said.
“Since Singapore would only agree to a straight bridge if one billion cubic metre of sand is sold to it; since the people of Johore are against selling sand and allowing Singapore fighter planes to practice over Johore, the option for the Malaysian Government is to revert to building the scenic bridge in our territorial waters. This is the sovereign right of an independent nation.”
Not all about sand but Dr M is striking while the iron is hot
By scenic bridge, Mahathir was referring to the curve-shape that his bridge would have to adopt.
It must be mentioned that this crooked shape came about not just because Singapore would not agree to a straight bridge unless Malaysia sold it sand, but also because Mahathir himself wanted to boost traffic between the country’s fast-rising ports at Pasir Gudang and Tanjung Pelepas.
For this to happen, the bridge replacing the Causeway must be high enough for ships to pass under it. Currently, they are forced to re-route all the way around Singapore because the Causeway is too low.
Hence, the dramatic curve shape to allow for the road to gain the necessary height needed to overcome the short distance between the two coasts.
“If the Causeway is opened up there would be constant flow of water in both direction, thus flushing out the water in the strait. Without the Causeway boats and yachts can sail in either direction.
“Transport of goods and people between Pasir Gudang Port to Tanjung Pelepas Port would be facilitated. This would be good for the growth of both ports – something which perhaps Singapore would not like to see.
“The free movements of boats along the strait would itself create business. The bridge which would be wider than the causeway would speed up the flow of traffic. The CIQ was designed to handle this increasingly heavier traffic.
Najib had proposed a totally different third link, from an eastern point in Johor linking the eastern coast of Singapore nearby Changi to tap the international airport’s traffic. The existing Causeway Bridge links Johor Baru to Woodlands while the Second Link connects Nusajaya to Tuas.
But for Najib’s idea to take off, he may have to agree to Kuan Yew’s request and lift the sand ban imposed by Mahathir in 1997, an idea that has been emotionally rejected by many in Johor. In fact, the Johor Sultan has already shot down the proposal.
Amid the politicking and as Malaysian policy-makers look for other ways to resolve the traffic woes at the new Immigration checkpoint, the ancillary infrastructure already put in to support Mahathir’s un-built crooked bridge may force a rethink of the idea described by many as “harebrained”.
Who knows the indefatigable Dr M may actually get his own way in the end – harebrained or not! But of course, the key question remains – does Malaysia need this sort of mega-project right now or would a simpler more down-to-earth solution be wiser?
http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/23626/84/
Dr M wants Najib to use 'crooked bridge' as bargaining chip
Posted by admin
Friday, 26 June 2009 22:32
By Leslie Lau, The Malaysian Insider
Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has stepped up his campaign to revive the idea of a crooked bridge to replace the Johore Causeway connecting Malaysia with Singapore, by calling on the government to once again use it as leverage in resolving outstanding bilateral issues with the republic.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has come under considerable pressure since he proposed a third bridge to connect the two countries earlier this month, instead of reviving Dr Mahathir’s scenic bridge proposal to replace the Malaysian portion of the Causeway.
But a number of Umno politicians have already objected to the third bridge, especially since it is likely that Singapore would want Johor to lift its ban on the sale of sand to the republic before agreeing to it.
Last week the Johore Sultan also rejected the third bridge proposal.
Writing in his blog today, Dr Mahathir said that since Singapore would only agree to a straight bridge to replace the Causeway if the ban on selling sand was lifted and that considering Johoreans were against the sale, the government’s only option was to build the crooked bridge.
“This is the sovereign right of an independent nation,” said Dr Mahathir.
The crooked bridge was the brainchild of Dr Mahathir before he left office in 2003.
His administration had decided to unilaterally build a crooked bridge and demolish the Malaysian portion of the Causeway.
But in 2006 his successor Tun Abdullah Badawi’s government decided to scrap the plan, leading to the souring of ties between the two men.
Dr Mahathir began an intense political campaign against Tun Abdullah and eventually left Umno last year, returning to the party only recently when Najib took office.
But Najib is now beginning to come under pressure from Dr Mahathir even though the latter has not openly criticised the current administration yet.
The former PM continued to single out Abdullah for blame in his blog entry today.
“Tun Abdullah decided not only to not build the bridge but to stop negotiating over all the other issues,” he wrote.
Dr Mahathir cited the package of outstanding bilateral issues, including Singapore’s refusal to release CPF contributions to Malaysians, the railway land issue and the low rate in which the island republic pays for water from Malaysia.
“All these issues are in Singapore’s favour and not negotiating better terms because the Johore people refuse to sell sand is like cutting one’s nose to spite one’s face.
“We are the losers. I think it is a very stupid way of punishing Singapore.”
Last week, Najib said no firm decision had been made yet on whether to go ahead with the proposed third bridge.
http://mt.m2day.org/2008/content/view/23625/84/
One can see the half completed overhead expressway at the new CIQ Guess its just a matter of time before Najib succumbs to the pressure 
