ECRL should be beneficial for the local workforce, limit foreign workers, says economist

SHAH ALAM - The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) should be beneficial for the local workforce by limiting the engagement of foreign workers, an expert says.

Universiti Utara Malaysia economist Dr K Kuperan Viswanathan said that as it is a project funded by Malaysian taxpayers, the ECRL project should, to the greatest extent feasible, employ Malaysians.

"However, if there is a need to employ foreigners, the total should be less than 10 per cent.

"In the building phase of the project, the use of foreign workers may be acceptable, but once the project is completed and up and running, it should be employing mainly Malaysians," he told Sinar Daily.

Kuperan added that foreigners may be employed in some crucial expert fields where there is a lack of local knowledge, but there should be a deadline set for reducing the number of foreign employees and experts involved in the project.

"If this is not done, the key benefits of the project will not impact Malaysians. The impact of the project must be through economic and infrastructure development and economic opportunities for the local population and economy," he added.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the ECRL project will proceed at a lower cost of RM11.01 billion compared to the original cost of RM85.97 billion approved in 2016.

The ECRL project, spanning 665 kilometres and comprising 59 tunnels, includes construction works in four states, namely Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, and Selangor, and is designed to be free from floods.