Proposal For Malaysia-Indonesia Bridge Needs In-Depth Study - Najib

Melaka - The government will take into consideration all aspects, including suitability and economic factors, on the proposal by the Melaka government to build a bridge across the Melaka Straits to link Malaysia and Indonesia.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak said he did not dismiss the possibility of the proposed bridge becoming a reality one day.

Opening the 9th Malay World Islamic World Convention here today, Najib who is also Finance Minister, was responding to Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam who urged that the bridge be built in the interest of economic development and the long-established relations between the two countries.

Mohd Ali had said that the proposed bridge, a distance of about 52km, was estimated to cost US$11 billion (RM$37 billion).

"I am suggesting that the Economic Planning Unit study the request for the bridge which could be funded through the Private Finance Initiative," he said in his speech at the convention.

The proposal to link Malaysia and Indonesia had been made since the 1990's before the idea was abandoned due to the 1997 regional economic crisis.

Source: http://www.bernama.com.my (December 23, 2008)
Photo Credit: www.zhenhua.co.id                       

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