Familiar filming site for SG soapy drama serials.
I really like the way Peter and Chun See writes in their blogs. It feels great in the ways of how Malaysians would normally talk of their nostalgic past. Be it Ipoh, Penang, Kedah, Sabah and so on.
Anyway back to the topic, you see the Jurong Line has stopped operations and has not been maintained by KTM for quite some time. Enroached by development, the Jurong Line land area has shrinked a lot over the years. During the British times, it was common for the KTM's track land to be as wide as 100 feet.
Well rumours has been circulating in KTM circles, that PM Najib administration will quietly relinquish all of Jurong Line to the Singapore Government within a year. The shiny lights IR/Casino related carrot seems to made us totally unaware of the old Jurong Line being taken away right under our nose. If rumours
Some would argue it is useless for KTM to hold on to their land in Singapore. Since KTM is another loss making government link company who cannot properly utilize or develop these SG lands in their hands. So just cut the losses and take the billions that Singapore goverment is offering.
I say think twice.
1)Some might argue the lands were given to KTM by some outdated colonial legal agreements of the British. We cannot just dishonour an agreement (no matter how old) for the sake of a few quick dollars(well maybe a few billions). The same way Singapore argues that Malaysia cannot anyhow cut water supply to the island because of another dusty British legal documents.
2)The billions of SGD on offer might just dissappear into some BN politicains pocket. as in the case of 9 million Telekom shares dropping into the pockets of a prominent Indian leader.
3) Do we have the people intelligent enough to play in glitzy prime development. Playing in someone else backyard is by no means an easy feat. Just ssk Old Lee on how they got burnt in Suzhou.
But the above 3 points are not the most important.
The most important thing is Political Bargaining Power. Money we can get from other resources and industries. Its a well known fact that SG government is way more cunning and smarter than us. Malaysia need all the ammunition it can get. So its not good to become shortsighted and flimsily give away our political chips.
BN's propaganda exercises is not a measure of a nation's sovereignty. Abdullah Badawi practically gift wrap Pulau Batu Puteh to Singapore. The rot is even more worrying with Najib seemingly playing into the hands Singapore ever since he became PM.
Tun Mahathir was one hell of a corrupt and crazy politician. But at least he did not wanted to be remembered as the man who sold out to Singapore.
Any negotiations with Singapore is futile unless our leaders can stand up fearlessly with integrity even when chips are down. But with the bunch of Najib and his BN goons, it seems we will be outthought and outwtted in no time by Singapore government.
PS : I am not anti Singapore government or anything like that. They are just not the people I would trust with things important to me (e.g my life).
Regards,
Kaki Tambak
