#10. East Coast Rail Link and Its Larger Implications

When talking about the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), many conservatives and NGOs fear for its environmental and financial implications. The argument on the ECRL has been overwhelmingly one-sided as many think that the ECRL is a plan done overnight. Since I have been keeping myself updated on this development, I thought I might have some insights to share to correct public misconceptions.

Firstly, the ECRL is an idea formulated by the Malaysian Institute of Planners beginning year 2000. Over the past 17 years, numerous community consultations, environmental studies, transport-related issues have been under immense investigation to ensure the community in the east coast of West Malaysia is not left out from the rapid well-being improvement in Malaysia.

East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) linking Kuala Lumpur to the various huge markets of East Asia and the Pacific Rim.

The ECRL should be seen as a catalyst to open up endless development opportunities for Malaysians on both sides of Titiwangsa Range. The railway will facilitate Malaysia to rise as a superpower in Southeast Asia. Before the First Transcontinental Railroad was built in the U.S., the political and economic prowess of the U.S. were largely concentrated to the Atlantic realm. After the completion of the railway system in 1869, rapid urbanisation took place in the west coast of the U.S. The railway is responsible for the ascendancy of the U.S. into a global superpower.

Traditionally, all of the most important ports in Malaysia have been located along the Straits of Malacca, which are all facing the Indian Ocean and markets beyond, i.e. Middle East and Europe. If the Kuantan Port is connected to the Straits of Malacca and Kuala Lumpur via the ECRL, this opens up opportunities for Malaysia to gain from the rapid economic development in the huge markets around the Pacific Rim, effectively turning the east coast into the gateway to East Asia and the Pacific region.

There is another huge social and political implication which the opposition parties of Malaysia loathe. Traditionally, Malaysians from the East Coast are more conservative. This is reflected by their interpretation of religious issues and their views on politics and national agendas. Divisions in politics, social life and the economic realms between the East Coast and West Coast have been stark due to inequalities in economic opportunities and information accessibility. By constructing a railroad to the East Coast from Kuala Lumpur, it will help bring modernity, progress and new ideas to the East Coast. In turns, ultra-conservatives and conservatives will find it increasingly harder to manipulate the minds of the industrious and humble people of the East Coast. The ECRL is expected to unite Malaysians from both sides of the Titiwangsa Range, transforming Peninsula Malaysia into a better place for everyone.