That Bridge by Any Other Name Will Be Just as Crooked
This is going to be another Mahathir legacy as this project was launched faster than a rocket.
The project was announced and work started within months on the basis that Singapore would just have to agree as it was expected that water would be the key bargaining chip that Malaysia held.
Visitors to Malaysia will be curious as to why such a crooked bridge was built. Maybe we should create some artificial mountains around the bridge to avoid unnecessary questions?
Perhaps with so many questionable projects ala Metramac, people will just have the thought. “Ahh, this is Malaysia and the bridge is to remind me that most things done here have a crooked basis.”
Among the original plans was a swing bridge for the rail tracks. I guess the trains will not be going to Singapore anymore as the crooked bridge design is going to be very restrictive for any ships to sail.
Also as the bridge will descend at the mid-point of the existing Causeway, the highest point of the crooked, sorry scenic bridge will be much closer to the JB waterfront. We can expect one or two ships to end up smack in the floating city structure sometime.
Perhaps with the temporary access road to the new CIQ, the authorities may decide after a few months that this crooked bridge may not be necessary.
What JB sorely needs is a new highway to supplement the dangerously congested Pasir Gudang Highway and also a proper access road to the Permas Jaya bridge. Perhaps that bridge contract can be modified to build highways instead of a bridge that will be a permanent monument to Malaysia’s folly.
(with apologies to the Bard)
photo: malaysiakini
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