JONSON CHONG

Ever since the prime minister announced the 2011 budget last week, we have heard all sorts of objections about the various mega projects to be rolled out next year. Everyone’s part of the chorus line: opposition politicians, political analysts, economists, bloggers, tweeters and even kopitiam political pundits.

My first reaction to the 100-storey skyscraper idea—the name of which is so unimaginative that I can’t even remember it—was a question, “What for?!” Then all the funny and not-so-funny answers came fast and furious:

“To give Dr M a long finger.” (But remember that the latter gave two to the world).
“To line Rosmah’s relatives’ pockets so that they can bury her in style.”
“To fill Najib’s war chest so that he can buy all the non-postal votes in Pekan.”
“We need a tall building to ensure that all the crooked politicians die when we push them out the window.”

After laughing for a while, then I realised that our Apco-advised prime minister announced other mega projects too. In the same budget, he announced the massive MRT project which will cost us a staggering amount of money.

Then, I also realised that the new tower and the MRT projects are not the only mega projects that Malaysia is undertaking. Even before the budget was announced, the government has already taken steps on at least two other mega projects: the massive redevelopment of Kampung Baru as well as the redevelopment of the Sungei Besi military airport. Mind you, the prime minister have also been mooting the idea of a nuclear power plant, which I am sure will come with a huge price tag as well.
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