Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has a responsibility to the Malaysian people to make an executive decision on the status of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, said a Beijing-based political commentator.

In a commentary published in Channel News Asia today, Tom McGregor pointed out that the flip-flop is derailing Malaysia's credibility.

“Either he (Mahathir) supports the ECRL or stands opposed to it, and leads his government to implement that decision.

“To keep an external partner guessing and leave CCCC (the Beijing-owned China Communications Construction Co Ltd) in a state of animated suspense violates all sense of diplomatic decorum and kills off any remaining business confidence other countries might have in dealing with Malaysia,” he added.