ECRL to change Bentong's economic landscape - PM

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is confident the construction of the East Coast Railway (ECRL) will change the landscape of Bentong, with the opening up of the region's economy through the access.

The prime minister said Bentong's potential could be realised with rapid development being brought to the region through the construction of the ECRL project, linking Tumpat and Kuantan with Kuala Lumpur as well as the Central Spine Road (CSR) Bentong Bypass project.

"Imagine travelling between Bentong and Gombak only takes 25 minutes by ECRL compared to 90 minutes by car through the Karak Highway.

"This will enable Bentong to become a satellite town to Greater Kuala Lumpur," he said in his latest posting on his blog, www.najibrak.com, last night.

He said this following his visit to Bentong in conjunction with the Chinese New Year Malaysia Open House at Bentong Square which was attended by about 20,000 people of various races on Sunday.

He said apart from Seremban, Bentong will also be an attractive destination as one of the areas to live in for those working in Kuala Lumpur.

More than that, industries such as ecotourism would be given new life by a system of holistic communication, he said.

"In terms of the development plan, I see Bentong as a town with high potential due to several key factors, including the wealth of this town with its natural resources which can become a tourist attraction in addition to its strategic location.

"Opportunities like this will certainly improve the living standards of the people of Bentong, who were previously involved in traditional economic activities such as farming and agriculture, in the future," he said. - Bernama