KUALA LUMPUR, April 11 ― Tun Daim Zainuddin is expected to arrive in Beijing tomorrow to finalise Malaysia’s ongoing negotiations with China to lower the cost of the 688km East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project.

The Star reported today that the former chair of the now defunct quasi-government advisory panel Council of Eminent Persons will be there as a special envoy to Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Daim, a former finance minister, is expected to wrap up negotiations to cut the cost of the infrastructure project connecting the east coast and west coast of peninsular Malaysia ahead of Dr Mahathir’s working trip to the China capital month end for the second Belt and Road Initiative Forum starting April 26.

The ECRL project, initiated by the previous Barisan Nasional government, to be built with the aid of China, was tagged at RM66 billion.

The Pakatan Harapan, which was voted into power at the 14th general elections last May, has since said it would be hard to continue the project at the original price.

Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali said on Monday that the government is looking not only to cut cost but also shift the line to Negri Sembilan on the west coast.