Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said workers who reportedly lost their jobs after Putrajaya pulled the brakes on the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project should claim compensation from the project's main contractor, China Communications Construction Company (CCCC).
He said the workers were not hired by the federal government, they were hired by CCCC so in terms of compensation, they must claim it from the company.
He added that when a final decision has been made, the government will be ready to offer their assistance if there is a need to do so but they would only be able to assist local workers.
He was replying to a question from Maran MP Ismail Muttalib who had asked the government to state its plans to assist some 2,000 workers who he said had lost their jobs following the government's move earlier last month to suspend ECRL's construction.