After a period of speculation about the fate of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng has now come out to say that talks are “in the last mile.” He adds that he is optimistic about an outcome that is favourable to Malaysia, most notably in terms of negotiating a less hefty price tag. We speak to former diplomat and commentator on Malaysia-China relations, Datuk Dennis Ignatius, about how the talks might pan out as well as about the state of Malaysia’s current relationship with China.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.