The project owner of Malaysia’s US$20 billion East Coast Railway Link has told its main Chinese contractor to suspend work, both companies said on Wednesday, raising uncertainty about the future of part of China’s Belt and Road plan, Channel News Asia reports. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said last month that Malaysia would like to continue its “friendly” relationship with China and “make best use” of its initiative to create a 21st-century Silk Road to connect East Asia with Europe. However, he also vowed to rebalance the relationship by reducing loans and reviewing China-backed projects. Asian Development Bank President Takehiko Nakao said that China’s Belt and Road Initiative is a key program to connect regions and broaden integration and cooperation across Asia, but he cautioned against excessive borrowing to cover infrastructure gaps, Nikkei Asian Review reports.