Most Malaysians are clear about the Penang government's explanation on the undersea tunnel project except MCA deputy president Wee Ka Siong, said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Lim said the minister refuses to understand although he has explained the matter using a whiteboard during his past press conferences in Komtar, Penang.
"I do not wish to repeat what I said in my previous press conferences but Wee continues to ignore what we have said, while he also contradicts himself," Lim said in Georgetown today.
Lim pointed out that Wee had queried about the Agreement of Commitment signed in 2013 by the tunnel's main contractor China Railway Construction Corporation Ltd with the Penang government and Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd, the special purpose vehicle (SPV) for the project.
In a video clip yesterday, Wee had said the Agreement of Commitment was not 'legally binding'.
"Wee forgot that a few days before, on Jan 20, he had issued a statement quoting CRCC that they are the main contractor, not a SPV (Zenith) shareholder.
"I have never said CRCC was a shareholder. I have only said it is a main contractor," Lim said.
"On Jan 20, they accept that CRCC is the main contractor but on Jan 24, Wee said their commitment is not legally binding," he added.
Lim asked if a company with CRCC's reputation would sign an Agreement of Commitment if they were not serious about the project.
He said CRCC is one of the largest, if not the largest construction company in the world having built the railway line from China to Tibet and the famous Bird's Nest Olympic stadium in China.
"If their commitment is not legally binding, would they come out with a statement like they have on their website?" Lim asked.
"That is why I say Wee not only distorts facts but also refuses to accept facts and contradicts himself," Lim said.
"That is why I do not think we are interested in repeating our explanation to people who choose not to understand. They have tunnel vision and no vision.
"I find it a pathetic exercise, a political witch-hunt, when they question a project done in a transparent matter, through an open tender but don't talk about the 1MDB," Lim said.
"We have come out to explain the undersea tunnel project unlike 1MDB where we don't see Prime Minister Najib Razak coming out to explain about it," he added.
Lim also said the "leaked information" from sources within the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) who are currently probing the tunnel project, had led to a "political circus".
MACC, which started raiding companies and state agencies related to the tunnel project since early this month, has to date arrested (above) four high-ranking officials to assist in their investigations.
Lim urged Wee to just go back to his videos and statements as "everything is all-clear" about the RM6.3 billion tunnel project slated from construction from 2023 to 2027.
"The whole project is transparent and even when claims are made, there is an independent checking engineer, HSSI Sdn Bhd, to verify, certify and approve them before the contractor submits them all before we agree to pay.
"There are so many levels of checks and balances unlike some projects without an open tender," he said.
Wee and Lim have been accusing and counter-accusing each other over the past week in relation to the mega-project.
Wee and other MCA leaders have attacked the project claiming that there have been financial irregularities with the Penang government's payment to Zenith.
Lim has replied consistently that no payment has been made to the main contractor and that any monies paid out were only for environment impact assessment reports for three highways link to the tunnel package.- Mkini
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