Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng took aim at Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Wee Ka Siong today, accusing him of trying to confuse the people with his statement that a fashion company is involved in the state’s undersea tunnel project.
Lim likened Wee’s question to asking why the Ministry of Finance Inc is involved in the construction of a 106-storey building in the heart of the Tun Razak Exchange in Kuala Lumpur.
He was referring to a report earlier this month in The Edge, which said that Finance Ministry recently acquired a 51 percent stake in the mega-skyscraper, known as The Exchange 106, which is set to stand taller than the Petronas Twin Towers.
"I can ask the same question, but we know that MOF is not constructing the building, they are not the contractors. They will ask others to build it.
"The question to ask is whether the project is reasonable, does it benefit the public or not?" Lim said at a press conference in Komtar today.
"We never asked if the MOF can build a 106-level building. We don't belittle ourselves and create chaos in the tunnel issue. This is a contract we signed in public.
"Where is the issue when everything is done according to international standards? This is an attempt to cast aspersions on the good name of the Penang government and to sabotage the project," Lim added.
Last Saturday, Wee (photo) had asked why a local fashion company called Voir Holdings Bhd was a shareholder in a special purpose vehicle for the Penang undersea tunnel project.
Voir is reportedly diversifying its core businesses into construction, and had purchased a 13.21 percent equity interest in Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd – the firm awarded the tunnel project in 2013.
Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, who heads Zenith, is also the CEO of Voir.
Lim then distributed copies of the agreement signed between the Penang government and Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd on Oct 29, 2013, to build the RM6.3 billion tunnel linking the island on Gurney Drive with the mainland in Butterworth.
The project includes the construction of three major highways on the island.
At the time, Zenith was a consortium of companies, including Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd, Beijing Urban Construction (BUCG), Sri Tinggi Sdn Bhd and Juteras Sdn Bhd.
BUCG was removed after a fatal crane incident in Kuala Lumpur last year.
In 2013, Zenith had also entered into a joint venture with Beijing-based China Railway Construction Corporation Ltd, via its branch in Malaysia, and the company signed an "acknowledgement of commitment" to ensure the successful completion of the tunnel project, which is expected to begin in 2023 and be completed by 2027.
Lim also dismissed the connection between Zenith and Voir as the firm's private business.
"We do not interfere in the company's private affairs," he said.
‘Open tender’
Lim reiterated that the tunnel and road project was awarded to Zenith via an open tender process.
He explained that it was state secretary Farizan Darus, and not the state executive committee, which headed the tender committee and recommended that Zenith be awarded the project.
"It is not like he wanted to head the committee, it is required by law. The CM and state executive committee members are not allowed to sit in this committee.
"Why probe projects which went through an open tender and not those which did not go through open tender?
"The world has gone upside down," Lim quipped.
The tunnel project - mooted to address the chronic traffic congestion in Penang - is subject of a major probe by MACC.
The graft watchdog has detained two high-ranking officials of the firms involved in the tunnel project to assist in the investigations and has raided 12 agencies to seize relevant documents.- Mkini
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