KUALA LUMPUR: Former finance minister Lim Guan Eng today urged the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to conduct a thorough study on projects given through direct tender under Perikatan Nasional (PN) and Barisan Nasional (BN) as well, a day after the anti-graft agency said it would go through the 101 projects approved under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration.
He also said there would be no issue with MACC’s study of the projects if it was done fairly and in a professional manner.
Speaking at a press conference at Parliament, he reiterated his challenge to his successor Tengku Zafrul Aziz to disclose the list of projects said to be worth RM6.61 billion.
“If MACC wants to do a study, there’s no problem but they should also do a similar study for projects under BN and PN,” he said.
“Don’t only investigate PH. That is what they call double standards.”
Tengku Zafrul had said in the Dewan Rakyat that 101 projects worth over RM6 billion were awarded through direct tender under PH.
However, Lim said even if the figure was true, it would only make up some 1.4% of total government procurement worth RM477 billion during PH’s 22-month tenure.
He also questioned the total value of projects given out through direct negotiation compared to total government procurement under BN and the current administration.
Speaking today, he said the MACC study should not be used by “irresponsible parties” as an excuse not to expose the full list of projects and the recipient companies.
He also maintained his defence of the deals, denying that they were against the PH election manifesto.
“Open tender is the foundation of government procurement, but in necessary situations, exemptions can be given to direct tender projects,” he said. - FMT
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