Penang DCM tells Umno to stop politicising three roads project and let MACC conduct investigations and clarify everything that has been declared by state government.
PETALING JAYA: Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy has dared Barisan Nasional strategic communications (BNSC) director Abdul Rahman Dahlan to make good on his threat to send to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) all documents related to alleged overpaid consultancy fees for three roads linking an undersea tunnel project in the state.
This dare follows a report by The Star quoting Works Minister Fadillah Yusof as comparing the price of the feasibility study for the three roads project (RM220 million) to the price the Public Works Department (JKR) had paid (RM19 million) for pre-construction consulting fees for a paired road highway project in Johor.
Ramasamy said the Penang government had given its explanation and had nothing to hide.
“We’re not denying anything and neither are we protecting anyone. We’ve given our explanation and there’s nothing more to give,” he told FMT.
In June, state DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow had said all payments made to contractors of the project were for actual work done, including feasibility studies, preliminary detailed designs and all related studies.
Previously, the Penang government had also revealed that BN had used only the three major road projects in its calculations, leaving out the undersea tunnel.
This, the state government said, gave a bloated picture of the “overpayment issue”.
The Penang government acknowledged overpayment of about 17%, but said it was due to reimbursable and other works, all within reasonable limits of the federal engineering board.
Ramasamy said as long as Umno ministers wanted to politicise the issue, then “there would be no end to it”.
As such, he said, Rahman should leave it to the MACC to investigate the matter.
“If you want to go to the MACC, then go. Stop politicising the issue. In fact, the MACC has already taken some of the documents related to the project. We, too, want this matter verified.”
Referring to the incident involving an extension of time (EOT) for a condo developer in Kuala Lumpur while Rahman was the urban wellbeing, housing and local government minister, Ramasamy said “unlike” Rahman, the Penang government had nothing to hide.
“I asked Rahman why he gave approval for the extension and he has not answered. I asked him whether the attorney-general’s wife was involved and he has not given any reply. Now he wants to make noise. This is all happening because elections are coming.”
Earlier on Saturday, state executive councillor Lim Hock Seng issued an official statement responding to Fadillah’s comparison.
“The state government doesn’t have enough information regarding the nature of contract in order to make a comparison. However, we are sure there are differences between the two projects in terms of study scope, design, financing method and other contract terms,” he said. -FMT
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