THE RM45 million Semporna treatment plant at Kampung Sungai Intan, Sabah, which is under Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigation, is linked to a relative of Sabah’s chief minister, claims former Umno minister Shafie Apdal.
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat today, he said there were allegations that the project was given to his proxy company, when in fact, it was given to Musa Aman’s nephew’s consultancy company.
“The tender was open. The one who received the contract was Musa Aman’s nephew (anak buah). It was his company. The consultant who did the project is Shahelmey Yahya, the current Sabah Umno Youth state liaison secretary. He is also the consultant who manages Pan Borneo,” he said while debating the Budget 2018 at Parliament.
He said the water treatment plant was not a “white elephant project” and that he could provide video proof of this.
MEANWHILE, according to Malay Mail:
Umno leader received contract for Sabah river project under MACC probe
Parti Warisan Sabah chief Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal claimed today that the contract for a water treatment plant’s upgrading project, part of a corruption investigation, had been awarded to an Umno leader.
The Sungai Intan treatment plant, according to New Straits Times (NST), is part of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) investigation into the misappropriation of federal funds amounting to RM1.5 billion meant for rural development in Sabah.
“The tender was opened and the one who received the contract was Musa Aman’s ‘anak buah’ (nephew). His company.
“The consultant who did this project is Shahelmey Yahya, the current Sabah Umno Youth state liaison secretary, and he too is the consultant managing Pan-Borneo (Highway),” Shafie revealed in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Datuk Seri Musa Aman is the current Sabah chief minister.
His allegations were met with shocked cries from the Opposition and rebuttals from several Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) MPs.
“If this project was a failure, then why was the same consultant then appointed (for Pan-Borneo)?!” Shafie then retorted, raising his voice.
Shafie said that the water treatment project in his constituency in Semporna was only an upgrade, as it was previously run down. The upgrading works he added, was a joint venture between the Rural and Regional Development Ministry and the Sabah government.
“The suggestion of the professional party, the consultant, is that we upgrade the existing water treatment plant,” he said, adding that an open tender worth between RM45 million and RM50 million was then announced for the works.
“Phase one was to build up the water treatment plant. Second phase, widening the river, deepening the river and the absolute solution is to upgrade is all the way from the dam to the river, and this would solve the problem.
“Also, this plant is still working. Not like it’s not working. It’s not a white elephant. I want to show you all a video,” Shafie then said, taking out his cellphone to display the image of the plant to Dewan Rakyat.
In debating the 2018 Budget in the Dewan Rakyat today, Shafie who was yesterday quizzed by federal graft busters, also revealed that he was questioned by the agency’s officers for four hours in relation to a Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) project.
He said it was because his signature was allegedly placed on the project papers.
THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT / MALAY MAIL
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