Guan Eng dares media to name politicians who allegedly received kickbacks

GEORGE TOWN: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has challenged media agencies to name the key politicians who allegedly received kickbacks from Penang’s undersea tunnel project.

Claiming that not a single sen had been paid for the project, Lim said the reports were “clearly a lie”.

“Such malicious innuendos in press reports are dishonest not only because they are fake and violate the very basis of fairness” but also because it is an abuse of the powers of the press as they are using the opportunity to vilify the opposition in the run up to the coming general election, he said.

Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, dared news outlets to print the names of the politicians allegedly involved in receiving kickbacks so that the state could take legal action to protect its reputation.

Lim also said the reports had not mentioned if the state-appointed independent checking engineer (ICE) was part of the alleged conspiracy.

He said HSSI Sdn Bhd was selected to verify and certify the designs and claims made by project contractor Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd.

He said it served to provide a mechanism to protect against any malpractices and misfeasance, in order to ensure that the entire project complied with the state’s catchphrase of “Competency, Accountability, Transparency” (CAT).

“For any kickbacks to occur, HSSI must be part of this corruption game,” he said in a statement today.

“There were no reports in the BN (Barisan Nasional) media that HSSI Sdn Bhd was also involved,” he said.

He claimed that such an internal control mechanism of appointing external independent professionals to recommend payment of either cash or land swaps “makes it impossible for politicians or even government servants to solely decide on the quantum of payment and whether to pay or not to pay”.

“How then can politicians be able to receive kickbacks when they have no absolute power to decide or the power to decide whether to make payment or whether to pay or not to pay, is taken away from them?” he said.

Earlier this month, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) raided the offices of the Penang Public Works Department, Penang State Secretary, Penang Lands and Mines, and Penang Valuation and Property Services Department, as well as three property development and construction companies.

The Star reported on Jan 19 that several politicians were believed to have received kickbacks from the awarding of the feasibility studies for the tunnel.

It cited sources familiar with the investigations as saying that the alleged bribes were between several hundred thousands of ringgit up to millions.

“It is believed that this could be related to the two land swaps as payment for the feasibility studies,” the sources were quoted as saying.

The 7.2km undersea tunnel will connect George Town’s Pangkor Road and Bagan Ajam in Butterworth. It was scheduled to begin in 2023.

It was to be complemented by three new highways, from Air Itam to Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway (5.7km), Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang (10.53km), and Jalan Pangkor-Gurney Drive junction to Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway (4.1km). -FMT