In his exposé of the alleged “suspicious transactions” in two government projects valued at almost RM10 billion, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng has also revealed that the company involved is linked to troubled state investment fund 1MDB.
The company in question is Suria Strategic Energy Resources (SSER), a fully-owned subsidiary of the Finance Ministry, which was set up in May 2016 to deliver two projects: the Multi-Product Pipeline (MPP) in Malacca and the Trans-Sabah Gas Pipeline (TSGP).
MPP is worth RM5.35 billion, and TSGP RM4.06 billion. Work for both began in April last year.
Lim questioned today why SSER had paid RM8.25 billion, or 87.7 percent of the total project value, when only 13 percent of construction work had been carried out.
“(I have) strong suspicions that it is all part of the 1MDB scandal,” he said during a press conference at the Ministry of Finance in Putrajaya today.
When pressed if clear links had been established between SSER and 1MDB, Lim answered in the affirmative.
“If the link is not established, I would not say (I am) highly suspicious, and I even mentioned Jho Low’s name in my statement,” referring to 1MDB-linked businessperson Low Taek Jho.
“We have the documents to prove that... I don’t (just) think (there are links), I know,” he stressed.
Earlier in the press conference, Lim had read from a statement saying that SSER president Mohammad Azhar Osman Khairuddin was involved in another company linked directly to Jho Low.
SSER was also set up by the “same people” behind SRC International, a former 1MDB subsidiary, he added.
“I have been informed by my Treasury officials that SSER is an offshoot by the same people behind SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1MDB.
“SRC is the acronym for Strategic Resources Corporation, a name that is similar to SSER,” the finance minister said.
“It should be noted that the president of SSER is Azhar, who is also a member of the company’s board of directors.
“He is also a director of Putrajaya Perdana Sdn Bhd, a company linked directly with Jho Low” he added.
SSER is chaired by former Treasury secretary-general Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah, who also chairs 1MDB. -Mkini
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