KJ gives 'lessons' to successor, latter schools him on Umno projects

Opposition lawmakers continued to give Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman a hard time for being the youngest minister. Among them was Khairy Jamaluddin who sought to teach his successor a lesson or two in the Dewan Rakyat this afternoon.

During the youth and sports minister's winding-up speech, Khairy interjected with "lessons" for the 26-year-old politician.

Earlier, Machang MP Ahmad Jazlan Yaakob also took a sarcastic swipe at Syed Saddiq when the latter shook his head in disagreement with regard to the BN lawmaker's remarks about youth groups.

"YB was still in school at the time," he said.

Khairy, on the other hand, was not pleased with Syed Saddiq's deputy Sim Chee Keong's statement about the Youth and Sports Ministry's conduct during the BN administration.

Among others, Sim had touched on the ministry's controversial tender process and an RM100 million graft scandal that was later revised to RM38 million.

Khairy responded that such statements must be based on facts.

"It is important for a statement from the minister or deputy minister to be factual. RM100 million (mentioned in the statement) is not factually correct. It is RM38 million – even though it's still a big number.

"You must make sure when you come up with statements, it has to be factually correct – lesson number one," said the Rembau MP.

Khairy also took issue with Sim's statement that the previous BN government had stopped the ministry's Corruption Risk Management plan.

Pointing out that it was the MACC's decision, the former minister said: "Lesson number two – don't make inaccurate insinuations."

Khairy also defended the practice of direct negotiations and limited tenders during his tenure as minister, stressing that the Finance Ministry approved them and there was a filtering process.

He argued that open tenders did not always yield the best result, pointing out that the firm which offered its IT system for the SEA Games last year was RM34 million cheaper than the next bidder but the delivery was below par.

"I support your initiative to make the ministry better but you don't have to do it at the expense of smearing other people especially with facts that are not correct," he added.

Syed Saddiq reveals deals which went to Umno leaders

In his response, Syed Saddiq listed a number of tenders which landed in the hands of Umno leaders.

An example, he said, was three contracts totalling RM40 million for the procurement and upgrading of training equipment which were given to one firm.

"When we did our due diligence, we found that it was under the late Jelebu Umno division chief," he added.

The minister also cited the construction of the National Academy for Badminton Excellence.

"I personally went there to ask but the people there were reluctant to tell me. When they refused to do so, I was certain something was wrong," he said.

Syed Saddiq said the project was granted through limited tender to a firm owned by the Bandar Tun Razak Umno Youth chief.

He also raised the construction of the Rembau Sports Complex in Negeri Sembilan, which is behind schedule.

He added that the contract for the sports complex had been given to the former Negeri Sembilan exco in charge of sports.

However, Syed Saddiq said this was not solely Khairy's problem.

He claimed that his predecessor's earlier statement that limited tenders and direct negotiations received the Finance Ministry's approval was the root of the problem.

Syed Saddiq said the RM40 million equipment contracts granted to the late Umno division chief was rejected by the Youth and Sports Ministry but was reversed by the Finance Ministry.

"The process must be improved from top to bottom," he stressed.

Acknowledging that open tenders might not work under certain circumstances, the minister, however, said the process must be complied with and alternatives can be found when an open tender failed to meet the desired objective.

After Syed Saddiq's disclosure, Khairy emphasised that the problem was a systemic one.

"I would like to stress that the minister's answer is accurate. Any decision to switch to a limited tender must be approved by the Finance Ministry. So that is the main issue.

"So if changes are to made to the government's procurement process, it is not limited to the Youth and Sports Ministry only. It is a systemic issue," he said. -Mkini