Lodge report with MACC, Rafizi told on RM2bil project claim

 

Environment and water minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man says PKR’s Rafizi Ramli likes to ‘hide’ behind phrases that do not provide for action to be taken.

PETALING JAYA: PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has challenged his PKR counterpart Rafizi Ramli to lodge a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over claims the caretaker environment and water minister had approved a RM2 billion ringgit project after Parliament was dissolved.

“He (Rafizi) hides behind (phrases such as) ‘I am made to understand’, ‘I was informed’, ‘someone told me’… These are words against which, from a legal standpoint, no action can be taken,” Tuan Ibrahim was quoted as saying by Berita Harian.

“There may be other aspects that we have to look at, but I want to emphasise that this is slander. That’s why I am asking (him) to lodge a report if he has any evidence,” he said in a speech in Cheka, Pahang, last night.

Tuan Ibrahim explained that the government, which is currently operating on a caretaker basis, could not approve any financial allocation as it was against a Treasury circular.

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He also noted that chief secretary to the government Zuki Ali had clearly stated that the Cabinet did not have the right to make any policy decision as Parliament had been dissolved.

“I want to stress that I never approved allocations for any project after Parliament was dissolved,” he said.

Yesterday, Rafizi claimed he had received information that Tuan Ibrahim was in the process of awarding a RM2 billion flood mitigation project to a Umno-linked company.

He claimed that the project, which is related to a flood barrier at Sungai Langat, was the second contract awarded to the same company in the past six months.

Referring to a circular from the finance ministry dated Oct 18, Rafizi pointed out that the caretaker government and its agencies should not be involved in any contractual commitments or undertakings until after the general election.

In a statement today, the environment and water ministry said all procurement processes and negotiations with contractors were suspended as soon as Parliament was dissolved on Oct 10. - FMT