Zairil denies Guan Eng’s cover-up claim over fund diversion

 

Penang executive councillor Zairil Khir Johari said the decision to extend the roadwork involving Bagan and Tasek Gelugor had been made at the federal level by the works ministry.

GEORGE TOWN: 

A Penang executive councillor has denied Lim Guan Eng’s claim that “a member of the administration” was covering up for the public works department (JKR) following the controversy over funds being diverted to opposition-held areas.

Zairil Khir Johari said the remark by Lim, the Air Putih assemblyman, was clearly aimed at him, calling it unfair and a personal attack on his reputation, and slanderous.

“I vehemently deny this allegation of a cover-up,” Zairil told the state assembly.

“I am not one who would hesitate to take action if there was any wrongdoing by any officer,” he said, adding that he had previously ordered for officials and engineers to be transferred over a valid complaint.

Zairil, who oversees infrastructure, transport and digital matters, said this in replying to matters raised related to his portfolio in the debate on the 2025 state budget.

Lim, who is also the Bagan MP, had last month questioned why funds allocated for road maintenance in his parliamentary constituency were used in neighbouring opposition areas.

Lim said this was a failure of oversight by the state government.

In participating in the debate on the 2025 Penang budget yesterday, Lim said there was “inaction” on the part of a member of the administration who had covered up for a government official.

“Those in the administration should also not cover up policy breaches by government officials.

“It is regrettable that those in the administration, who are also elected representatives, assume that this matter is resolved simply because the federal government is seeking an additional RM1.4 million to be returned without proper action on the transfer of allocation money without the approval of policymakers to other areas,” Lim had said.

Previously, Zairil, who is also the Tanjung Bungah assemblyman, had said a RM5.6 million allocation was for upgrading a trunk road spanning both constituencies.

Of the sum, RM4.2 million was spent in Bagan, while the remainder was used in Tasek Gelugor. The two constituencies are connected by the same road.

Bersatu’s Wan Saiful Wan Jan is the Tasek Gelugor MP.

Zairil later said the RM1.4 million which Lim claimed had been “hijacked” had been returned to the Bagan constituency.

Today, Zairil revealed that the decision to extend the roadwork had been made at the federal level by the works ministry.

He said the work was extended to neighbouring areas to ensure the entire stretch was upgraded, instead of stopping halfway at constituency boundaries.

“In this case, there was no wrongdoing by the JKR officers and it is unfair to make baseless accusations against the state administration or its staff.” - FMT