‘CM’s statement on kickbacks contradictory’

GEORGE TOWN: More questions have been raised on the Penang DAP government’s controversial undersea tunnel and the three paired roads project that are under investigation by graftbusters.

The query was raised by Barisan Nasional strategic communications deputy director Eric See-To, who claimed that the latest statement by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was contradicting and confusing.

In a statement yesterday, Lim had said reports of kickbacks to Penang politicians were a lie because not a single sen had been paid for the tunnel project.

Lim had said there was no mention that the Independent Checking Engineer (ICE) was involved in the case, reiterating that it would be impossible to make payments, whether by cash or land swap by the state government to the contractor, unless ICE had verified and supported such claims.

See-To, in response, claimed that Lim appeared to have contradicted himself.

“The reason I am confused is that your first point said not a single sen has been paid, but your second statement then said that ICE will check the claims before making payments.

“Your second point has contradicted your first point.”

See-To pointed out another alleged contradiction in Lim’s statement on Jan 19.

In the statement, Lim confirmed that RM208 million, in the form of state land, was indeed paid for the three road components of the RM6.34 billion tunnel project.

Lim had also allegedly said a RM11.2 million payment was also made to ICE.

“So, was any payment made or was no payment made?

“Or is prime seaside state land considered of no value, hence it is being considered as ‘not a single sen’ of payment ever being made?”

See-To questioned the role of ICE as it was appointed in 2014.

However, he said the valuation of the studies had been made in the state assembly in 2013.

He said that as such, ICE could not have any part to play in determining the cost of the studies.

He said ICE’s role was to determine if a payment should be made and it was not involved in determining whether the cost of the reports were over-valued.

“If indeed payment in the form of state land was made, as you have said days earlier, and (based on) the logic that you used in your statement yesterday, would this mean that kickbacks are now possible?

“Hoping to receive an answer from you to clear this confusion,” said See-To to Lim.