Or it’s over to MACC
> Penang government given a week to clarify alleged over-payments of its tunnel project
CYBERJAYA: Barisan Nasional strategic communications director Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan (pix) has threatened to lodge a report with the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) if the Penang government fails to explain the alleged over-payments of its Penang Tunnel project.
He said Penang had overpaid its consultancy fee for three main roads under the project by RM136.4 million, four times more than the allowed gazetted fee.
He pointed out that a breakdown of fees obtained from the Penang Public Accounts Committee report showed the cost of the detailed design fees for the three roads was RM177.5 million.
“We wrote a letter to the Board of Engineers, and they stated that the RM177.5 million paid by the Penang government to the concession holder is four times higher than the maximum allowed under the gazetted scale of fees, which is calculated to be RM41.1 million.
“Based on the board’s reply, we believe the Penang government had overpaid consultancy fees by RM136.4 million,” Abdul Rahman told a press conference yesterday.
He said if Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng fails to clarify the matter, it shows there could be alleged corruption and abuse of power, and that he would report the matter.
“We’ll give him a week, and if he fails to explain, we will submit the matter to MACC. We want to give Penang a chance to explain themselves first,” he said.
Abdul Rahman also demanded the Penang government explain why total consultancy fees for one of the roads – from Tanjong Bungah to Teluk Bahang – was RM120.4 million for a mere 10.53km.
“Why would these fees cost much more than the RM96 million consultancy fees to construct its more complicated, more expensive and risky RM3.5 billion undersea tunnel,” he said.
In addition, the minister also questioned why construction for the three main roads had yet to kick-start despite the state government having already paid the fees for feasibility studies and detailed designs.