Challenge to ACA to “walk the talk” of pro-active measures by opening investigations into RM250 million QIC landbridge/flyover contract awarded to Gerbang Perdana not only  without tender but the first case of “Award Contract First, Submit Design Later”

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Press Statement (2)

by Lim Kit Siang  
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(Parliament, Friday) : Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) deputy director-general Datuk Ahmad Said Hamdan said in Jempol on Wednesday that the agency is taking proactive measures to prevent any misappropriation, delay or graft in projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan. 

He said: “We are not going to wait for reports to be lodged before investigating. This time, we will work closely with government departments to avoid any repetition of glitches experienced under the Eighth Malaysia Plan.”

I challenge the ACA  to “walk the talk” of its new “pro-active” approach to prevent any misappropriation, delay or graft in projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan by opening investigations into the RM250 million quarantine, immigration and customs complex (QIC) landbridge/flyover contract, which has been awarded to Gerbang Perdana Sdn. Bhd. without tender, making history by probably being the first case of  “Award Contract First, Submit Design Later” in the country.

I find the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s  defence of the award without tender of the RM250 million QIC landbridge/floyover contract to Gerbang Perdana most unsatisfactory, unconvincing and a disservice to his campaign for transparency and integrity.

In reply to my question during his winding-up of the Ninth Malaysia Plan debate in Parliament yesterday, Abdullah said that not  having an open tender for the RM250 million QIC contract is  not wrong.

He said: “We made the decision based on the reason that we want to expedite the construction and use (the flyover) as early as possible. That’s why, the decision was made to negotiate directly with the contractor (Gerbang Perdana Sdn Bhd).

“So whether the government wants to do it through open tender, limited tender, restricted tender or direct negotiation, it’s the government’s decision and it’s not wrong. It’s only wrong if people make money (buat duit) from it.”

Abdullah’s parliamentary statement provokes two sets of questions.

Firstly, the Works Minister Datuk Sri S. Samy Vellu has failed up to now  to make out a  convincing case to justify the award without tender to Gerbang Perdana whether  in terms of time-saving  or  cost-effectiveness.

Secondly, how does the Prime Minister know whether improper profits  had not been made and improper considerations taken into account in the decision-making process, undermining the system of national integrity in the award of the contract without tender?

Is Abdullah aware that this is probably the first case of “Award Contract First, Submit Design Later” which makes an utter mockery of the very notions of transparency, integrity and good governance?

Utusan Malaysia (Wednesday, 26.4.06) reported Public Works Department CIQ Construction Manager, Ir. Ng Ah Kow, not only repudiating Samy Vellu’s statement in Parliament that the CIQ was to be completed by September, but also disclosing  that Gerbang Perdana has been given two weeks from 21^st April to submit its preliminary design plan for the new RM250 million CIQ landbridge/flyover – after the contract had been awarded to Gerbang Perdana!.

Will the Prime Minister’s statement in Parliament yesterday that there is nothing wrong in awarding the new RM250 million CIQ contract to Gerbang Perdana prevent the ACA from acting on its new “proactive” approach to open   investigations to ascertain whether there are any malpractices in the extraordinary transaction?

In keeping with its “proactive” approach, the ACA should also open investigation into the serious allegation by former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad yesterday implicating an unnamed  Malaysian leader in a conflict-of-interest situation in selling sand to Singapore.

The ACA can start off this investigation by interviewing Tun Dr. Mahathir for full details and particulars of his allegation against the unnamed  Malaysian leader.

(28/04/2006)