by Lim Guan Eng

(Petaling Jaya, Wednesday): Works Ministry Datuk Samy Vellu’s warnings to the Public Accounts Committee(PAC) not to interfere in his Ministry’s affairs as he and his officials were well-equipped to handle any issues is unfounded and a desperate attempt to distract attention from his failure to prevent the cost of canceling the scenic bridge to escalate out of control until the cancellation costs are RM 7 million more than the cost of building the bridge.

The PAC is right to question why the scenic bridge to Singapore costs RM 1,113 million to build but a higher RM 1,120 million in cancellation costs for compensation to the contractor, road works and land premiums compensation. It is ridiculous that the government has to pay RM 1,120 million or 7 million more not to to build the bridge.

According to Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chief and Johor Baru MP Datuk Shahrir Samad, the original cost of the bridge including all the road works and infrastructure was RM 1,113 million. This does not include the cost of the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex that has already been built at cost of RM 1,266 million.    

However the government may have to pay more than the original cost of the bridge as the cancellation costs amount to RM 1,120 million as follows:-

·     RM280 million to build a permanent eight-tiered overhead road connecting the new Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex in Johor Baru and the Causeway;

·     RM190 million to build other flyovers and connecting roads to the elevated highway;

·     RM170 million for preliminary work done on the project;

·     RM100 million compensation to project contractor Gerbang Perdana Sdn Bhd; and

·     Land premiums for Johor state government at RM 380 million.

Samy said that his director-general has lot of responsibilities and has no time to answer PAC questions and has directed PAC that if they have a question to put it in writing, DAP says that it is not only wrong for Samy to direct the PAC but his warnings show his complete lack of understanding of the function of PAC and building a first-world Parliament.

The (PAC) is set up by Parliament as an oversight body on:

·        Government’s accounting and fund allocation approved by the Parliament as having met the state expenditure;

·        Any accounting of national administrative bodies and other associations that handle state fund tabled in council;

·        National accounting statements tabled in the Proceeding Council as per article 107 of the Constitution;

·        Any other matters that the Committee thinks should be checked, or other matters handed by this Council.

The PAC is the main body where the Auditor-General’s work can be implemented and government departments explain malpractices or wrongdoings in their department, their failure to follow procedures and act AG’s recommendations. As a representative of the highest institution in the land, PAC’s deliberations and meetings must be complied with by all top government officials, including the Cabinet Secretary and the Works Ministry Secretary-General.

DAP regrets that despite being a senior Minister and Parliamentarian for 30 years, Samy does not even have a basic understanding of the workings of PAC and Parliament. How is Malaysia going to have a first class mentality or a First World Parliament if Ministers of the caliber of Samy proudly display both their ignorance and incompetence. For Samy to caution the PAC not to interfere in his Ministry’s functions is a contempt of Parliament and gross disrespect to the concept of parliamentary democracy.

DAP calls on the PAC to demand that Samy should either apologise and withdraw such contemptuous remarks or else PAC should recommend in its report to Parliament criticizing the Minister and that action be taken against Samy.