Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has acted correctly by investigating into Prasarana’s abuse of power and conflict of interest as well payments to contractors for the LRT3 project following internal revelations within the PN government against the current Chairman. There is no doubt that Prasarana is in dire straits and the failure of Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong to address them is an indictment of Wee’s incompetence.
Whilst MACC investigations were initiated after the current Chairman launched blistering attacks against the Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s government, this is a correct move by MACC since so much public funds is involved. For the record the original price of the LRT3 project at RM31.65 billion by BN government was reduced by RM15.02 billion or 47.5% to RM16.63 billion after expert review by the PH government.
The question is whether MACC will also act professionally and independently by investigating into the cancellation of the KL-Singapore HSR due to the Malaysian government’s refusal to abide by the international tender process? Singapore’s Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung said the main reason why both countries could not reach an agreement on the HSR project was because Malaysia wanted to do away with the jointly-tendered asset company (AssetsCo).
Ong said that through an open and transparent international tender, the AssetCo would have ensured accountability to both countries. In response today, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mustapa Mohamed said the original model of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) model, would have required tenders to be jointly conducted with Singapore, was too costly.
No mention was made by Mustapa that Malaysia would pursue its own newer model that will still abide by international tender protocols. Mustapa mentioned that the method agreed by the BN government in 2016 would increase the cost and the PN proposed newer model will help reduce cost. No explanation was given on how the cost can be reduced.
This is dishonest and self-contradictory for Mustapa when he appears to have forgotten he was also a Cabinet Minister in the BN government then in 2016. Why is the estimated cost of the HSR of at least RM80 billion, excluding interest payments which comes to an additional tens of billions of ringgit, expensive now but not then?
For this reason, MACC must also launch a probe into the cancellation to quiet public suspicion that it investigates without fear or favour based on fact, and not a political tool for the current PN government.