Why new  RM250 million eight-lane elevated road  contract given to Gerbang Perdana without open tender or not in lieu of RM100 million compensation for cancellation of crooked half-bridge?

Media Statement (2)

by Lim Kit Siang  
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(Parliament, Saturday) : Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu announced on Thursday that Gerbang Perdana Sdn. Bhd has been awarded a RM250 million contract to build an eight-lane  elevated road linking the new RM1.2 billion customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) complex at Bukit Chagar  to the Causeway.

The contract involved construction of three flyovers, including a three-tiered viaduct at Tanjong Putri to replace the existing one.  Samy Vellu said he had given instructions to Gerbang Perdana to demolish any structure of the proposed crooked half-bridge that was supposed to replace the Johore causeway but had been scrapped.

The question is why Gerbang Perdana was awarded the new RM250 million eight-lane elevated road contract without any open tender being called � or at least, why the RM250 million contract was not awarded in lieu of the RM100 million compensation to Gerbang Perdana for cancellation of the crooked half-bridge!

This is not a good start for the RM220 billion Ninth Malaysia Plan which would be passed by Parliament on Thursday and the Prime Minister�s  commitment of accountability, transparency and integrity in its implementation.

Samy Vellu should also explain why the RM250 million  elevated road connecting the Bukit Chagar CIQ Complex to the Causeway has suddenly become eight-lane, when last weekend  after the Cabinet decision to scrap the crooked half bridge, Samy Vellu was talking about six lanes as reported in the media.

The announcement by the Minister in the Prime Minister�s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz that the Cabinet had directed ambassador-at-large Tan Sri Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak and former Foreign Ministry secretary-general, to reply to all the issues raised by various parties  on the cancellation of the crooked half-bridge is most extraordinary.

Nazri is clearly referring to the statements and allegations  on the crooked half-bridge issue which had been made by the former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and his former political secretary for Chinese affairs, Matthias Chang, against the  present Cabinet for having  �surrendered national sovereignty� In the decision to scrap the RM1.1 billion crooked half-bridge.

It was only last month that the Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar had been seething at suggestions and innuedos that he and his officials at the Foreign Ministry had been weak in their dealings with Singapore over the crooked half-bridge issue.

Syed Hamid said it was �very offensive� for anyone to suggest that all those involved in negotiations with Singapore �had not acted faithfully and loyally for the good and interest of the country�, declaring: �I don�t want to be a hero. And I don�t want anybody to challenge my loyalty nor my patriotism.�

Now that Syed Hamid�s loyalty and patriotism had been challenged by his former political master, why has the Cabinet taken the extraordinary decision to assign Fuzi the sole responsibility to reply to the charges and in the process, deprive Syed Hamid of the right and responsibility to address the question in Parliament especially  when Fuzi has no locus standi whatsoever to speak in Parliament?

Syed Hamid should clarify whether he is now forbidden from addressing the issue of the cancellation of the crooked half-bridge in Parliament during the winding-up of the Foreign Ministry on Monday because of the Cabinet decision assigning sole  responsibility to Fuzi, or the Cabinet decision has not  stripped  him of his right and responsibility to give a  full and truthful accounting to Parliament on the issue.

(22/04/2006)