NIBONG TEBAL, June 27 — Penang Umno today questioned why the DAP-led state government was reluctant to work with the Public Works Department (JKR) and rushed into paying RM209 million in consultancy fees for three landed highways linked to an undersea tunnel project.

Its chairman, Datuk Seri Zainal Abidin Osman, said JKR had experience in studies on road construction but the state government went to the extent of paying ‘exorbitant’ fees to a consultant company.

The state government’s excuse that Malaysia did not have local expertise for such a project did not make sense, he said to reporters after attending the Aidilfitri open house of Nibong Tebal Umno and the Sungai Acheh State Assemblyman in Permatang Keling here.

He said JKR was a government agency with expertise in road construction in Malaysia and it had built more than 1,000 kilometres of road which did not face any problem.

Zainal, who is also chairman of the Penang Federal Action Council, also said that the state government had settled the full payment when construction of the project had yet to begin.

"The state government must provide an explanation because the Environmental Impact Assessment was being carried out and the report had yet to be approved while objections to the implementation of the project can be submitted up to July 19,” he said.

He said the state government should have settled the payment after the three road projects had been approved.

Zainal also said that the contradiction in the cost of the studies by two state executive councillors should also be clarified so that the people had a better understanding of the mega project. — Bernama