KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 — The former international trade and industry minister and his deputy joined other Pakatan Harapan lawmakers today in criticising Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz’s attribution of RM6.6 billion in directly awarded contracts to the coalition’s time in power.
Ex-minister Datuk Darell Leiking and his then-deputy, Ong Kian Ming, released a statement showing 80 per cent of RM10.4 million in projects listed to the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti) during their time were for projects prior to the 14th general election when Barisan Nasional was still in power.
“Four of the projects listed, which are worth RM8.18 million, were organised before the 14th General Elections, when the BN was the government,” read their statement.
Two of the four events cited was the Himpunan Usahawaan Bumiputera (HUB) costing RM5,999,000 that took place on March 30 and 31, 2018, the Youth CEO Summit Hub costing RM545,000 also on March 30 2018.
The other two events were the MINI SDSI Showcase with HUB also on March 30 and 31, 2018, costing RM632,000, and the Jom Niaga Wilayah Utara carnival on January 26 to 28, 2018, that cost the ministry RM999,350.
The 14th general election was conducted on May 9, 2018.
“These four projects alone, which took place in the space of three months before GE14, cost RM8.18m or 79 per cent of the RM10.4 million of the direct negotiations projects attributed to Miti.
“In contrast, only RM2 million worth of direct negotiation projects took place in Miti under the PH government,” the two said.
They then urged Tengku Zafrul to disclose the actual number of directly negotiated contracts that took place under the PH administration instead of saddling it with those from BN’s time.
“At the same time, we also call upon the Minister of Finance to disclose the details of all the directly negotiated awards in Miti from 2013 to 2018 under the BN government so that the people can see for themselves the difference between the BN and the PH government,” they wrote.
After he caused the controversy by telling Parliament that the PH administration awarded RM6.6 billion through 101 directly negotiated contracts, Tengku Zafrul released the list of the projects yesterday.
However, PH leaders rebutted this by pointing out that the bulk of the projects listed were those initiated during the BN administration.
Among others. former transport minister Anthony Loke noted that RM4.4 billion of the total was for a Klang Valley Double Tracking project signed by BN one day before Parliament was dissolved in 2018.
He also pointed out that it was initially worth RM5.3 billion before this was negotiated down by PH.
PH’s rivals have sought to use Tengku Zafrul’s disclosure to accuse it of reneging on a supposed manifesto promise to prohibit direct negotiations, but its leaders including former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad have pointed out that the coalition never made any such pledge.
They highlighted the excerpt from the PH manifesto that said the coalition would make open tenders the preferred procurement method.
