RM2 billion project purportedly in the process of being awarded by caretaker minister Tuan Ibrahim.
Some caretaker cabinet members are allegedly trying to approve projects through direct negotiations during this current interim stage of administration.
PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli claimed that among the projects were a flood mitigation project worth RM2 billion involving the environment and water portfolio under caretaker minister and Pas deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.
Rafizi was informed by a source in the government that the ministry was now in the process of awarding the project through direct negotiation to the company, which was owned by an individual who was alleged to have links with Umno.
He also claimed that the effort to quickly approve projects during this interim stage of administration was the consequence of funds being used for the 15th General Election (GE15).
Rafizi called on Tuan Ibrahim to respond to the allegations and to give assurances that he would not approve any project during this stage of the government’s administration as it was against Treasury circulars.
“Normally, contributions from companies are collected first with the promise that they will be replaced by government projects when the party returns to power.
“That’s why after the last GE14, the authorities found hundreds of millions of ringgit in cash in the form of political donations to Umno during a raid on the premises used by (former prime minister) Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
“I was informed that there is strong pressure in some ministries for ministers to approve projects through direct negotiations with some cronies.
“One case that was brought to my attention involved Tuan Ibrahim’s ministry, which is responsible for overseeing the Drainage and Irrigation Department that has a large infrastructure contract worth billions of ringgit,” he said in a press conference at the party headquarters today.
Rafizi said Tuan Ibrahim’s involvement with the company was not new, as the ministry had awarded the upgrading of the Krubong-Durian Tunggal flood retention pond project worth RM578.6 million to the company.
The project was announced last October.
He raised concerns that the project awarded to the company could become a sick project in the future because the company had a critical debt of RM144 million based on the records of the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM).
“This company has two bankruptcy petitions in court for not paying debts to contractors as per CCM records. The company was also investigated and named as one of the companies that transferred money to (Baling parliamentary candidate) Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Rahim in allegations of corruption and money laundering,” he said. – NST