MACC: Six papers opened on Penang undersea tunnel project

TheEdge Tue, Mar 05, 2019 10:14am - 5 years View Original


KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said it has opened six investigation papers on the Penang undersea tunnel project over the past two years — one in July 2017 and another five in January 2018.

Five investigation papers had been completed and referred to the deputy public prosecutor (DPP), it said in a statement yesterday.

The MACC said three of the papers were returned to the commission for further investigation, while two were being studied by the DPP. The commission is still investigating the remaining one paper.

MACC’s confirmation follows blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin’s article last week on the RM6.3 billion project, alleging several DAP leaders including Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng and Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow had received kickbacks from project contractor Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd.

Guan Eng on Sunday said the allegations are “ridiculous lies”, noting the previous Barisan Nasional government had not taken any action after probing corruption claims concerning the project.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad also accused Raja Petra of lying, while Consortium Zenith senior executive director Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli described the blogger’s allegations as “a series of nefarious posts that is pure fiction” and “concocted to deceive and defame me, my company and the Penang state government”.

“I was remanded for 11 days by the MACC for what was billed as an extensive investigation into the project. Besides myself, my entire company was called for questioning,” Zarul Ahmad said in a statement. “The MACC had even hired external consultants to see if we were fair in our pricing.”

The proposed 7.2km-long tunnel linking Gurney Drive on the island with Bagan Ajam in Seberang Perai on the mainland is part of a massive RM6.3 billion infrastructure project that includes three paired road projects — the North Coastal Road linking Tanjong Bungah with Teluk Bahang; the Ayer Itam-Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway bypass; and the Gurney Drive-Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway bypass.

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