As a state executive councillor was called in for questioning yesterday, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng criticised the manner in which the MACC was conducting its investigation into the state’s RM6.3 billion undersea tunnel project.
"What are they trying to do? What are they trying to frame the Penang government with?
“You (MACC) are supposed to probe independently. But what happened?" Lim asked at a press conference at Komtar yesterday.
He also urged MACC to come clean on the purported source of a leak to mainstream newspapers claiming that kickbacks worth millions of ringgit were paid to politicians involved in the project.
"The BN media reporters themselves admitted that the leak came from the MACC source. So, is the MACC conducting an investigation or doing BN's dirty work?
"Is MACC the BN's secret weapon to run down the Penang government when it uses sources all supplied by BN?” Lim asked.
Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, insisted that the Penang government would not be cowed by the “political persecution.”
"It is disgraceful. MACC has lost its credibility. However, if it frames us, we will fight it all the way.
"I know if I say this, action will be taken against me. We are waiting for you.”
Lim questioned how a project awarded via an open tender could contain elements of corruption, reiterating that Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd was chosen because it offered to complete the project at the lowest cost.
The state government inked the deal with Zenith in 2013 to build the undersea tunnel and three highways linking Penang Island to the mainland by 2027, which is aimed to ease the traffic congestion on the island.
Probe to go on into Lunar New Year
Lim also took issue with the investigation continuing, despite MACC's previous investigation into the tender process for the project in 2016.
"Perhaps, it will only end after the 14th general election," he quipped, adding that he expected the probe to continue into the Chinese New Year period.
"They should behave professionally. Anyway, we have instructed all our officials to cooperate with MACC."
Yesterday, the state exco member in charge of public works, utilities and transportation, Lim Hock Seng (photo), was grilled by the MACC for 12 hours.
This will be followed with the questioning of Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy at his office in Komtar today.
So far, the MACC has questioned about 70 individuals and nabbed four, including two with "Datuk" titles and one with a "Datuk Seri" title to assist in its investigations.
The commission’s probe is focused on the feasibility study and detailed design cost; the financial standing of Zenith and its main contractors, which include two firms from China; and land swaps used to compensate the special purpose vehicle for work done on the project.- Mkini
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