Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Parliament on Wednesday, 26th August 2020:

Tengku Zafrul has delivered  a major  blow to the Golden Jubiliee celebrations of Rukun Negara as he has become the  latest recruit of the ‘Malu Apa’ campaign

Congrats to the Finance Minister, Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, who delivered a major blow to the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Rukun Negara as he has become the latest recruit of the ‘Malu Apa’ campaign.

Parliament has been reduced to a political market-place where the cheapest intrigues are played out, as on Monday, when Zafrul in response to the MP for Pontian Ahmad Maslan said that 101 projects worth RM6.61 billion had been approved through direct negotiations under the former Pakatan Harapan administration.

Barisan Nasional MPs jumped into the parliamentary fray suggesting that this was proof of impropriety and corruption – and as one government MP said: “Bagan talked about being clean, that DAP is clean. But how clean are you when you have direct negotiations?”

Former Finance Minister and DAP Secretary-General and MP for Bagan, Lim Guan Eng has challenged Tengku Zafrul to reveal details of the 101 government projects worth RM6.61 billion allegedly awarded by the Pakatan Harapan administration without open tender.

He suggested that Tengku Zafrul  was unwilling to do so because it would expose the current Perikatan Nasional cabinet ministers who pushed for those direct-award contracts in the past.

Former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad has also challenged Tengku Zafrul on the principle of transparency to publish the full list of 101 projects worth RM6.61 billion that were allegedly approved by the Pakatan Harapan government during its 22 months in power, including the names of those who received them regardless of who they are.

After being so brave in Parliament on Monday to reveal that 101 projects worth RM6.61 billion had been approved through direct negotiations under the former Pakatan Harapan administration, why is the Finance Minister so shy in revealing details of the 101 government projects worth RM6.61 billion awarded by the Pakatan Harapan government without open tender, including the names of who received them, as demanded by the former Prime Minister and the former Finance Minister?

If Tengku Zafrul holds the Rukun Negara principles of accountability, transparency and the rule of law, he should not join  the “Malu Apa” camp but should return to Parliament to make a Ministerial statement to reveal details of the 101 government projects worth RM6.6. billion awarded by the Pakatan Harapan government without open tender, as well similar information with regard to the Perikatan Nasional and the previous Barisan Nasional governments.

Guan Eng had cited 12 projects in the five years from 2013-2018 which were approved via direct negotiations during the former Barisan Nasional (BN) administration worth RM139.336 billion and it was not a full list.

How many projects did Zafrul approve and what is their value during the five months he was Finance Minister? Can he bear up to public scrutiny?

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has been uncharacteristically fast in responding  to the political play by government Members of Parliament, declaring that it will obtain from the finance ministry a list of the 101 projects or government procurements worth RM6.61 billion which were allegedly awarded by the previous Pakatan Harapan administration for a “thorough study” to determine whether there exist elements of corruption, irregularities, or abuse of power.

Will the MACC ask for all papers with regard to the  12 projects worth RM139.336 billion cited by Guan Eng which had been approved by the Barisan Nasional government from 2013-2018 to determine whether there had been corruption, irregularities and abuse of power?

Will the MACC also ask the Finance Ministry to furnish all particulars of projects approved without open tender during the five months Zafrul was Finance Minister, as well as all such projects during the six years  under the Barisan Nasional government from 2013-2018?

Lim Kit Siang,
Member of Parliament for Iskandar Puteri.