Member of Parliament for Kota Melaka, Khoo Poay Tiong today questioned the silence by the government leaders associated with the Road Charges (RC) System and Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) project.

According to Poay Tiong, former Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai and Member of Parliament for Tanjong Piai, Wee Jeck Seng has yet to respond to queries by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) regarding the projects.

“Do they admit that that there was political influence (in the awarding of the projects)?” he asked during a press conference in Dewan Rakyat today.

PAC Chairman, Wong Kah Woh previously revealed that Tiong Lai had requested approval of the project with former Prime Minister Najib Razak for the direct awarding to TC Sens Sdn Bhd in which Jeck Seng held a considerable 25% share.

The contract awarded to TC Sens is a Capital Expenditure Contract (CAPEX) worth RM45.15 million on Sept 14, 2016 and an Operational Expenditure Contract (OPEX) worth Rm104.3 million on May 7, 2018.

PAC has found that there were no solid justification in awarding the projects through direct negotiations.

In fact, the PAC report also found that the projects were awarded to TC Sens Sdn Bhd without comprehensive and in-depth assessment of the company’s financial and technical ability to carry them out.

Worse, it was also found that there was political influence in the awarding of the RC/VEP projects via direct negotiations.

This prompted DAPSY National Chairman, Howard Lee to lodge a report to MACC regarding the issues earlier last week.

MACC is urged to investigate the issues thoroughly and charge any parties that have committed any offence.

Poay Tiong, who is also DAP Melaka Deputy Chairman hopes that MACC will take the matter seriously. He added,

“Considering that Deputy Minister Wee Jeck Seng is scared to come forward and give an explanation on the matter, we can only assume that there was in fact political influence in regards to the awarding of such high profile projects,”.