The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has once again turned its sights on the Transport Ministry by planning to look into the ministry's RM6 billion Ipoh-Rawang double-tracking project.

This was confirmed by PAC chairperson Azmi Khalid to reporters at Parliament today. The committee is presently investigating the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project, another controversial undertaking by the ministry.

The double-tracking project was highlighted in the 2008 Auditor-General's report as one that was poorly managed, thus resulting in losses amounting to RM1.14 billion.

ktm kepong sentral canopy According to Azmi, the committee was briefed by Auditor-General Ambrin Buang on the annual report yesterday.

He added that the transport ministry, under the stewardship of Ong Tee Keat, would be among the first to be called up as the double-track project was "the biggest mismanaged project".

"The project has RM1.143 billion of cost overruns and we do not know the reasons behind it. So we want some explanation from the people involved," he said.

"We will also call the contractors, some of whom who belong to several government-linked companies," he added.

He also revealed that the PAC will table its findings on the PKFZ probe in Dewan Rakyat next Wednesday.

Same old story year in, year out

NONE Azmi also expressed his concerns that the Auditor-General's annual audit reports seemed to highlight the same types of problems consistently.

"If you compare between last year's audit report and this year's audit report, there are not many changes.

"There are a lot of things the government is trying to clear but the same problems arise. So, there are basic problems that need to be addressed," he said.

He also said that PAC will also prioritise on which areas or ministries to be called before the committee.

However he added that the committee will not be looking into issues or persons who are being questioned by the police or the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

"We will allow them (the police and MACC ) to go first because I don't think we would want to duplicate (their work), but we will look into areas that we should see," he said.