Umno legal adviser Mohd Hafarizam Harun has denied claims that two companies in which he has interests were awarded a RM2.2 billion highway concession as a reward for his role in the BN takeover of Perak.

perak state govt crisis 030309 hafarizam harun Hafarizam said the two companies had faced “stiff competition” during the tender process and that their experience with a 179km double-tracking project had been taken into consideration.

“We have a proven track record (in the double-tracking project) from Rawang to Ipoh. The (notion) of a ‘reward’ for Perak, I think that is too much and hitting (under) the belt,” he said in text-message to Malaysiakini .

“It has no relation at all. We won on merit! We are amongst the few bumiputera companies awarded. Why attack us when there are others... I am sure you’ll know who else got it. I mean I won on merit, not because I've been promised or of some sort.”

Hafarizam was asked to comment on allegations by self-exiled blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, who accused the federal government of cronyism in the award of the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway project.

NONE Raja Petra (left) pointed out that Hafarizam sits on the board of the two companies - Emrail Sdn Bhd and Zabima Engineering Sdn Bhd.

He said another director of Emrail is Nik Sazlina Mohd Zain, the wife of former chief justice Zaki Azmi.

Raja Petra hinted that Hafarizam and Zaki may have been “rewarded” for their respective roles in the court battles that ensued after the BN takeover of the Perak government in February 2009.

Hafarizam was one of the lawyers representing BN’s Zambry Abd Kadir, the current Perak menteri besar, while Zaki was the chief justice at that time. Zaki did not sit on any of the panels that heard the cases.

Zaki declines comment

When contacted, Zaki declined to comment on record, but made several off-the-record comments on Raja Petra that cannot be published for legal reasons.

zaki azmi interview 140911 Zaki ( right ) had previously denied any role in hearing matters connected to the Perak constitutional crisis cases.

The Edge Financial Daily

had last Friday named seven companies that bid for the highway project, among them Bina Puri Holdings Bhd, Mudajaya Group Bhd and privately owned Pesona Metro Sdn Bhd.

The report said Plus Expressway Bhd was to have been awarded the project, which is to divert traffic from the congested Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong.

Pesona was said to have been the front-runner for the project.

PKR: Najib must explain RM2.2bil highway award