Samsung’s construction arm has denied that Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s son was involved in the company’s successful bid for a RM2.47 billion contract to design and build a power plant in Prai, Penang.

It said that a purported photograph of a meeting between Samsung officials and Najib’s son was completely unrelated to the project.

“The picture was taken sometime at the beginning of 2011 but we started looking into participating on the Prai project in 2012,” said Samsung Engineering and Construction Group spokesperson Kristina Kim via email today.

She was contacted yesterday regarding NGO Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia’s (SAMM) allegation that Samsung officials were meeting Najib’s son at a time when other companies were bidding for the project, and raised suspicion that he had lobbied for the project on Samsung’s behalf.

No one was named in the SAMM statement last week, but those present in its photograph resembled Samsung Engineering and Construction (M) Sdn Bhd director Shin Yong Seub and Najib’s second son Mohd Nazifuddin Najib.

Shin appeared to be presenting Nazifuddin a gift as he posed for the camera with several others in the undated photograph.

Kim said at the time when the photograph was taken, it was meeting several clients in an effort to enter the Malaysian market.

“The client in the picture was running a medical equipment business and we met with them to get advice on healthcare-related projects.

“The gift on the picture is the 2011 version of our calendar that we give out to all our clients on a yearly basis,” she said.

Separately in a press release yesterday, the Energy Commission that awarded the tender to national electricity provider TNB said the latter has the right as project developer to appoint Samsung as its partner for the power plant’s engineering, procurement and construction (EPC).

It gave an assurance that the tender process was above board and that due process was followed in awarding TNB the project.

Agency mum on 'role' of PM's son in power deal