Problems related to Radio Television Malaysia's (RTM) RM90 million integrated newsroom project, as raised by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), are due to "land issues".

Communication and Multimedia Minister Shabery Cheek said this had led to the contractor of the project having to wait for permission by the Finance Ministry.

"Media City (the contractor) could not speed up the construction because of several issues.

"The Finance Ministry itself did not allow Media City to start with any construction work due to land issues," the minister told reporters today.

Asked on the connection between issues related to the land and the lack of equipment, Shabery said RTM will answer such queries soon.

The minister also said that he will look into other matters which had caused the problem to occur.

The PAC yesterday said the project was facing problems as the newsroom lacked the equipment required.

PAC chairperson Nur Jazlan Mohamed had explained that the 350,000 square feet seven-storey building at Angkasapuri - RTM’s headquarters in Kuala Lumpur - had now been turned into an ordinary office as it is yet to be equipped with broadcasting facilities.

The project was completed and handed back to RTM by the contractors in 2012.

RTM’s integrated newsroom project became a subject of a PAC probe after the Auditor-General’s Report 2013 highlighted several discrepancies in the project’s implementation.