The Works Ministry must reveal the findings of the UK-based consultant, Halcrow Group Ltd, hired to diagnose the problems that led to the closure of an overpass located along the Middle Ring Road II (MRRII) in Kuala Lumpur recently.

DAP deputy chairperson Dr Tan Seng Giaw today said the ministry must provide full disclosure on the flawed project , including the role of the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) and the method of selecting and appointing consultants and contractors.

"The first thing is that the government has to announce the Halcrow report in full to the public. It has to be transparent and accountable on this.

"For the past two months, no questions have been answered and this has taken too long," added the Kepong parliamentarian when contacted.

His constituency bears the brunt of the MRRII overpass closure on Aug 8 after 33 cracks were found in its beams and pillars.

Halcrow Group was brought in after the Australian consultant engaged by the project's contractors provided findings that contradicted those of the German consultant appointed by the government.

Yesterday, Works Minister S Samy Vellu told reporters that according to the Halcrow report, the cracks were the result of a design fault and "improper anchorage" of its columns.

Previously, the minister had insisted that faulty designing was not a factor and even threatened to sue anyone who suggested this.

The full version of the report presented on Wednesday to ministry and Public Works Department (PWD) officials by Halcrow's bridge engineering director Roger J Buckby, has yet to be released to the media.

Bigger question

Meanwhile, Tan said because the problems derived from "deficiency in the design", designing consultants Mounsell, Sharma and Zakaria should pay for the repair works instead of taxpayers.

"There is no choice in the matter because the problems were due to a design failure. The designers should have to pay," he said.

Repair works of the MRRII, which cost RM238.8 million to complete, would be no more than RM20 million.

Samy Vellu had said the cost would initially be borne by the government in order to expedite the repairs.

Tan said a bigger question that needed to be addressed was the exact role and jurisdiction of the EPU, which had apparently presumed to make selection and appointment decisions that under normal circumstances would fall under the purview of the PWD and Finance Ministry.

"Who appointed, the contractors (Sukmim, Bumi Hiway and KKM) anyway? Who appointed Mounsell, Sharma and Zakaria? What connection do these companies have to the Treasury and the Works Ministry?" asked Tan.

"The whole procedure of selecting and appointing the consultants and contractors involved should be reviewed. In this case, the Treasury and the PWD had no say in who to appoint for the project, whereas they are the ones who should know which site engineers, contractors, and other relevant people to appoint," he added.

Echoing this, DAP vice-chairperson M Kula Segaran said the the EPU, which falls under the Prime Minister's Department, must reveal its role in all projects that it was pushing.

"We have to look at the root of the problem. Now they are coming out 'clean and accountable'. But is this (MRRII problem) the only one? Is this the only flyover which the EPU approved?

"For sure, this is not the only one. I am sure there are many more. But many more do not have these problems yet," he added.

In a statement today, Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang urged Samy Vellu to release the reports of all three consultants involved in the project in line with 'the principles of accountability, transparency, open and good governance".