Why is Works Minister S Samy Vellu furious with the Public Accounts Committee (PAC)? Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang has the answer.

Last week, the veteran minister flayed the PAC for meddling in his ministry's affairs regarding the scrapped half-bridge project.

However, Lim believes that there is another reason for the eruption.

In a statement over the weekend, he said Samy Vellu is angry because his control and monopoly of information pertaining to his ministry was breached and jeopardised by the PAC scrutiny.

As a result of the PAC meeting, he pointed out, the public came to know more about the cost of the cancellation of the RM1.13 billion bridge project.

But what was more shocking, he added, was the revelation that the cost of cancellation could be higher than its original estimated cost for construction.

"I can understand Samy Vellu's indignation that he was not the first to announce all information about the bridge but he has only himself to blame.

"This should be a lesson to all ministers not to hoard information which the public is entitled to as if it is their private property," he added.

Initially, the Works Ministry had estimated that the government would have to fork out RM740 million for canceling the project. This included compensating the contractor and the construction of a new highway and connecting roads.

However, the cost could reach RM1.12 billion if the Johor government is paid the RM380 million land premium it reportedly asked from the federal government due to the cancellation of the project.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said on the weekend that the land premium should not be included in the new estimates.

Stop being childish

Meanwhile, Lim also urged Samy Vellu to stop being 'childish' and attend the PAC meet scheduled for this Thursday to discuss the bridge issue.

He said the minister should end his unseemly row with the PAC and stop undermining Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's fragile programme of parliamentary reform.

Last week, Samy Vellu told Abdullah that he will provide a written explanation to the PAC on the matter.

However, Lim said this is "most unsatisfactory".

The prime minister should have been more decisive and direct Samy Vellu to attend the PAC meeting, he added.

Failure to do so, he warned, "further reinforces public impression of a weak prime minister".