Tuan Ibrahim urges Rafizi to lodge MACC report over RM2b tender claim

Environment and Water Minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has called on PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli to lodge an MACC report if he has evidence of the caretaker government inappropriately awarding tenders.

This comes after Rafizi claimed that a company, which is allegedly an Umno crony, is due to receive an RM2 billion flood mitigation contract via a direct tender from Tuan Ibrahim's ministry.

"I wish to stress that such slander is not true, I ask that if there is evidence, report it (to the MACC). Don't spread lies during this (election) season," he was quoted as saying by PAS-organ Harakah Daily.

Speaking at a ceramah in Lipis last night, Tuan Ibrahim (above) said he has also instructed his lawyers to see if any legal action can be taken against the PKR man.

In a statement yesterday, Rafizi accused the government of trying to bulldoze awarding contracts worth billions for cronies.

He claimed one project in Malacca worth RM578.6 million was already awarded via direct tender to such a firm.

Caretaker prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob reportedly announced the award on Oct 14, four days after Parliament was dissolved.

Rafizi also claimed that the Environment and Water Ministry was in the process of awarding an RM2 billion contract through direct tender to the same company for flood mitigation works in Sungai Langat 2.

In regard to the project in Malacca, Tuan Ibrahim is cited as saying that this had gone through the tender process and there were no issues conflicting with the government's fiscal procedures.

He also pointed out that the event where the project was announced in Malacca was not one that he attended.

No interference

Tuan Ibrahim added that as a minister, he does not interfere or take part in the Environment and Water Ministry's tender committee, which he said is empowered to award tenders to those most qualified, according to procedures and regulations.

He also said he too knows that a caretaker government is not supposed to enter any new contracts that would burden the next administration.

The Treasury circular advising the caretaker government to avoid entering new contracts was issued on Oct 18.

The same circular, however, states that the government can continue with existing policies and development projects or enter contracts in matters where the financial allocations have been approved by Parliament and the government before it went into caretaker mode.

On Rafizi’s RM2 billion project allegation, the PAS deputy president emphasised that he had not approved any projects after Parliament was dissolved.

"I wish to stress that no one has come to see me asking to approve RM2 billion," he added.

Malaysiakini has contacted the company involved in the flood mitigation projects for a response to Rafizi's allegations.

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