RM7 bil for flood mitigation on hold, subject to review: PM

[superadmin]

PUTRAJAYA – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has directed Finance Ministry officials to suspend the approval of RM7 billion, including for flood mitigation projects, through direct negotiation subject to re-examination.

Anwar, who is also finance minister, said that the ministry’s officials have been asked to re-examine the approvals granted to ensure that they are transparent and comply with the regulations.

“We will re-examine some of the previous approvals... we will continue the good ones but with a new approach.

“The issues of poverty, disparity are the main measures to drive economic development.

“I also emphasise that some of the recent approvals, including the approval of flood mitigation projects which are allocated somewhere around RM15 billion and RM7 billion have already been approved – without a regular tender process – through direct negotiations.

- More -

[superadmin]

Not all direct negotiation deals shady, former minister Tuan Ibrahim says after PM orders review on RM7b spending

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 — Former environment and water minister Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has today slammed Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for freezing the RM7 billion allocated for flood mitigation projects through direct negotiation deals.

The PAS deputy president said such projects need to be expedited via direct negotiations and was not a matter of procurement error.

“As the prime minister, he should not consider all projects through direct negotiation tenders as irregular and there are parties looking for opportunities,” he said in a statement.

“He knows that many emergency projects need to be expedited to reduce bigger disasters and more losses.

- More -

[superadmin]

G25 disputes ex-minister’s defence of direct deals for projects

PETALING JAYA: The G25 group of prominent retired civil servants has questioned former environment and water minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man’s defence of directly negotiated projects.

This comes after the PAS deputy president said direct negotiations for urgent projects were not a procurement offence and that not every directly negotiated contract was disorganised or involved opportunistic parties.

“What proof does Tuan Ibrahim have that every directly negotiated project is organised?”

“Projects awarded without tenders can be abused by dishonest contractors or government officials,” G25 member Noor Farida Mohd Ariffin told FMT, pointing out that direct negotiations for projects were against Treasury guidelines.

- More -