“Tuan Ibrahim’s simple denial doesn’t clear him of crony practice in awarding projects”

THAT PAS vice-president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has only issued a simple denial that the Environment and Water Ministry (KASA) in which he is the caretaker minister has yet to award the RM2 bil Langat flood relief project to Mangkubumi Sdn Bhd via direct negotiation has irked PKR’s deputy president Rafizi Ramli.

Aware that the project has yet to be awarded, Rafizi said his sole purpose of highlighting the issue is in view of the ongoing discussion and “effort to award the project during the caretaker government phase which actually breaks the law”.

According to Rafizi who will be contesting in the Pandan Parliamentary constituency come the 15tth General Election (GE15), Tuan Ibrahim’s failure to comment on three key questions that he has posed confirms that his ministry and the Finance Ministry has indeed shortlisted Mangkubumi as a contractor for the RM2 bil Sungai Langat 2 flood relief project.

“I question this because it is a great loss to the people when major projects under his ministry are given to a company that clearly has close ties with the UMNO leadership,” Rafizi penned in his latest Facebook post.

“(Moreover, Mangkubumi) has been involved a court case for illegal money laundering of as much as RM139 mil that was transferred to Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Rahim who is an UMNO leader with bad record of embezzlement.”

Worse still, according to Rafizi, Mangkubumi has also received an official reprimand previously from the auditor-general for the company’s poor job performance.

“The Auditor-General’s Report 2016 criticised Mangkubumi’s work performance in a project under JKR (the Public Works Department) in view of delay in the completion of awarded projects,” he revealed. “Logically, with all this information, a company like Mangkubumi should no longer be appointed for major government projects (even if it is not blacklisted).”

If Tuan Ibrahim had performed his job in a more careful manner, Rafizi contended that problematic crony companies like Mangkubumi should not have been considered until all its pending projects have been duly completed.

“That is why, when the internal process of KASA and the Finance Ministry has reached the stage of considering to appoint Mangkubumi in a direct negotiation for a project worth RM2 bil, it shows the failure of Tuan Ibrahim as minister to regulate spending under his ministry,” criticised Rafizi.

“This is not surprising since his and the PAS’ record in financial and administrative matters is so bad.”

Rafizi also took a further swipe at Tuan Ibrahim, recalling that when the 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Bhd) scandal was at its peak, he was the one who had “purified the 1MDB scandal” by announcing that he was satisfied with the explanation of the 1MDB CEO at that time.

“I hope that this Pahang Menteri Besar candidate from Perikatan Nasional (PN) understands that the responsibility of a minister in looking after the people’s money is greater than just letting go of hands or pointing fingers at government staff (by giving excuses that all internal processes have been followed) when controversies like this happen.” – Nov 9, 2022

Subscribe and get top news delivered to your Inbox everyday for FREE