Auditor-General To Probe Scenic Bridge Compensation
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has asked the Auditor-General (AG) to see if there is any justification for the RM360 million compensation for the aborted scenic bridge project. PAC chairman Datuk Shahrir Samad said the AG could compare with past compensations paid out by the government to determine whether the amount claimed by Gerbang Perdana Sdn Bhd (GPSB) was reasonable.
The government had earlier estimated the compensation to be about RM100 million. "I only knew about this from the newspapers. The compensation payment issue is under the Works Ministry," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby, here Monday. Shahrir, however, said he would not comment further on the issue until he sees the AG's report.
Last month, PAC had requested the ministry to re-negotiate with GPSB to reduce the compensation amount after the bridge project to replace the Johor causeway was scrapped. However, GPSB demanded a higher amount of RM360 million, much to the surprise of Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu who wanted specific details of work done by the company on the project.
Asked whether PAC would hold a special meeting to discuss the compensation issue, Shahrir said it was not necessary. "Is this a life and death matter? We will discuss it at our monthly meeting on July 20," he said. On claims that the cost to build a new bridge to link the existing causeway with the new Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex was high, Shahrir said that the PAC did not think so. PAC was informed that the cost was estimated at RM5,000 per square metre, which is about the same cost to build roads at the KL International Airport in Sepang, Selangor.
The construction of the RM250 million eight-lane bridge, spanning 800 metres, to connect to the CIQ was awarded to GBSB as part of the compensation for cancelling the scenic bridge project.
Grreeaatt!! Don't lift a finger and then claim the sky. The difference between 110 and 360 million is the difference between greed and unfettered avarice. Now of course we know who is who at Gerbang Perdana Sdn Bhd (GPSB). Yet the buggers can't be bothered to tone down and claim reasonably. For them it is make all you can even if the going is bad.
**** Update on the above: Gerbang Perdana Sdn Bhd will leave it to the government to decide whether its claim for compensation for the cancellation of the half-bridge project to Singapore of RM360 million is reasonable or not, its chairman Tan Sri Razali Ismail, said Tuesday.
"I said that whatever figure we are given, it must be the figure that has been seriously looked at (by the government)," he said ." And we know that we have not been provided a guideline on this claim, but of course the government can come back and discuss with us how much compensation they are prepared to pay," he told reporters.
Datuk Seri Najib, when approached by the media, said that Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Velu "will report back to the Cabinet regarding the compensation." Asked when Samy would report back to the Cabinet after evaluating the compensation, he said: "If he is ready, he can present it to the Cabinet." Asked whether it would be at tomorrow's Cabinet meeting, Najib said: "It is up to Samy."
The government had earlier estimated the compensation to be about RM100 million. "I only knew about this from the newspapers. The compensation payment issue is under the Works Ministry," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby, here Monday. Shahrir, however, said he would not comment further on the issue until he sees the AG's report.
Last month, PAC had requested the ministry to re-negotiate with GPSB to reduce the compensation amount after the bridge project to replace the Johor causeway was scrapped. However, GPSB demanded a higher amount of RM360 million, much to the surprise of Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu who wanted specific details of work done by the company on the project.
Asked whether PAC would hold a special meeting to discuss the compensation issue, Shahrir said it was not necessary. "Is this a life and death matter? We will discuss it at our monthly meeting on July 20," he said. On claims that the cost to build a new bridge to link the existing causeway with the new Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex was high, Shahrir said that the PAC did not think so. PAC was informed that the cost was estimated at RM5,000 per square metre, which is about the same cost to build roads at the KL International Airport in Sepang, Selangor.
The construction of the RM250 million eight-lane bridge, spanning 800 metres, to connect to the CIQ was awarded to GBSB as part of the compensation for cancelling the scenic bridge project.
Grreeaatt!! Don't lift a finger and then claim the sky. The difference between 110 and 360 million is the difference between greed and unfettered avarice. Now of course we know who is who at Gerbang Perdana Sdn Bhd (GPSB). Yet the buggers can't be bothered to tone down and claim reasonably. For them it is make all you can even if the going is bad.
**** Update on the above: Gerbang Perdana Sdn Bhd will leave it to the government to decide whether its claim for compensation for the cancellation of the half-bridge project to Singapore of RM360 million is reasonable or not, its chairman Tan Sri Razali Ismail, said Tuesday.
"I said that whatever figure we are given, it must be the figure that has been seriously looked at (by the government)," he said ." And we know that we have not been provided a guideline on this claim, but of course the government can come back and discuss with us how much compensation they are prepared to pay," he told reporters.
Datuk Seri Najib, when approached by the media, said that Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Velu "will report back to the Cabinet regarding the compensation." Asked when Samy would report back to the Cabinet after evaluating the compensation, he said: "If he is ready, he can present it to the Cabinet." Asked whether it would be at tomorrow's Cabinet meeting, Najib said: "It is up to Samy."
posted by The Malaysian. at 7/04/2006 12:35:00 PM
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