Friday, April 23, 2004

Kuching Airport Yet to Award but Work Started

COVER-UP CASE OF KUCHING AIRPORT PROJECT

UPGRADE FOR KUCHING AIRPORT

In the Star news (Friday 23 April 2004) page 21 (Nation), Datuk Chan Kong Choy, the Transport Minister said that Kuching International Airport will be upgraded once the Federal Govt decides to implement the project. He further add (quote), "The Federal Govt is in the final stage of making a decision & the project is definitely on... We have not awarded the contract yet but will be making the final decision soon." (unquote).

Interestingly, when I was in Kuching last year, I saw many earthmoving machines carrying out earthworks at the Airport, and so, I asked a client of mine from Kuching, "what are those activities?" I was informed that it was a contract awarded to a contractor (purportedly related to Tan Sri Ting Pek King) for the extension of the current airport. My curiousity arose as I felt that the work carried out was slow-moving and looks like the contractor is having problem.

Now, with this piece of news, I can understand what is happening. As I wonder and ponder, how is it that the contractor, if he hasn't yet being awarded a contract, how could he start work and how come he is given possession of site by the Govt????? Or, is Chan Kong Choy putting up a LIE story??? I just wonder if our Ministers are transparent and honest as expounded by PM Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi? Is it a new way of business game in Malaysia that if anybody is keen on a Govt. project, he should show initiative by mobilizing his plants and machineries & get the works commenced such that the Govt would have no alternative but to award that project to him?

In a similar scenario, the construction work for the Stormwater project in KL was well in progress when Mahathir made the announcement of the immediate need to have a Stormwater drainage system immediately after Dataran Merdeka sufferred a bad flood many months ago. The project was awarded to MMC-Gamuda on a Turnkey-Design & Build & Operate Basis (privatization concept). Since then, the new PM has made some change to the contract. The question again arose is - "Was the contract work in progress well before an award letter being issued & how did they get possession of site without an award letter???"

I continue to wonder if our new PM understand the relative meaning when he says - "Cakap Tak Serupa Bikin" & "that he pledge that he will choose ministers with integrity, honest and untainted reputation." Could Pak-Lah shed some light on the Kuching Airport Extension Project and why was work being carried out if the project has yet to be awarded????

I can only add an advice to Pak-Lah, "Do you know your Ministers well and do you really want a clean Govt???? GOD Bless you and GOD help the Malaysians who are not cronies...........