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Showing posts with label Penang undersea tunnel project. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Penang undersea tunnel project. Show all posts

Tuesday 20 March 2018

More worms open up from Penang Undersea Tunnel project as Datuk Seri photos hots up

Pricey seizure: The luxury vehicles, (clockwise from top left) a Toyota Vellfire, a Mercedes-Benz, a Land Rover and a Hyundai Starex, seized from the Datuk Seri.
Happy meeting: In a picture that has appeared in cyberspace, Lim and the ‘Datuk Seri’ are seen in the back seat of a car.

PETALING JAYA: Another photo of Lim Guan Eng with a man who resembles the Datuk Seri being investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has emerged on cyberspace.

The photo shows the Penang Chief Minister and the 37-year-old Datuk Seri who is being investigated for allegedly receiving RM19mil to “help settle” the MACC’s probe on Penang’s controversial undersea tunnel and three highways project.

The photo was taken in a car with Lim and the Datuk Seri together in the back seat, both smiling widely. A caption that went with the photograph claimed that it was taken in August last year.

In early March, a photo of Lim and the Datuk Seri showing both of them wearing socks but no shoes standing on a carpeted floor, went viral.

The photo is believed to have been taken at a private residence.

MCA publicity spokesman Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker pointed out that when the first photograph emerged on social media, the chief minister conveniently brushed it off, claiming that he had taken photographs with numerous personalities and denied having any dealings with the Datuk Seri.

“He even retaliated by showing a picture of the same Datuk Seri posing for a photograph with Star Media Group managing director and CEO Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai.

“Wong responded by saying that there were many pictures of him taken with people he barely knew at events he attended and noted he was wearing shoes in the photograph,” Ti said in a statement.

But now with a second photograph of Lim and the Datuk Seri emerging so soon, Ti said, “so, what is Guan Eng’s excuse this time?”

Datuk Seri photo issue hots up

Pictured response: Lim revealing the pictures of the Datuk Seri’s wife with a Barisan leader at a press conference in Komtar, Penang.


PETALING JAYA: Lim Guan Eng’s refusal to come clean on his relationship with the Datuk Seri being investigated for graft and his “revelation” of photos of the latter’s wife with Barisan leaders are acts of desperation, says Barisan Nasional Strategic Communications deputy director Datuk Eric See-To.

He slammed the Penang Chief Minister for not explaining his relationship with the Datuk Seri, who allegedly received RM19mil to help close the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigation files on Penang’s RM6.34bil undersea tunnel and three paired roads project.

“Firstly, the wife is a media personality whose job would invariably include meeting government leaders.

“Secondly, those photos were uploaded to her public social media account by her, unlike Guan Eng,” he said.

Two photos of Lim and the Datuk Seri have emerged so far.

The first showed both wearing socks, but no shoes, standing on a carpeted floor, while the second was a wefie of both men smiling widely in the back seat of a car.

At a press conference in George Town yesterday, Lim distributed photos of the Datuk Seri’s wife with Barisan leaders to the press in response to the claims that he was close to the Datuk Seri.

“Looking at so many photos of his wife with Barisan leaders, it is clear that both of them are strong Barisan supporters.

“Do not throw stones when you live in glass houses,” Lim said.

However, See-To pointed out that none of the two Barisan ministers who took the photos with the wife had any involvement in the controversial Penang project.

“The Chief Minister’s office had brushed off the first photo implying that he is not close to the suspect, only for a second one to emerge which shows that the relationship is deeper than his office suggested,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lim also told the press conference that the wefie of him and the Datuk Seri was taken with the latter’s handphone.

He added that the real question was who leaked the photos when only the Datuk Seri had them in his handphone.

“Even I do not have them,” he said.

Lim reiterated that he had “taken many photographs with many personalities” and could not recall how many times or where they were taken.

He said there may be more photos of him and the Datuk Seri, the latter’s wife and family members.

“Does taking photos with him, his wife and family make us close buddies?” he asked.

On the same issue, Datuk Seri S. Vell Paari called on Penang Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy to stop being an apologist for Lim.

The MIC treasurer-general said Dr Ramasamy should have joined him in questioning Lim’s role in the Penang project.

“Ramasamy should now be brave and encourage his boss to make police reports if those two photos are fake, or he should insist that his boss sue me if he believes I had slandered him,” he said in a statement.

Vell Paari claimed that he knew with certainty that the first photo was taken at the Datuk Seri’s lavish house in Petaling Jaya in July last year.

He also claimed that the wefie of Lim and the Datuk Seri was taken in August last year.

The car belongs to the owner of the special purpose vehicle set up for the tunnel project, he claimed.

MIC wants Lim to explain relationship with Datuk Seri

Vell Paari appointed as new MIC Treas


PETALING JAYA: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng must explain his relationship with a Datuk Seri being investigated in the Penang undersea tunnel project graft probe, said MIC treasurer-general Datuk Seri S. Vell Paari.

Vell Paari said Lim and his party DAP had a duty to the Indian community to “explain” their relationship with this suspect, who had “betrayed the trust of and cheated” the community.

“That suspect is involved in a case where many Malaysian Indians were cheated of their hard-earned money and savings.

“Datuk R. Ramanan and I had exposed him less than two years ago.

“As such, many individuals who are familiar with the suspect have told me that the photo of the Penang Chief Minister with the suspect was indeed taken in the lavish private home of the suspect,” said Vell Paari.

He said Lim and DAP must explain “when and why” the chief minister had visited the suspect’s house.

The 37-year-old Datuk Seri is being investigated by MACC for allegedly receiving RM19mil from the project’s main contractor Consortium Zenith Construction to “help settle” the commission’s probe into the controversial RM6.34bil project comprising an undersea tunnel and three main highways.

Lim’s office subsequently issued a statement saying that linking the Chief Minister to the Datuk Seri was a “disgusting smear attempt”.

“What dealings or businesses does he have with this Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission suspect?

“If the photo was indeed not from the suspect’s house, the Penang CM and DAP are more than welcome to sue me,” said Vell Paari.

Sources: The Star

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  •   Guan Eng trying to confuse public with photo, says Wee - Nation

    Lim Guan Eng has totally missed the point when he revealed the photo of Barisan Nasional leaders with the wife of a Datuk Seri being investigated for graft, said MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong. 

     

    Accept debate challenge if you have nothing to hide, Ti tells Guan Eng

  • Wee: Guan Eng not brave enough to answer questions on tunnel

     

     From Grade A to Grade E

    GEORGE TOWN: Penang MCA Youth criticised the state government’s performance over the past 10 years which had allegedly “left Penang in a mess.”

    icon video

    Guan Eng reiterates that CZC met requirements - Nation

    Accounts frozen, house and cars seized

    Mystery Datuk Seri in RM19m probe 

    Under remand: MACC officers escorting the Datuk Seri away after obtaining a six-day remand order from the magistrate's court in Putrajaya - Mohd Sahar Misni/The Star

    Friday 2 March 2018

    Penang govt shocked at payment of RM22m to Datuk Seri to cover-up alleged corruption in undersea tunnel project.



    Mystery Datuk Seri in RM19m probe 

    Under remand: MACC officers escorting the Datuk Seri away after obtaining a six-day remand order from the magistrate's court in Putrajaya - Mohd Sahar Misni/The Star




    GEORGE TOWN: The Penang state government is shocked at claims that RM22mil was paid to two individuals to cover up investigations into alleged corruption in Penang’s undersea tunnel project – and wants the developer consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZC) to come clean on the matter.

    Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state government was shocked by news that CZC allegedly paid RM19mil to an unnamed businessman and RM3mil to Baling MP Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim.

    “This is something we had no knowledge of,” he said.

    Lim was referring to the remand of a high-profile “Datuk Seri” for allegedly receiving RM19mil to close the corruption probe into the controversial RM6.34bil Penang undersea tunnel project.

    An online news portal, quoting sources, has also reported that CZC has issued a demand letter on Feb 24 to Abdul Azeez.

    The portal also reported that CZC was planning to sue Abdul Azeez and the businessman for allegedly failing to execute their tasks. - The Star

    Related stories:

     Accounts frozen, house and cars seized

    Pricey seizure: The luxury vehicles, (clockwise from top left) a Toyota Vellfire, a Mercedes-Benz, a Land Rover and a Hyundai Starex, seized from the Datuk Seri.

    Abdul Azeez: I'm a victim of name-dropping - Nation






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    Friday 26 January 2018

    Tough questions on Penang turnel project; Engineering Consultant arrested in probe



    https://youtu.be/ssVkoxxvIAA



    https://youtu.be/JRGwMXwkm1c

    https://youtu.be/xbSZ55BNyQM

    In-depth query: A screen grab of the video where Dr Wee demanded explanations over the controversial Penang undersea tunnel.

    Dr Wee, is trained as a civil engineer has a Master’s in traffic engineering and a PhD in transportation planning, believed to have worked as an Environmental Impact Assessment and Traffic Impact Assessment consultant for more than a decade. He is currently a minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.

    Wee asks Penang govt tough questions

    Wee poses more questions to Guan Eng on tunnel project

    Wee raises doubt over paid-up capital and ability of SPV - Nation

    Lim: Contract between CRCC and Penang govt legally binding ...


    PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong threw hard-hitting questions at the Penang government, demanding an explanation for the controversial undersea tunnel project.

    The MCA deputy president raised major concerns in videos uploaded in two parts to MCA’s YouTube channel.

    He zeroed in on the changes in the paid-up capital of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) and how two Chinese construction giants have “disappeared” from the SPV shareholding.

    He also touched on the state government’s “agreement” with China Railway Construction Corpo­ration Ltd (CRCC) and Penang’s insistence that no money was paid for the project.

    In the videos, also uploaded on Dr Wee’s Facebook page, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department had a whiteboard to his left showing the changes in the shareholding while a television screen to his right displayed various documents.

    Dr Wee wanted Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to clarify why the SPV Consortium Zenith Construc­tion Sdn Bhd’s paid-up capital was reduced from RM4.6bil to RM70.5mil.

    He said while Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG) was no longer a shareholder in the SPV, CRCC was never in the picture.

    Dr Wee said back in March 4, 2013, the state government’s official newsletter Buletin Mutiara published an article quoting state secretary Datuk Seri Farizan Darus as saying the SPV had a paid-up capital of RM4.6bil, with Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd and CRCC jointly holding a 70% stake in it.

    “We are in great shock because just days ago, CRCC went on record to deny ever being a shareholder and developer of the undersea tunnel SPV.

    “Without the participation of CRCC and BUCG, the actual capital of the other component SPV back then is only RM8.2mil,” said Dr Wee, who is trained as a civil engineer and has a Master’s in traffic engineering and a PhD in transportation planning.

    He, however, said the SPV had a total paid-up capital of RM70.5mil.

    Dr Wee added that currently, Zenith Construction has a 47.12% equity in the SPV, Juteras Sdn Bhd (0.75%); Kenanga Nominees (Tempatan) Sdn Bhd (38.92%) and Vertice Bhd (formerly known as Voir Holdings Bhd, 13.21%).

    He also revealed that Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd was only registered on July 5, 2012, one day before the state government invited the consortium to submit a request for proposal (RFP).

    “Chief Minister, you may argue that they formed the consortium just one day before to make it to the tender.

    “But bear in mind your state secretary said the consortium was selected based on the financial and technical strength of CRCC and BUCG,” he said, adding that Zenith Construction was only less than three months old when it was then invited to participate in the pre-qualification for the tender.

    Dr Wee also said that Acknowled­gement of Commitment signed by the state government with CRCC was not a legally binding document.

    “Where is the stamping of documents as required and which is the Court of Arbitration to arbitrate disputes?” he asked.

    Dr Wee also questioned Lim’s stand that not a single sen was paid when state exco member Lim Hock Seng replied in the state assembly on March 19 last year that a land swap deal worth RM208mil was identified.

    “The said land has been developed and sales of properties for the City of Dreams (which is built on the land) are ongoing. Aren’t you aware of that?

    Dr Wee also urged Lim to give a detailed breakdown of how Consor­tium Zenith reaped a significant after-tax profit of RM60mil for the financial year that ended on Aug 31, 2015, when it had only conducted studies and had yet to start any construction work.- The Star

    Engineering Consultant arrested in tunnel probe 

    'Datuk Seri' remanded for five days in Penang tunnel probe - Nation 

    Datuk Seri remanded in probe

    Magistrate Ainna Sherina Saipolamin allowed the 62-year-old "Datuk Seri" to be held in custody until Jan 29.

    Engineering consultant remanded for five days - Nation


    In custody: The consultant being taken out of the magistrate’s court in Putrajaya. — Bernama


    PETALING JAYA: A senior engineering consultant in her 50s is the latest to be detained in connection with the probe over controversies surrounding the Penang undersea tunnel project.

    The consultant is believed to have forged claim documents for the feasibility studies valued at RM305mil for the mega project of three main roads and an undersea tunnel to the state government, said a source familiar with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigation.

    The woman is expected to be remanded at the Putrajaya magistrate’s court today.

    She was arrested at MACC headquarters in Putrajaya at 6.10pm yesterday after her statement was recorded.

    “The investigators are trying to determine if other individuals were involved in the preparation of the falsified documents,” the source added.

    The engineering consultant is the third person to be arrested in MACC’s investigations into the Penang undersea tunnel project.

    Two high-ranking Datuks of development and construction companies were earlier arrested on Jan 9 before being remanded for six days beginning Jan 10.

    The remand was then extended for another five days from Jan 15.

    They were released on MACC bail of RM200,000 each on Jan 19 by the Putrajaya magistrate’s court.

    On Monday, MACC deputy chief commissioner (operation) Datuk Seri Azam Baki had said that more individuals would be hauled up over the project.

    The RM6.3bil mega project includes building the 7.2km undersea tunnel connecting Gurney Drive on the island to Bagan Ajam in north Butterworth, 10.53km North Coastal Paired Road from Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang, 5.7km Air Itam-Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway bypass and the 4.075km Gurney Drive-Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway bypass.

    The MACC has since recorded statements from more than 70 people and visited more than 40 premises in the course of their investigation.

    By Royce Tan The Star

    State govt can only hold SPV liable, says Wee


    PETALING JAYA: Although Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has reiterated that not a single sen was paid for the feasibility study of the undersea tunnel, the fact remained that it was paid in kind, said Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.

    Dr Wee, who is MCA deputy president, said the crux of the problem was that the state government had no contractual nexus with the contractor.

    “The state government can only hold the special purpose vehicle (SPV) liable, not the contractor.

    “Don’t confuse the people with the SPV and the contractor. SPV means you can hold it liable.

    “If a contractor is subsequently awarded by the SPV, that’s between the contractor and the SPV.

    “If the SPV fails to pay the contractor, the contractor has no obligations (to construct),” he said.

    He added that he had conducted a comprehensive research and he knew what happened.

    “I welcome this project, but it must be carried out in a proper manner. This is what I want.

    “Don’t blame others. If at all you need to blame somebody, it is your SPV that you appointed.

    “They keep on delaying the report, not us. We have no say in the report and we’ve not even seen it,” said Dr Wee.- The Star



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