SHAH ALAM: The finance minister has the absolute power to determine the appointment of the company in the construction of Phase 1B Package of the Pan Borneo Highway in Sabah.
Work Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said no party can say that the ministry should follow the suggestion given by the Sabah Public Works Department (JKR) as the Finance Ministry has the absolute power to decide on awarding the project.
Nanta said his ministry had discussed the matter even before the recommendation given by Sabah JKR was presented to the Finance Ministry.
"They (Finance Ministry) have the authority to decide who should be offered or approved.
"The Finance Ministry has given us their decision, and we have directed Sabah JKR to issue the Letter of Acceptance to the selected parties.
"We have followed the established procedures, and there is no issue," Nanta said after officiating Hari Komuniti MyPLUS today.
In the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, Perikatan Nasional chief whip, Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan claimed that the project was awarded to an unqualified company.
He said a company with a good track record was suggested by the tender evaluation committee but the Finance Ministry decided to award the project to a company that was not recommended by the committee.
However, Finance Minister II, Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, did not answer the question as he did not have the specific data on the project.
Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Md Nor later told Amir to provide a written answer to the question.
Meanwhile, Nanta also announced that repair works along KM18.6 of the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), where a sinkhole emerged on Tuesday, have been completed.
Previously, a sinkhole had emerged along the highway following heavy downpours in the morning.