Loo (second right) handing over the invitation letter to Fazilah. — Bernama photo
GEORGE TOWN: Penang Gerakan Youth acting chief Jason Loo yesterday handed his official invitation to State Works and Public Amenities Committee chairman Lim Hock Seng for a public debate on the topic, ‘Undersea tunnel, a democratic scandal’.
Loo said he had booked a ballroom at the Loh Association for a public debate with the exco this Saturday at 11am and hoped Lim will be able to attend.
He said the debate will provide a platform for Lim to provide his facts to answer all allegations in order for the public to have a clearer picture of the Penang Transport Master Plan, especially the undersea tunnel project.
“Let’s meet up this Saturday and debate constructively,” he told reporters after handing over the invitation letter to Lim’s administrative officer Fazilah Abdul Karim here yesterday.
He said a public speaking trainer will moderate the debate.
Meanwhile, Lim was reported yesterday refusing to take up the challenge as he claimed all the questions raised has been answered and there was no need for the debate.
“I’m not being arrogant but who is Jason Loo? I can’t be entertaining such public debate challenges…at least get someone the same level as me,” Lim was quoted as saying in an English portal yesterday.
On the same matter, Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) vice president Datuk Huan Cheng Guan asked the Penang government to clarify the current equity structure of Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd (CZBUCG), which he said is the company picked for the undersea tunnel project based on the RFP (Request for Planning).
Huan claimed that in 2013, the Penang government awarded the project CZBUCG, a special purpose vehicle formed by five companies – Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd, China Railway Construction, Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG), Sri Tinggi Sdn Bhd and Juteras Sdn Bhd.
According to him, Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd and China Railway Construction controlled the bulk of the shares at 70 per cent while BUCG, Sri Tinggi Sdn Bhd and Juteras Sdn Bhd owned 10 per cent each.
However, Huan based on a search he made last month, Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd was the largest shareholder with 99.13 per cent equity, BUCG (0.0057 per cent) and Juteras Sdn Bhd (0.863 per cent).
“Not only does BUCG have such a tiny 0.0057 per cent stake but China Railway Construction seems to be completely missing as a shareholder. The current shareholding structure of CZBUCG appears to be very different as per their RFP proposal and what the Penang government had said then,” he said.
He was speaking to reporters after handing over documements pertaining to the matter to the Penang office of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission here today.
On June 3, Huan had also lodged a report at the same office asking the MACC to investigate if the were any irregularities in the deal. — Bernama