By Lian Cheng
KUCHING, May 6: Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong is wondering why the Sarawak government engaged a consultant from the peninsula for two mega road projects in the state.
To her, Sarawak has such expertise should the need arises to appoint a project management consultant (PMC).
“The first and foremost question is whether there is a need to appoint a PMC given that we have the full fletched JKR Sarawak, which all these years has been responsible for the implementation of all infrastructure projects in the state.”
Speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting today, Yong said if there was indeed a need to have a PMC, then the next question would be “why a PMC from Peninsular Malaysia?”
“Is there no local Sarawakian consultant good enough for the road and bridge project management job?
“If there are competent local Sarawakian consultants, then should they not be given the priority by Sarawak GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) government?
“Should the present state government not want to encourage participation by our own local Sarawakian consultants?” she asked.
She firmly believed that local consultants were capable in undertaking such a task and hoped the state government would answer all the questions she raised in the press conference and in the DUN “as we, Sarawakians, have the right to how every sen of our Sarawakians’ taxpayers money is being spent”.
Yong had questioned the state government’s decision to spend an “outrageous” amount of money on a PMC for the state’s RM11 billion Coastal Road network and Second Trunk Road projects in the DUN on May 2.
While the state government had yet to reply to Yong, former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak claimed yesterday (May 5) that the appointed PMC is a Khazanah Nasional Bhd-linked company.
Najib’s claim prompted Yong to question why it was Najib who answered her questions instead of the Sarawak government.
“Is Najib answering on behalf of Sarawak GPS? Does he know more than what you and I know? As a Sarawak state representative, I have the right to raise the issue on why the Sarawak GPS government has to spend so much money for the appointment of a PMC. The initial package of the PMC contract sum already cost RM50 million,” she noted.
She believed the appointment of a PMC should first of all be based on necessity and, secondly, be done in a fair and transparent manner.
To Najib, she said the argument that the PMC belonged to Khazanah held no water for her and believed that Sarwakians felt the same.
“In my opinion, Najib, although he is Malaysia’s ex-prime minister, might not understand the sentiment of Sarawakians after all. No wonder his Sarawakian Team left BN in a hurry and decided to do some rebranding exercise as GPS,” said Yong. — DayakDaily
