21 March 2012
Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha has hit back at DAP lawmaker Tony Pua over the latter’s accusations of evasiveness regarding the klia2 cost increase, saying the information requested was readily provided by Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad (MAHB).
“I have nothing to hide. Whatever I know is provided by MAHB. They are a listed company, have their own board, answerable to their shareholders and securities commission. They even fund the project,” the transport minister was quoted in a Bernama Online report.
“MAHB has in fact put up information about the project in their website. They even posted letters related to the project between them and airlines. This was explained by them before. If he (Pua) is still not satisfied, please ask them again,” Kong continued.
I’m not an airport engineer or consultant for the project and whatever the information I have about the project were given by MAHB.
This morning, Petaling Jaya Utara MP Pua claimed the transport minister’s vague response to questions about the rising costs of klia2 construction “shows that there is something to hide.”
“I asked Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha about the reason for the shift of the airport… the minister only responded that the decision in the shift was ‘based on KLIA Blueprint December 2008”,” said Pua.
“These are serious issues of governance which must be dealt with by the Minister of Transport and there is no question that heads must roll in the above fiasco which will ultimately cost the tax-payers more than RM2.2 billion in additional costs,” he added.
Pua previously blamed the jump in klia2’s construction cost from RM1.7 billion to RM3.9 billion on the significant earthworks carried out at the new low-cost carrier terminal site in KLIA West.
He said the cost would probably go up further due to the construction of an additional control tower and the unsuitable terrain.
Kong later reiterated he had no reason to be evasive and that he had lacked special knowledge of the terminal’s construction.
“I have nothing to hide. I’m not an airport engineer or consultant for the project and whatever the information I have about the project were given by MAHB.
“If Tony Pua thinks something is wrong, there are agencies that can investigate,” he added.
Source: www.themalaysianinsider.com
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