2 Kedah exco deny Malaysiakini report about MB

(The Star) – Two Kedah state executive councillors have denied a report in an online news portal, Malaysiakini, that Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak had insisted on awarding a RM600mil road project to an Umno-linked company.

Kedah Information Committee chairman Abd Ghani Ahmad said the claim was untrue as Azizan did not take such an action.

“Projects must go through open tender, and any company, no matter who it belonged to, can be considered if they meet the criteria,” he said Tuesday when asked to comment on the report.

The report stated the crisis in Kedah PAS erupted after Azizan’s alleged insistence on awarding the project to the company.

It stated that this was confirmed by Datuk Phahrolrazi Mohd Zawawi, one of the two Kedah PAS assemblymen who had initially refused their re-appointments as state exco members.

Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah, who holds the Public Works portfolio held by Phahrolrazi previously, said there was currently no road project in Kedah costing RM600mil and believed the report referred to a RM60mil road maintenance contract for a year.

“The state executive council has agreed in a meeting to hold an open tender for the project but the tender itself is not open yet,” he said.

Phahrolrazi declined to elaborate when asked about the online report. Azizan could not be reached for comments.

Azizan, however, issued a statement to say that the date of the swearing-in of Phahrolrazi and Dr Ismail Salleh as exco members had yet to be confirmed as he had yet to present their names to the Sultan of Kedah.

In Petaling Jaya, PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali denied claims that its newly-formed steering committee was set up to usurp the powers of embattled Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak.

He added the committee was merely of an advisory nature and had no powers to interfere in state affairs.

“The setting up of the committee has nothing to do with taking over of the Mentri Besar’s powers. No committee can overrule the powers of the state exco or the Cabinet,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.

Mustafa added the central steering committee was tasked with giving advice on issues pertaining to planning and programmes that needed the party leadership’s opinions.

“It is not set up to specifically advise certain individuals in an administration, but rather to all that needed the view of the party’s leadership.”

He said the party’s central committee would meet this Monday to decide on the appointment of the committee members.

In Kota Baru, PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat said it would be inappropriate for him to intervene in the Kedah leadership crisis, noting: “Kedah matters are for the Kedah people (to handle). I don’t want to comment.”