Direct deals allowed, just not in PH manifesto, deputy minister tells Dewan Rakyat

Deputy Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Bakri today said the government is allowed to carry out direct deals although in the case of Pakatan Harapan (PH), the coalition’s manifesto had prohibited such arrangements.

(FMT) – PH had wanted a clean, accountable and transparent administration, “but here it is not clear”, he said in response to Saifuddin Nasution (PH-Kulim Bandar Baru).

Saifuddin had asked the finance ministry to make public the list of 101 projects involving RM6.61 billion in direct deals made under the PH administration, announced by Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz on Monday.

“With the resources of the finance ministry, this can be done in 24 hours,” he said, adding that the list would show if there had been any abuse in the award of the projects.

Saifuddin has joined a number of PH leaders including former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad who have since called on the government to reveal the awards given.

Rahim said earlier that the Tabung Harapan Fund, launched after PH won the May 9, 2018 polls, had collected RM227,167,751 with interest.

He said the funds were channelled towards the federal government’s debts.

This was in response to Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PAS-Pasir Mas) who had asked about the current status of the fund.