Penang BN chairman Teng Chang Yeow said, according to the website, the feasibility studies and detailed design (FSDD) works of the project cost US$22 million (RM69.3 million at 2013 exchange rate of RM3.15 per dollar).
He said according to the China’s Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council website, the Penang government and the China Railway Construction Company (CRCC) had signed a US$22 million FSSD deal on Oct 14, 2013.
“However, the report of the Penang Public Accounts Committee on Oct 19, 2015 and the Penang government’s reply to the state assembly on May 19, 2017 put the total value of the FSDD at RM305 million.
“Of the RM305 million, the state government had confirmed that two pieces of land valued at RM208 million had been swapped as payment for the completion of the studies of the three highways.
“The question now is the difference of about RM236 million between what was announced by the CRCC and the Penang government,” Teng told reporters here today.
FMT has contacted State Public Works Committee chairman Lim Hock Seng for comment and is awaiting his reply.
The RM6.3 billion infrastructure project came under renewed scrutiny following a fresh probe by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
The 7.2km undersea tunnel will connect George Town’s Pangkor Road and Bagan Ajam in Butterworth. It is scheduled to begin in 2023.
Its feasibility study, often a topic of contention between BN and opposition leaders, is now 92% completed. The Penang government has said the tunnel was of low priority and could take off later, after the three main roads were completed.
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