Anti-graft group asks if FT ministry probed ‘suspicious’ Bangsar-Damansara highway project

The project board at the site of the elevated highway project linking Bangsar and Damansara.

PETALING JAYA:

An anti-corruption group has raised concerns over what it said were suspicious circumstances surrounding the awarding of a controversial elevated highway project linking Bangsar and Damansara, following renewed protests from residents and two MPs representing the affected areas.

C4 Center also questioned if the Bangsar-Damansara Elevated Highway project was to benefit a private developer’s luxury development project along the route.

Describing the project as “mind boggling”, C4 Center said two of its proponents, including former federal territories minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, were facing charges involving millions of ringgit in bribes from developers.

Besides Tengku Adnan, who is facing two corruption charges involving RM3 million, another supporter of the highway project was Sabudin Mohd Salleh, who headed Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) civil engineering and urban transportation department.

Last month, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) charged Sabudin with six counts of receiving bribes totaling over RM1 million as an inducement for granting several maintenance contracts and concrete bridge projects in the city.

“Has any internal investigations been carried out by the FT ministry on this highly suspicious highway project which took place during the tenure of Tengku Adnan and Sabudin?” C4 Center asked.

“To-date, the project is shrouded with secrecy. The local residents, as well as their elected MPs, are dumbfounded on the willingness of DBKL to absorb the bulk of the construction costs of a highway which they believe is intended to benefit a private developer’s ultra-luxury development project at Damansara Heights,” it added, referring to the multibillion-ringgit Pavilion Damansara Heights.

Former Federal Territories minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor was among the proponents of the Bangsar-Damansara Elevated Highway project.

Yesterday, Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh and Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzi urged MACC to investigate the highway project, which has been opposed by several residents’ groups.

In September last year, they lodged a report with the anti-graft body, questioning why DBKL is funding the project as well as the absence of an open tender.

It is understood DBKL would spend RM100 million, almost half the cost of the RM211.5 million project, while Impian Ekspresi Sdn Bhd is funding the remaining RM111.5 million.

The three-lane carriageway will stretch from Jalan Semantan in Damansara to the junction of the Sprint Highway and Jalan Maarof in Bangsar.

Authorities said it would shorten the journey from Bangsar to Pusat Bandar Damansara, but residents said it would only worsen traffic congestion in the area.

FMT is trying to get comments from the Pavilion Group.

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Anti-graft group asks if FT ministry probed ‘suspicious’ Bangsar-Damansara highway project

It says the project is shrouded in secrecy and residents as well as their elected MPs are dumbfounded on the willingness of Kuala Lumpur City Hall to absorb the bulk of the construction costs.