This follows Zuraida’s claim that Lim and his former ministry had played key roles in the two projects involving her ministry.

Zuraida yesterday said the projects were negotiated without her knowledge and promised to look into the matter.

She said the RM170.3 million Taman Beringin solid waste project was approved by the finance ministry under Lim through a letter dated Feb 20, 2019, addressed to her ministry’s secretary-general.

The other project was for a RM501,000 software accounting system.

In a statement, Lim said it was common practice for the responsible ministry to submit an application letter to the finance ministry for the approval of the direct negotiation projects.

“Therefore, there would definitely be a letter from the housing and local government ministry to the finance ministry,” he said.

He said the letter should be written by the ministry’s secretary-general as the project involved a large amount of RM170.3 million.

“Zuraida must not deny the existence of the application letter and I challenge her to reveal it so that people can know the real story,” he said.

He said it was impossible for the letter to have been sent without the permission of the minister.

“If it was true that the application was made without Zuraida’s knowledge, the secretary-general could be subjected to disciplinary action.”

Lim said if Zuraida was really in the dark over the management of her own ministry, she was not “fit and proper” to hold the ministerial position.

He also urged Zuraida to disclose the letter addressed to her ministry from the finance ministry or from him, if such a letter existed.