Press Conference Statement (2) by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General, and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, at the DAP PJ Hqrs on Thursday, 9th August 1990 at 11.30am.
Call on the Selangor Mentri Besar, Tan Sri Datuk Muhamad bin Hj. Mohd. Taib to explain his abuse of power in overruling the PKNS Tender Board decision in the award of a tender in favour of an UMNO Assemblyman
The Barisan Nasional Government has abandoned and forgotten its early pledges of a ‘clean, efficient and trustworthy’ administration, for abuses of power, breach of trust and corruption have never been so rampant in the history of the country as today.
I want today to call on the Selangor Mentri Besar, Tan Sri Datuk Muhamed bin Haji Mohd Taib, to explain his abuse of power in overruling the Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS) Tender Board decision in the award of a tender in favour of an UMNO Assemblyman.
On 17th November 1986, PKNS advertised the sale of a petrol pump site by way of tender at Section 17, Shah Alam. Some of the particulars given in the advertisement are as follows:
‘Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor.
Kenyataan Tawaran.
Tawaran Jualan Secara Tender Tapak Pam Minyak di Seksyen 17, Shah Alam
1. Taraf Pemohon: Bumiputera (Persendirian/Syarikat)
2. Lokasi Tapak: Seksyen 17 (1 lot)
3. Luas Tapak: 19944 m.p. (21,445 k.p.)
4. Harga Khas: $538 semeter persegi ($50 s.k.p.)
5. Tempoh Pegangan: 30 tahun(boleh diperbaharui)’.
I understand that when tenders closed on 1st December 1986, there were eleven tenders. The highest was submitted by one Ishak bin Hashim with the quotation of $69.50 per sq. ft. The PKNS Tender Board met in December 1985 and decided to award the petrol pump site to the highest bidder, namely Ishak bin Hashim.
However, although the PKNS Tender Board had formally decid¬ed to award the tender to the highest bidder, the Selangor Mentri Besar, then Datuk Mohamed bin Hj Mohd Taib, interfered and overruled the PKNS Tender Board decision, and awarded the-tender instead to the the seventh highest bidder offering $55 per sq. ft.
This seventh highest tenderer on whose behalf the Mentri Besar intervened, and committed the gross irregularity by overruling the PKNS Tender Board is none other than the UMNO Baru Assemblyman for Morib, Datuk Haji Abu Bakar bin Haji Abdul Hamid.
Although the Selangor Mentri Besar decided that Datuk Haji Abu Bakar should top up his bid to match that of the highest bidder, Ishak bin Hashim, i.e. also at $69.50 per sq. ft, this interference by the Selangor Mentri Besar is most irregular and a gross abuse of power, and a clear instance of political favouritism.
The Selangor Mentri Besar owes the people a full explana¬tion for such gross abuse of power and political discrimination and favouritism, failing which the Anti-Corruption Agency should step in, especially as the ACA Director, Haji Zulkifli Mohmood, had said that the ACA does not practise discrimination in its investigations.