by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Penang on Tuesday, 1st February 1994 :
Tan Gim Hwa should explain why the MPPP awarded the architectural design for the RM50 million Relau Indoor Stadium without open competition which is a violation of the rules of the Malaysian Institute of Architects.
Three weeks ago, MPPP President Datuk Tan Gim Hwa said that the MPPP had appointed a team of consultants to prepare the building and engineering plans for the RM50 million indoor stadium at Relau, and that the plans were expected to be completed in one or two months time and tenders would be called.
Tan Gim Hwa should explain why the MPPP awarded the architectual design for the RM50 million Relau Indoor Stadium without open competition, which is a violation of the Rules of the Malaysian Institute of Architects.
In the Penang State Assembly on December 17, I had raised the issue of the MPPP had inviting seven architectural firms to submit designs for the Relau Indoor Stadium, in violationof the rules of the Malaysian Institute of Architect which requires an open competition for such a bid.
As a result, architects were advised by the Malaysian Institute of Architects (Pertubuhan Arkitet Malaysia) not to participate in the project.
Finally, there were only two or three submissions – out of which one was selected.
Neither the MPPP nor the State Government has been able to give any satisfactory explanation despite the matter being raised in the Penang State Assembly on December 17.
I understand there was a further irregularity in the award of the building design for the RM50 million Relau Indoor Stadium, which would be worth in the region of RM2 million.
Tan Gim Hwa should give full details and particulars of these MPPP irregularities.