PKR wants probe on City Hall's environ improvement project

Kota Kinabalu: Parti Keadilan Rakyat wants the Anti-Corruption Agency to investigate City Hall's Kota Kinabalu City Centre Environmental Improvement Master Plan project.

Its Vice President Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan said the project, announced initially by City Hall (DBKK) with much publicity and fanfare, has not been implemented due to questionable and inconsistent deals.

He contended that City Hall had failed to do its part despite the Public Works Department (JKR) having done its obligation in the project implementation.

"The project, which is supposed to create a one-way traffic flow system and ease the massive traffic congestion here, upgrade various city precincts and walkways besides turning the city into a Tropical Garden City was planned with some of KK's flyovers.

"The flyovers are now complete and the roads (Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens, Jalan Dua Puluh and Jalan Sembilan Belas, among others) handed to City Hall by JKR but DBKK's part has yet to take offÉthe public has a right to know why," he said, in a statement.

Jeffrey said to make matters worse the multi-million Wawasan one-directional flyover interchange in line with City Hall's one-way street system is completed and yet the one-way street system is yet to commence.

"While JKR has fulfilled its obligation, the same cannot be said of DBKK."

He claimed there were many other inconsistencies, pointing out that the appointed contractor complained the Government had deceived them.

"The Government had not only given them the run-around but made them spend millions of ringgit only to be told that there was no money for the project after all.

"Where is the transparency, competency, responsibility and accountability of DBKK?" he said.

Jeffrey further claimed another company, recommended by the Prime Minister's office to implement the same project, was not registered when awarded the project on July 30, 2002.

"On checking with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) office, we discovered this company was only registered or established in 2005.

"What is going on? How can a company which only came into being in 2005 be offered a project in 2002. If the project did not have the funds, then how is it that another company was offered to implement the same project?" he asked.

He urged City Hall to clarify the status of the project. "Why the delay?

Why two contractors?"

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