PETALING JAYA: Questions have arisen over two contracts worth RM170mil involving the Housing and Local Government Ministry that were said to be awarded without the minister’s knowledge. Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin, who kept her post after the collapse of the Pakatan Harapan government six months ago, stressed that she was unaware about the contracts awarded via direct negotiation involving her ministry. “Two projects approved to the ministry during the previous administration was done beyond my knowledge. Zuraida said this in response to Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Aziz’s move to reveal 161 contracts worth RM6.61bil that were awarded through 20 ministries via direct negotiation during the Pakatan administration. Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PH-Kulim Bandar Baharu), a former Cabinet minister, said after reviewing the list that he was confident that the projects were presented to the Cabinet and claimed Azmin’s accusation was false.

Source: The Star August 27, 2020 23:48 UTC