KOTA KINABALU, Feb 17 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Sabah Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Peter Anthony will take legal action against a local portal over allegations that several Sabah Public Works Department (JKR) contracts had been awarded without any tenders.
He said his ministry has lodged a police report and is calling on the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to take action against the portal as well.
The state government is always open to criticisms by any parties but these should be constructive and not just wild accusations, he said.
“I am suing the portal personally as the minister as it is accusing us of abuse of power. They also know at ministry-level, we have no authority to appoint contractors through direct-negotiation, never.
“But it is possible at Finance Ministry level as it has long been practised since the Sabah government was set up a long time ago,” he told reporters when asked to comment on the matter here today.
Earlier, a local portal reported that Peter was involved in awarding contracts worth RM1.5 billion from Sabah JKR without tender.
Peter said the portal’s report was an attempt to hurl baseless allegations when his ministry was not involved in direct negotiation with any contractor in Sabah.
–NNN-BERNAMA