Dr M's Sting (Ep. 7 - The Sideshow: Samy v Shahrir)

Tired of Dr M v Pak Lah?

Never mind. We have a sideshow courtesy of our Works Minister. From The SUN today:-

Samy slams PAC, Shahrir
B. Suresh Ram

KUALA LUMPUR: Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu today (June 13, 2006) chided the Public Accounts Committee and its chairman Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad for continuously questioning the scrapped half-bridge project and the KL-Putrajaya dedicated highway.

He said the committee can only review public spending on projects which have been completed. "Don't jump the gun - give us the time," he thundered in a press conference in his ministry.

Irked by the continuous sniping of the parliamentary body on the two projects, Samy Vellu said the PAC should instead allow the Public Works Department to complete its work. "There must be a limit to the PAC - you are not an operator of this ministry," he said.

... On whether the ministry would reconsider the estimated RM100 million compensation to Gerbang Perdana Sdn Bhd, the contractor for the cancelled bridge project, he said the ministry is still considering it.

"We are not blind to just give it away when they asked. We have eyes, we will consider. Do not think that we are stupid, you know, the PAC should know this," he said.

Yesterday (June 12, 2006), Shahrir told a press conference the PAC would suggest to the PWD claims department to negotiate with Gerbang Perdana to reduce the RM100 million compensation.

Samy Vellu said the ministry will study the compensation rate to Gerbang Perdana and will take into account the various factors, such as feedback from experts and engineers, before a decision is made.

"Ask them to come sit in the Works Ministry-lah - and run the ministry," he said, referring to the PAC members. "Ask the PAC chairman to come and sit in the ministry. Every project he approves, we will implement it," said Samy Vellu.

The ministry stressed that the PAC is not the approving body, and that they will only implement projects approved by the Finance Ministry. "We are the implementing agent for the Finance Ministry which issues all the tenders and projects," he stressed.

... He added he will seek an appointment with former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and will explain to him the decision and directive regarding his ministry's projects he had questioned. "I have sought an appointment next week," he said, adding that he will also submit a written explanation to the former prime minister.

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Why, if Mr Vellu cannot take the heat, maybe it is better for someone else to take over.

Then, we may just find some answers as to how our government might end up with the possibility of paying RM1.12billion for scrapping the crooked bridge, when it would have cost them RM1.113billion to go ahead with it.

Not blind, not stupid. Obviously very clever, the last dinosaur standing from the Jurassic age.

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More name-calling - this time he's a COBRA!