Zuraida says in the dark over direct deals awarded to ministry

(FMT) – Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin today said two directly negotiated projects involving her ministry under the previous Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration were done without her knowledge.

The Ampang MP however said her ministry would investigate the matter revealed by Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz yesterday.

Tengku Zafrul had issued a statement with the details of the 101 projects worth RM6.61 billion allegedly awarded through direct negotiation under the PH administration.

The housing and local government ministry was one of the top five ministries with the highest value in terms of directly negotiated contracts, with two projects worth RM170.79 million.

The other four ministries were transport (four projects worth RM4.47 billion), defence (six projects, RM900.6 million), home affairs (eight projects, RM517.8 million) and communications and multimedia (12 projects, RM380.12 million).

“I want to emphasise that the two projects through the housing and local government ministry while I was the minister under the previous administration were done without my knowledge.

“Therefore, I would like to assure that the ministry will conduct an investigation involving this issue,” she said in a brief statement today.

Zuraida previously said in Parliament that none of the 101 projects was discussed during Cabinet meetings.