A special committee under the Transport Ministry has been formed to monitor the klia2 airport, and ensure that it will meet its latest May 2, 2014 deadline.
Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said that the committee, which is tasked to communicate to the public the reasons behind the repeated delay of the RM4 billion project, will be headed by his deputy Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi.
“There will be no more delays under my watch,” Hishammuddin told reporters at a site visit to the 91% completed project.
The project has been delayed five times since September 2011, the original date for the opening.
There has also reported increases in the scope of the project, though the country’s airport operator, Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad (MAHB), maintained again today that there were no ‘cost overruns’.
“The special committee will be in charge of explaining to the public three main areas: The issues related to cost, the increase scope, size and specifications,” said Hishammuddin.
He said that the public has the right to know all these details, though he added that to him, the reasons given to him behind the delay sounded “rational”.
However, he added that if the explanation from the committee was unsatisfactory, the same committee can decide to form another committee to perform an independent audit on the development.
“These are all of public importance. The independent audit report can then be brought to me as the minister in charge of Transport,” he said.
Hishammuddin said that he was "positive" that the project can be completed in time, and said that if all parties give focus to the timeline and close ranks, “there is no reason we cannot be proud of this iconic project”.
Asked if more delays of the deadline, currently set at April 30 completion and May 2, 2014 for its opening, Hishammuddin replied sternly: “Cannot, cannot, cannot. Unacceptable. For me it is important that the date that has been announced must be met.”
“Before this, I was not at the ministry. But as long as I am in this position, whatever measures that I can take will be taken to make sure there are no restraints from any parties to make sure this project can be delivered on time.”
On Opposition leaders calling for a probe of the delays, Hishammuddin said that it was unfair for any party to accuse all 43 contractors of wrongdoing.
“That’s unfair. It involves a lot of stakeholders. It is wrong for the Opposition to randomly say this is wrong, that is not right… anybody can do that. To generally blame everybody for the delays is unjustified. “
Asked if he was confident that the project will now meet its target, HIshammuddin refused to commit but said: “I am not an expert. To say if I am confident, I cannot say, but I hold them to their promise of that date to me as a minister.
Asked about DAP’s call for the Transport Ministry to disclose details of an independent report produced by audit firm KPMG, Hishammuddin said:”I think the Government audit will be carried out independently. The audit department is not for me to comment. I’m sure they will do whatever they are supposed to do.
“I don’t think right now there is a need for an audit yet, just that the delays and so on were not communicated well to the public.”
Since the project was first tendered in 2009, it was reported hampered by numerous delays and problems, causing cost to escalate more than 100 percent from RM1.7 billion to RM4 billion last year.
On Wednesday, the Transport Ministry told Parliament that delay in the construction of the low-cost carrier terminal KLIA2 has caused no financial impact on MAHB.
Teoh El Sen
Fri Jul 05 2013
Bursa Malaysia naik pada dagangan awal
Bursa Malaysia mencatatkan peningkatan semula pada dagangan awal, menjejaki prestasi semalaman Wall Street yang positif.
Polis tahan empat lelaki disyaki terlibat kes samun, cubaan culik
Anggota unit D9 IPK Johor dan Bahagian Siasatan Jenayah IPD Kulai melakukan serbuan kira-kira pukul 10.50 pagi hingga 4.50 petang.
Ringgit naik kepada 4.68 berbanding dolar AS pada sesi pembukaan
Mohd Afzanizam berkata mata wang tempatan boleh berada pada paras RM4.67 hingga RM4.68.
Isu telaga jejari: Kerajaan Kelantan beri kerjasama penuh kepada SPRM
Mohamed Fadzli berkata Kerajaan Kelantan tidak akan menganggu proses penyiasatan yang sedang berjalan.
Pilihan raya AS: Biden, Trump setuju dengan dua Debat Presiden
Joe Biden dan Donald Trump setuju mengadakan dua Debat Presiden pada Jun dan September ini sebagai sebahagian daripada kempen pilihan raya.
Legasi Sudirman wajar diteruskan - Aznil
Sudirman mengubah pandangan masyarakat terhadap penggiat seni apabila menampilkan benchmark baharu - iaitu artis perlulah terpelajar.
Filem Lee Chong Wei satukan Tun M, Azmin
Kedua-duanya ketika itu mempunyai beberapa isu berkenaan darjah kebesaran Dr Mahathir ditarik balik dan gesaan Azmin dilantik menjadi PM.
Android akan tambah ciri kenal pasti kejadian ragut, kunci peranti
Menerusi kemas kini terbaharu, peranti Android akan dapat mengenal pasti telefon sekiranya diragut perompak dan mengunci akses.
UPM hasilkan gel tenaga dari kurma untuk ahli sukan dan aktiviti lasak
Pasukan penyelidik menghasilkan formulasi gel tenaga baharu menggabungkan bahan-bahan berkhasiat atau superfood dalam satu paket kecil.
Buku Syed Saddiq singkap ada gerakan cadang lantik Azmin Ali jadi PM pada 2018
Beliau yang pada ketika itu pegawai kepada Dr Mahathir cuba menjadi orang tengah untuk mendamaikan kedua-dua pemimpin tersebut.