THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission is questioning 20 Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) personnel over their role in the River of Life project in the capital city, said sources.

These officers were involved in the wastewater treatment plant under the RM4.4 billion River of Life project, they said.

Others were involved in projects to undertake clearing rubbish and other debris from rivers in the city, maintaining riverbanks and other river-related projects, they said.

“They were involved in projects pertaining to cleaning and maintaining rivers in Kuala Lumpur. It is believed that they have been paid off by certain contractors,” a source told The Malaysian Insight.

On Wednesday, Kuala Lumpur mayor Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan said MACC is investigating 20 DBKL personnel for allegedly leaking information regarding a contract worth RM60 million.

He said the probe into the personnel, who are all from the same department, started on Tuesday, adding that DBKL has transferred the affected personnel to other departments to avoid any interference in the investigations.

DBKL sources told The Malaysian Insight that the 20 would only be transferred out after the Chinese New Year break next week.

The RM4.4 billion River of Life project started in 2011 to improve water quality at eight main rivers in the Klang Valley for recreational purposes.

The River of Life is also a start-up project under the Greater Kuala Lumpur/Klang Valley city plan.

Pakatan Harapan had previously said the project will be continued, with a targeted completion date of late 2020.

Federal Territories Minister Khalid Samad also said a group of contractors and DBKL personnel had formed a “cartel” to monopolise the projects.

“The usual practice was for the same contractors to be given the projects,” he said.

His ministry is in the midst of breaking that cartel by relooking into contracts and tenders approved for projects in the city, he added. – February 2, 2019.