FINANCE Minister Lim Guan Eng today denied giving approval for a company to be awarded a direct tender for a RM450 million building project in Tunjong, Kelantan.

He said he has no knowledge of the project and will discuss with Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad over reports that the government has given the approval.

“I don’t know and I have not approved such a project. But I will discuss with the prime minister on the matter.

“I will check with my officers at the ministry on the issue,” he said after an event in Petaling Jaya today.

He said this in response about a letter that has been circulating, alleging Dr Mahathir had given approval for the project.

One of Pakatan Harapan’s election promise was to do away with direct tenders.

Yesterday, Dr Mahathir was asked about matter to which he said he had no knowledge of it and would have to check.

“Maybe they have already been awarded the project before this. We found that when Pakatan Harapan took over the government, we stopped all contracts, giving rise to problems because many workers had no jobs; contractors suffered losses.

“This is because we stopped the projects for too long, more than year. We should have stopped the projects only to study ones can be continued and ones that must be re-tendered.

“I don’t know which case this involves.” – September 16, 2019.