SABAH Infrastructure Development Minister Peter Anthony will take legal action against an unnamed portal for alleged slander on how the state Public Works Department (PWD) awards contracts.

He said his ministry had lodged a police report and is calling on the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to take action against the portal as well.

He said the state government today is always open and accepts any criticism by anyone, but they should be constructive and not make wild accusations.

“I am suing the portal as the minister, because it is accusing us of abuse of power.

“They also knew at ministry-level, we have no authority to appoint contractors through direct-negotiation, never.

“However, it is possible at Finance Ministry level as has long been practised since the Sabah government was set up a long time ago,” he told reporters in Kota Kinabalu today.

Earlier, the portal reported that Anthony was involved in awarding contracts worth RM1.5 billion from Sabah PWD without tender.

Anthony said the portal’s report was seen as attempting to hurl baseless allegations when his ministry was not involved in direct negotiation with any contractor in Sabah.

He said the concession mentioned by the portal was a review of the concession owned by a company given the contract by the previous government.

However, his ministry found the quality of work on the concession unsatisfactory, and therefore proposed the scope of work under the concession be downsized while giving opportunities to other more capable contractors to meet the standards stipulated, he said. – Bernama, February 17, 2020.