THE bribery scandal involving Consortium Zenith Constructions Sdn Bhd – the contractor undertaking the building of the Penang undersea tunnel and highways – has not derailed the state government’s plan for the projects worth RM6.3 billion.

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the scandal should not jeopardise the state’s plan to implement the infrastructure projects.

“It involved a third party that never had anything to do with the project.

“We note the explanation CZC gave the media yesterday. We will wait for the outcome of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s investigation,” he said when asked about the matter this morning.

The Penang tunnel and three major roads mooted by the Penang government was a target of attacks by the former Barisan Nasional federal government, its politicians and friendly parties.

CZC’s dealings concerning the project were put under scrutiny by the anti-graft agency.

In February, MACC detained a 37-year-old businessman suspected of accepting bribes to close MACC’s investigations on CZC in Putrajaya.

The matter came to light when CZC issued demand letters to the individual and a prominent Umno leader for allegedly failing to execute their tasks to deliver the required consultancy services as per their agreement in July 2013.

It was alleged that RM22 million was paid to the two parties – RM19 million to the businessman and RM3 million to Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim.

It was soon revealed that Azeez, who is Baling MP, was a victim of “name-dropping”. The businessman had used Azeez’s name, making Zenith believe that the former represented the latter.

Yesterday, CZC chairman Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli said the bribery scandal was “like a gun to our heads”.

He said the company was conned into believing that action would be taken against it if money was not paid.

Zarul told reporters yesterday that CZC had recently explained the controversy to the state exco.

Meanwhile, Chow said the state government would wait for CZC to present its completed feasibility studies on the undersea tunnel linking Butterworth and Persiaran Gurney on the island, as well as its alternative proposal to build a third bridge.

CZC said yesterday that it was completing a study on the possibility of building a third bridge, instead of the undersea tunnel.

The bridge can also feature a LRT (light rail transit) line running beneath it. – July 3, 2018.