HSSI Sdn Bhd, an independent consultant appointed by the Penang government to verify claims made by the contractor for the undersea tunnel project, was offered the job via open tender, said Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said today.

Lim said HSSI was engaged by the state government as an "independent checking engineer," and not to prepare environmental impact assessment reports.

He stated that HSSI was granted the job after an open tender process by the Penang Tender Committee, and because they submitted the lowest bid...