Pahang DAP secretary Lee Chin Chen today challenged MCA president Wee Ka Siong (above) to lodge police and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) reports on the RM450 million construction project in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.

Lee, who is also Bilut assemblyperson, slammed Wee for attempting to hide details of the project which was actually approved in 2016 by then prime minister and finance minister Najib Razak.

His challenge to Wee follows clarification from prime minister Mahathir Mohamad that there is no new tender via direct negotiations awarded to PDM Builders Sdn Bhd.

This isdespite claims that the project was approved by the previous Barison Nasional administration.

Lee, in a statement today, said that Najib has misled the public by covering up his wrongdoings and shifting blame on to others by accusing Pakatan Harapan. 

He was referring to Wee's previous statement urging finance minister Lim Guan Eng to lodge a report with the police or the MACC.

“Just read the letter carefully, you will notice that the project was approved during Najib’s era with the value of RM530 million.

And now, the Harapan government is negotiating to cut down the cost, as long as the developer agrees to continue the project with RM450 million, then there’s no need to open tender,” said Lee.

On Sunday, Umno supreme council member Mohd Razlan Rafii had published a letter addressed to the prime minister's office which stated that the finance ministry had conditionally agreed for PDM Builders Sdn Bhd to undertake the project.

The following day, Najib had published a post on his Facebook page, ridiculing Mahathir and Lim for not addressing the issue.

However, checks revealed that the approval for the project began during Najib's tenure as prime minister and finance minister.

According to the Works Ministry website, preliminary earthworks began in 2016 while the value of the project was revealed by then Kelantan Federal Development Committee chairperson Mustapa Mohamed, in Najib's presence.

He also said since Wee was once a minister in the prime minister department and had attended cabinet meetings before this, he should know the value of the project.

Therefore, Lee (above) urged Wee to be a role model and to lodge reports with the police and MACC in order to investigate the costly project which was approved by Najib.

“If the Finance Minister does not know about this letter then Wee should make report to the police and the MACC immediately.

“This is a very serious allegation of misconducting and abuse of power. If the finance minister does not make any report, it is very hard for him to win the confidence of the public," Wee said in a post on his Facebook page.