Why cover up? DAP reps question Zairil over Bagan road funding

Funds for roadworks in the Bagan constituency continue to be a hot issue, as two Penang DAP assemblypersons question if party colleague Zairil Khir Johari was covering up for errant officials.

Bagan Dalam and Bagan Jermal assemblypersons K Kumaran and Chee Yeeh Keen issued a statement today, demanding an explanation from the Penang executive councillor (exco).

They alleged that Public Works Department (JKR) officers violated ministerial directives by diverting RM1.4 million in funds meant for Bagan to an opposition-held constituency.

Kumaran and Chee’s state constituencies are under the Bagan constituency, whose MP is DAP chairperson Lim Guan Eng.

Zairil (above) is the state exco member in charge of infrastructure and transport and is also the deputy chairperson of Penang DAP.

Kumaran and Chee said JKR officers who allegedly diverted funds to Perikatan Nasional’s parliamentary constituency of Tasek Gelugor should be held accountable for breaking the rules.

“This is the second time funds meant for roadworks in Bagan were diverted to other constituencies. The first time was last year when RM500,000 was transferred,” they said.

They also noted that when Lim commented on this, he did not blame the state government or Zairil, as he understood the funds were from the federal government and were not under the state’s jurisdiction.

“In a letter to Lim dated April 9, 2024, a ministerial directive was issued to allocate RM5.6 million to upgrade roads and RM200,000 in emergency works for the Bagan parliamentary constituency.

“The ministerial directive clearly specified the funds were for Bagan, not any other constituency.

“Zairil’s justification that RM1.4 million was spent on the same trunk road, even though part of it is outside Bagan, is illogical as the minister specified the funds are for the Bagan constituency.

“What’s unusual is that instead of hauling up the JKR officials for ‘hijacking’ the federal funds from Bagan to another constituency, Zairil suddenly defended them, at the expense of his own party’s national chairperson,” they said.

Road goes across two constituencies

Yesterday, Zairil explained that the RM5.6 million was used to upgrade the FT001 trunk road, which crosses both Bagan and Tasek Gelugor, to ensure a continuous smooth road rather than causing drivers to suddenly encounter bad conditions upon crossing constituency lines.

He revealed that RM4.2 million was spent on the Bagan portion of the road, while RM1.4 million was used for the Tasek Gelugor portion.

He emphasised that the JKR officials acted without ill intent, as they were upgrading the same road to ensure continuous comfort, not to deliberately divert funds. He also noted that Bagan residents would benefit from the upgraded road.

“However, since the MP for Bagan feels cheated, I managed to get JKR to get an additional RM1.4m to spend in Bagan. This has been approved.”

Nonetheless, Kumaran and Chee maintained that the RM1.4 million, or a total of RM1.9 million including last year’s RM500,000, is not a small amount and that it is unfair to Lim and Bagan’s 90,000 voters.

“We find it unacceptable that RM1.9 million meant for roadworks in our respective constituencies in Bagan Dalam and Bagan Jermal can be simply ‘hijacked’ twice in such a high-handed and arbitrary manner to another constituency out of Bagan.

“Lim was only doing his job as the Bagan MP in loyally defending the legitimate interests of his voters to prevent roadwork funds meant for them from being diverted,” they said.

“It is not easy to obtain federal funds in the first place and, as elected representatives, we must ensure that every sen is properly spent. We regret that Zairil appears to prioritise the errant officials in JKR over the well-being of the 90,000 voters in Bagan.”

Kumaran and Chee insisted that action be taken against the allegedly errant officials to ensure such diversions of funds do not happen again.

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