KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 27): Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz has reiterated that the list of government projects awarded via direct negotiations under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government was released in the interest of transparency.

“There is nothing wrong in conducting direct negotiations for projects under Section 6(1) of the Financial Procedure Act 1957 (Revised 1972).

“And there are policies surrounding it as well, which enable justification for direct negotiations,” he said.

Tengku Zafrul stressed that the issue should not be politicised.

“To me, it is just factual, and a reflection of what was signed based on the data (letter of awards, or LoAs signed) that we have in the Ministry of Finance (MOF), and it should not be an issue,” he told reporters after launching the Dana Penjana Nasional here today.

Yesterday, MoF released a list of 101 projects awarded via direct negotiations worth RM6.61 billion which were approved during the PH administration.

He said as a wakil rakyat (people’s representative), he was just answering the questions raised for him in the Parliament.

“To me, it (the list) is just factual, and we don’t talk about who negotiated it or when it was done in terms of Los, but this was what was signed during PH’s time,” he said.

He added that issues such as when the negotiations began are something that can be explained by anybody.

“But to me, that is the fact, and that is what happened during PH’s time,” he said.

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