Lim summons Irwan, Najib to explain lopsided SSER deal

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng says the zero GST, which comes into effect on Friday, will

KUALA LUMPUR: Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng today summoned former Treasury Secretary-General, Tan Sri Irwan Serigar Abdullah, and ex-prime minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to explain the lopsided and dubious RM9.4 billion deal signed by Suria Strategic Energy Resources Sdn Bhd (SSER).

"The Board of Directors (of SSER) and Tan Sri Irwan Serigar in particular, must answer as to why SSER signed such a lopsided contract that clearly jeopardises the interest of the Malaysian people and government.

"In addition, we would seek the assistance of former Finance and Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who has been active on Facebook recently, to explain how he could possibly approve the above transactions,” Lim said in a statement today.

He added that the government would seek the assistance of the China government to help trace the flow of funds in China, in order to investigate the possibility of money laundering.

Based on the highly suspicious transactions, Lim had instructed his officers to file a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

The no-holds-barred Finance Minister hoped that there would be no more "nasty surprises” to be found in the "red files".

The "Red Files” were only accessible to certain parties and impeded officials and auditors from carrying out the responsibilities with integrity.

SSER is a wholly-owned Ministry of Finance subsidiary set up on  May 19, 2016 with the specific intent to undertake the Multi-Product Pipeline (MPP) and the Trans-Sabah Gas Pipeline (TSGP) projects.

Both projects amounting to RM9.41 billion were awarded to China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau (CPPB), whereby negotiation was done solely by the Prime Minister's Department, without involving Treasury officials.

According to Lim, the Attorney General's Chambers have also confirmed that these contracts were signed despite numerous unanswered questions and red flags raised.

To-date, a total sum of  RM8.25 billion constitutes a staggering 87.7 per cent of the total project value have been paid, despite an average completion rate of only 13 per cent, with another 2 years of the contracts to go, making it a highly suspicious and lopsided transaction. - Bernama