Azmin confirms setting up of Cabinet committee to review MRT2 contract

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali has confirmed that the Cabinet has set up a committee to review the underground contract that was awarded to MMC-Gamuda for the Mass Rapid Transit 2 (MRT2) project.

"This was the decision made by the Cabinet," he said at the sidelines of South China Morning Post's China Conference here on Thursday (Oct 11).

He was responding to query on whether he was one of the ministers tasked to review the underground portion of the project.

"We do not want to stop all projects as that will have an impact on our domestic economic growth. In such a context, we will re-examine on the said project, to reduce the cost and we will scrutinise it. There is such a need," he said.

"We will look at the costing, design and details of the project. Certainly, we want to protect our workers," he said.

"We don't want to hold the project, we want to examine and decide as soon as possible," Azmin said.

"Like what I have stressed (in my earlier closing remark), while we admit that the national debt is huge, the government will still continue to focus on sustainable economic growth. So we want investment in productive infrastructure, education and technology. All these need to continue," he added.

Quoting a source, Starbiz reported earlier on Thursday (Oct 11) that the Cabinet has set up a committee comprising four ministers to revisit the underground contract that was awarded to MMC-Gamuda for the MRT 2 project.

According to the source, the four members of the committee are Minister of Finance Lim Guan Eng, Minister of Works Baru Bian, Transport Minister Anthony Loke and Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali.

Shares in Gamuda rebounded on Thursday on hopes that the impasse may be resolved. At 4.29pm, the counter was up 24 sen or 11.6% to RM2.31 per share on 101.78 million units done.