Syed Saddiq: I'll quit if any power abuse proved in awarding IKBN contracts (updated)

KUALA LUMPUR: Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (pic) says he will resign if there is proof of any power abuse in awarding contracts worth RM7mil to run National Youth Skills Institutes (IKBN) in three states.

The Youth and Sports Minister said on Monday (Nov 25) that he did not fear any repercussion as the contracts were awarded according to standard operating procedure.

He said all the tenders were done via open tender system through government's e-perolehan system.

Syed Saddiq added that the tender evaluation was done in a transparent manner by the committees appointed based on a set criteria.

"Only tenders approved at the evaluation stage are considered eligible to be appointed.

"In an open tender, a company can participate in more than one tender and those who pass the evaluation stage are eligible to be appointed.

"Therefore there is no issue that only one company is limited for consideration for just one tender," he said.

Syed Saddiq also reiterated that neither he nor his officers were involved in the tender evaluation process.

"If there is any proof of power abuse or misuse and if the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) can prove it, I will be the first to resign. I have no fear," he said in reply to Mohd Shahar Abdullah (BN-Paya Besar), who had repeatedly asked the minister if he would resign over the allegations.

Syed Saddiq said he had also ordered his officers to lodge a MACC report over the matter.

During the committee stage debates for the Youth and Sports Ministry, Mohd Shahar had said that there were allegations that the tender for the IKBN in Melaka, Selangor and Perlis were given to companies with links to Syed Saddiq.

Datuk Jalaluddin Alias (BN-Jelebu) had also raised the same matter and said he had proof that the contracts worth RM7mil had been so awarded.