PAS’ Temerloh MP Nasrudin Hassan today questioned why Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is not getting similar flak within Pakatan Rakyat over the state government’s Penang tunnel project compared with the flak Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim is getting over the Kinrara Damansara Expressway (Kidex).

The Kidex project features high up on the list of reasons why PKR is seeking to replace Khalid as menteri besar.

“Why is Khalid being criticised for a project that is not under his jurisdiction?” Nasrudin (left) asked in a Facebook posting, pointing out that the project belongs to the federal government.

Since the project belongs to the federal government, the state government does not have the right to determine the cost and the concession period, the PAS central committee member added.

The cost of the project is estimated at RM161 million, with a concession period of 48 years.

Nasrudin then pointed out how the Penang tunnel project will cost a whopping RM4.63 billion.

In fact, he argued, Lim had in fact used direct negotiations to award the RM4.63 billion project to Construction Zenith BUCG Bhd.

“The Penang government is not bound to any quarters. As such, why the direct negotiation?

“Did we not once say we were against direct negotiations?” Nasrudin asked.

'Penang recorded budget deficits for six years'

Pointing out that the project had also received objections from the people in Penang, he questioned why Lim was not criticised as how Khalid had been, even to the point of asking for his resignation.

“The Penang government has recorded budget deficits in the past six years. What is in his (Lim’s) mind that he spends so excessively on something that is unnecessary?

“Where is the Pakatan leadership in reprimanding his actions?” asked Nasrudin.

In a separate posting, Nasrudin said last night’s forum held to discuss the current menteri besar crisis was used to slam PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang.

However, he did not specify who had made the criticism.

Last night, speakers Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli, Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua, Sepang MP Hanipa Maidin and political observer Hishamuddin Rais outlined reasons why Khalid should resign as menteri besar.

Among other things, Hanipa said Hadi’s support for Khalid was merely a personal opinion.

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