Works Minister S Samy Vellu should stop using the Anti-Corruption Agency's (ACA) checks as an excuse to indefinitely shelve repair works on the Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) flyover in Kepong, said DAP chairperson Lim Kit Siang.

The opposition leader said it would not take the ACA more than three days to photograph the cracks on the 31 defective support beams as part of its checks.

"So, why is Samy Vellu giving the impression that all repair work on the MRR2 is to put on hold indefinitely until the completion of the ACA investigations, which can take months or even years?" he said in a statement following a visit by DAP parliamentarians to the site today.

"In this respect, Samy Vellu should be aware that there are people who believe he is using the ACA investigations to avoid public accountability and to throw light on the many (unanswered) questions regarding the project."

Lim urged Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and the cabinet to instruct Samy Vellu not to use the ACA probe as an excuse to avoid full public accountability.

The RM238 million contract was awarded to BumiHiway (M) Sdn Bhd, Sukmin Sdn Bhd and Konsortium Kontraktor Melayu.

The government closed the 1.7km stretch between the Taman Bukit Maluri and the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia interchanges on Aug 8 after detecting a series of cracks on the support beams.

The unannounced move took motorists by surprise and sparked criticism of the design and construction of the flyover and the lack of transparency and accountability by all parties concerned.

Details wanted

Earlier, Samy Vellu had said repairs would be completed within three months at an estimated cost of RM20 million. He said the cabinet would decide on who should pick up the tab for the repairs.

Since last week, opposition MPs and the public have been asking for full disclosure of the findings of the international consultants for the project.

Newspaper reports today quoted Samy Vellu as saying that he was co-operating fully with the ACA by stopping repair works so as not to interfere with investigations.

Federal and state ACA officials were unavailable for comment as they were either abroad or at meetings.

However, Lim insisted that the minister should state whether cracks on the MRR2 flyover had been detected much earlier during the 'defect liability period' (DLP) before May.

"(That was when) heavy traffic was banned following a top Public Works Department recommendation to demolish and reconstruct the defective cross- heads."

Lim also wanted Samy Vellu to explain when the cracks were first detected.

"If it is true that the cracks and defects had been discovered during the DLP, then what has the ministry done all this time to rectify the problem?"

"Isn't it true that the German consultant appointed by the PWD had pointed to design failure and questioned the findings of the Australian consultant hired by BumiHiway?"

Furthermore, Lim said the Public Works Department (PWD) should be held equally responsible for vetting and approving the project design submitted by the contractor and consultant.

Lim also wanted to know when the flyover had been handed over to the authorities, and when the PWD had issued a Certificate of Practical Compliance (similar to the Certificate of Fitness for houses) to the contractor.

He also wanted Samy Vellu to state when the flyover had been gazetted for public use.