Sports and Youth Minister Azalina Othman Said is adamant in pursuing the formation of a sports centre outside London which certain quarters claimed could cost up to RM490 million.

Her statement, according to Parliamentary Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang, raised eyebrows as it is an "open defiance" of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The prime minister had said that the initial response from the British authorities showed that they will not allow the Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre (Tarrc) in Brickendonbury to be turned into a high performance sports centre.

In a statement, Lim said this appeared to be a "very diplomatic face-saving way out" for Abdullah to shoot down the first mega project under his premiership.

However, Azalina yesterday said her ministry will pursue the project despite the objections as it is needed to mould Malaysian sportsmen to become high achievers.

She also said the cost of the project has not been finalised and therefore should not be an issue.

On the same note, she added that the Finance Ministry has the last say on the matter as it is a government project.

Complex factors at work

Commenting on this, Lim asked why was such public disassociation from the prime minister's statement so urgent that Azalina could not wait until the next meeting of the cabinet committee on sports in September to seek guidance?

"Very complex factors and forces, which have nothing to do with raising Malaysian sports to international standards, seem to be at work," he said.

"In fact, there are those who wonder whether the sports complex will mark the first cabinet split and revolt in the Abdullah premiership," he added.

The veteran politician also urged Azalina and her officials to come clean and be frank with Malaysian taxpayers about their 'white elephant' mega-project.

Among others, he said they should make public the proposal paper as to its costs, whether short-term, mid-term or long-term and how the eight 'core sports' - squash, hockey, badminton, football, aquatics, athletics, bowling and gymnastics - will benefit.

"Most important of all, how much has been spent in the feasibility and other studies for the proposed sports centre, whether it is true that the preliminary expenditures are already in million-ringgit figures," he added.