KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has criticised opposition lawmakers for remaining silent over alleged multibillion-ringgit losses linked to Sabah gas projects dating back to 2016.
He said the two pipeline projects had resulted in losses of RM9 billion, although RM5 billion had since been recovered through a loan restructuring agreement with China.
“We managed to recover RM5 billion,” he told reporters after attending Friday prayers at Masjid Taman Kosas in Ampang.
He challenged opposition lawmakers for failing to raise the matter in Parliament despite the scale of the alleged losses.
“I have yet to see the opposition debate this in Parliament,” he said.
Anwar also questioned whether the opposition considered the losses acceptable and referred to losses involving Felda and Tabung Haji.
He accused political leaders of focusing on racial issues while overlooking corruption and financial misconduct.
“We keep talking about race, but we allow corruption to continue. What kind of politics is this? It is immature,” he said.
Anwar said political discourse should instead focus on national development, accountability and efforts to combat corruption.
“We keep talking about race, but we allow corruption to continue. What kind of politics is this? It is immature,” he said.
On Tuesday, Anwar told the Dewan Rakyat that Malaysia had reduced its losses from two failed pipeline projects from RM8 billion to RM3 billion after reaching a RM5 billion loan restructuring agreement with China.
He said RM8.3 billion, or 88 per cent of the projects’ combined RM9.4 billion contract value, had been paid by 2018, despite reported construction progress of only 13 per cent.
The projects, comprising the Trans-Sabah Gas Pipeline and Multi-Product Pipeline, were awarded through direct negotiations in 2016 and terminated in 2018.
Anwar also said investigations were ongoing and elements of corruption had been detected, although authorities faced difficulties obtaining information involving China.