Sub-contractors still owed RM33m at P11 goverment -project

Putrajaya Holdings fails sub-contractors again Public Complaints Bureau chief, Senator T. Murugiah (right) has called for another meeting with developers Putrajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd and Peremba Jaya Holding Sdn Bhd for them to present their case. PUTRAJAYA: The fourteen sub-contractors who are owed RM33 million by Putrajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd have yet another reason to be furious with the government-owned company. Putrajaya Holdings failed to submit a letter to the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) in the Prime Minister's Department on Monday, despite its promise to do that in a meeting with the sub-contractors last Friday. The letter was supposed to assist the EPU in determining if the sub-contractors should be paid by Putrajaya Holdings. Putrajay Holdings' failure to submit that letter has angered the subcontractors who claim to be in dire need. At a meeting with the subcontractors last Tuesday, Public Complaints Bureau chief, Senator T. Murugiah expressed his disappointment at the lackadaisical manner in which Putrajaya Holdings was handling the issue. "The manner Putrajaya Holdings is conducting itself does not portray a good image of the government to the public. "The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is also very disturbed over this issue and would like to see it resolved as quickly as possible," he said. He added that he had scheduled a meeting for Thursday and is expecting an explanation from Putrajaya Holdings for the delay. Putrajaya Holdings was a joint venture partner with Peremba Jaya Holding Sdn Bhd on a government residential project in Precinct 11a and 11b here. Putrajaya Holdings and Peremba Jaya Holdings will be meeting with Murugiah on Thursday to present their case to the complainants. http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/Streets/Tuesday/Stories/2422967/Article/ Sub-contractors still owed RM33m Kristina George

T. Murugiah

PUTRAJAYA: Fourteen subcontractors are angry at not being paid a total of RM33 million by Putrajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd for developing a government residential area in Precinct 11a and Precinct 11b here.

Officers from the Putrajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd, which was joint venture partner with Peremba Jaya Holding Sdn Bhd, the main contractor of the development project, failed to turn up for the second meeting on Friday to discuss the issue.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Senator T. Murugiah said the meeting yesterday was supposed to have resolved this issue but the absent officers made that impossible.

"They only unofficially informed us the day before the meeting by phone that they would not be able to make it as they had another occasion to attend on that day," he said.

"They could have at least sent an officer who is authorised to make a decision as they have a huge number of officers."

"This goes to show that they have no respect for me as a deputy minister in the Prime Minister's office, which is very disappointing," he said.

Murugiah went on to say that at the first meeting held on Nov 14, he was not given an explanation as to why the RM33 million was not paid to the sub-contractors.

"I was told that they needed a week to go through their documents before they presented their case before me but they did not show up for the second meeting," he said.

One of the sub-contractors present, S. Sivalingam, proposed that if Putrajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd did not have the funds to settle the debt, they could instead give the sub-contractors a house each in Precinct 11.

He suggested this to the deputy minister as he was facing eviction from his house in Kajang due to mounting debts.

"I have not paid my housing loan since the project was stopped back in 2004. By the end of December, I would have to make an appearance in court to plead my case," he said.

Another sub-contractor who declined to be named said she had no money to pay her hospital bill when she slipped into a coma.

"I had to depend on the generosity of my friends and family as I had no money. The hospital refused to discharge me because I was unable to pay the bill," she said tearfully at the meeting.

Murugiah said he would be giving the company a week's grace period to come up with the solution to the contractors' problem.

"We will be meeting again next Friday and they had better make an appearance. I am still very disappointed with their lackadaisical attitute and will be bringing this issue up to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when I see him," he said.

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/Streets/Monday/Stories/2408672/Article/