Does it take one year to get the repair works on MRR2 approved?

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw calls on the Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu to explain why it takes over a year for the repair works on the Kepong flyover (MRR2) to be approved. How many authorities must the Public Works Department (JKR) go through?

The briefing on the MRR2 saga to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was on 2 February, 2006. Abdullah announced the closure and the implementation of the water-proofing works the following day. Why does it require the Prime Minister to unravel the Gordian knot?

Dr Tan would like the Works Minister to reveal the mystery of his statement that the delay in carrying out repair work was due to the long process of getting approvals from the various authorities. Was it due to bureaucracy, red-tape or JKR internal factor?

If JKR has to go through the long process of getting approvals for over a year, how long will it take non-governmental agencies or individuals?

The British consultant, Halcrow Group, recommended that JKR water-proof the cracked MRR2 immediately. Nearly a year later, for the third time since the end of 2004 the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee, asked the Director-General (DG) of JKR to enlighten Parliament on the MRR2 saga on 9 December, 2005. On that very day, the newly-appointed DG Dr Wahid promised to ask the contractor Bumi Hiway, Sukmin and KKM to reply whether it wanted to undertake the repair within two weeks, failing which a new contractor would be appointed. On 2 February, 2006, the PM came into the picture.