BY ZAZALI MUSA

The Sungai Segget rejuvenation project, along Jalan Wong Ah Fook in Johor Baru. is now in its third phase involving landscaping and beautificaiton works.

JOHOR BARU: The Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda) has dismissed the allegation that it had paid a Kuala Lumpur-based consultant an exorbitant sum for the Sungai Segget landscaping job.

Planning and compliance department head Maimunah Jaafar said Irda had yet to open the tender for the job and as such, the issue did not arise at all.

“We are still finalising details on the landscaping job and will only open the tender in the last quarter of the year,” she said after a media briefing on the progress of the Sungai Segget rejuvenation project.

Maimunah said Irda had always complied with the guidelines by the Finance Ministry in awarding public and infrastructure projects since the start of Iskandar Malaysia on Nov 4, 2006.

The deputy Home Minister had expressed his disappointment as he said the fee paid was “too exorbitant” considering that the cost of the landscaping job was only RM57mil.

Nur Jazlan also urged the Auditor General’s office to look into Irda’s procurement processes, adding that the standard percentage of the payment for the Federal Government projects should be between 2% and 6%.

Meanwhile, Irda projects head Mohd Zam Mustamam said Nur Jazlan was most probably misinformed on the landscaping job as Irda had yet to finalise the costing.

“There will be an open tender and we will give priority to a Johor-based company to undertake the landscaping job,” he said.

Mohd Zam said Irda had in the past never overpaid successful bidders for infrastructure projects and always complied with the rules set by the Finance Ministry.

He said the Sungai Segget rejuvenation project had now entered its third phase involving landscaping and beautification works, aimed at making the river one of the major tourist destinations in Johor.

There are three proposed concept zones in the landscape of Sungai Segget, which are the historical and heritage zone, cultural and art zone and fun and leisure zone.

The 1.3km long and 25m wide Sungai Segget, which flows along Jalan Wong Ah Fok in downtown Johor Baru, is said to be one of the dirtiest rivers in the country. It was covered in 2005 at a cost of RM6mil.