Sungai Sengget rejuvenation project fees adhered to MOF policies: Irda

JOHOR BARU: Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda) has refuted claims that the consultation fee for the beautification and rejuvenation project along Sungai Sengget was extremely high.
Irda's head of planning and compliance Maimunah Jaffar maintained that it strictly adhered to the Finance Ministry's policies and procedures in running the RM240 million Sungai Segget project.
"We are following the procedure, the consultation fee is about 6% of the project fee," said Maimunah.
She said, Irda is a federal agency, and all its finance procedures must comply with Finance Ministry procedures.
Maimunah said that there will be an open tender for landscaping works for the project, which stretches 3.8km.
Of this, she said, 1.4km will be landscaped as a green lung for the city.
She said priority will be given to local contractors for the landscaping project.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed had said the RM20 million consultation fee for the RM57 million landscaping project was too high as it amounted to about 35% of the total cost.
The Pulai MP demanded Irda carry out an audit on the procurement procedures.
The Sungai Sengget rejuvenation project commenced in 2013 and the landscaping work is to ensure the city area becomes a hub for both local and foreign tourists.
Maimunah said there are three proposed concept zones inSungai Segget, namely historical and heritage zone, cultural and art zone, and fun and leisure zone.
She said there will be two public engagement sessions on the landscaping project, which will be held on Aug 16 and 21.
The landscaping project is the final phase of the Sungai Sengget rejuvenation project.