In today's Star, Pak Lah interestingly enough, reveals that "...the letter of award (for the project) has been given (to MMC-Gamuda) but we still have to negotiate the agreement."
Reading between the lines, it looks like the letter of award is worth nothing more than the paper it is written on. Recent controvesy relating to the funding of the project and SMAB's financial manouvering is acquiring the project would surely throw a sucker puch at our PM's pledge to get the government to clean up its act. True, PTP today looms as a testimony of SMAB's abilities, but to put multi-billion dollar Bakun and the double tracking projects into the same basket is risky to say the least and smells bad, especially from an unassociated distance...
Pak Lah has shown tremendous resolve to finally reach the pinacle of power. The question on everyone's mind is who is pulling the strings? By casting the slightest of doubts on the finality of Bakun now, Abdullah may be demonstrating the type of timing that eluded the likes of Musa Hitam and Anwar Ibrahim. To do this, he will have to go beyond spot checks and political stalling (how else would one categorize Bakun version 2.11?). He will have to prove the ability not only to fill the large shoes of our beloved Tun, but also the ability to lift that foot, shoes and all, and kick the parasites right out of the system. For many, this may seem like political suicide, but perhaps this is the only real way for Pak Lah to leave a memorable legacy.
For this, we sit and wait.
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