Everybody Is Wrong Except Health Ministry, Says Samy Vellu

SEREMBAN, March 6 (Bernama) -- "It's better for me not to say anything. Let them talk. We were wrong.
"The Works Ministry) was wrong, the contractor was wrong, the sub-contractors were wrong, those who gave the land were also wrong. Only the Health Ministry was right. Thank you," said Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu here, Tuesday.
He was responding to the statement by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek who denied that the delay in completing the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Star was caused by his ministry's decision to change the scope of work repeatedly.
Samy Vellu said this after the launching of the Eubiq and Grounding Sentry System (GSS), a Revolutionary Power Outlet System, here.
Dr Chua also said he could not understand why certain government agencies were so keen to champion contractors that they stressed in newspapers the project was delayed not because of the contractors, but because the Health Ministry often changed the scope of work.
Asked on the statement by Deputy Helth Minister, Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad who admitted that the ministry had made several alterations on the hospital, Samy Vellu said, "they can say what they like".
Abdul Latif said at a function in Seremban yesterday that the changes were made to provide the people with the latest facilities.
"We want the latest equipments for the benefit of the people. Surely we don't want old equipments that are fit for museums," he said.
On the toll collection at the Sungai Nyiur Toll Plaza at the Butterworth Outer Ring Road (BORR) which was postponed, Samy Vellu said his ministry was still holding talks with the concessionaire and this may take a month.
The toll collection was postponed after the state government, residents and several non-government orgnisations (NGOs) appealed that the toll should not be implemented until an alternative road was constructed.