2018 FIFA World Cup project does not involve government funds - Lim Guan Eng

Former finance minister Lim Guan Eng today stressed that the 2018 FIFA World Cup telecast project worth RM29.9 million did not involve government funds, but was implemented using advertising revenue and sponsorships.

Therefore, he said the project should be dropped from the list of 101 direct-negotiation projects approved under the Pakatan Harapan administration as announced by the Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz last Wednesday.

"The government had, in fact, gained a profit of RM3.3 million from the project and it was deposited into the Consolidated Fund account," Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, told a press conference here today.

Last Wednesday, Tengku Zafrul released the full list of 101 projects worth RM6.61 billion that were allegedly awarded through direct negotiations under the PH administration, which also includes the 2018 FIFA World Cup telecast project.

Thus, the Bagan MP asked Tengku Zafrul to make the correction and remove the 2018 FIFA World Cup project from the list.

At a press conference yesterday, Lim also denied the value of direct-negotiation projects awarded under PH administration to be RM6.61 billion, saying that it amounted to only RM352 million.

-- BERNAMA