Why is Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai refusing an audit of KLIA2?

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Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai Cites Scope Increase and Stakeholder Needs for KLIA2 Cost Adjustments

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai has stated that the cost increases associated with the KLIA2 project were not due to cost overruns but rather to an expansion in scope driven by a new design concept and the detailed requirements of stakeholders. This position contrasts with recommendations from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which had called for an in-depth audit by the Auditor-General into the project's ballooning expenses.
Minister's Stated Reasons for Cost Adjustments

In a written parliamentary reply, Minister Liow Tiong Lai explained that the perceived increase in cost for KLIA2 was attributed to "an increase in scope due to a new design concept of KLIA2." He further elaborated that the "detailed needs" of various stakeholders, including aviation companies and the government, also contributed to the adjustments in the project's expenditure.
PAC's Findings on Questionable Decisions

Despite the Minister's explanation, DAP's Tony Pua highlighted that the PAC had investigated and confirmed that "questionable decisions" made by Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) were the primary drivers behind the project's cost escalating from an initial RM1.7 billion to RM4 billion. Pua asserted that these confirmed decisions led to the significant cost overrun.
MAHB's Own Admission of Overruns

Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) itself had acknowledged cost overruns amounting to RM3.9 billion as far back as November 2011. This admission preceded a statement by the then Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri in October of the following year, informing Parliament that the project's cost had risen to RM4 billion.
Contrast with Previous Ministerial Action

Pua drew a comparison between Minister Liow Tiong Lai's current stance and that of his predecessor, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat. Pua noted that Ong Tee Keat, during his tenure, had ordered an independent audit into the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal, demonstrating a different approach to addressing large-scale project cost issues.

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Why is Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai refusing an audit of KLIA2?

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