KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 27): Prolintas Managers Sdn Bhd, the trustee-manager of Prolintas Infra Business Trust (KL:PLINTAS), on Monday clarified that two individuals charged with corruption linked to its sponsor Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings Sdn Bhd (Prolintas) are not related to the operations of the business trust.
In a statement, Prolintas Managers said the individuals "are affiliated with Turnpike Synergy Sdn Bhd, which is in charge of the construction of the Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE), which is unrelated to our operations, as the project is not part of Prolintas Business Trust".
The two individuals are Prolintas chief operating officer Rostam Shahrif Tami, 59, and project manager Zairulnizam Rohani, 47.
Rostam was charged earlier on Monday with soliciting and accepting RM70,000 in bribes to award work packages for SUKE. He pleaded not guilty. Zairulnizam claimed trial on Jan 23 for allegedly accepting RM50,000 in bribes in exchange for assisting a company to secure a highway construction project two years ago.
Prolintas Infra Business Trust's portfolio comprises four operating highways. They are the Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway or Akleh, Guthrie Corridor Expressway or GCE, Lebuhraya Kemuning-Shah Alam or LKSA, and Kajang Dispersal Link Expressway or Kajang Silk.
Prolintas had carved out the four assets out of its portfolio of six highways and placed them under the business trust for the trust's listing in March last year, raising RM445.3 million. The two remaining highways under Prolintas are SUKE and the Damansara-Shah Alam Elevated Expressway or DASH.
In a separate statement, Prolintas said the two had been placed on leave of absence since July last year.
"Prolintas reiterates that it has a zero-tolerance policy with regard to breaches of integrity and governance, and shall take all necessary action to address this matter and to protect the interests of the company.
"Prolintas takes these charges seriously, and has been cooperating throughout the ongoing investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. We will continue to extend our utmost support and cooperation to the relevant authorities in this matter," it added.
Prolintas holds a 51.02% stake in Prolintas Infra Business Trust. Prolintas itself is wholly owned by Permodalan Nasional Bhd.
Units in Prolintas ended half a sen or 0.52% lower at 95.5 sen on Monday — little changed from its IPO price of 95 sen per unit — valuing the trust at RM1.05 billion.