KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 27 -- Amid heightened furore after accusations over the purported awarding of projects via direct negotiations, a former deputy minister said that Pakatan Harapan (PH) never promised to abolish the said practice.

Former deputy agriculture and agro-based industry minister Sim Tze Tzin took to Facebook last night to explain that his coalition had only promised a "widespread and transparent open tender process".

"PH never promised to abolish direct negotiations. We promised a widespread and transparent open tender process. Please read it yourself.

"That is why we succeeded in reducing direct negotiations to only 1.4 per cent.

"Smart rakyat would be able to differentiate the good governance between PH, PN and BN," he sa...