PUTRAJAYA, Sept. 19 -- The RM450 million project mentioned in a letter circulating online is already in progress and the document was just a recommendation to approve cheaper implementation by the award winner, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad explained today.

The prime minister said the letter was not an order to award the contract directly and was instead a recommendation for approval in the event the company could lower the costs of the project.

"You can see from the letter that this was a continuation of a project that has been given to this party," he told a press conference here.

"What I said was if this company is willing to reduce the cost and if this is a continuation of the previous project I think we should (allow it).

"It is not a ...