Aspen’s co-founder and group CEO M Murly said statements about the axed deal were incorrect and did not reflect the contents of its request for proposal (RFP).

Among the submissions in its RFP was a proposal for a bridge to ensure proper internal connectivity between Batu Kawan and the project site.

It was previously reported that the land deal was axed in 2024 because the consortium purportedly failed to meet five of the nine main requirements set out in the project’s RFP, including the construction of the said bridge.

Last week, chief minister Chow Kon Yeow claimed that IJM-Aspen refused to build the bridge.

However, Murly said that the consortium, in its proposal, expressed its commitment to building the bridge and even suggested the construction of another bridge to ensure proper connectivity between the plot of land where BKIP2 is to be developed and the Batu Kawan Industrial Park.

Murly said following the RFP submission, PDC – the proprietor of the land – did not meet with the consortium to discuss it.

“We requested a meeting. It was not entertained. We received no communication. None. For an RFP of this scale, that is not due process. That is not how any credible evaluation is conducted,” he told reporters here.

Murly suggested that an independent review be conducted of the consortium’s RFP submission, along with all relevant RFP documents and the evaluation process itself, saying it would serve public interest regarding the land deal.

“We deal with facts and documented commitment as a public-listed company, and when a listed company’s documented record is publicly misrepresented, we have an obligation to respond.”

Despite the axing of the land deal, Murly said the issue would not affect its ongoing business activities in the state, particularly its developments in Bandar Cassia, Batu Kawan.

“We will continue to fulfil all our (existing) obligations. We will continue to develop and to invest in Penang’s future opportunities.”