Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Sarawak, which has 30 members of parliament, holds the key to the formation of a Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government in the country.
“When Sarawak changes its course, the Barisan Nasional government will collapse,” he said at a dinner organised by “Friends of PKR” at the Sibu Trade and Exhibition centre here last Saturday.
He said other leaders in the PR coalition like Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang of PAS, Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng of DAP and Anwar’s wife would also continue to meet and hold discussions with BN MPS to get them to cross over.
At the function, Anwar received membership application forms from Gabriel Adit Demong, one of two independent state assemblymen, and from 11,752 individuals from throughout the state.
Anwar said Sarawakians were now ready for change, adding that Adit had volunteered to lead a membership recruitment drive for PR. — Bernama
Monday, November 17, 2008
The Star : Pos Malaysia getting RM30m in commission
THE Government will be paying about RM30mil in commission to Pos Malaysia for handling the petrol rebates to motorists.
Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Kong Cho Ha said as of Oct 31, RM16mil in commission had been paid to Pos Malaysia for handling cash, postal orders, money orders and bank transactions for petrol rebates.
“However, the Government does not expect the commission to exceed RM30mil even until the expiry of the petrol rebates for 2008 in March next year,” he said when contacted.
Kong said this when elaborating on a written reply he had given Azan Ismail (PKR – Indera Mahkota) who had asked how much the Government had paid out in petrol rebates to motorists.
Kong said Pos Malaysia was paid RM2.80 for each cash transaction, RM4.80 for each money or postal order transaction and RM3.80 for each bank transaction.
Cash transactions accounted for 98% or RM2.49bil of the RM2.54bil paid out so far while money order, postal order and bank transactions made up the remaining 2% or RM48mil.
In the reply to Azan, Kong said the Govern–ment had paid 5.66 million motorists more than RM2.5bil from June 14 till Oct 31.
“From this total, RM316mil was paid to 2.11 million motorcyclists whereas RM2.02bil was paid to 3.24 million car owners. The remainder was paid to jeep and pick-up truck owners.”
Kong said the latest figures as of Nov 10 put the total amount paid out so far at RM2.652bil.
- The Star
Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Kong Cho Ha said as of Oct 31, RM16mil in commission had been paid to Pos Malaysia for handling cash, postal orders, money orders and bank transactions for petrol rebates.
“However, the Government does not expect the commission to exceed RM30mil even until the expiry of the petrol rebates for 2008 in March next year,” he said when contacted.
Kong said this when elaborating on a written reply he had given Azan Ismail (PKR – Indera Mahkota) who had asked how much the Government had paid out in petrol rebates to motorists.
Kong said Pos Malaysia was paid RM2.80 for each cash transaction, RM4.80 for each money or postal order transaction and RM3.80 for each bank transaction.
Cash transactions accounted for 98% or RM2.49bil of the RM2.54bil paid out so far while money order, postal order and bank transactions made up the remaining 2% or RM48mil.
In the reply to Azan, Kong said the Govern–ment had paid 5.66 million motorists more than RM2.5bil from June 14 till Oct 31.
“From this total, RM316mil was paid to 2.11 million motorcyclists whereas RM2.02bil was paid to 3.24 million car owners. The remainder was paid to jeep and pick-up truck owners.”
Kong said the latest figures as of Nov 10 put the total amount paid out so far at RM2.652bil.
- The Star
mStar Online : Peguam Negara digesa beri alasan bebaskan Razak Baginda
(mStar Online) - Pembangkang meminta Jabatan Peguam Negara memberikan alasan konkrit berhubung keputusan tidak memfailkan rayuan terhadap keputusan membebaskan Pengarah Eksekutif Pusat Penyelidikan Strategik Malaysia, Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda daripada tuduhan bersubahat membunuh wanita Mongolia, Altantuya Shariibuu.
Ahli Parlimen Puchong, Gobind Singh Deo berkata, sepanjang pengetahuannya, ketika Jabatan Peguam Negara mendapat fail kes, mereka dikatakan mempunyai cukup bukti untuk mendakwa Razak yang akhirnya menyebabkan Razak ditahan reman sepanjang perbicaraan.
"Apabila tiba masa pembebasan pada masa ini, tiada alasan konkrit yang diberikan...tiada yang berubah. Jika tiada yang berubah, kami akan tanya kenapa Jabatan Peguam Negara membuat keputusan yang sebaliknya iaitu rayuan tersebut tidak perlu (dilakukan).
"Ini penting kerana kes ini bukan sahaja mendapat perhatian dalam negara malah daripada masyarkat antarabangsa," katanya kepada media di lobi Parlimen, di sini hari ini.
Jumaat lalu, Timbalan Pendakwa Raya, Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah yang mengetuai barisan pendakwaan kes pembunuhan Altantuya berkata, pihaknya tidak akan memfailkan rayuan atas alasan Hakim Mohd Zaki Md Yasin yang memutuskan kes berkenaan sudah membuat penemuan fakta ketika membebaskanRazak daripada tuduhan tersebut.
Razak merupakan tertuduh ketiga dalam kes pembunuhan Altantuya dibebaskan 31 Oktober lalu di Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam setelah Hakim Mohd Zaki mendapati tiada kes prima facie bagi Razak untuk menjawab tuduhan.
Bagaimanapun, dua lagi terduduh iaitu Cif Inspektor Azilah Hadri, 32, dan Koperal Sirul Azhar Umar, 36, kedua-duanya anggota Unit Tindakan Khas (UTK) diarah supaya membela diri atas tuduhan yang dihadapi dan akan memberikan keterangan secara bersumpah untuk membela diri mereka mulai 15 Januari tahun depan.
Pada masa yang sama, Gobind yang juga merupakan peguam bela kepada Exco kerajaan negeri Selangor, Ronnie Liu yang dituduh dengan sengaja bersubahat menghalang penjawat awam daripada menjalankan tugas pada November tahun lalu berkata, dakwaan ini merupakan satu lagi tekanan daripada kerajaan negara pusat ke atas wakil rakyat daripada pakatan pembangkang.
Beliau turut mempertikaikan mengapa dakwaan ke atas Liu pada hari ini berubah daripada daripada 'menghalang penjawat awam' kepada 'bersubahat menghalang penjawat awam'.
"Selain itu, mengapa dakwaan ini hanya dibuat selepas setahun ia berlaku sekaligus menunjukkan pasukan polis tidak dapat menyelesaikan satu kes yang mudah dalam masa setahun," katanya.
Gobind berkata, pihaknya akan mencabar keputusan dakwaan ke atas Ronnie pada 10 Februari depan.
Sementara itu, Penasihat DAP, Lim Kit Siang menyifatkan tuduhan ke atas Liu sebagai dakwaan politik ketiga selepas tsunami politik berlaku 8 Mac lalu; pertama, tuduhan liwat yang dikenakan terhadap Ketua Pembangkang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dan kedua, tuduhan menghasut terhadap penulis laman blog Malaysia Today, Raja Petra Kamarudin.
Dalam pada itu, dalam sidang media yang sama, Liu yang turut hadir menegaskan beliau tidak bersalah dan dakwaan tersebut bermotifkan politik.
"Tiada siapa yang boleh menghalang Encik Lim dan orang ramai daripada percaya yang kes saya ini bermotif politik kerana jika kamu lihat, saya telah mengambil tindakan ke atas (Datuk Seri)Mohd Khir Toyo, bekas Menteri Besar Selangor kerana memfitnah saya berhubung kes yang sama.
"Justeru sukar untuk rakyat Malaysia percaya, hal ini tiada kaitan dengan politik," katanya.
Liu hari ini mengaku tidak bersalah atas tuduhan bersubahat menghalang pegawai penguatkuasa Majlis Perbandaran Subang Jaya (MPSJ) Mohammad Hadzim Zulkapli dalam satu operasi mencegah maksiat di Hotel Chile, No 10, Jalan Kenari 6, Puchong dekat sini pada 2 Nov 2007.
Liu, 50, yang merupakan Anggota Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Pandamaran didakwa mengikut Seksyen 109 Kanun Keseksaan dan boleh dihukum mengikut Seksyen 186 Kanun Keseksaan yang membawa hukuman penjara maksimum dua tahun atau denda RM10,000 jika disabitkan kesalahan.
Ahli Parlimen Puchong, Gobind Singh Deo berkata, sepanjang pengetahuannya, ketika Jabatan Peguam Negara mendapat fail kes, mereka dikatakan mempunyai cukup bukti untuk mendakwa Razak yang akhirnya menyebabkan Razak ditahan reman sepanjang perbicaraan.
"Apabila tiba masa pembebasan pada masa ini, tiada alasan konkrit yang diberikan...tiada yang berubah. Jika tiada yang berubah, kami akan tanya kenapa Jabatan Peguam Negara membuat keputusan yang sebaliknya iaitu rayuan tersebut tidak perlu (dilakukan).
"Ini penting kerana kes ini bukan sahaja mendapat perhatian dalam negara malah daripada masyarkat antarabangsa," katanya kepada media di lobi Parlimen, di sini hari ini.
Jumaat lalu, Timbalan Pendakwa Raya, Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah yang mengetuai barisan pendakwaan kes pembunuhan Altantuya berkata, pihaknya tidak akan memfailkan rayuan atas alasan Hakim Mohd Zaki Md Yasin yang memutuskan kes berkenaan sudah membuat penemuan fakta ketika membebaskanRazak daripada tuduhan tersebut.
Razak merupakan tertuduh ketiga dalam kes pembunuhan Altantuya dibebaskan 31 Oktober lalu di Mahkamah Tinggi Shah Alam setelah Hakim Mohd Zaki mendapati tiada kes prima facie bagi Razak untuk menjawab tuduhan.
Bagaimanapun, dua lagi terduduh iaitu Cif Inspektor Azilah Hadri, 32, dan Koperal Sirul Azhar Umar, 36, kedua-duanya anggota Unit Tindakan Khas (UTK) diarah supaya membela diri atas tuduhan yang dihadapi dan akan memberikan keterangan secara bersumpah untuk membela diri mereka mulai 15 Januari tahun depan.
Pada masa yang sama, Gobind yang juga merupakan peguam bela kepada Exco kerajaan negeri Selangor, Ronnie Liu yang dituduh dengan sengaja bersubahat menghalang penjawat awam daripada menjalankan tugas pada November tahun lalu berkata, dakwaan ini merupakan satu lagi tekanan daripada kerajaan negara pusat ke atas wakil rakyat daripada pakatan pembangkang.
Beliau turut mempertikaikan mengapa dakwaan ke atas Liu pada hari ini berubah daripada daripada 'menghalang penjawat awam' kepada 'bersubahat menghalang penjawat awam'.
"Selain itu, mengapa dakwaan ini hanya dibuat selepas setahun ia berlaku sekaligus menunjukkan pasukan polis tidak dapat menyelesaikan satu kes yang mudah dalam masa setahun," katanya.
Gobind berkata, pihaknya akan mencabar keputusan dakwaan ke atas Ronnie pada 10 Februari depan.
Sementara itu, Penasihat DAP, Lim Kit Siang menyifatkan tuduhan ke atas Liu sebagai dakwaan politik ketiga selepas tsunami politik berlaku 8 Mac lalu; pertama, tuduhan liwat yang dikenakan terhadap Ketua Pembangkang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dan kedua, tuduhan menghasut terhadap penulis laman blog Malaysia Today, Raja Petra Kamarudin.
Dalam pada itu, dalam sidang media yang sama, Liu yang turut hadir menegaskan beliau tidak bersalah dan dakwaan tersebut bermotifkan politik.
"Tiada siapa yang boleh menghalang Encik Lim dan orang ramai daripada percaya yang kes saya ini bermotif politik kerana jika kamu lihat, saya telah mengambil tindakan ke atas (Datuk Seri)Mohd Khir Toyo, bekas Menteri Besar Selangor kerana memfitnah saya berhubung kes yang sama.
"Justeru sukar untuk rakyat Malaysia percaya, hal ini tiada kaitan dengan politik," katanya.
Liu hari ini mengaku tidak bersalah atas tuduhan bersubahat menghalang pegawai penguatkuasa Majlis Perbandaran Subang Jaya (MPSJ) Mohammad Hadzim Zulkapli dalam satu operasi mencegah maksiat di Hotel Chile, No 10, Jalan Kenari 6, Puchong dekat sini pada 2 Nov 2007.
Liu, 50, yang merupakan Anggota Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Pandamaran didakwa mengikut Seksyen 109 Kanun Keseksaan dan boleh dihukum mengikut Seksyen 186 Kanun Keseksaan yang membawa hukuman penjara maksimum dua tahun atau denda RM10,000 jika disabitkan kesalahan.
Malaysiakini.com : PLUS tawar diskaun mulai 1 Januari
Semua kenderaan ringan yang menggunakan Lebuhraya Utara Selatan (PLUS) dan Lebuhraya Elite, akan menikmati potongan diskaun 10 peratus dari jam 12 tengah malam hingga 7 pagi.
plus highway 181108Tawaran diskaun tersebut berkuatkuasa selama dua tahun - dari 1 Januari ini hingga 31 Disember 2010.
Bagi musim perayaan Hari Raya, Tahun Baru Cina Deepavali dan Krismas, PLUS menawarkan 10 peratus lagi selama enam hari.
Manakala bagi penggunaan tol melebihi RM200 sebulan, pengguna boleh mendaftar dengan program setia PLUS - untuk mendapatkan diskaun 5 peratus mulai 1 Januari depan.
Tawaran ini adalah untuk pengguna kad Touch N' Go dan Smart Tag
plus highway 181108Tawaran diskaun tersebut berkuatkuasa selama dua tahun - dari 1 Januari ini hingga 31 Disember 2010.
Bagi musim perayaan Hari Raya, Tahun Baru Cina Deepavali dan Krismas, PLUS menawarkan 10 peratus lagi selama enam hari.
Manakala bagi penggunaan tol melebihi RM200 sebulan, pengguna boleh mendaftar dengan program setia PLUS - untuk mendapatkan diskaun 5 peratus mulai 1 Januari depan.
Tawaran ini adalah untuk pengguna kad Touch N' Go dan Smart Tag
MalaysiaToday : Lim: Who will run country?
(The Star) - THE absence of both Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in the country raised questions about who will lead the country while they were away.
Ipoh Timur MP and DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said for as long as he could remember, such a situation had never occurred.
“It has been 30 years or longer since both the PM and his deputy have been out of the country at the same time,” he told a press conference at the lobby.
Lim said Abdullah was in Uzbekistan on a four-day official visit accompanied by his wife and Cabinet ministers.
“Today, Najib will leave with another team of Cabinet ministers for the 16th Apec Economic Leaders Meeting in Lima, Peru.”
Lim said Abdullah would only return on Friday and Najib was expected to be in New York after Peru and would only return home early next month.
“This would mean that for at least two days, both leaders will be out of the country. Why has this standing rule been broken?”
In Johor Baru, Datuk Shahrir Samad said there was no cause for concern as Abdullah and Najib would constantly be in touch with government agencies back here.
Ipoh Timur MP and DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said for as long as he could remember, such a situation had never occurred.
“It has been 30 years or longer since both the PM and his deputy have been out of the country at the same time,” he told a press conference at the lobby.
Lim said Abdullah was in Uzbekistan on a four-day official visit accompanied by his wife and Cabinet ministers.
“Today, Najib will leave with another team of Cabinet ministers for the 16th Apec Economic Leaders Meeting in Lima, Peru.”
Lim said Abdullah would only return on Friday and Najib was expected to be in New York after Peru and would only return home early next month.
“This would mean that for at least two days, both leaders will be out of the country. Why has this standing rule been broken?”
In Johor Baru, Datuk Shahrir Samad said there was no cause for concern as Abdullah and Najib would constantly be in touch with government agencies back here.
Malaysia Today : Raja Petra ordered to report to the Sentul Police Station
Raja Petra Kamarudin has been ordered to report to the Sentul Police Station at 3.00pm tomorrow, Tuesday, 18 November 2008.
According to ACP Aziz, JAKIM has made another police report against Raja Petra and the police want to record his statement.
It is not known yet what the police report is about and under what charge his statement will be recorded but it seems it is about an article he wrote in Malaysia Today.
According to ACP Aziz, JAKIM has made another police report against Raja Petra and the police want to record his statement.
It is not known yet what the police report is about and under what charge his statement will be recorded but it seems it is about an article he wrote in Malaysia Today.
Malaysiakini.com : Harga petrol, diesel turun lagi
Harga minyak petrol dan diesel turun 15 seni lagi selitar berkuatkuasa esok, demikian diumumkan oleh Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Berikutan itu, harga petrol RON97ialah RM2 seliter manakala RON92 kini turun kepada RM1.90 seliter.
Harga minyak diesel pula kini ialah RM1.90 seliter.
Berikutan itu, harga petrol RON97ialah RM2 seliter manakala RON92 kini turun kepada RM1.90 seliter.
Harga minyak diesel pula kini ialah RM1.90 seliter.
Malaysiakini.com : Sidang DUN P Pinang kecoh
Persidangan Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Pulau Pinang awal pagi tadi kecoh apabila wakil kerajaan negeri Pakatan Rakyat (PR) menolak kenyataan pembangkang yang mempersoalkan kredibiliti pentadbiran kerajaan.
Pertikaman lidah itu bermula apabila Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya (BN-Teluk Bahang) yang mengambil giliran pertama perbahasan Rang Undang-Undang Perbekalan 2009 dan Usul Anggaran Perbangunan 2009 mempertikaikan sasaran miskin sifar oleh kerajaan Pakatan.
penang scandal seberang prai municipal council 171108 phee boon pohPengerusi Jawatankuasa Kesihatan dan Kebajikan serta Masyarakat Penyayang Negeri Phee Boon Poh (DAP-Sungai Puyu) yang bangkit mencelah berkata, sekiranya pihak pembangkang sudi bekerajsama, maka sasaran miskin sifar itu mudah untuk dicapai, demikian menurut laporan Bernama.
"Ini semua kerana Umno tidak mahu beri kerjasama, kita ada jemput untuk mesyuarat bincang isu itu tetapi tidak datang, wakilpun tidak ada," katanya dalam nada tidak puas hati.
Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Azhar Ibrahim (BN-Penaga) yang turut mencelah berkata, keengganan pihak pembangkang memberi kerjasama bertujuan memberi laluan kepada kerajaan negeri mentadbir dan mencorak Pulau Pinang.
"Rakyat telah memilih kerajaan Pakatan untuk mentadbir negeri ini, jadi tunjukkanlah kredibiliti mentadbir dengan sepenuhnya.
"Sekiranya Sungai Puyu ingin minta tolong, kenalah mengaku dulu tidak mampu selesaikan masalah barulah kita akan bantu," katanya.
Phee segera bangkit, menolak kenyataan Azhar itu sambil berkata: "Bila buat kerja amal kena panggil semua orang.
"Kita hormat semua orang bukan tidak mampu untuk lakukan sendiri," tegasnya.
Akaun MPSP
Sementara itu, Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang Lim Guan Eng mahu Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan Gerakan Negeri Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan tampil memberikan penjelasan berhubung isu akaun defisit Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai (MPSP).
penang scandal seberang prai municipal council 171108 lim guan engLim berkata akaun MPSP mengalami akaun dan bajet defisit sejak tahun 2000 hingga 2007 menyebabkan penyusutkan kumpulan wang majlis sebanyak RM228,852,412.
"Tak kan beliau (Teng) tidak tahu perkara ini, kerana apa yang berlaku adalah sewaktu beliau menjadi anggota exco untuk kerajaan tempatan.
"Saya berharap beliau (Teng) sebagai seorang yang bertanggungjawab dapat tampil dan memberi penjelasan terhadap isu ini," katanya kepada pemberita di lobi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) di sini, Isnin.
Beliau berkata akibat pengurusan kewangan yang tidak cekap MPSP terus mengalami Bajet defisit yang menyebabkan penambahan penyusutan pada 2008 menjadi sebanyak RM248,395,316.
Katanya kerajaan negeri dari semasa ke semasa mengadakan perbincangan bagi mencari penyelesaian mengatasi kemelut MPSP.
"Setiap tahun MPSP mengalami bajet defisit, saya mahukan penjelasan berhubung perkara ini, akibat Bajet defisit MPSP tidak mampu menyediakan kemudahan untuk orang ramai," katanya.
Pertikaman lidah itu bermula apabila Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya (BN-Teluk Bahang) yang mengambil giliran pertama perbahasan Rang Undang-Undang Perbekalan 2009 dan Usul Anggaran Perbangunan 2009 mempertikaikan sasaran miskin sifar oleh kerajaan Pakatan.
penang scandal seberang prai municipal council 171108 phee boon pohPengerusi Jawatankuasa Kesihatan dan Kebajikan serta Masyarakat Penyayang Negeri Phee Boon Poh (DAP-Sungai Puyu) yang bangkit mencelah berkata, sekiranya pihak pembangkang sudi bekerajsama, maka sasaran miskin sifar itu mudah untuk dicapai, demikian menurut laporan Bernama.
"Ini semua kerana Umno tidak mahu beri kerjasama, kita ada jemput untuk mesyuarat bincang isu itu tetapi tidak datang, wakilpun tidak ada," katanya dalam nada tidak puas hati.
Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Azhar Ibrahim (BN-Penaga) yang turut mencelah berkata, keengganan pihak pembangkang memberi kerjasama bertujuan memberi laluan kepada kerajaan negeri mentadbir dan mencorak Pulau Pinang.
"Rakyat telah memilih kerajaan Pakatan untuk mentadbir negeri ini, jadi tunjukkanlah kredibiliti mentadbir dengan sepenuhnya.
"Sekiranya Sungai Puyu ingin minta tolong, kenalah mengaku dulu tidak mampu selesaikan masalah barulah kita akan bantu," katanya.
Phee segera bangkit, menolak kenyataan Azhar itu sambil berkata: "Bila buat kerja amal kena panggil semua orang.
"Kita hormat semua orang bukan tidak mampu untuk lakukan sendiri," tegasnya.
Akaun MPSP
Sementara itu, Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang Lim Guan Eng mahu Pengerusi Badan Perhubungan Gerakan Negeri Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan tampil memberikan penjelasan berhubung isu akaun defisit Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai (MPSP).
penang scandal seberang prai municipal council 171108 lim guan engLim berkata akaun MPSP mengalami akaun dan bajet defisit sejak tahun 2000 hingga 2007 menyebabkan penyusutkan kumpulan wang majlis sebanyak RM228,852,412.
"Tak kan beliau (Teng) tidak tahu perkara ini, kerana apa yang berlaku adalah sewaktu beliau menjadi anggota exco untuk kerajaan tempatan.
"Saya berharap beliau (Teng) sebagai seorang yang bertanggungjawab dapat tampil dan memberi penjelasan terhadap isu ini," katanya kepada pemberita di lobi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) di sini, Isnin.
Beliau berkata akibat pengurusan kewangan yang tidak cekap MPSP terus mengalami Bajet defisit yang menyebabkan penambahan penyusutan pada 2008 menjadi sebanyak RM248,395,316.
Katanya kerajaan negeri dari semasa ke semasa mengadakan perbincangan bagi mencari penyelesaian mengatasi kemelut MPSP.
"Setiap tahun MPSP mengalami bajet defisit, saya mahukan penjelasan berhubung perkara ini, akibat Bajet defisit MPSP tidak mampu menyediakan kemudahan untuk orang ramai," katanya.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
The Sun : Let them rot in jail
EVERY right-thinking Malaysian should applaud Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman. She has come out in the open and exposed the wrongdoings
of people under her purview. She offers no protection for the wrongdoers. On the contrary, she has warned of serious consequences. She has asked the
state-owned Pempena Sdn Bhd and its subsidiaries to assess their operations and consider if they should continue.
The minister’s outburst is understandable. Some of these companies operated as if there were no norms or rules to govern them. Some of the people running
them considered the companies to be their own fi efdoms and their private bank, drawing monies through dubious means.
They ventured in businesses and deals that were sure losers from the start. Why in the world would a government-owned company get involved in
businesses in which it neither has the expertise nor the experience?
Were feasibility studies done before millions of taxpayers’ money was pumped in? Did those who made the decisions ask themselves: Why do we want to
get into such businesses when our core business is promoting tourism? Azalina was quoted by the NST as saying: “If they have cheated the government in any
way, they will be severely dealt with.” This can be no further than the truth. Two audit reports – one done internally and another by PriceWaterhouseCoopers – have revealed the intrigues, the manipulation of funds, fraud, deception and above all, a lack of common sense which
a reasonable person is expected to do when he is entrusted with public money.
Instead of acting as people with business acumen, they acted as godfathers and Santa Clauses, dishing out money from a bottomless pit. There were no
due diligence tests with supposed partners; there were no checks on current market rates, but what is more damning is their failure to take action to recover monies which is rightfully theirs.
For example, Pempena advanced RM300,000 to one Umi Hafi lda (does the name ring a bell?) for a Amir Diab Live in Kuala Lumpur concert. The
report says that “Pempena did not even sight the contract between the parties before issuing the cheque” and as expected, the concert did not take place.
The fi rst question to ask is: Why is Pempena paying show promoters? The second question is: How does a concert help promote tourism? Perhaps,
they took a leaf out of the Sport Ministry which paid RM17 million for the Champions Youth Cup tournament to “promote tourism” last year. We’ll leave
that to rest, at least for the moment.
Back to Umi Hafi lda. When the concert did not materialise, she issued three cheques to Pempena – all of them bounced – there was no money in her account. What did Pempena do? Sat with arms folded because those in the know were aware that she was an undischarged bankrupt, one of the report states.
But that’s not all. As Azalina points out, RM11 million went into the taxi business and she also asks: “We need to fi nd out where all the money that was invested went to. The company has failed to pay the hire purchase loan for
the taxi instalments.”
Absolutely right! For that kind of money, working at a conservative cost of RM100,000, there should be 111 taxis – bought outright without a loan, but
records show that all of them were bought via hire purchase. So, where did the money go? What stands in an empty lot somewhere in the
are taxis – repossessed by the bank for not servicing the loan – ready to be auctioned. It’s a standing monument of shame that has been brought on by the
companies’ own doing. In the fi rst place, why should it go into the taxi business and compete with commercial operators? It can be understandable if
it created a niche market but in this case, it was competing with individuals and companies who had both the know-how and the experience.
That’s not all. The report states that Pempena bought one million shares at RM1 each in a company called SD Corp Sdn Bhd, which had forecast a turnover of RM8 million and a profi t of RM100,000 for the first year. But the company ran up a loss of RM2 million. To add insult to injury, Pempena paid RM2.1 million for the shares but the share certificates had yet to be delivered as of July 31.
But more shocking are the claims that minutes of meetings of the board of directors of Pempena had been changed by hidden hands. The internal audit
confi rms this by saying: “The amendments of the minutes are a serious offence as it involves the appointment of contractors without going through the proper process. No action was taken against those responsible for
changing the minutes although it was brought to the attention of the
management.”
These are some of the startling revelations made by the auditors. The report is a catalogue of shame and it exposes the looting of people’s money carried by a few offi cials using tourism as a front.
It outlines the methodologies used to fraudulently siphon public money into the pockets of individuals. Besides, it highlights payment of monies to people
without going through the proper checks. The sad part is that some of these monies cannot be re-couped – some of the recipients are either bankrupt or have been blacklisted by Bank Negara.
No one will disagree with Azalina. She is doing the right thing by exposing the scam committed by people entrusted with public money. They should
go to jail for cheating the people.
But the inevitable question is: Will the law be allowed to take its course? For that to happen, an offi cial complaint must be made to the police, not the Anti- Corruption Agency because there are no elements of graft – they
are simple cases of fraud. But even if a police report is made, will action be taken or will these perpetrators and cheats have some “godfathers” protecting
them.
R. Nadeswaran believes that there’s nothing for thieves of public money to mitigate. They should end up in the slammer for perpetrating fraud on the people of
The Sun : Pua picked as emerging leader in Asia Pacific
PETALING JAYA: Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua (pix) was selected as one of the 160 emerging leaders from 30 countries in the Asia Pacifi c region by Asia Society’s third annual Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Tokyo, Japan.
Tony, 36, was chosen from among nearly a thousand nominees and he will join leaders from diverse backgrounds and expertise to explore the most challenging issues facing the region and work on developing new collaborative proposals to address these challenges.
Tony, a former CEO of a Malaysian IT company listed in
In January 2007, he disposed of all his interests in the company and tendered his resignation to join the Democratic Action Party (DAP).
In the March 2008 general election, Pua won the PJ Utara parliamentary seat with a majority of more than 19,000 votes.
He is currently DAP publicity secretary as well as the investment liaison offi cer for the Penang chief minister in the
Jamie Metzl, the society’s executive vice-president who spearheads the Asia 21 initiative, said: “The summit in
“These leaders shared ideas and worked together to make the region as peaceful, prosperous, just, sustainable and
secure as it can be,” said Metzl.
Supporters of the summit include Merrill Lynch, Shinsei Bank, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ and the Japanese government.
The society is an international organization dedicated to strengthening relationships and deepening understanding among the people of Asia and the
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