Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News
Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News |
- Anwar as PM: DAP is backpedalling, says MCA
- Umno MPs call Azman Mokhtar, Tony Fernandes cheats in MAS-AirAsia share swap
- "Noh Omar's statement is inacurate and contradicting"
- MACC passes buck on cattle condo to cops
- MCA out of touch, says Aussie-based group
- 'Harris contradicting own book'
- Shafie ‘caught’ with overpriced’ projects
- Students speak out on the issue of the UUCA
- PAS: We will not waver from pursuing polls reforms
- National protest if Shahrizat does not resign over NFC funds mismanagement
- Untangling PPSMI
- Penang govt proposes tunnel as third link
- Court allows application of six M'sians to be registered as absent voters
- Khairy and the NFC hole
- Pakatan says Kedai Rakyat taking advantage of poor
- Cabinet gave retrospective nod for PKFZ cost increase, Liong Sik graft trial told
| Anwar as PM: DAP is backpedalling, says MCA Posted: 13 Nov 2011 07:41 PM PST Wee Ka Siong recalls Karpal Singh's criticism of Anwar's Sept 16 plan. (Free Malaysia Today) - MCA Youth chief Wee Ka Siong today accused DAP of backpedalling on the issue of Anwar Ibrahim becoming Prime Minister should Pakatan Rakyat wrest control of Putrajaya. He said DAP chairman Karpal Singh went against his own stand when he recently supported the idea of giving Anwar the prime minister's job. He recalled that Karpal was against Anwar's plan to take over the government through defections and in fact called for his resignation as Opposition Leader when his Sept 16 (2008) takeover plan failed. "The recent statement released by Karpal pledging support for PKR de facto leader Anwar to be appointed as Pakatan Rakyat's Prime Minister contradicts his own stand," Wee said. MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek made the same observation recently. In response, Karpal said he criticised Anwar for encouraging party hopping from BN and that this did not mean that Anwar did not deserve the prime minister's post if Pakatan were to take over the government through legitimate means. Wee also belittled Karpal's opposition to PAS's intention to institute hudud, saying it was just a ruse to retain votes. "If hudud does not pose any impediment against Pakatan clinching the federal government, would Karpal Singh then follow the rest of DAP in its somewhat muted response against the enforcement of hudud?" He said PAS had always ignored Karpal's objections against hudud. Meanwhile, MCA national organising secretary Tee Siew Kiong said DAP and PAS had opposing stands on Anwar becoming the next prime minister. He alleged that PAS considered its president, Hadi Awang, as more qualified than Anwar to occupy the prime minister's post.
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| Umno MPs call Azman Mokhtar, Tony Fernandes cheats in MAS-AirAsia share swap Posted: 13 Nov 2011 06:10 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - Umno lawmakers accused Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar and Tan Sri Tony Fernandes today of cheating the public in the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia share swap. Kinabatangan MP Datuk Bung Mokhtar Radin called on Khazanah chief executive Azman to be investigated by graftbusters after the state investment agency exchanged 20.5 per cent of the national carrier for a 10 per cent stake in Asia's top-performing budget airline. "The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) must call Tan Sri Azman ... all of them ... if there is any misappropriation, stuff them into jail," the Barisan Nasional (BN) backbenchers deputy chief told Parliament.  Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar and Tan Sri Tony Fernandes at the MAS-AirAsia signing ceremony in August. — file pic "Maybe they are not stupid. Maybe they get huge profits by squeezing and grabbing money from the public," he said, referring to the AirAsia CEO's company Tune Air which now owns a fifth of MAS. Sri Gading MP Mohamad Aziz also accused AirAsia of "clearly cheating the public and now trying to cheat MAS." "If this kind of man (Fernandes) can control us, God forgive us," he said while debating Budget 2012. Bung Mokhtar also said the government should "not be scared of Fernandes." "Whatever he wants, we give. He wants to overcharge for excess baggage and suck the blood of poor villagers. "Now I hear he has a plan in the future to take over all domestic flights and MAS will only have international flights. If we give this to him, the country will be in ruins. It will be the end of the world for us," he said. Bung said if the government could not provide a satisfactory answer, it meant that "government officials colluded with AirAsia and has vested interests." The MAS-AirAsia swap has come under fire from both sides of the political divide as well as employees of MAS who believe the deal will affect their careers. The finance ministry said earlier this month that the deal is being investigated by Bursa Malaysia and the Securities Commission for insider trading despite the swap being agreed on three months ago.
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| "Noh Omar's statement is inacurate and contradicting" Posted: 13 Nov 2011 04:49 PM PST (Malaysian Digest) - Wanita Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) chief Zuraida Kamaruddin claimed that the statement made by the Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, Datuk Seri Noh Omar which was published in Sinar Harian newspaper on November 12 is not only inaccurate, but also contradicts his previous statement. In a press conference held in Parliament today, Zuraida refuted Noh's statement that says the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) is a private company that has nothing to do with the government. She said, the government through the Ministry of Finance has a special share (golden share) in the NFC as confirmed by the search company in the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM). "This is the same situation as the other government-linked companies (GLCs) with different shareholding structure, but results are still subjected to government through its golden share," said Zuraida. "The statement made by the minister was an attempt to cover up various abuses that occurred in the NFC and it shows the failure of the minister to oversee and ensuring that the people's money is used wisely," she added. Zuraida who is also the member of parliament for Ampang, said Noh's second statement that says funds will only be transmitted to the NFC from the special loan account raises more questions. She said, if RM181 million has been paid to the NFC from the total loans of RM250 million as alleged by the minister, then the claim for the payment of RM9.8 million for the condominium is certainly included in the list of claims approved by the government. "There are two possibilities here that is whether NFC falsifying the expense claims list or there is no control system and the payment of permission as mentioned by the minister," she said. "We (PKR) will continue demanding an explanation for these things before we expose other misappropriation," she added. The National Feedlot Centre (NFC) issue which became a hot topic for the Opposition since two weeks ago as they claimed that the program was a failure and had elements of cronysim. The cattle-breeding project was awarded to a company owned by the family of Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil. The issue became controversial after the Auditor-General's Report, which said that NFC was in a mess and its production last year had not reached its target.
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| MACC passes buck on cattle condo to cops Posted: 13 Nov 2011 04:08 PM PST By Clara Chooi, The Malaysian Insider The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has refused to probe the controversial RM10 million purchase of a condominium by a federally-funded cattle project, claiming today the issue is a police matter.
In a statement here, the graft-busting agency said the matter has been classified as an offence under the Penal Code, which does not come under its jurisdiction. "MACC confirms receiving a public complaint on the RM9.8 million purchase, said to be made using the National Feedlot Centre's (NFC) funds. "This complaint was referred to the legal and prosecution division. "Upon studying the complaint, the division classified it as an offence under the Penal Code and not under the MACC's powers as enshrined under the MACC Act 2009," the agency said in a statement made available on its website. The agency said it has referred the case to the police, adding that this was in line with advice from the Anti-Corruption Advisory Board to only investigate offences under the MACC Act. "In referring the case to the police, due action has been taken. The complainant has also been informed and has agreed with MACC's decision," the agency added. PKR was first to claim of corruption in the purchase of the multi-million ringgit condominium belonging to the National Meat and Livestocks Corporation (NMLC), a company wholly-owned by Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil's family. Its secretary-general, Saifuddin Nasution, said the luxury apartment at One Menerung, Bangsar, was recorded by NFC, a cattle-farming project managed by the minister's family, as part of a RM83 million "loan" to NMLC. But Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin savaged the party for the allegations, claiming the condo was bought as an investment when the NMLC found itself with excess funds when the government ran out of funds to develop satellite cattle farms. It then decided on real estate investment as a means to put the excess liquidity to work. Khairy also claimed the condo had appreciated in value since it was purchased. He did not, however, specify the rental yield.
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| MCA out of touch, says Aussie-based group Posted: 13 Nov 2011 03:55 PM PST (The Malaysian Insider) - An Australia-based citizen group today slammed MCA for discriminating against Malaysians abroad who qualified as voters, saying the ruling party proved it was "totally out-of-touch" in today's world. The Australian chapter of a grassroots group that calls itself Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia (SABMoz) was responding to the Barisan Nasional coalition's Chinese party's opposition to allowing qualified Malaysians living overseas exercise their constitutional right to vote. "Whatever MCA's rationale for this discriminative [sic] proposal, the party is showing that it is totally out of touch, not just with community sentiment, but the modern world," SABMoz president, David Teoh said in a media statement. "If MCA openly advocates limiting this right to vote to people living in Malaysia, it might as well say it does not stand for full democracy in Malaysia," he said. He pointed out that the existing electoral laws bar Malaysians living abroad from registering as voters unless they are "serving in the armed forces or working for the Malaysian government in high commissions and consulates". He said giving every citizen their constitutional right to vote is a basic rule of democracy. "Any government that is against a free, fair and inclusive vote is afraid of the outcome," he added. Teoh is also the Australian co-ordinator for Bersih 2.0, the 80-member civil rights movement that is lobbying for electoral reform. He said if Malaysians were to adopt MCA's attitude instead of pushing for change, the country would not grow. SABMoz describes itself as a registered association in Melbourne focused on advancing good governance practices in Malaysia, especially the promotion of stewardship, integrity, accountability and transparency. The group has been at the forefront in pushing Bersih 2.0's eight electoral reform demands and voting rights for overseas Malaysians for the past year. It held its first annual general meeting two days ago.
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| 'Harris contradicting own book' Posted: 13 Nov 2011 03:39 PM PST (Daily Express) - Former Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Salleh must have been mistaken when he stated that Datuk Yong Teck Lee was responsible for taking away the Sabah Foundation shares during his tenure as the Sabah Barisan Chief Minister. Yong, who is Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) President, said Harris' statement in the Daily Express on Saturday was inaccurate as the Sabah Foundation shares were, in fact, withdrawn by Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) administration in 1990 just prior to the State elections that year. The Sabah Foundation shares were replaced by the Amanah Rakyat Negeri Sabah (ARNS). "I now produce the book published by Harris in 1996 whereby Harris wrote that it was the PBS government who withdrew the (YS) share certificates. "This fact was stated three times in the same book. So, Harris cannot claim that he is not aware that it was not me, as Chief Minster from 28th May 1996 to 27th May, 1998, but it was PBS, in 1990, who withdrew the YS shares. "At the time, before the State elections of 1990, I was an Assistant Minister, not even a full Cabinet Minister," he told reporters here Saturday. The ARNS, he said was a new Fund set up under the Amanah Rakyat Negeri Sabah Enactment 1990, passed by the Legislative Assembly on March 15, 1990 and assented to by the Head of State on March 31, 1990. "It was this ARNS that disbursed the RM200 to each Sabah Foundation beneficiary using the Yayasan Sabah management and network. "For the information of the public, the accounts of the ARNS distribution of RM200 per head, the accounts could not be audited. "As far as I can recall, the Cabinet in about 1997 (when I was CM) was informed that there were audit queries over missing monies and possible fraudulent payments to unqualified or non-existent persons," he said. "I had asked Yayasan Sabah (Sabah Foundation) management to lodge police reports. Whatever is the status of the ARNS and YS share certificates today, I trust that the current administration can satisfy public curiosity. I can only answer for things done by me as Chief Minister," he said. Yong said in the past, he did not bother about political lies being spread about him such as the Saham Amanah Sabah (SAS) issue, the approvals of the 65,000 acres Begaraya land in Pitas and the Tanjung Aru government quarters land to private companies. "In the Internet and coffee shops, lies were spread against me for so long that the lies were taken as complete truths. But as wisdom goes, real gold is not afraid of fire and paper cannot cover fire. "So, now, finally we are beginning to see the end of the falsehood about SAS against me even though the BN government and their PBS cohorts refuse to reveal the truths to the people. "The people who know the truths about SAS are still in the Sabah Cabinet. For instance, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai. "I have said this several times and Dr Yee never denied his guilt. If he does deny, then he should sue me for calling him a big liar," he said. "The high profile contests by villagers over the Begaraya land have led to the government revealing that the approval for the Begaraya land was given on March 19, 1996; two months before I became Chief Minister under the rotation system at the time. "Then, recently, a court case has allowed the exposure that the Tanjong Aru land approval to a private company was given on May 25, 1996, two days before I became Chief Minister on May 28, 1996. "I do not wish to speculate on the timing and urgency of the approvals by my precedessor, before the power of approval was transferred to the Cabinet on June 17, 1996," he said.
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| Shafie ‘caught’ with overpriced’ projects Posted: 13 Nov 2011 03:24 PM PST Projects awarded in Sabah by Umno vice-president and federal minister Shafie Apdal cost '15 times higher' than their actual quote. (Free Malaysia Today) - The opposition in Sabah armed with "evidence" is gunning for Rural and Regional Development Minister Shafie Apdal following shocking disclosures of irregularities in rural development projects awarded through his ministry in Sabah. Some 209 development projects have been identified for Sabah between 2011 and 2012 and the bulk of these projects involved the rural water and power supply projects covering various parts of Sabah, from Pulau Banggi to Sipitang. Of the 209 rural development projects awarded, only 129 projects had been announced and of this, 49 totalling RM1,276.60 million were "ridiculously overpriced". Revealing the massive overpriced payouts, Kota Kinabalu MP Dr Hiew King Cheu said some projects were awarded at 15 times or 1,500% higher than the normal price. He demanded that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) step in immediately and investigate these claims. He said most of these projects are either invited tenders, negotiated tenders, or directly awarded. "None of these projects was properly done through the Tender Board. "Most of the companies awarded the projects are RM2 companies and some of the contractors involved are found to be closely linked to certain senior BN-Umno politicians from Sabah," Hiew told a news conference here yesterday. Hiew said that a careful study of the detailed tender documents provided by an insider had indicated that the lowest tender bid did not get the job. In most cases, someone with a higher tender price of almost 1,500% than the lowest bidder gets the job. He cited the "rural power supply project for the connection of power grid No.1" (for 2011–2012) which was awarded at a price of RM41,736,809.77. The lowest tender price, he added, was only RM7,775,000.00 – a difference of RM33,961,809.77. He also cited the case of the "hybrid solar power system" for the Semporna islands. He said the project was awarded at a tender price of RM95,282,322.00, which many deemed to be too high. "With that amount of money, I can always get someone to build a power station," Hiew said. He added that a similar project was also awarded to another company for a whopping sum of RM81,475,281.42 to supply power to Pulau Banggi, off Kudat. Hiew also drew attention to the infamous Pualau Gaya, which he said was in dire need of clean water supply. "They need clean water more than electricity. In fact, they already have a power station there. "But they've awarded a contract for the installation of a 4-km-long undersea power cable to generate power supply for Pulau Gaya at the cost of RM42 million. "A random survey conducted with several qualified local contractors revealed that this can be done at just RM5 million," he said, adding that the government would need another RM100 milion if a water supply project was to be implemented.
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| Students speak out on the issue of the UUCA Posted: 13 Nov 2011 03:07 PM PST By Zakiah Koya, The Sun IN A landmark decision, the Court of Appeal declared on Oct 31 that a provision in the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) 1971 which restricts students from expressing in support of, or opposing, any political party, is unconstitutional. The three-man panel held that Section 15(5)(A)of the UUCA was unreasonable and violated freedom of speech. Replying to the chorus of calls for repeal or amendment of the act, Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin last Friday was reported to have questioned the readiness of our students to be able to juggle their studies and student activism. He had asked, "Let me pose a question... are you ready? If so, why not. Maybe the government no longer needs the Act (UUCA) or we could amend it to provide space so that students could make decisions without being hoodwinked by any legislative power." Muhyiddin had also questioned whether the students were ready and mature enough to make wise decisions without being influenced by others. He surmised that as they said they do not need anyone to safeguard them, they might do something unbeneficial to them. "This is a cause for concern as the campus will eventually be turned into a political arena that will be detrimental to efforts to produce knowledgeable human," he said. The Malaysian student movement, once vocal and visible in the 1960s, was effectively curbed after the enactment of the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) in 1971. Despite that, student activism has regained traction among undergraduates participating at the risk of expulsion, especially if they are assumed to favour non-ruling political parties. "The need for an amendment is evident. Muhyiddin should tackle the issue of UUCA with more honesty, in tandem with the aspirations of reform mooted by his superior," said Muhammad Muhammad Hilman Idham, one of the four Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) political science students who were apprehended by police on April 25, 2010, during the Hulu Selangor by-election. He pointed out that even the dissenting judge Datuk Wira Low Hop Bing in obiter dicta suggested that the act be amended. Muhammad Hilman is also Kumpulan Aktivis Mahasiswa Independen founder, president of the Political Science Undergraduate Association and a council member of the Malaysian Undergraduate Solidarity Front. His counterpart Haziq Abdul Aziz of the University of Malaya said students have always been ready and the government should be more positive when it questions the students' readiness to be active participants of politics in the country. "As a matter of fact, students involved in politics are applying what they have learnt in in the classroom. Involvement in politics helps in the maturity of students. It also produces fresh ideas from students themselves," said Haziq, a first-year law student. He pointed out many of the top Malaysian leaders of yesteryear and today, be they from the ruling parties or opposition front, started being active in politics during their college and university days. One second-year undergraduate from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) named former prime ministers such as Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Mahathir Mohamed who were vocal during their college and university days. "Till today, they remain models for us to emulate and Umno still holds on to the ideas of these two," said the student, who declined to be named. Muhammad Hilman further said that Section 15(5)(A) which referred to expressing support or opposition or sympathising with political parties is vague. "How do we interpret 'menyatakan sokongan atau bangkangan atau menyatakan simpati kepada parti politik?' (state support or objection or to state sympathy to political parties) Is it by wearing the party logos? Is it by sitting as a panellist with a member of a political party? Is it by criticising government policies? "This is why UUCA does not only limit our right to participate in political parties but also our right to voice opinions, to be vocal, to hold associations, to discuss academic issues and such," he said. The students also questioned the double standard practised as local students attending foreign varsities are allowed to form mini political parties supporting the ruling party. Referring to the Umno clubs overseas such as the London Umno club, the students ask why students overseas are considered able to juggle their studies and participation in politics. Umno Clubs overseas have defended themselves on their website by saying they are "apolitical in management and organisation despite the name being derived from the political party in Malaysia". The local students, however, are not convinced. "Are they cleverer than us here? This questioning of our readiness is indirectly telling us that," said Haziq. Muhammad Hilman said students should be allowed to express support, opposition or sympathise with political parties, be they local or overseas. He said the leaders who insist on "shackling" undergraduates should stop thinking of their own backs and worry that the vocal voices of the undergraduates would drown them. "As true leaders who are responsible for the future of the country, the government should think of moulding and upgrading the quality of the future leaders of the country. Let the political process and the principles of democracy be ingrained in our younger generation from primary school level," said the anonymous student. Haziq said the UUCA would not stop the voices of the students. "Student activism has become more alive despite the barriers and this shows that the student force wanting to participate actively in the nation's political process is stronger than ever." He contends that the UUCA remains the only line holding back students. "Yes, the UUCA is definitely counting its days. Lets do away with it," said Muhammad Hilman. |
| PAS: We will not waver from pursuing polls reforms Posted: 13 Nov 2011 02:57 PM PST (Harakah Daily) - PAS leaders have reiterated that the party would continue to put pressure on the government to implement all the eight demands for electoral reforms as listed by Bersih 2.0 before the 13th general election. "To date, none of them has been fulfilled," said PAS president Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang. Among Bersih's demands include a total reform of the controversial postal votes, the use of indelible ink and a minimum campaign period of 21 days. It also wants a more inclusive mainstream and broadcast media, reform of public institutions including the police and Attorney General's Chambers, eradication of corruption and vote buying practices, and a stop to "gutter politics". Hadi warned Barisan Nasional not to take the easy way out by carrying out undemocratic practices to win the polls. "The wave of change cannot be stopped," he added. PAS Youth head Nasrudin Hasan Tantawi (left) meanwhile said BN should brace itself for the third phase of Bersih rally if it held elections before fulfilling the eight demands. "As long as the government fails to fulfill the eight demands by Bersih 2.0, we will not hesitate to mobilise Bersih 3.0 with other NGOs," Nasrudin told The Malaysian Insider. He said BN's refusal to give an undertaking that elections would only be held after the parliamentary select committee (PSC) had completed its work, only showed the ruling coalition's insecurity over fair polls. The PSC comprising of both sides of the political divide is currently in its public hearing roadshow to gather opinions from Malaysians, lawmakers and experts on the electoral system. |
| National protest if Shahrizat does not resign over NFC funds mismanagement Posted: 13 Nov 2011 02:51 PM PST By Karen Arukesamy, The Sun The Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) women's wing has threatened to hold a nationwide protest if Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil does not take accountability and resign over the alleged mismanagement of funds in the National Feedlot Corp (NFC). PKR Wanita chief Zuraidah Kamarudin said the party was giving Shahrizat one-week to own up and take accountability on the matter as the company is wholly-owned by her family. Zuraidah said PKR will be lodging a police report and is not discounting another report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) if Shahrizat, who is Umno Wanita chief, does not respond. "Shahrizat should be accountable for the (alleged) mismanagement of funds in NFC and set the example by being the first to resign," Zuraidah, who is Ampang MP, said at the parliament lobby. Urging for Shahrizat to step up and not "tarnish the image" of Malaysian women in general, she said the PKR women's wing would hold a nationwide protest to pressure Shahrizat and the government to swiftly act on this. |
| Posted: 13 Nov 2011 02:43 PM PST By Hwa Yue-Yi, The Nut Graph DURING the first weekend of November 2011, the PPSMI (the Teaching and Learning of Science and Mathematics in English) policy trended on Twitter. This evidence of PPSMI's importance to large numbers of tech-savvy Malaysians came shortly after Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's back-to-back statements on the policy. Muhyiddin first reiterated that PPSMI would be phased out according to the schedule proposed two years ago. The next day he backpedalled to announce a Cabinet decision that current Year 1 students may have the option of continuing under PPSMI until they complete Form 5. The volume of discussion about PPSMI is a heartening sign of our growth towards becoming a democratic populace. Nevertheless, much of the conversation surrounding this controversial education policy remains mired in partisan and unsubstantiated debate. If we are to be a genuinely democratic and savvy nation, the polemics around PPSMI must not prevent us from looking at it in simultaneously inclusive and critical ways. Perhaps we can start by unpacking some of the debate's crucial themes. 1. PPSMI is not the only possible cure for Malaysia's educational deficiencies. Apart from the flawed implementation, questions remain about PPSMI's premise: that teaching pupils science and mathematics in an academically dominant language is the most effective way of equipping them for technological research and linguistic versatility. Countries ranging from Vanuatu to South Africa similarly struggle with and, in some cases, construct nuanced solutions for language-medium policy in contexts that are ethnically diverse, post-colonial and globalised. Thus, in the Malaysian context, the debate need not be locked into a PPSMI-or-not binary, but rather could find a consensus within the broader spectrum of possible policies. 2. PPSMI should not be an electoral issue. In her 2008 PhD thesis on PPSMI, former Director-General of Education Datuk Dr Asiah Abu Samah wondered if "the policymakers in the Ministry and the public at large have the patience to wait 10-12 years to see clear results". Unfortunately, Asiah's caution was prescient: PPSMI's gradual termination was announced in July 2009, a few days before the Manek Urai by-election. Recent publicly expressed comments about PPSMI have also entered the precarious territory of electoral ultimatums. Deciding how to vote based on a single education policy is problematic because education interacts with many other policy processes. For example, even if a graduate has impeccable training in innovation and English, his or her career trajectory can be strongly impacted by government decisions about the structure of the economy.
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| Penang govt proposes tunnel as third link Posted: 13 Nov 2011 02:34 PM PST By Joseph Kaos Jr, The Star KUALA LUMPUR: The Penang government has proposed the construction of a third link - a 6.5km underground tunnel from George Town to Butterworth. The tunnel is one of four projects announced by Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng here to resolve the island's severe traffic problems. "We estimate that the project will cost RM5bil to RM8bil depending on the bids from prospective contractors," he told a press conference Monday. Lim said the state government will pay the contractors via a land swap deal. The land is located in the Gurney Drive tourist belt. "It will be a win-win situation. The government does not have to pay money and the contractor gets prime land that will triple in value," he said. The tender process is expected to start on Nov 15. Lim explained that the project would undergo a lengthy feasibility study and expects construction to commence in 2015. "We target the completion to be in 2020, although it can be completed earlier," said the first term Chief Minister. |
| Court allows application of six M'sians to be registered as absent voters Posted: 13 Nov 2011 02:32 PM PST (The Star) - KUALA LUMPUR: Six Malaysians in Britain have been granted leave to compel the Election Commission (EC) to register them as absent voters in the next general election. High Court (Appellate and Special Powers) judge Justice Rohana Yusuf set Dec 13 for case management and Jan 3 for the hearing. The six are Dr Teo Hoon Seong, electrical engineer V. Vinesh, entrepreneur Paramjeet Singh, Dr Yolanda Sydney Augustin, translator Sim Tze Wei and software architect Leong See See. The applicants want a declaration that as Malaysians staying abroad, they are entitled to be registered as absent voters and directed the EC, named as the sole respondent, to register them. They also want to quash a decision made by the EC, which notified them in a letter dated Sept 9, that it will not register them as absent voters. Alternatively, they are asking for a court order directing the EC to make regulations and take appropriate actions within 14 days from the court ruling to allow them to be registered as absent voters and/or postal voters in order for them to vote in the general election. |
| Posted: 13 Nov 2011 02:29 PM PST By Yow Hong Chieh, The Malaysian Insider They say you should never try to dig your way out of a hole — you'll only make it deeper, bigger. Someone should tell Khairy Jamaluddin this. The Umno Youth chief has defended the purchase of a RM10 million condominium by the National Meat & Livestocks Corporation (NMLC) — an associated company of the publicly-funded National Feedlot Centre (NFC) — as an investment. He said the NMLC was left with surplus funds when the government ran out of money to develop satellite cattle farms that are crucial to supplying the NFC with feeder cows. "Should they have left the money in the current account, which does not have a high yield, while waiting for the satellite farms or should they have invested the money while waiting," he said last week. This was only days after Khairy stressed that the RM250 million soft loan given to NFC by Putrajaya was kept in a "escrow-like" account where drawdowns have to be green-lighted by the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS). The Rembau MP had also said that NFC boss and owner of NMLC Datuk Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail — husband to Women, Family and Community Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil — was eminently qualified to spearhead the feedlot scheme as he was formerly the food science head at Universiti Pertanian Malaysia. But Khairy's ardent defence throws up more questions than it answers. If the conditions for drawdown are that strict, as Khairy has repeated on several occasions, how is it the DVS approved RM10 million for a condominium? Does the department have a high-end property arm we don't know about that valued the condominium and calculated projected returns from rental? Did the NMLC submit a study on the same? Or did the DVS not know what Mohamad Salleh planned to do with the money? For that matter, what makes Mohamad Salleh qualified to invest in property? I don't dispute he may be qualified to run the feedlot but I don't see what business he has using taxpayers' money to buy a condominium in Bangsar. Now I wonder if all federal ministries and agencies are this lax when it comes to spending our hard-earned tax ringgit.
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| Pakatan says Kedai Rakyat taking advantage of poor Posted: 13 Nov 2011 02:27 PM PST By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider The federal opposition accused the government today of taking advantage of the poor by selling "illegal and substandard products" in its Kedai Rakyat 1 Malaysia (KR1M). Pakatan Rakyat (PR) had claimed last week that the thrift shops sold 1 Malaysia-branded fresh milk containing E. coli bacteria while nine other products fell short of standards set by the Food and Regulations Acts. "The poor deserve better than illegal and substandard products. This is taking advantage of the poor," said DAP publicity chief Tony Pua of the shops being operated by hypermarket giant Mydin. Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly Ahmad also told a press conference that it was not true that PR did not want the poor to gain access to cheaper goods. "We support the initiative to provide cheaper good 100 per cent. But not at the expense of health and safety. This is high irresponsible," the PAS research chief said of the KR1M shops that were launched by Datuk Seri Najib Razak in June. The prime minister launched the first of three shops now operating in the Klang Valley in response to rising inflation, which hit a two-year high of 3.5 per cent that same month. KR1M offers 250 generic products like rice, oil, flour, bread, eggs, milk powder and diapers at prices 30 to 40 per cent lower than market rates, as well as branded goods. Najib said more Kedai Rakyat 1 Malaysia will be set up in other locations similar to the 1 Malaysia clinics his administration has established in states like Sabah and Sarawak. Petaling Jaya Utara MP Pua said last week that a test of the products from two certified labs detected the presence of E. coli and a higher than permitted amount of coliform in the 1 Malaysia-branded fresh milk. Pua also revealed another test found the outlet's bottled oyster sauce to contain only flavouring and no natural oyster extract. It also fell short of the required 1.8 per cent protein content for oyster-flavoured-sauce. |
| Cabinet gave retrospective nod for PKFZ cost increase, Liong Sik graft trial told Posted: 13 Nov 2011 02:20 PM PST By Melissa Chi, The Malaysian Insider The Cabinet gave retrospective approval for the development cost of the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project to balloon from RM1.088 billion to RM4.6 billion in 2007, the High Court was told today. Defence lawyer Wong Kian Kheong cited the approval of the cost increase to RM4,632,732,000 from the Cabinet meeting minutes dated June 24, 2007. In 2002, the Cabinet was told that RM1.088 billion was the total cost of the project on the 999.5-acre land in Pulau Indah that comprised the land value, infrastructure cost and a six per cent interest rate. Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, a former transport minister, is charged with deceiving the government by concealing the fact that the interest rate of 7.5 per cent per annum was surplus to the purchase of Lot 67894 at RM25 psf — amounting to a total of RM1,088,456,000 — despite knowing that the government's Valuation and Property Service Department's (JPPH) had already taken that interest into account when it valued the land at RM25 psf. Minister in the Prime Minister Department in charge of law and parliamentary affairs Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz told the court today that he did not lodge a police report or demanded an explanation from the Transport Ministry regarding the cost increase. He was the entrepreneur development minister from 1999 to March 2004. He said his first and only statement recorded by the police was about two months ago. The prosecution has argued that the additional interest of 7.5 per cent per annum, amounting to some RM720 million, had pushed the Port Klang Authority's (PKA) land purchase cost from RM1.09 billion to RM1.88 billion for the port project. Dr Ling faces up to seven years' jail and a fine if convicted of the principal charge under section 418 of the Penal Code. |
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