PETALING JAYA: Barisan Nasional should not be blamed as it is DAP’s own doing that “sabotaged” the Penang undersea tunnel project, said Gerakan vice-president Datuk Dr Dominic Lau (pic).
He added it began when the DAP-led Penang government failed to provide feasibility reports on the project, which were supposed to be completed by April 2016.
“You missed the deadline and in October 2017, the special purpose vehicle (SPV) said there is no more urgency to complete the reports.
“Based on the original timeline, the first phase of the project was supposed to start construction in the first quarter of 2015 and completed by this year.
“As of now, this first phase has not even started construction,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Despite the multiple delays in the reports and the construction starting date, he said the Penang government did not appear to have penalised the SPV.
He said when the project was awarded, a statement was issued stating that shareholders of the SPV consortium are China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG), Zenith Construction, Juteras Sdn Bhd and Sri Tinggi Sdn Bhd.
“But today, CRCC, BUCG and Sri Tinggi were no longer listed as shareholders while Juteras Sdn Bhd is listed as winding up – leaving only one (Zenith Construction) out of the four shareholders in the agreement.
“Despite a material change of the financial and technical strength promised during the award and what it is now, the Penang government still does not appear to want to cancel the project or penalise the SPV,” he said.
“Even five years after the contract was awarded, the SPV still only has paid-up capital of RM26.5mil – way below the RM381mil minimum paid-up capital required by the Penang government to deliver the project.
“Meanwhile, the SPV is on course to make billions in two property projects valued at RM800mil and RM15bil respectively,” he said.
Meanwhile, Barisan Nasional Strategic Communications deputy director Datuk Eric See-To said the agreement shown to the media by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was different from the one MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said was not stamped.
The agreement shown by Lim in a press conference on Friday was between the Penang state government with Consortium Zenith-BUCG; and not between the state and CRCC.
Previously, the Penang state government had shown a copy of a letter of support from the CRCC to prove that it is a party to the SPV awarded to undertake the undersea tunnel project.
On Tuesday, Dr Wee’s statement noted that the Acknowledgement of Commitment signed by the state government with CRCC was not a legally binding document and was hence not stamped.
Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will call up Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Penanti assemblyman Dr Norlela Ariffin to facilitate investigations into the Sungai Lembu's illegal factory case.
GEORGE TOWN: Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and Penanti assemblyman Dr Norlela Ariffin are expected to be called up by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to give statements over the illegal factory in Kampung Sungai Lembu, Bukit Mertajam.
MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki confirmed that both would have their statements recorded at a suitable time.
“This is a normal procedure to call up them up as they have talked about the matter publicly.
“Their statements are needed to complete the investigations,” he said.
Sunday Star reported that the MACC is investigating two letters, which appear to have originated from state executive Councillor Phee Boon Poh, asking that no action be taken against an illegal factory.
The letters, written in 2015 and 2016, directed the Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) from shutting down the carbon filter-processing factory which has been operating illegally for the past 10 years.
Phee was remanded five days since Saturday together with factory director Edmund Gan Eu Leong, 37, and his father Gan Buck Hee, 70, who is the factory manager.
It is understood that a third MPSP officer has also been summoned to give his statement.
On Friday, two officers from the Enforcement Department and the Licensing Department were also called up.
“They were not arrested,” Azam said.
He added that the MACC also conducted several raids and seized documents from Phee’s office at Komtar and his house in Sungai Puyu.
Yesterday, MACC officers spent more than an hour at his service centre in Jalan Ong Yi How in Butterworth. With them was Phee.
It was learnt that the MACC also raided two of his houses in Butterworth yesterday.
In Alor Setar, an attempt by lawyers representing Phee and two others to quash their remand order was rejected by the High Court.
Judge Hashim Hamzah told Ramkarpal Singh, R.S.N Rayer and Dev Kumaraendran that their application should have been filed at the Penang High Court as it was the “suitable forum” for the matter.
Ramkarpal said they would file an application at Penang High Court today.
The MACC and several enforcement agencies first raided the factory on Thursday following complaints from villagers that its fumes could affect their health.
Meanwhile, MCA religious harmony bureau chairman Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker criticised DAP for “bullying and blaming” Dr Norlela for her request to the authorities to take action against the factory.
He said DAP cannot play the victim card now because Malaysians are beginning to see the party’s hypocrisy when it comes to corruption issues.
“DAP should allow the MACC to do its work without any hindrance and own up when their leaders are embroiled in corruption,” Ti said in a statement.
Transparency International Malaysia president Datuk Akhbar Satar said MACC should be allowed to investigate the case professionally and fairly without fear or favour.
“Let the due process take its course and let us wait for the outcome of the investigations,” he said.
Source: The Star by Crystal Chiam Shiying and Lo Tern Chern
Norlela did the right thing - She's merely fulfilling her duty to constituents, says state Gerakan Chief
https://youtu.be/QFy-cEpbEiI
Geroge Town - State Gerakan chairman Teng Chang Yeow has defended Penanti’s PKR assemblyman Dr Norlela Ariffin, who has been voicing out concerns on the illegal factory operation in Kampung Sungai Lembu.
"What we are concerned about is that the matter had been dragged on for so long. "Her complaints fell on deaf ears for so long, so you can't penalized her. "She has raised it many times, in the state assembly, to the authorities and Village Security and Development Committee, but there was no action," he told a press conference after attending the State Delegates' Conference 2017 at the state Gerakan Heeadquaters in Macalister Road yesterday.
It was reported that Dr. Norlela denied that she was responsible for the action being taken against an illegal carbon filter processing factory in Kampung Sungai Lembu.
She refuted the accusations in a Facebook post on Saturday, saying that she had highlighted complaints from her constituents.
Dr. Norlela said she was disappointed that she was blamed for the arrest of state exco member Phee Boon Poh.
Commenting on several past actions against Dr. Norlela, including having a state allocation to her constituency withheld pending her written explanation for not attending the Yang di-Pertua Negri's swearing-in ceremony in May, Teng said Gerakan may have differences with other Barisan National component parties, but it never penalized them.
He said that when Gerakan led the government, he had faced criticisms from MCA representatives but no action was taken against them.
Gerakan president Datuk Seri Mah Siew Keong opened the event. - The Star
Gerakan defends PKR's Norlela over Penang illegal factory issue
GEORGE TOWN: Penanti assemblyman Dr Norlela Ariffin should not be penalised for speaking up on the illegal factory in Kampung Sungai Lembu, said state Gerakan chairman Teng Chang Yeow today.
“Being the state assemblyman of the constituency, she had every right to raise questions about the illegal factory.
“She was merely performing her duty,” he said during a press conference here, today.
He was responding to Norlela’s claim that she was treated like a criminal after expressing her gratitude to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for taking action against the illegal factory.
“Thank you to the MACC for solving the issues which have been plaguing the villagers there. We have been doing our best to help the villagers,” she had said in a Facebook posting recently.
She had said that in May this year, she received an 18-page petition, signed by 180 villagers, objecting against the illegal carbon filter factory.
“I raised several questions at the state legislative assembly sitting the same month. The state environment committee chairman had said the factory was burning 2,000 tonnes of sawdust monthly to be turned into activated carbon for water filters,” she had said.
On Thursday, MACC and other agencies raided the factory in Bukit Mertajam after numerous complaints to the authorities fell on deaf ears.
This was followed by further raids at the Seberang Perai Municipal Council licensing department offices and state Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh’s office, service centre and houses.
Phee is being remanded for five days pending investigations into an illegal factory in Kampung Sungai Lembu in Bukit Mertajam.
He was detained after he went to MACC’s office to have his statement recorded on Friday.
Yesterday, Norlela revealed that she had been treated like a criminal since Phee’s arrest.
Source: NST By BALVIN KAUR
MACC gets more statements in illegal factory case
BUKIT MERTAJAM: No one has yet to be charged over the illegal carbon filter processing factory in Sungai Lembu as graft-busters are still investigating the case and gathering evidence.
Three Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers showed up at the village yesterday and were seen talking to several residents there for about an hour in a coffeeshop.
Sungai Lembu Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) chairman Tan Sing Lee and some businessmen staying and running businesses near the factory were later summoned to the MACC office in Butterworth to give statements.
“Initially, they wanted to record our statements at the coffeeshop but on seeing the press, they told us to go to their office instead,” Tan said.
Tan arrived at the MACC office with JKKK secretary Yeo Keng Chuan at about 1.30pm and left about 45 minutes later.
A spokesman for the MACC said it had recorded statements from several people, and that no arrest was made.
“We are still investigating,” he said.
Penang state executive councillor Phee Boon Poh, together with factory director Edmund Gan Eu Lee, 37, and his father Gan Buck Hee, 70, were arrested by the MACC on Aug 11.
But all walked free last Monday after their remand orders were set aside by the High Court.
The spokesman said the MACC would be appealing the court decision.
Meanwhile, Gerakan took Penang PKR assemblymen to task for not defending Penanti assemblyman Dr Norlela Ariffin against the barrage of attacks that came after she exposed the illegal factory.
“Why haven’t the men in PKR come to her aid? Are they so afraid of being victimised by DAP?”said state Gerakan vice-chairman Oh Tong Keong.
“What is also baffling is that the incident happened in the PKR fortress of Permatang Pauh,” he told a press conference.
He claimed that what happened to Dr Norlela was nothing new because Tanjung Bungah DAP assemblyman Teh Yee Cheu was also sidelined for speaking the truth.
Meanwhile in Kota Kinabalu, MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki said no investigation paper has been opened in the acquisition of the Grand Borneo Hotel by Felda Investment Corporation (FIC), purportedly at a higher market price.
He said it was still premature to suspect any wrongdoings in the purchase of the three-star hotel (in Kota Kinabalu).
“We are not moving in as yet. Our focus is still on the ongoing probe on FIC’s purchases of the two hotels in London and Kuching.
“Besides, there is still a need to compare the valuation reports during the time of purchase and the actual value of the Kota Kinabalu hotel,” he said when contacted.
Azam was asked to comment on a report suggesting that the MACC was to conduct a probe on a third hotel managed by FIC.
The Grand Borneo was said to have been acquired by Felda for RM86.4mil in 2012.
Azam said there were no plans to send MACC officers to Sabah.
Sabah MACC director Datuk Sazali Salbi also said that his state officers were not involved in any probe over the matter.
It is learnt the MACC would focus on completing the ongoing probe first as the remand order for Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad ends tomorrow.
On Tuesday, the former Felda chairman was arrested by the MACC after he was called in to give his statements over FIC’s purchase of hotels in London and Kuching.
The MACC is investigating suspicion of power abuse and corruption in the purchases of the two hotels.
So far, anti-graft officers have visited Mohd Isa’s houses in Selangor, Nilai, Linggi and Seremban, as well as his office at the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) headquarters. Mohd Isa is acting SPAD chairman.
It was reported that cash amounting to RM100,000 was seized from a safe in one of his houses. - The Star.
Those involved in ongoing
corruption cases have been warned by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption
Commission not to make public statements. Its chief commissioner Datuk
Dzulkifli Ahmad said such acts can be deemed as interfering with
investigations and are pun
The Penang government will not protect any of its officials ... Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng says he believes state exco man Phee Boon ... Phee, who is in charge of the welfare, caring society and environment portfolio, was arrested yesterday by the MACC over alleged misuse of power.
GEORGE TOWN: Barisan Nasional leaders have criticised the Penang Government for allegedly over-paying, by four times, the detailed design fees of three road projects.
“Construction is not a new industry. Many people are puzzled by the exorbitant consultancy fees,” said Penang MCA secretary Tang Heap Seng in a press statement yesterday.
He said the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) devised a standardised gazetted scale of fees for professional engineering consultancy in accordance with Section 4(1)(d) of the Registration of Engineers Act 1967 (Act 138), and it was highly irregular to deviate from it.
Yesterday, it was reported that Barisan’s strategic communication team sought the professional opinion of BEM on the costing of the three paired roads.
The board was said to have replied that the RM177mil in detailed design costs was four times higher than the maximum allowed under the gazetted scale of fees, which the board calculated to be RM41mil.
The three roads are from Teluk Bahang to Tanjung Bungah, Air Itam to Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway and Gurney Drive to the expressway. They are meant to be a traffic dispersal system for the proposed Penang Undersea Tunnel.
Penang MCA Youth chief Datuk Michael Lee Beng Seng also issued a statement, pointing out that the alleged overpaid amount of RM136mil was more than the reported RM100mil the state spent on flood mitigation in the last eight years.
“We are shocked that the Penang government has put the well-being and safety of the rakyat behind the interests of consultants and contractors.”
Gerakan vice-president Datuk Dr Dominic Lau highlighted that affordable housing, flash floods and landslides were issues that concerned Penangites.
On Tuesday, Barisan strategic communications director Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan announced that he was giving the Penang Government a week to explain BEM’s findings, failing which the matter would be referred to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
When asked to comment, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng replied: “Another day.” - The Star
PUTRAJAYA: Calling a person “stupid and recalcitrant” does not amount to defamation, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
Court of Appeal judge Justice Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus, who chaired a three-man panel, held this in a civil appeal brought forward by Jelutong MP Jeff Ooi (pic) against a politician over the dismissal of Ooi’s defamation suit.
Justice Mohd Hishamudin ruled Thursday that “although it was not nice to use the words”, it did not amount to defamation.
On April 22 last year, Ooi’s defamation suit against Gerakan deputy secretary-general Dr Thor Teong Gee for calling the former “stupid and recalcitrant” at a press conference was dismissed by the Penang High Court.
Justice Mohd Hishamudin, who upheld the High Court’s ruling in an unanimous decision, also ordered Ooi to pay RM10,000 to the defendant in costs.
In the coram were Court of Appeal judges Justice David Wong Dak Wah and Justice Vernon Ong Lam Kiat.
At the outset of court proceedings when queried by Justice Mohd Hishamudin, Ooi’s lawyer R. Ramesh Sivakumar argued that those words were defamatory because they were a personal attack on the credibility of his client.
Ramesh Sivakumar argued that Dr Thor had acted mala fide by using those words.
“He could have used better words. By calling him stupid, he was portrayed as not fit to be an MP,” he added.
However, Dr Thor’s counsel Baljit Singh and V. Amareson were not required to submit in the appeal.
In an immediate response, Dr Thor said he was very grateful for the appellate court’s decision as he had never made a personal attack against Ooi.
“An NGO invited me to give a professional views on medical issues on radiation,” said Dr Thor, who is a Penang-based medical doctor, when contacted.
In her ruling earlier, High Court Judicial Commissioner Nurmala Salim said Ooi had failed to state the alleged defamatory words in the original language, which was in Mandarin, in his statement of claim.
She also held that the words used by the defendant Dr Thor in the press conference were in reference to a radiation issue, and not a personal attack against Ooi.
“I am inclined to concur with the defendant’s (Dr Thor) counsel that the words uttered are commonly used by Malaysians of all races during an argument or when one is angry,” she said in her decision.
She also said the court did not see how the words had sullied Ooi’s reputation and office, as he had earned a bigger majority of votes in the 2013 general election compared with the general election in 2008.
“The plaintiff (Ooi) himself had refused to state how the words had tarnished his office and reputation,” she said, before dismissing the suit and ordering Ooi to pay RM20,000 in costs to Dr Thor.
Ooi sued Dr Thor for defamation for allegedly uttering the words “stupid and recalcitrant” against him in a press conference on May 21, 2010.
He sought aggravated and exemplary damages, a retraction and an apology by Dr Thor, as well as costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.
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Affordable housing in Penang has become the Achilles Heel of the
DAP-led government and the Prime Minister will be aiming his arrow for
that particular spot when he arrives in Penang Dec 8, 2012.
PENANG
people are known to get worked up over unusual things. A well-known NGO
in Penang has been going about hugging some trees that have to make way
for Penang’s burgeoning traffic.
It was quite sweet to see S.M.
Mohamed Idris, the president of the Consumers Association of Penang,
with his arms wrapped around a tree trunk.
But the hottest issue
for most Penang folk today is affordable housing. It is not a new issue.
It has been there since Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon was the Chief Minister
and it was probably one of the reasons that pushed Penang voters to
change the government.
The temperature is rising because the shortage of affordable housing remains a major headache for Penang people.
Affordable housing has become the Achilles Heel of the DAP-led government in the state.
Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s visit to Penang today is seen as an arrow aimed at this Achilles Heel.
The
Prime Minister’s visit is preceded by Perumahan Rakyat 1Malaysia
(PR1MA), announcing that some 80,000 affordable homes are to be built in
50 cities and towns over the next three years. The fact that Najib is
launching the initiative in Penang is a sign that his coalition wants to
respond to the needs of the Penang people and that he has not given up
on winning their support. Penangites will get the first shot at
registering for the units.
It looks like affordable housing is
set to become a big election issue in Penang. Pakatan Rakyat politicians
claimed they have built thousands of low-cost houses while their
Barisan Nasional opponents think the claims are more fictitious than
real.
“I’m a Penangite and in the last four years, I have not
come across any state low-cost housing scheme. Honestly, if there are
any, I would know because I keep a lookout for such things and I am sure
it would have appeared in the media. But it is only talked about at DAP
ceramah and everyone has a different figure,” said Penang Gerakan vice-chairman Wong Mun Hoe.
The
figures bandied about by various personalities in the state government
have ranged from 300 units of low-cost houses to an astonishing 14,702
units built since 2008.
According to Mun Hoe, the 300 units
mentioned was probably right because the project in the Bayan Lepas area
had begun under the Barisan Nasional administration and was completed
two years ago.
But Mun Hoe is quite mystified about claims that more than 14,000 of affordable housing have been built in the state.
The
figure came from state Housing, Urban and Town Planning Committee
chairman Wong Hon Wai who cited the issuance of 14,702 CFs or
certificates of fitness for low-cost and low medium-cost houses since
2008 as proof that the state had provided ample affordable housing.
Hon
Wai’s remarks were the latest addition to what has been a trail of
confusing statements about the state government’s record on low-cost
housing. Different people from the state government have come up with
different figures.
It all began when the Auditor-General’s Report
of 2011 stated that the Penang Government had not built a single
low-cost house from 2008 to 2010.
The report also praised the
state for its good financial situation which sort of put the state
government in a fix because they could not deny the reprimand while
accepting the pat on the back.
But the Auditor-General’s Report
started a flurry of reactions from the Penang Government and that was
when all sorts of figures started rolling out.
Shortly after that report, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said that a total 11,000 low-cost homes had been built in the state.
His political secretary Zairil Khir Johari followed up with a different but equally impressive figure.
The Barisan side were looking at each other in askance.
These people used to be the government and they know what is involved in building low-cost houses.
The figures thrown out were simply too incredible.
Earlier
this week, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek asked where all
these thousands of state low-cost houses were located.
Like many others, he is beginning to think it is all hot air.
The figures are getting bigger but the houses seem to be invisible.
“If all these houses had really been built, do you think we would be here asking questions?” Mun Hoe asked.
It
was against this backdrop that the Taman Manggis issue, where land
meant for low-cost housing was sold to a company to build a hotel and
private hospital, became so controversial. Taman Manggis is a tiny plot
of land and using it for another purpose would not have raised eyebrows
if the state had been doing its part in providing low-cost homes.
“First, they have not been building low-cost houses. Then, they sell land meant for the poor to the private sector.
“After
we made noise, they said land had been set aside in Jalan S.P. Chelliah
for low-cost housing. It sounded like a knee-jerk reaction,” said Wong.
There
have also been announcements that thousands of units of affordable
housing will be built in Batu Kawan on the Seberang Prai side.
But
that had also raised questions about whether all the rich folk will be
living on the island while the poor end up on the mainland.
The
Penang Government has been put on the defensive over the issue of
affordable housing and PR1MA’s big launch today will only add to the
pressure.
New Air Itam-Gelugor bypass to cut driving by half
