The Selangor state government, embroiled in a two-prong tussle to uphold the public interest in the face of corporations vying for mega bucks at the public expense, has put a couple of spanners in the works.
In the first case, the federal National Water Assets Corporation (PAAB) had called for tenders for Package 2A of the RM3.7bn Langat 2 water treatment plant. Today, 65 firms attended the tender briefing. Langat 2 is part of the Pahang-Selangor water transfer scheme plan by the federal government.
Many are not convinced that this inter-state water transfer scheme is really necessary, given the high non-revenue water loss in Selangor.
theSun reported yesterday:
Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has reminded all parties bidding for the construction of the Langat 2 water treatment plant that the state would exert its legal right to intervene in the project.
Pointing out that the state possessed legal rights vested under the federal constitution and the National Land Code, he said the state’s agents are allowed to enter the project site and the project must gain approval from the local authorities.
However, he stopped short of calling it a warning in light of the federal government pushing ahead with the tender process for the Langat 2 water treatment plant despite failing to obtain approval from the state government.
The other case involves the proposed privatisation of KTM with Bukhary’s MMC said to be interested.
Khalid Ibrahim again has come out to remind all parties involved that unused land – once used for rail services but not reserved and railway land without any federal land title or not falling under the federal Railway Assets Corporation – belongs to the state by right.
This follows suspicion that billions of ringgit of railway assets including land could fall into private hands.
KTM should not be privatised as it holds the key to building an effective, efficient and subsidised nationwide public transport service.
The Selangor government should be commended for doing its best to protect the public interest in these two schemes – which could cost the public billions of ringgit if vested political and corporate interests have their way.
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Since Pakatan took over the garbage management from Alam Flora (Umno’s contractor belonging to Syed Mokhtar), the Selangor government saves RM100 million a year.
Chua Tee Yong dare not debate with Tony Pua on the Talam issue!
MCA got no ….
You have a sense that the stakes involved are so much higher in Selangor that what scares me is that UMNO/BN actually wins Selangor which is NOT possible to be convincing. PR has successful sold the idea to Selangorian that UMNO/BN is cheating in massive scale and the option for UMNO/BN to just win marginally may not be there..
Honestly, for just peace-sake, PR has to stay in power in Selangor if there is no transparent audit of the electoral roll..
It is good that Khalid is trying to put a check and balance (in the stewardship) of government assets but he needs to tread carefully. A good example is his termination of Alam Flora in Selangor. Clearly he appears not to comprehend fully the meaning of Asset and Facility Management. His main grouse is Alam Flora is a crony company. Granted. But before chucking them out of Selangor, he should have carefully analyzed other AFM deals that could have been favorable to the Selangor Govt and appointed them even to the last cent and deliverable. To go back to the… Read more »
Past records have showned privatisation projects more often than not turned out to be piratization in essence whereby assets are privatised and liabilities nationlised.
We have had enough of such projects that burden the people and enrich select few.
Development must be for the benefit of the people, not at the expense of ordinary folks.
Development that widens the gap between the rich and the poor is not healthy for the country especially projects that are not given out in a transparent and fair manner.
There is a need for such initiatives to be supported and appreciated by the public, particularly the rakyat of that State to encourage the Local Government to continue in its best efforts to protect the rakyat’s rights and interest at all times.
The Selangor govt is doing the right thing. No to cronies especially UMNO cronies.
Read the The Sun today.
RM 4.36 millions payoff.
Melbourne court told of secret deals in contract to print polymer notes for Bank Negara.
The quotation to BNM for the cost of printing the RM5 notes was revised up to include A.K the crony commission
The crony commission for getting the contract double from 10% in 1999 to 20% in 2003
Enough is enough. Let us support PR and Khalid and make sure PR retain the state and kick out BN UMNO from Putrajaya
And the Langat deal is worth more than 6 billions and could go up to 10 billions.
The BNM new notes deal is peanut compared to the Langat deal.
Selangorian must make sure that PR retains the states. Best still if it could make it to Putrajaya.
Nothing new. These leaches… have been doing similar deals for the past 5 decades. The recent mega buck deal was the Scorpeane submarine deal where our then defence minister (allegedly) asked for a whopping RM1billion to get the deal moving. Nothing is new in Bolehland. Semua boleh.
Hi everyone, Thanks to the 12th GE, Selangor State has a check-and-balance system whereby the PR-run State Govt has a locus standi to protect Selangorian interests against the possible plundering of State assets by UMNO Baru-run Federal Govt to only profit themselves, their families and cronies, all at the expense of the PEOPLE! Fortunately Pg has a similar situation whereby some check-and-balance can be exercised by the current PR-run Pg State Govt to put a halt to overt and covert plundering of Pg’s assets by Federal agencies under the UMNO Baru Federal Govt!! To get rid of the corruption and… Read more »