It is interesting to hear Abdullah Badawi saying that the second Penang Bridge will proceed as planned even if he is no longer PM.
Abdullah and former Penang chief minister Koh Tsu Koon have not explained how a little known but well-connected company, Abad Naluri, managed to get hold of over 1,000 acres of potential prime land in Batu Kawan on the mainland, just around the site of the proposed second Penang bridge.
On 16 Jan 2004, just one and a half months after Abdullah took over as PM, the Penang Development Corporation entered into a ‘master agreement’ to sell eight plots of land in Batu Kawan to the “fortunate” Abad Naluri. In Nov 2006, Abdullah officiated at the ground-breaking ceremony of the second Penang Bridge, located near these plots.
On what basis was one company granted such a vast area of land and at what price?
The Pakatan-led Penang state government, for its part, has not yet revealed the result of its investigation into this particular deal, which is begging for answers. What’s holding it up? Is it satisfied that everything is above board?
Abad Naluri has since been sold to another obscure company, Kiara Ikhtisas Sdn Bhd.
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Anil: I do not see anything wrong in governments granting land for development in a PFI (Private Finance Initiative) sort of arrangement. However I do agree that transparency is required and the public needs to be aware of how things work. In many countries, a similar model of ‘public-private-partnerships’ are implemented to develop areas. I do not pretend to know the agreement with Abad Naluri, but its usually a land-lease. The government grants a developer the rights to develop a piece of land. in return, a township is built on private financing – the developer takes loans/gets investors to finance… Read more »
Sorry, my mistake. I was thinking of how the poor girls ended up, one covered in gold, one in oil and to avoid bad taste, we’ll leave the last one to the imagination.
Dear Andrew I
Err … it’s alternative names for Ms Aminah, not for the
newly shooed-in President of a “leading Malaysian political party”.
BTW, I have two new additions to Phua’s Laws of Malaysian Politics:
The Eleventh Law of Malaysian Politics
The strength of economic stimulus is directly proportional to the number of by-elections (buy-elections) to be held
The Twelfth Law of Malaysian Politics
In order to preserve public order, it is forbidden to mention certain topics in political rallies, e.g. the names of foreigners mysteriously blown up with explosives in secluded areas
Kai Lit: Goldfinger, Oilfinger aka Quantum of Solace. Maybe Submarinefinger, no?
Hi Anil and Progressive Friends
Sorry to go off topic.
Are you going to comment on the latest Keystone Kops
(err … I mean police) ban on the mention of “Altantuya” in the
upcoming by-elections??
Here are my suggestions on alternatives (with all due respect to
the deceased):
1. Ayutantla (name spelt backwards, get it?)
2. MW (Mongolian Woman)
3. Mrs C4
4. Mrs IRD (Immigration Records Deleted)
5. …………..
Please add to the list (let your creative juices flow!)
A good report card to the voters.
The problem is when good people like Anil raises issues that affect our society like improving transportation, risky developments and vagrancy, he’s deemed as unfriendly, thus my jibe.
We’re all tired of 50 years of excuses. This is off topic, that is off topic. So what isn’t?
We didn’t vote in a bunch of saints. Listen to NGOs and their representatives is what I’m saying. They are our grass roots.
You might get a good report card if you implement some of their ideas.
“BN has been doing that all those years. Nothing New. we the voters already know BN as very very corrupt. ….. What the PR Govt has to do now is to show a good report card to the voters on their achievement before the next General Election.” – Penangite
Exactly my thought. The pakatan state government cannot continue to harp on old issues. It doesnt matter how much LGE can dig up and reveal, as we know the law sides with federal…
Rajan, err… different Andrew, this one the first. Only kidding with Anil.
Andrew – don’t buat andaian. I am pretty sure Anil is being looked at positively for bringing this up. Unlike yourself, if I know who you are, speaks negatively about everything. Quite pathetic really. The spinless KTK was in your constituency, why didn’t you have any of those demos until now? Seeking fame and personal glory? Tolong lar brother. You put to shame Labor Omnia Vincit.
the spineless koh doesnt has to explain. its all given. he just toe the line and script given by his deputy from UMNO as far as land matters are concerned.
i stand corrected if i am wrong, mr koh.
Too many revelations also susah,then people accuse government of not working. Well, am sure that something is coming.
It is strange that Gerakan hentam the tiger park like it is a nuclear plan yet kept quiet on the nuclear master plan which has huge impact. and of course , batu kawan has become a rock.
And who owns Kiara Ikhtisas?
Raising difficult questions decreases your propensity to get invites to press conferences. Naughty Anil.
CAT, where are those rats you’ve been promising us?
That little eunuch has not seen fit to provide an accountability on the various land scams or the “developments” of the Tanjung Bungah hillside.
……………..and we now expect him to “explain” the Batu Kawan deal !?
Please get real !!!!!
BN has been doing that all those years. Nothing New. we the voters already know BN as very very corrupt. So I suggest we dont overkill our enemy. We reserve our findings for later use. What the PR Govt has to do now is to show a good report card to the voters on their achievement before the next General Election. And for Hindraf, I hope they will grow up and grow up fast if they want all indians to be called MALAYSIANS. I for one would like all chinese to have aqual status with the rest that is to… Read more »