Perak DAP says snap polls the only way out

By Shannon Teoh

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 — Perak DAP chief Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham has repeated the call to dissolve the state assembly and have snap elections to find a clear solution to the continuing constitutional crisis in the state.

This comes despite the fact that Speaker V. Sivakumar, who is also the DAP assemblyman for Tronoh, suspended Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and his six exco members yesterday for 18 months and a year respectively.

The move would give Pakatan Rakyat a majority in the assembly should it choose to table a no-confidence vote in Zambry, although Sivakumar's powers as speaker and as chairman of the rights and privileges committee are being questioned.

As such, Ngeh told The Malaysian Insider today, the best solution to the impasse is to have snap polls.

"I call for snap elections to be held immediately to solve the present crisis which will have a negative impact on the people of Perak if prolonged especially in view of the current economic crisis," he said.

Although this implies that he is not confident that Sivakumar's decision would be upheld, Ngeh added that the decision of the speaker and the committee "was based on constitutional provisions and must be respected".

"We see now how the constitution protects us from any party who grabs power unconstitutionally, illegally and undemocratically," he added.

Barisan Nasional chairman-elect Datuk Seri Najib Razak had masterminded a Feb 5 takeover of the state which saw four assemblymen pulling out of PR and effectively joining BN.

Sabah Umno helps out in by-poll

Terengganu: Sabah Umno leaders headed by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman together with central party leaders and Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties joined the procession to escort the BN candidate to the nomination centre here for the Kuala Terengganu by-election, Tuesday.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak with the Menteri Besar Terengganu Datuk Ahmad Said walked with thousands of leaders and Umno and BN supporters to escort candidate Datuk Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh to the nomination centre in the State stadium here.

Among Sabah Umno leaders who were present include Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Yahya Hussin who is also the Umno Liasion Secretary, Umno Information Chief Datuk Sapawi Haji Ahmad, other Umno divisional heads, Youth, Wanita and Puteri Umno heads.

The BN candidate Wan Ahmad would be challenged by PAS candidate Mohd Abdul Wahid Endut and independent candidate Azharudin Mamat @ Adam in the by-election on Jan 17.

Musa, Yahya and Sapawi also toured the operation rooms and campaigning centres set up by Sabah Umno in the polling areas that falls under the responsibility of Sabah Umno for the coming by-election.

SAPP: Gas pipeline, Sabah loses out badly again

Kota Kinabalu, November 10, 2008(Monday): Once again the interests of Sabah have succumbed to the vested interests of federal bodies like Petronas. Once again, our political leadership has failed Sabah.

The failed appeal of UPKO to scrap the Petronas 500 km, RM 3 billion gas pipeline from Kimanis to Bintulu was not a complete surprise. SAPP reiterates that the grossly unequal and unfair equation of federal-state power has worked against a divided State like Sabah. It is common knowledge that if UPKO were to carry out its threat to leave the BN, as reported in some papers, then UMNO and BN can rely on PBS to fill in the void left by UPKO. It is not a coincidence that the Prime Minister had chosen to announce the decision to go ahead with the gas pipeline at the PBS Congress in Kota Kinabalu, while at the same time, praising PBS and its leaders. This is divide and rule in a glaring public display.

None of the Sabah leaders seem to support Tan Sri Bernard Dompok’s quest to hold the Prime Minister to his word last May to scrap the pipeline. Neither the (UPKO) State Minister of Industrial Development, Datuk Ewon Ebin, nor the Federal Deputy Minister of Industry who is also LDP President Datuk Liew Vui Keong, spoke out against the pipeline. None of the UMNO leaders at the State and Federal levels seem concerned that Sabah will suffer serious energy shortages in the next few years. For Sabah, which is dominated by UMNO, to lose out to Pertonas’s investments in Sarawak, which has no UMNO at all, is a betrayal of the early pledge of UMNO to uplift Sabah in comparison to other States.

This is the sad state that Sabah is in today to the extent that our government now even pretends to be happy that “surplus” gas will be used to build a full fledged oil and gas industry in Sabah. How can Sabahans have fallen to such a dismal state that even our government leaders have come to expect the people to believe such nonsense? Both the UPKO President and his party youth leader had earlier made brave statements giving high hopes to the people that they will fight to the end. Now, it seems, they are contented to eat the humble pie.

Tan Sri Bernard’s announcement that “the federal cabinet has now agreed to create a full-fledged petrochemical industry in Sabah using oil and gas in Sabah” was also immediately contradicted by another Minister (of Plantation and Commodities) Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui who stated that “Petronas should look into Sabah’s gas reqirements”. This vague, non-committal comment from Datuk Peter Chin sounds like Petronas has no idea about Sabah’s energy needs.

Those gas and oil belong to Sabah, not anybody else. Petronas only has a right to extract the oil and gas. If we cannot use it, then do not exploit it. Leave it there for future generations. The State Government can consider stopping the gas pipeline by using its powers under the land laws, which is a State matter under the Federal Constitution, to stop the access and transit of the pipeline.

Until such time that the Sabah’s oil and gas industry has reached a full fledged capacity, and IF there is a surplus of gas, then we allow the construction of the pipeline. At the absolute minimum, the Government must ensure that a sufficient gas power plant is built in Kimanis for the energy needs of Sabah before the construction of the gas pipeline is allowed. The Government must explain intelligently with facts and figure to show whether there will be a surplus of gas. There are not one, but three Liquefied natural Gas (LNG) plants in Bintulu with a combined capacity of 23 million tones per annum (mtpa), the single biggest LNG production facility in the whole world. And, according to reliable sources, the LNG facility in Bintulu will be expanded to take in the gas from Sabah. Are Sabahans therefore to expect that there will be any surplus of gas for Sabah?

It seems that the impending energy crisis in Sandakan has been forgotten in the decision making on the gas pipeline. Neither has any relevant minister for industry or energy or natural resource bothered to explain to the people on the gas pipeline and our energy policy. This is the type of arrogance of power by the BN leadership that will finally bring about the downfall of the BN government.

Datuk Yong Teck Lee
President

Dewan Rakyat: MP hits out at shoddy work by those who farm out jobs

By : Reports by V. Vasudevan, Irdiani Mohd Salleh, Evangeline Majawat


(From left) Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman says the materials used are sub-standard; and Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh says there is no proper monitoring of projects

ROADS in rural areas are substandard because the contractors had sub-contracted the work, a backbencher said yesterday.

"Projects are sub-contracted and quality is compromised," said Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak)

"For example, for a road project worth RM500,000, half goes into the pockets of those who got the job. The eventual sub-contractor will be left with RM250,000 to build the road. What materials can you get other than lower quality stuff?" he asked during the debate on the Work Ministry's allocations at the committee stage.

He said he was not against contractors making a profit.

"But if the margin goes up to 60 per cent of the value of the project, then something must be wrong."
Tajuddin said some of the main contractors were just licence holders who did nothing except take a cut and leave the work to others.

"They farm out the work to others. So, in the end, the road is built with sub-standard materials."

Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh (BN-Putatan) said the Public Works Department should also look at the way the projects were being monitored.

"Surely this could not have happened if there was proper monitoring."

Tajuddin agreed, saying that monitoring of projects must have been compromised by those on the ground.

There were more complaints about roads from Alexander Nanta Linggi (BN-Kapit), who regretted the delay in the construction of the Kapit-Sibu link.

"It was to have been built under the Seventh Malaysia Plan but was pushed to the Eighth Malaysia Plan. Now, I am told it will be built under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

"What am I going to tell my constituents?"

Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (BN-Bintulu) quipped that only God knew the day when some of the road projects in Sarawak would be completed, as promises had been made for so long that the public had grown weary of them.

He said many roads were to have been built but the PWD had either postponed or delayed the work.

"I hope the ministry will be able to give a comprehensive answer to the status of various road projects in the state."

Dr Che Rosli Che Mat (Pas-Hulu Langat) called on the government to widen the Batu 9-Dusun Tua trunk road in his constituency.

"The road is in a bad shape. I hope the government will repair and widen it."

Dewan Rakyat: MP hits out at shoddy work by those who farm out jobs

By : Reports by V. Vasudevan, Irdiani Mohd Salleh, Evangeline Majawat


(From left) Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman says the materials used are sub-standard; and Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh says there is no proper monitoring of projects

ROADS in rural areas are substandard because the contractors had sub-contracted the work, a backbencher said yesterday.

"Projects are sub-contracted and quality is compromised," said Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak)

"For example, for a road project worth RM500,000, half goes into the pockets of those who got the job. The eventual sub-contractor will be left with RM250,000 to build the road. What materials can you get other than lower quality stuff?" he asked during the debate on the Work Ministry's allocations at the committee stage.

He said he was not against contractors making a profit.

"But if the margin goes up to 60 per cent of the value of the project, then something must be wrong."
Tajuddin said some of the main contractors were just licence holders who did nothing except take a cut and leave the work to others.

"They farm out the work to others. So, in the end, the road is built with sub-standard materials."

Datuk Dr Marcus Mojigoh (BN-Putatan) said the Public Works Department should also look at the way the projects were being monitored.

"Surely this could not have happened if there was proper monitoring."

Tajuddin agreed, saying that monitoring of projects must have been compromised by those on the ground.

There were more complaints about roads from Alexander Nanta Linggi (BN-Kapit), who regretted the delay in the construction of the Kapit-Sibu link.

"It was to have been built under the Seventh Malaysia Plan but was pushed to the Eighth Malaysia Plan. Now, I am told it will be built under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

"What am I going to tell my constituents?"

Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (BN-Bintulu) quipped that only God knew the day when some of the road projects in Sarawak would be completed, as promises had been made for so long that the public had grown weary of them.

He said many roads were to have been built but the PWD had either postponed or delayed the work.

"I hope the ministry will be able to give a comprehensive answer to the status of various road projects in the state."

Dr Che Rosli Che Mat (Pas-Hulu Langat) called on the government to widen the Batu 9-Dusun Tua trunk road in his constituency.

"The road is in a bad shape. I hope the government will repair and widen it."

Anwar's in, Pak Lah's out

ANALYSIS

AUG 27 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's stunning win at the Permatang Pauh by-election not only cemented his position as the undisputed leader of the opposition in Malaysia, it prompted senior Umno politicians to begin the countdown to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's last day in office.

The majority view is that he has to go by the end of the year if Umno and BN are to stand any chance of checking the advance of Pakatan Rakyat and holding onto to power at the next general elections.

Tuesday night was a repeat of March 8 with Pakatan Rakyat giddy with an electoral success and BN politicians dizzy with another rejection by the public.

But the joy was sweeter for the opposition because their icon not only won but did so in style, trouncing BN's Arif Shah by a 15,671 majority, 2,000 more votes than what his wife obtained five months ago.

The pain was more severe for BN because unlike March 8, they were not caught blind-sided. They poured in millions of ringgit into the campaign, brought their heavy hitters, threw every conceivable missile at Anwar but still ended up losing badly.

The consequences of the Permatang Pauh by-election could be far-reaching, with even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's neatly-packaged two-year transition of power under threat from increasingly disillusioned party members and leaders of coalition partners.

On Tuesday, only two hours after the last box of votes had been counted, senior Umno politicians were in deep discussion over the need for Abdullah to step down, believing that he had lost the ability to check a resurgent opposition.

A check of the voting pattern at 25 polling stations showed that Anwar snared a handy portion of Malays votes and the bulk of non-Malay votes.

Even the Siamese electorate – a traditional bank of BN support – gave their vote to Anwar.

Najib put on a brave face, saying that Anwar's victory proved that democracy was alive in Malaysia. Left unsaid was that the BN defeat showed that not much had changed on the ground since March 8. Despite the raft of promises by Abdullah to reform the system, the public was not moved.

If anything, Permatang Pauh confirmed that Chinese and Indians no longer fear giving their support to the Opposition.

It also confirmed that the umbilical cord between the Malaysian voter and the Barisan Nasional has been severed.

BN politicians have compiled a list of excuses for the heavy defeat, saying that Permatang Pauh has always been Anwar's fortress; that the campaign was pockmarked with allegations and innuendoes and that the electorate was in no mood to support the establishment because of the rising cost of living.

But they all sounded like excuses and could not obscure the fact that BN suffered its heaviest by-election defeat in recent memory.

Never has BN been in a deeper hole. Never has Abdullah Ahmad Badawi faced such a bleak picture.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com.my