Hah Foong Lian
The Star

IPOH: Perak wants the previous Barisan Nasional government to explain how this year’s RM8mil development fund was spent in less than three months.

State senior executive council member Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham said the Pakatan Rakyat government was shocked at the way the fund, meant for small projects, had been spent before or during the March 8 general election campaign period.

The fund, he said, was made up of a RM75,000 allocation to each Barisan assemblyman with an additional RM100,000 given to each state exco member.

“The people are suspicious that it was spent on the election campaign.

“We are not accusing them yet but we want them to clarify,” Ngeh told a press conference yesterday.

“I want (former Perak MB Datuk Seri Mohamad) Tajol Rosli (Ghazali) and other former exco members, who are now assemblymen, to clarify the matter in order to be fair to the people,” he said.

Urging the previous government to itemise the expenditure, Ngeh said: “This is a clear case of bad management.

“The allocation is intended for the whole year but spent within two months. Has it been spent for political purposes?”

Thepreviousgovernment should immediately write to the state or announce the matter in the media so that the people could verify the expenditure, he said.

State Education, Local Government Housing and Public Transport Committee chairman Nga Kor Ming, who was also present at the media briefing said:

“This is extraordinary and we are suspicious. The people have the right to know.”

Asked if there were any statements or receipts in the government’s record on the RM8mil, Nga said:

“Let them show first. They’ve spent the money so they must show.

“That is not a logical question. Why ask us to show?” he asked.

Exco member Zainuddin Mohd Yusof, who was also present, said the normal procedure was that the disbursement of public expenditure should be apportioned according to the time of the year.

Manjit Kaur, Charles Fernandez
The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: It was victory for the residents of Bandar Mahkota Cheras after the Government ordered the Cheras-Kajang Highway operator to tear down the barrier along the access road to their housing area.

Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed, who made the announcement at the barrier site yesterday, said the Cabinet had decided that the road should remain open at least until a court case between the operator Grand Saga and Mahkota Cheras developer Narajaya Sdn Bhd was settled.

The joyful faces of hundred of residents who had gathered to witness Mohd Zin’s visit were a stark contrast to those who were at the same spot several times over the past few weeks to tear down barriers which Grand Saga rebuilt four times.

The last episode was on Tuesday night when several residents were attacked by unidentified people.

“Grand Saga has agreed not to re-erect the barricade and not to engage a third party to take action against the Federal Government for the losses that they had suffered for vehicles using the toll-free access road,” Mohd Zin said yesterday.

He promised that there would be a permanent solution.

“I hope all parties, including the residents, will obey the law as the Government is sensitive to the peoples’ needs. We need to work together to solve the matter amicably.”

Mohd Zin said the Government would relook its decision once a court decision was made.

Grand Saga is claiming compensation from Narajaya for loss of income since its toll plaza will be by-passed with the construction of the road.

After Mohd Zin’s announcement, Grand Saga workers removed the concrete boulders from the middle of the road under the bypass between the Mahkota Cheras and Bandar Tun Hussein Onn access roads.

When met by reporters later, Taliworks Corporation Bhd chief executive officer Abdul Rahman Siraj said the Cabinet’s decision was fair to the residents, Grand Saga and the other parties concerned.

Taliworks has a 55% stake in Cerah Sama Sdn Bhd which owns and operates the highway via wholly-owned Grand Saga.

“The decision has temporarily solved the matter, and I would like to thank the minister for personally breaking the news,” he said.

Abdul Rahman said he hoped to have talks with Narajaya and hoped the ministry would be able to mediate so that both parties would be able to find an amicable solution before the court decision.

He said for the past few weeks, “unpleasant things” had occurred and he assured the public that Grand Saga was not involved in any of the criminal acts.

“Why should we engage thugs, and aggravate the matter?”

In Shah Alam, Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said the state would no longer call for an extraordinary general meeting in Grand Saga now that the Works Ministry had resolved the issue.

“I would like to thank the Federal Government and the Works Minister for making the right decision.”

Teh Eng Hock
The Star

PETALING JAYA: A defiant Federal Territory Gerakan chief Datuk Dr Tan Kee Kwong called on those who had asked him to resign for taking up a post in Pakatan Rakyat-led Selangor to rise above politics.

He said with many issues currently troubling the people, it was time to rise above political interests for the greater good of the country.

Dr Tan, who was issued a show-cause letter by his party for taking up the post as co-chairman of Selangor’s special task force on land issues, said he had yet to decide whether to reply to the letter.

He told The Star that he fully understood the implications of the letter.

“As a former vice-president, I have previously taken part in many disciplinary actions, including sending out show cause letters.

“I have until June 7 to respond. I have not decided (whether to reply),” he said.

Dr Tan is the second Gerakan leader to take up a post with a Pakatan Rakyat-led state after deputy secretary-general Lee Kah Choon.

Last month, Lee accepted the Penang Government’s offer to take up the posts of InvestPenang executive chairman and Penang Development Corporation director.

He then resigned from Gerakan.

Asked if he had sought advice from Lee, Dr Tan said he spoke to him briefly but did not ask for advice.

“There is no need for advice. It is very clear. I have been in politics a long time and have given this (the appointment) careful thought before accepting it,” he said.

On Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s statement that Barisan Nasional members who want to take up posts in Opposition-led governments should just quit the party, Dr Tan thanked him for the advice but said it was time to rise above politics for the country’s interest.

Dr Tan said one must be brave and look back at why one became a politician.

“We must go back to our initial struggle – regardless of whether it is me, my Gerakan colleagues, or even DAP politicians.

“It is my humble desire to serve (the people). Individuals do not count and do not matter,” he said.