By Channel NewsAsia's Malaysia Correspondent Melissa Goh
Original Article from Channel News Asia
The Malaysian government has rejected the opposition's call for an independent inquiry into the bloody weekend clash in the north-eastern state of Terengganu. Seven people were injured, including two who were hit by live bullets.
Speaking to our correspondent, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Nazri Aziz, defended the firing of tear gas and use of water canons by police. The clash between Malaysian riot police and more than 500 people attending a public forum took place in the heart of Terengganu state.
During the forum organised by the opposition coalition, the speaker delivered a lecture calling for clean and fair elections. Police say the crowd had gathered without a legal permit, so they fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse the people. Seven were injured and more than 20 arrested.
Also for the first time, live bullets were alleged to have been fired into the crowd, severely injuring two opposition Islamic Party members. Although their condition is said to be stable, the opposition has demanded an immediate independent inquiry into the incident.
Opposition and human rights leaders have condemned what they call excessive use of force by the police. Mustapa Ali, Chief (Terengganu), Pan-Malaysia Islamic Party, said: "There must be a thorough investigation by an independent body because we believe what happened was planned and premeditated by the government and the police. They will find any avenue to stop our message from reaching the masses.
" Denying the charges, the government also rejected the need for an independent inquiry. Nazri Aziz said: "It's very clear. You don't have the permit, you don't do it. There are laws in this country so you don't need a royal commission to look into this." Mr Nazri said the crowd triggered the clash by hurling rocks and Molotov cocktails at the police.
He added: "Police are also normal human beings. They've been attacked by a group of people they have every right to defend themselves, you can't wait till you're injured."
Despite the government's defence of the police action, opposition and human rights groups have vowed not to let the matter rest, saying they'll sue the police, press for debate in parliament, and continue holding more rallies.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Joke
Contributed by a friend
A man is sitting in a bar when a beautiful woman walks up and whispers in his ear, "I'll do anything you want for 50 bucks."
He puts his drink down and starts going through his pockets. He pulls out a ten, two five's, a twenty and ten ones.
He thrusts the wadded up money into the woman's hand and says, "Here...paint my house."
Those Middlemen in Government Projects Smells
by R. Nadeswaran and Terence Fernandez
Original Article from The Sun - Unhealthy Practices
Middlemen stand to gain almost half-a-billion ringgit under the Road Transport Department (RTD)’s e-Kesihatan project to conduct drug tests on drivers, attendants and conductors of commercial vehicles.
By its own projections, Supremme Systems Sdn Bhd – the company awarded the concession by the Transport Ministry – will make RM92 million over 15 years.
But those in the know argue that this figure is grossly under-estimated, claiming that RM400 million would be a more accurate number, based on 800,000 drivers.
However, working on 1.2 million drivers – the company’s projection – the figure would cross the RM500 million mark.
It was announced yesterday that from Oct 1 those applying for or renewing commercial vehicle licences must go for medical tests at designated panel clinics.
The Transport Ministry signed the concession agreement on Sept 3 and almost immediately doctors were invited to register with Supremme Systems.
According to the agreement, the drivers are to be tested for opium, cannabis albumin, sugar and antropine substances.
What makes this venture stink of another money-making scheme involving a chosen few, is that Supremme Systems will not conduct the tests. Instead, it will be carried out by a panel of doctors selected by the company, who will be paid less than half the proposed RM85 fee – RM30; with RM20 going for laboratory tests.
The remainder – about RM35 – will go to the company.
Many medical practitioners oppose the arrangement which they feel is nothing more than a rent-seeking exercise.
The doctors claim that they had, through Koperasi Doktor Malaysia Bhd, submitted a comprehensive proposal to the ministry last year with two scales of fees – much lower than Supremme Systems’.
They argue that it is the doctor who will have to carry out the tests and take responsibility for the certification and that there is no necessity for middlemen to be involved.
"They are getting paid for doing nothing. Any monitoring must be conducted by the RTD," said one doctor, adding that fees can be kept low if such middlemen were eliminated.
"It seems that the main agenda here is to make money and not to have more competent drivers on our roads,’’ said the doctor.
The practitioners also argue that Supremme Systems had been selective when deciding who can participate in the scheme.
"Why should only a selected few be involved when the whole profession should help ensure that we have safe drivers on our roads?’’ asked another doctor.
Letters of invitation to be a panel member of e-Kesihatan have been sent to several private practitioners, asking them, among others to pay Supremme Systems RM100 as registration, stamp duties and service agreement charges.
Those interested to be panel doctors are also required to have professional indemnity insurance. Supremme Systems was previously known as Pantai Supremme System Sdn Bhd.
According to information obtained from a search with the Companies Commisson yesterday, it is owned by a company called Hormat Bestari, which in turn is controlled by Nordin Yahya, Tunku Syed Razman Tunku Syed Idrus, Kuwi Anak Mel and Yew Bein Gin.
Nordin and Tunku Syed Razman control Arah Fikir Sdn Bhd, which owns 48% of Hormat Bestari. Kuwi and Yew control Kerjaya Unggul Sdn Bhd which owns 50% of Hormat Bestari.
Nordin Yahya was an original shareholder of Pantai Supremme through a company called Title Effect. Both Title Effect and Pantai Holdings (which was subsequently taken over by Singapore based Parkway Holdings) used to own Pantai Supremme.
Original Article from The Sun - Unhealthy Practices
Middlemen stand to gain almost half-a-billion ringgit under the Road Transport Department (RTD)’s e-Kesihatan project to conduct drug tests on drivers, attendants and conductors of commercial vehicles.
By its own projections, Supremme Systems Sdn Bhd – the company awarded the concession by the Transport Ministry – will make RM92 million over 15 years.
But those in the know argue that this figure is grossly under-estimated, claiming that RM400 million would be a more accurate number, based on 800,000 drivers.
However, working on 1.2 million drivers – the company’s projection – the figure would cross the RM500 million mark.
It was announced yesterday that from Oct 1 those applying for or renewing commercial vehicle licences must go for medical tests at designated panel clinics.
The Transport Ministry signed the concession agreement on Sept 3 and almost immediately doctors were invited to register with Supremme Systems.
According to the agreement, the drivers are to be tested for opium, cannabis albumin, sugar and antropine substances.
What makes this venture stink of another money-making scheme involving a chosen few, is that Supremme Systems will not conduct the tests. Instead, it will be carried out by a panel of doctors selected by the company, who will be paid less than half the proposed RM85 fee – RM30; with RM20 going for laboratory tests.
The remainder – about RM35 – will go to the company.
Many medical practitioners oppose the arrangement which they feel is nothing more than a rent-seeking exercise.
The doctors claim that they had, through Koperasi Doktor Malaysia Bhd, submitted a comprehensive proposal to the ministry last year with two scales of fees – much lower than Supremme Systems’.
They argue that it is the doctor who will have to carry out the tests and take responsibility for the certification and that there is no necessity for middlemen to be involved.
"They are getting paid for doing nothing. Any monitoring must be conducted by the RTD," said one doctor, adding that fees can be kept low if such middlemen were eliminated.
"It seems that the main agenda here is to make money and not to have more competent drivers on our roads,’’ said the doctor.
The practitioners also argue that Supremme Systems had been selective when deciding who can participate in the scheme.
"Why should only a selected few be involved when the whole profession should help ensure that we have safe drivers on our roads?’’ asked another doctor.
Letters of invitation to be a panel member of e-Kesihatan have been sent to several private practitioners, asking them, among others to pay Supremme Systems RM100 as registration, stamp duties and service agreement charges.
Those interested to be panel doctors are also required to have professional indemnity insurance. Supremme Systems was previously known as Pantai Supremme System Sdn Bhd.
According to information obtained from a search with the Companies Commisson yesterday, it is owned by a company called Hormat Bestari, which in turn is controlled by Nordin Yahya, Tunku Syed Razman Tunku Syed Idrus, Kuwi Anak Mel and Yew Bein Gin.
Nordin and Tunku Syed Razman control Arah Fikir Sdn Bhd, which owns 48% of Hormat Bestari. Kuwi and Yew control Kerjaya Unggul Sdn Bhd which owns 50% of Hormat Bestari.
Nordin Yahya was an original shareholder of Pantai Supremme through a company called Title Effect. Both Title Effect and Pantai Holdings (which was subsequently taken over by Singapore based Parkway Holdings) used to own Pantai Supremme.
The Batuk Buruk "Riot"
by Lim Kit Siang
Picked from Lim Kit Siang
(Speech on the 2008 Budget in Parliament on Monday, 10th September 2008)
I must start with the shameful episode to the nation, which marred not only the presentation of the 2008 budget but also the 50th Merdeka Anniversary celebrations – the police firing live bullets at a ceramah crowd at Batu Burok, Kuala Terengganu on Saturday night and wounding two and the ensuing confrontation between the crowd and the police.
In 24 hours, the minimal “feel good” effect created by the 2008 Budget had been destroyed by two incidents - the police contempt for human rights and excessive use of force in Batu Burok on Saturday night and the latest Auditor-General’s Reports highlighting continuing widespread and incorrigible government inefficiency and waste of public funds.
All Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or political beliefs, are shocked by what happened in Batu Burok on Saturday night, especially with the mainstream media carrying screaming headlines like “750 pembangkang merusuh, rosakkan harta awam di Terengganu” (Utusan Malaysia), “4 polis cedera rusuhan di Kuala Terengganu” (Berita Harian), “RM1m damage, 23 held in riot” (New Straits Times), “Ceramah clash” (The Star), “23 held and 7 injured in riot” (The Sun).
Why did a traditionally peaceful ceramah organized by Bersih, a coalition of political parties and NGOs campaigning for free and fair elections degenerate into a confrontation between the police and the crowd, turning it into a “riot” with police firing live bullets, resulting in four being hospitalized and 23 arrested?
Find out here
Picked from Lim Kit Siang
(Speech on the 2008 Budget in Parliament on Monday, 10th September 2008)
I must start with the shameful episode to the nation, which marred not only the presentation of the 2008 budget but also the 50th Merdeka Anniversary celebrations – the police firing live bullets at a ceramah crowd at Batu Burok, Kuala Terengganu on Saturday night and wounding two and the ensuing confrontation between the crowd and the police.
In 24 hours, the minimal “feel good” effect created by the 2008 Budget had been destroyed by two incidents - the police contempt for human rights and excessive use of force in Batu Burok on Saturday night and the latest Auditor-General’s Reports highlighting continuing widespread and incorrigible government inefficiency and waste of public funds.
All Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or political beliefs, are shocked by what happened in Batu Burok on Saturday night, especially with the mainstream media carrying screaming headlines like “750 pembangkang merusuh, rosakkan harta awam di Terengganu” (Utusan Malaysia), “4 polis cedera rusuhan di Kuala Terengganu” (Berita Harian), “RM1m damage, 23 held in riot” (New Straits Times), “Ceramah clash” (The Star), “23 held and 7 injured in riot” (The Sun).
Why did a traditionally peaceful ceramah organized by Bersih, a coalition of political parties and NGOs campaigning for free and fair elections degenerate into a confrontation between the police and the crowd, turning it into a “riot” with police firing live bullets, resulting in four being hospitalized and 23 arrested?
Find out here
Auditor General: RM1.4b for patrol vessels unjustified
by Llew-Ann Phang and B. Suresh Ram
Original article from The Sun
The Auditor-General (A-G) sees no justification for the government to approve an additional RM1.4 billion for the acquisition of patrol vessels (PVs) for the Royal Malaysian Navy.
The A-G’s report, tabled in Parliament on Friday (Sept 7), said RM4.26 billion, including a deposit of RM1.07 billion, had been paid to Penang Shipbuilding & Construction Sdn Bhd-Naval Dockyard Sdn Bhd (PSC-NDSB), for a package of six PVs, by last December.
By then, two of the PVs had been presented to the Defence Ministry, while the construction of the remaining four PVs was between 18.5% and 55.9% done.
The four PVs are still being constructed in Lumut, Perak, and Pulau Jerejak, Penang, which are each housing two incomplete vessels. All the PVs were supposed to be handed over in April.
PSC-NDSB was contracted to design, construct and deliver the PVs, with an integrated logistics support and commercial package programme, for the navy.
"The government has agreed to increase the contract value by RM1.4 billion – from RM5.35 billion to RM6.75 billion – through a second contract signed by Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (formerly PSC-NDSB) in January this year," the report said.
"In the new contract, the cost to build PV1 and PV2 is RM843 million each, while the cost to build PV3-PV6 is RM1,193 million each – an increase of RM350 million for each PV. However, the (National Audit Department) cannot determine the justification to increase the contract value by RM1.4 billion," it said.
It said it could not verify 14 payments amounting to RM943.46 million made to PSC-NDSB between December 1999 and January 2002, as payment vouchers or supporting documents were missing and could not be traced from the Defence Ministry’s records.
The report also said there were initially 100 incomplete items on PV1, KD Kedah, when it was handed over in June 2006, and 383 on PV2, KD Pahang, when it was handed over in July 2006. During the audit visit in December 2006, there were still 14 incomplete items on KD Kedah and 30 on KD Pahang.
"The use of the two PVs cannot be optimised as there are outstanding items and the equipment aboard was not fixed at the appropriate locations," it said.
It added that the contractor has also yet to reimburse the government, which footed the bill amounting to RM1.09 million for the handing over of the PVs. Under the contract, the cost should be borne by the contractor.
The report said the project should be given serious attention and recommended that the Finance and Defence Ministries form a joint monitoring committee to visit the construction site and monitor the progress of work on the remaining PVs.
It stressed the need to adhere to government guidelines and regulations to prevent losses and said that in the event of a difference in the interpretation of contract provisions, they should seek legal counsel or clarification from the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
Responding to these queries, the Defence Ministry said it made the request for the additional RM1.4 billion after taking into account the remaining funds in the contract and additional requirements for the project’s completion.
In the Report on the Treasury’s Response to the AG’s report, the ministry said if the additional amount was not provided, the price of PV1 and PV2 would amount to RM2 billion each, compared with the average price of RM800 million each for all six vessels.
Original article from The Sun
The Auditor-General (A-G) sees no justification for the government to approve an additional RM1.4 billion for the acquisition of patrol vessels (PVs) for the Royal Malaysian Navy.
The A-G’s report, tabled in Parliament on Friday (Sept 7), said RM4.26 billion, including a deposit of RM1.07 billion, had been paid to Penang Shipbuilding & Construction Sdn Bhd-Naval Dockyard Sdn Bhd (PSC-NDSB), for a package of six PVs, by last December.
By then, two of the PVs had been presented to the Defence Ministry, while the construction of the remaining four PVs was between 18.5% and 55.9% done.
The four PVs are still being constructed in Lumut, Perak, and Pulau Jerejak, Penang, which are each housing two incomplete vessels. All the PVs were supposed to be handed over in April.
PSC-NDSB was contracted to design, construct and deliver the PVs, with an integrated logistics support and commercial package programme, for the navy.
"The government has agreed to increase the contract value by RM1.4 billion – from RM5.35 billion to RM6.75 billion – through a second contract signed by Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (formerly PSC-NDSB) in January this year," the report said.
"In the new contract, the cost to build PV1 and PV2 is RM843 million each, while the cost to build PV3-PV6 is RM1,193 million each – an increase of RM350 million for each PV. However, the (National Audit Department) cannot determine the justification to increase the contract value by RM1.4 billion," it said.
It said it could not verify 14 payments amounting to RM943.46 million made to PSC-NDSB between December 1999 and January 2002, as payment vouchers or supporting documents were missing and could not be traced from the Defence Ministry’s records.
The report also said there were initially 100 incomplete items on PV1, KD Kedah, when it was handed over in June 2006, and 383 on PV2, KD Pahang, when it was handed over in July 2006. During the audit visit in December 2006, there were still 14 incomplete items on KD Kedah and 30 on KD Pahang.
"The use of the two PVs cannot be optimised as there are outstanding items and the equipment aboard was not fixed at the appropriate locations," it said.
It added that the contractor has also yet to reimburse the government, which footed the bill amounting to RM1.09 million for the handing over of the PVs. Under the contract, the cost should be borne by the contractor.
The report said the project should be given serious attention and recommended that the Finance and Defence Ministries form a joint monitoring committee to visit the construction site and monitor the progress of work on the remaining PVs.
It stressed the need to adhere to government guidelines and regulations to prevent losses and said that in the event of a difference in the interpretation of contract provisions, they should seek legal counsel or clarification from the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
Responding to these queries, the Defence Ministry said it made the request for the additional RM1.4 billion after taking into account the remaining funds in the contract and additional requirements for the project’s completion.
In the Report on the Treasury’s Response to the AG’s report, the ministry said if the additional amount was not provided, the price of PV1 and PV2 would amount to RM2 billion each, compared with the average price of RM800 million each for all six vessels.
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