Justify RM8 million expenditure, former Perak assemblymen, exco members told

NST IPOH, Mon: June 2, 2008

The Perak state government has no intention of finding fault with anyone in raising the issue on the RM8 million allocation spent by former Barisan Nasional (BN) State Assemblymen and State Executive Councillors within a two-month period prior to the general election in March, said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin.

He said what was being questioned now was the details on the minor projects and their cost to justify the expenditure.

He said the state government had no intention of finding faults with the previous leadership or to take them to court, but only wished to know the details on the expenditure.

"Within the two-and-a-half months, they should explain the type of expenditure incurred. We are not saying they are guilty. Just list down the expenditure and the public can see the RM8 million spent during the two-and-a-half months. It’s not that we are going to prosecute,” he told reporters after opening the National Geoscience Conference, here today.

"The people of Perak have the right to know because the RM8 million was public fund. What was the money spent for? If it was to build a small bridge, to resurface the road or repair buildings, we do not dispute. That’s the right of the people. The expenditure is appropriate,” he said.

If the BN state assemblymen and executive councillors concerned explained the expenditure incurred, then the public themselves could evaluate whether the value of the projects were commensurate with the amount allocated.

The Menteri Besar said although the RM8 million fund had been exhausted by the previous State Assemblymen and Executive Councillors, the state government still had sufficient allocations to implement development projects in Perak.

Last Friday, the Perak state government had asked the previous BN government to explain to the people the RM8 million development fund which was spent within two months prior to the general election. — BERNAMA

Seminar for environs conscious groups

Jun 2, 2008

ENVIRONMENTALLY conscious groups are invited to take part in a green seminar in conjunction with World Environment Day 2008.

The one-day seminar, organised by the Perak Government and Brunswick Industries Sdn Bhd, is about preserving the environment, state executive councillor Nga Kor Ming said.

Themed “Be green, be responsible,” Nga said the event at the State Secretariat Building in Ipoh would be opened by Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin on Thursday.

“We expect some 350 people to take part in the event and we have reserved 100 seats for the public,” Nga said, adding that public participation would be free.

To register, call 05-3221129

Perak’s tin industry to be revived earliest 2009

Jun 2, 2008 By CLARA CHOOI

IPOH:


By next year, the silver state of Perak should be seeing the revival of its once-booming tin mining industry.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said the state was bent on reviving the industry, due to the current promising price of tin ore in the market.

“Since prices have remained stable at about RM60,000 above per tonne, we believe that tin mining is one economic activity the state must not overlook,” he told reporters after launching the National Geoscience Conference 2008 here on Monday.

Nizar added that several former tin mining companies had already approached the state government on the possibility of mining for tin at certain locations or even rehabilitating former tin mining sites.

However, he said the earliest the companies could begin operations would be next year.

“We will issue them permits to conduct their own internal exploration first and this would take between four and six months.

“And if the site is suitable and far away from the tracts of land sited for the development of new townships or industrial zones, the state will give its full support,” he said, adding that the sites must also be sustainable and able to produce great returns.

Nizar added that only companies with valid "mining certificates" indicating their expertise in the field would be allowed to seek approval from the state government to mine for tin ore.

“We will be selective in allowing these companies to mine for tin ore or any other form of underground mineral.

“They must also have sufficient capital to finance their operations and must show us what possible state-of-the-art techniques can be used to mine for these minerals so that minimal damage is inflicted upon the environment,” he said.

Nizar said that companies undertaking mining projects must first seek an Environmental Impact Assessment report and adhere to the relevant laws and directives from related departments like the Department of Environment.

Perak to review ICT blueprint

NST - Jun 2, 2008 By Jaspal Singh

IPOH: The state government is reviewing the information and communications technology blueprint that was launched three years ago to make ICT the thrust of Perak's economic growth beyond 2010.

State Higher Education, Science, Technology and Communication Committee chairman Thomas Su said: "I doubt that every aspect that was stated in the blueprint can be implemented by 2010. That is why we want to review it now."

He said the blueprint, known officially as K-Perak 2010, would not be scrapped but be reviewed to make sure that certain features were implemented.

"This is an important blueprint and the state government views it seriously. Without ICT, Perak will lag behind other states," Su told the New Straits Times here yesterday.

He said the state government would also review an agreement with The Red Snapper, which had been tasked with completing Wifi installation throughout the state.

The broadband initiative using Wifi, a popular wireless technology, had hit a snag, with a penetration rate of less than 40 per cent, he said.

The state's broadband roll-out plan had aimed to set up hotspots facilities in 50 per cent of the state by this April and 75 per cent by the end of September.

Su declined to elaborate on the reasons for the snag in the broadband implementation.

Another IT company had shown interest in taking over the job of providing broadband penetration using not only Wifi but also WiMAX (worldwide interoperability for microwave access) and wired connection, he added.

The K-Perak 2010 initiative, aims to turn the state into a knowledge-based state by 2010, a developed state by 2015 and to increase its gross domestic product by three times by 2020.

Know your state rep: Ong aims to make Ipoh a lively place at night

NST - Jun 2, 2008 By Jaspal Singh

IPOH: There are many things Ong Boon Piow wishes to accomplish.


Although a political newcomer, the 29-year-old knows he has to pace himself in his new job as the state assemblyman for Tebing Tinggi.

He told the New Straits Times the best thing he could do was to take things one step at a time so his "political stamina" would last till the end of the term.

"I need to focus on issues affecting my constituents first, and then slowly work on my own agendas for the betterment of Ipoh."

Ong says his hands are full dealing with complaints from his constituents about the unsatisfactory services of the Ipoh City Council.

"Almost 90 per cent of the complaints I receive daily are about poor collection of rubbish, uncut grass and clogged drains. My constituents, largely middle-class people, feel the Ipoh City Council is not doing its work."

He said one of the more challenging aspects of representing a constituency with a large number of middle-class voters was fulfilling their expectations.

"The degree of expectation is higher. They want to see that action is taken promptly, and the result thereof is satisfactory to them ... I am doing my best to live up to their expectations," he said.

A mechanical engineering graduate of Universiti Putra Malaysia, the Malacca-born Ong wants to do more than just look after the municipal issues faced daily by his constituents.

He also wants to accomplish his most important personal agenda - turning the city into a vibrant and lively place at night.

"I want to help breathe the nightlife back in the city centre. Just look at it now. It is almost dead after 8pm."

With thousands of people jamming the roads in the city centre during the day, downtown Ipoh acquires a totally different colour at night.

Over the years the city centre, due to the absence of human activities, has been dubbed a ghost town even by tourists who want to sample its nightlife.

Ong wants to change this.

"At present, the night hustle-and-bustle takes place in suburban areas such as Shatin Park, Bercham, Ipoh Garden, Silibin and even Menglembu.

"While the idea of developing suburban areas was good, no one foresaw the impact it would have on the city centre itself," he said.

He believes the trend can be reversed, provided parties like the Council, the Perak Tourism Action Council, the police, trade and industry chambers of commerce, public transport providers and concerned non-governmental organisations are prepared to work together.

Ong, a self-employed freelance engineering consultant and the Perak DAP political education director, said that three things needed to be done to attract suburban folks to the city centre.

First is to get transport providers to restart night services of buses and taxis; second to get more policemen on the streets to curb petty thefts; and lastly to organise sports, performing arts and cultural activities in open areas at night.

But Ong, who defeated the BN's Datuk Chew Wai Koon by a majority of 2,515 votes, admits that his ambition of enlivening Ipoh at night will be a herculean task.

"That is why I want to move towards this aim step by step ... not by leaps. I do not want to tire out so early because the journey is still a long way."

Show us the proof, rep tells state

The Star - June 1, 2008 By HAH FOONG LIAN

IPOH:



The Perak Government must prove that the RM21.8bil foreign investments are from new inves-tors and not the ones announced by the previous Barisan Nasional state government, said Pangkor assemblyman Datuk Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.

“Show us proof of new investments that came into Perak since the new government took over power in March,” Dr Zambry said yesterday when responding to the statement by state Education, Local Government, Housing and Public Transport Committee chairman Nga Kor Ming.

Nga had said on Friday that fo-reign investors had shown confidence in the new government and that it was considering investments valued at some RM21.8bil, including RM16bil investments from Qatar’s Gulf Petroleum and RM1.5bil from First Solar Incorporation of the Uni-ted States.

Likening Nga’s announcement to the Malay proverb lembu punya susu, sapi dapat nama (getting credit for work done by others), Dr Zambry said Gulf Petroleum had already shown interest to invest in Perak when Barisan was in power.

“When the Barisan lost in the ge-neral election, Gulf Petroleum wanted to withdraw but we advised them to stay for the sake of development of Perak and progress of the people,” said Dr Zambry, who is also a former state executive councillor.

Out of the RM22bil announced, Dr Zambry urged Nga to show which ones were signed by the new government.

“From what I had gathered, inves-tors are actually more worried about investing in the state because of the fragile government now,” he added.

‘Pakatan just out for political mileage’

The Star - June 1, 2008

IPOH:

The RM8mil development fund is being used as an issue by the new Perak Government to cast doubt on the previous Barisan Nasional administration, said several former state executive council members.

Referring to state senior executive council member Datuk Ngeh Koo Ham’s statement that the fund had been spent in less than three months, former state exco member Datuk Mohd Radzi Manan said yesterday that he was making a mountain out of a molehill.

“What is RM8mil to a state and when it is divided among the constituencies? What is RM175,000 when spread over a population of 200,000 in my constituency? The money was used to repair community halls and drains,” he said.

Radzi pointed out that the new government should just admit it was unable to raise funds to administer the state and stop blaming the previous government for money spent.

He said his allocation of RM175,000 was used in three months for more than 30 projects like repairing roads and buildings.

On why the money was spent during the first three months of the year, Radzi said it was the norm for the fund to be used early in the year and coincidentally the general election was held in March.

On Friday, Ngeh had asked the Barisan assemblymen to itemise spending from the fund which was a RM75,000 allocation with an additional RM100,000 given to each state exco member.

Ngeh had said the people were suspicious that it had been spent on the election campaign.

Another former state exco member Datuk Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said the spending had been accounted for.

Dr Zambry said the money was allocated yearly to Barisan assemblymen for small projects in their constituencies and no cash was dished out for other purposes.

There were strict regulations that had to be followed before the money was channelled to projects in the constituencies, he said.

Datuk Ramly Zahari, another former exco member, described Ngeh’s statement as illogical because some of the warrants for the spending had been cancelled after Parliament was dissolved in February.

He said the funds were given out in the form of warrants after the district officer had checked and approved the list of projects.