Explain refusal to disclose water deal, Selangor MB tells minister

Explain refusal to disclose water deal, Selangor MB tells minister

Selangor sabahdaily   4:30 PM

Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili must explain why the federal government cannot reveal the contents of its water restructuring agreement with Selangor, Azmin Ali said today.

The Selangor Mentri Besar said he was surprised that the Energy, Green Technology and Water minister had made a public statement on the matter when he has yet to reply to Azmin’s letter asking permission for the water deal to be publicly disclosed.

“The federal government has explained why they cannot reveal contents of water deal.

“I will wait for minister reply before deciding further,” he told reporters here after officiating an event at the Viva Home shopping mall.

Earlier today, Ongkili had reportedly said that his ministry would not disclose the contents of the water deal, following legal advice from the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).

“After advice from the AGC, we feel that it is not time to disclose the water deal.

“People already know (the contents) because it has been mentioned in the memorandum of understanding (MoU), Heads of Agreement (HoA) and master agreement,” online news portal The Malaysian Insider quoted him as saying.
Ongkili added that a full disclosure needed an agreement from all stakeholders including state water concessionaires.

Azmin is demanding that the federal government publicly disclose all contents of the recently-signed water restructuring agreement made during his predecessor’s time.

He had said that such a move was necessary as a first step in reviewing the controversial water deal.

Under the water agreement, Selangor will infuse a new special purpose vehicle with RM14.92 billion in assets to manage the water restructuring exercise now finalised with Putrajaya.

Former Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim said last month the asset injection will go to a new entity, Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd, which will come into operation after the state concludes the takeover of assets and liabilities currently held by water concessionaires operating in Selangor.

The federal government will also provide RM2 billion to help offset the state’s cost of taking over the four concessionaires — Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas), Puncak Niaga Sdn Bhd, Konsortium Abbas Sdn Bhd and Syarikat Pengeluar Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (SPLASH).

The new SPV will be under the control of state-owned Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Berhad.

Of the four concessionaires, only Syabas, Puncak Niaga and Konsortium Abbas have agreed in principle to Selangor’s combined offer of RM7.817 billion.
SPLASH has said it will negotiate its acquisition separately.

Khalid’s administration had initially made a combined offer of RM9.651 billion to take over assets and liabilities of the four concessionaires.

SPLASH rejected the offer outright, however, which pushed Selangor to threaten to enforce Section 114 of the Water Services Industry Act 2006. The law provision allows Putrajaya to forcibly acquire a concessionaire.

Separately, the assets and liabilities of the three concessionaires that have agreed to the terms will be transferred to Perbadanan Aset Air Berhad on a 45-year lease, covering all liabilities such as water debts and bonds valued at RM6.1 billion, and water assets owned by the concessionaires.

The facilities and service licences will be issued to Air Selangor by the National Water Services Commission, along with the proposed Langat 2 water treatment plant which will be leased to and managed by Air Selangor.
The water restructuring plan and the Langat 2 project were among several reasons given by PKR in deciding to remove Khalid from office.

-malaymailonline

MACC: Azmin not off the hook yet

MACC: Azmin not off the hook yet

Selangor sabahdaily   12:01 AM

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said it is still investigating an allegation of misconduct against Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali when he was chairman of the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS).

MACC director of investigation Mohd Jamidan Abdullah said in a press statement that the investigating officer was in the process of gathering evidence on the matter.

“The MACC will not reveal or provide information on the investigation until the matter has been submitted to the Attorney-General’s Chambers,” he said.

A Malay language newspaper reported Tuesday the call by NGO, Solidariti Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, asking that the MACC issue a statement on Azmin’s alleged misconduct when he was PKNS chairman.

Mohd Jamidan said the complainant could contact the MACC office to obtain information on the matter without going through a third party.

He said the MACC hoped that people would not speculate on the matter.- Bernama

Forgive PAS for dragging out Selangor MB issue

Forgive PAS for dragging out Selangor MB issue

Selangor sabahdaily   2:18 PM

Controversial Selangor PAS lawmaker Saari Sungib has asked that the public forgive PAS, even as his own party considers him a traitor and begins proceedings to sack him.

Saari spoke to a largely Chinese audience at a DAP dinner in Sungai Buloh last night to apologise on behalf of PAS for dragging out the Selangor Menteri Besar impasse because of its flip-flop decisions.

"I know that some of you are still angry with PAS. So, I apologise on behalf of PAS for being late in making decisions when it came to the Selangor Menteri Besar," Saari said.

The Hulu Klang assemblyman is deemed a hero by Pakatan Rakyat parties DAP and PKR for pitching in with the two parties to oust Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim against the wishes of some of his elders in PAS.

During the Islamist party's assembly in September, Saari and Morib assemblyman Hasnul Baharuddin were repeatedly slammed by some members and leaders for being stooges to PKR and DAP.

Yet, Saari's huge popularity among the non-PAS crowd was evident when he was cheered throughout his speech.

He was also praised by DAP leaders at the dinner, who generously commended him for sticking with the 28 PKR and DAP Selangor assemblymen to oust Khalid and back PKR president Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail for the Selangor Menteri Besar post.

DAP vice-president Teresa Kok presented him with a bamboo plant as a token of appreciation for his decision to support the party and PKR even in the face of hostile pressure from PAS.

"In Chinese tradition, the bamboo symbolises gentlemanliness and also integrity. No matter how much the pressure, the bamboo will bend but it will not break," said Kok before giving Saari the plant during the dinner as the crowd applauded.

Saari and Hasnul face possible expulsion from PAS as their support for DAP and PKR was made before the party stated its official stand on whether it would back Khalid's sacking.

But when the PAS central committee eventually did decide to support Khalid's ouster as menteri besar, the decision was over-ridden a few days later by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and the party's influential council of elder Muslim scholars, the Syura.

The split in PAS prolonged the menteri besar crisis as PR could not forge a consensus on who should take over from Khalid.

Analysts and PR leaders have argued that PAS's actions had not gone down well among Selangor voters, who are considered the most politically aware and well-read in the country.

They believe that had the crisis resulted in state elections, PAS would have lost the most number of seats due to negative public sentiment.

A DAP leader who was at the dinner conceded this, saying that the event was also a chance to show voters angry with PAS that not all of the Islamist party's leaders were the same.

"The Chinese recognise Saari, he is a huge celebrity for them. We wanted to show them that he is also a PAS leader."

For his part, Saari said that he stood by his decision no matter what his colleagues in PAS thought of him.

"They can say whatever they want of me, insult me but I was willing to do what I did for the rakyat. I do not want to break away from PAS. I am still a PAS member."

The former Internal Security Act detainee also revealed that he had already explained himself to his party's bosses and would leave it to them to decide how they wanted to deal with him.

"But in the end, I hope that PR rises up again and that PAS joins together with DAP and PKR to take over the country from Barisan Nasional." – TMI

Azmin must choose to be PR’s MB

Azmin must choose to be PR’s MB

Selangor sabahdaily   10:51 PM

With Azmin Ali now installed as Selangor’s Menteri Besar, numerous suggestions have been made on what he should do and how he should discharge his responsibilities. We have analysts, commentators and politicians all asking and even directing him to do the “right” things for the state and its people.

When Khalid Ibrahim first became MB, there were similar expectations. The people were generally supportive of him for trying to do the “right” things. He complained in Parliament that BN’s rule of Selangor saw the signing of an irrational water privatisation deal and said he was going to do something about it.

Something unfortunate must have happened after that. The PR leadership was not happy with him and neither were many people in Selangor. Many of the decisions made by Khalid did not seem to make logical sense or be in line with PR’s overarching policies.

Now we have Azmin helming the state. Like previous MBs, he is entrusted to deal with other institutions of government in the state, such as the monarchy, the civil service and the Islamic authority.

Instead of PR leaders making public statements on what he should do, Azmin must be made to articulate and commit to policies and decisions as enunciated by PR. This is a better way to hold him accountable and for him to defend policies and decisions.

It is better for PR leaders to advise him in private. A proper and mandatory mechanism must be established for the MB and the PR leadership to consult to prevent any policy mismatch or disagreement.

Sometimes we are misled by initial euphoria. Azmin is a new broom, PR has a new hope and the people have a fresh aspiration. But how long will this good feeling last?

There is nothing like setting up a proper mechanism to allow the state government and the political parties to consult, provide feedback and monitor major decisions. This should be done as soon as possible.

Ultimately, the government of the day must listen to the parties that control it. Azmin must choose to be PR’s MB, unlike Khalid Ibrahim.


-T K Chua is an FMT reader.

Khalid : Go ahead, investigate me

Khalid : Go ahead, investigate me

Selangor sabahdaily   10:47 PM

PETALING JAYA: Khalid Ibrahim said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was more than welcome to investigate any agreement he signed during his tenure as Selangor Menteri Besar.

Among those he said MACC could have a go at, were the Selangor water restructuring deal and the Canal City development agreement.

“I welcome all parties, including the MACC to review and investigate all the agreements signed when I was Menteri Besar of Selangor.

“My lawyer will prepare a full statement on this matter,“ Khalid posted on his Facebook page.

This retort from Khalid came in the heels of a new directive from PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim who has instructed Menteri Besar Azmin Ali to expose every company and individual who benefitted from the water deal signed by Khalid while he was Menteri Besar.

Anwar said, “I do not care if people are profiting from it. I do care that it is the people of Selangor who are having to pay for it.”

He added that someone had to answer to the people for having to bear the burden of others earning billions from dubious deals that could very likely raise water tariffs.

Anwar also accused Khalid of not following procedure as the contracts did not go through a proper tender exercise. He lamented over the lack of transparency and expressed his unhappiness that many of these contracts were signed in a hurry by Khalid just before leaving office.

-f

Hadi has handed list of PAS’s exco choices to Azmin

Hadi has handed list of PAS’s exco choices to Azmin

Selangor sabahdaily   9:57 PM

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has given the names of the party’s choice for state executive councillors to Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamad Azmin Ali.

Secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali said the selection of the exco members was done by Hadi.

"The party president handed the list of names to Azmin last night," Mustafa was quoted as saying by Harakahdaily.

According to the Islamist party’s news portal, Mustafa declined to reveal the total number of candidates involved or their names.

However, he told Harakahdaily that he was confident there would be no major changes.

"I do not have an issue if the four previous exco members are retained," he said.

Mustafa's comments have strengthened speculation that the four PAS exco members, labelled as "traitors" to Pakatan Rakyat by DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, would be retained.

The four are Iskandar Abdul Samad, Dr Halimah Ali, Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi dan Sallehen Mukhyi. –TMI