Tag: Members of Parliament

Selangor Government Maintains RM9.65 Billion Offer

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(PRESS STATEMENT)

The Selangor State Government does not intend to revise the RM9.65 billion amount offered to water concessionaires in February 2013 to finalise the restructuring of water supply services in the state.

Chief Minister, YAB Tan Sri Datuk Seri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim said, the state government considers that the offer to give 12 percent of profits to shareholders is fairer towards concessionaires.

“The privatisation of water (services) aims to provide more efficient water service at a reasonable rate. This policy is not aimed at allowing concessionaires to profit excessively from the distress of the people, who are the consumers.

However, the offer we provide is more reasonable if compared to corporate practices,” he said.

The Chief Minister made this clarification following media reports recently stating that the state government is revising the offer price for concessionaires.

He said that senior state officials held a meeting with the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water, as well as other Federal agencies such as the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) and Water Asset Management Company (WAMCO), to ensure that the year-end deadline to end negotiations will be achieved.

“During these meetings, the Federal Government has responded positively to our calculations we provided to enable us to buy the concessionaires and go on to restructure the water industry,” the Chief Minister said.

Tan Sri Abdul Khalid expressed his hope for the Federal Government to continue to support the efforts of the Selangor Government so that all stalled negotiations over the past few years can be resolved as soon as possible.

Released by
PRESS SECRETARIAT
OFFICE OF THE DATO’ MENTERI BESAR OF SELANGOR

Deepavali 2013 Message – Anwar Ibrahim

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The festival of lights that celebrates the victory of justice over tyranny is once again being celebrated by the Hindu community in Malaysia in the spirit of family and the tightening of relationships between family and friends.

This joy is emitted through a variety of decoration, various food, and colourful traditional clothing.

In celebrating this ‘victory’, let us not forget the lesson behind the Deepavali celebration which is continuation of the struggle to uphold goodness and justice, as well as full resistance against evil and tyranny.

The struggle to improve the living standards of the Indian community in Malaysia, especially in the issue of education and welfare of people living in rural areas, should continue to be fought for by all Malaysians.

This is important to ensure that the gap problem between the rich and the poor – regardless of race, of course – can be overcome.

While we celebrate this festival in joy, let us not forget our neighbours and friends who are less fortunate. Share you joy with them as much as possible.

Finally, I take this opportunity to wish “Deepavali Nal Valthukal” in conjunction with the Deepavali celebration this year.

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim
Malaysian Parliamentary Opposition Leader
Parti Keadilan Rakyat

Anwar: The People’s Income should be raised to implement GST

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KUALA LUMPUR, 31 Oct: Opposition Leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, insisted that all forms of leakages, corruption and monopoly, which rampant in the country, must be stopped before thinking about implementing the goods and services tax (GST).

He said, if Pakatan Rakyat (PR) was ruling, the GST would be implemented with conditions. However, it will not be a priority that has to be implemented urgently because it requires special consideration in advance.

He said, the people’s income should be given attention and increased before the implementation of the GST, which is seen as to be burdensome to the people, especially low and middle-income earners.

“I am not saying that I object the GST principle in my budget speech. I am stressing from the point that the implementation of the GST system should be done transparently and efficiently.

“The two conditions we are emphasising on is to firstly remove leakages by saving the money to spend,” he said in a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.

Anwar said that the second condition is that the income levels of the people should be improved and he acknowledged that the GST system would be efficient, with the country recording a surplus, when he was the Finance Minister.

“But now, the deficit is serious, and I would not have implemented it that time, despite studies on the system was fine, but the implementation is not appropriate,” he said.

Regarding his argument by making Singapore an example in the implementation of the GST, Anwar answered that the country implemented the GST with a time line, in addition to ensuring an increase in the people’s income.

“It is not that I do not support the basic principle, but Singapore implemented it a three percent, guaranteeing that it will not rise in seven to nine years,” he said.

“All PR component parties will pursue information sessions for the people on the GST so that they understand why this cannot be implemented now,” he said.

Previously, various quarters disputed Anwar’s statement and claimed that PR supports the implementation of the GST as a whole. However, this matter was denied.

Wong Chen: Tackle Crime Holistically

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SHAH ALAM, 31 Oct: The crime problem should be addressed holistically instead of only focusing on law enforcement alone, stressed the Member of Parliament for Kelana Jaya, Wong Chen.

Wong Chen said, the economic aspect should also be given serious attention, like the enforcement of law, in curbing criminal activity in the country.

“Suppose one criminal commits armed robbery every day, the country will witness 365 criminal cases throughout the year.

“Imagine if 10 thousand criminals have the same commitment. How many police officers are required to handle this problem?” he asked when contacted by TVSelangor.

Wong Chen said that he urges for the Federal Government to be more concerned with a more efficient administrative management in providing a better economic environment for the masses.

The lives of the people, which is becoming more pressing due to the growing economic pressure, should be taken into account.

Wong Chen said, criminals in this country are committed in making crime a permanent career to a point of smuggling firearms from neighbouring countries.

“People who are desperate enough to risk tremendously would fall into the criminal arena. If the government continues to not be concerned with this matter, more people will fall into criminal activities.

“On this factor, the economy plays an important role because if job opportunities for the people are more secure, with favourable returns, crime will no longer be a career option,” he said.

PR Urges Central Government to Revoke Protection of Companies Monopolising the Sugar Market

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KUALA LUMPUR, 30 Oct: Pakatan Rakyat (PR) urges the Central Government to revoke the raw sugar procurement system and the protection of companies monopolising the sugar market in this country resulting in the higher price of sugar.

Member of Parliament for Petaling Jaya Utara, Tony Pua, said that the action to revoke would allow for the government to offer a lower sugar price for the people after opening up the market involving sugar companies in the country.

He said, with the elimination of the monopoly, the people will enjoy lower prices for sugar and sugar companies will become more efficient by not having to rely on government assistance.

“Pakatan Rakyat is of the opinion that the monopoly of sugar companies does not benefit the people at all.

“It is better to open the sugar market and let the price of sugar be determined by competition between companies and suppliers of sugar,” said Tony Pua in a press statement at the Parliament lobby.

Tony Pua said the method of importing raw sugar from companies abroad is just a trick to get a lower cost, enabling the company involved to gain handsomely.

“If sugar prices are set by the government, it should not increase their (companies) profits by so much.

“We suspect that the government is importing raw sugar to enable these companies to gain more profit,” he said.

Yesterday, Tony Pua revealed that the sugar price hike is not on the basis of subsidy cuts, rather it stems from the Central Government’s move to sign the raw sugar agreement at a high price.

In January 2012, the Minister of Domestic Trade, Consumerism and Cooperatives (KPDNKK), Datuk Ismail Sabri, announced that the government has signed a three-year deal to import raw sugar at the price of USD25 per 100lbs.

As a result, the people are forced to enjoy sugar that is more expensive due to the agreement signed by the KPDNKK last year.

RM3.14 Million Allocated to Improve Traffic Flow at Jalan Othman, Petaling Jaya

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PETALING JAYA, 30 Oct: The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) decided to spend RM3.14 million to demolish the roundabout at Jalan Othman and replace it with traffic lights to solve the traffic congestion faced by motorists.

Member of Parliament for Petaling Jaya Selatan, Hee Loy Sian said the project which will be completed within the next 10 months is expected to improve traffic flow in the area.

“Originally, this project would take eight months. However, because technical issues caused by piping and wiring in the area, we expect for the project to be completed in September (next year),” he said.

“Currently, motorists in the area would need to take an hour to pass through the roundabout.

After the project is completed, we expect motorists to save 80 percent of the time taken currently,” said Loy Sian.

Hee Loy said this during the ground breaking ceremony of the Jalan Othman Roundabout Upgrading Project, together with the Assemblyman for Bukit Gasing, Rajiv Rishyakaran.

He said, this upgrading project will benefit residents of Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 18, as well as those using the road leading to Puchong, Kota Damansara and Serdang.

Loy Sian urged the public to be patient at this point while waiting for the traffic lights to be set up in the specified period.

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Reduction in JPM Contract Worker’s Income Helps Avoid Wastage

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KUALA LUMPUR, 29 Oct: The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Run Razak, has been urged to reduce the income of contract workers under the Prime Minister’s Department (JPM) which is far higher from the income of civil servants.

The Member of Parliament for Serdang, Dr Ong Kian Ming said the reduction in the income of contract workers can reduce JPM’s expanses which will leap to the highest level next year.

He said the reduction can be seen as avoiding wastage in the high payment for the department.

“If Najib is serious in asking the people to change their lifestyles by shouldering the high cost of living because subsidies have been reduced, in addition to the goods and services (GST) being introduced, he too should reduce JPM’s expanses,” he said in a press conference here at the Parliament lobby today.

Kian Ming gave the example where the wage and allowance of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Innovation Agency Malaysia amounts to RM830,500 per year, which is about RM69,000 per month.

In addition to that, the CEO of the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) is paid a wage and allowance of RM622,000 a year, while the CEO of TalentCorp is paid RM420,000 a year.

He said that the income of the three CEOs are far higher compared to the National Secretary-General who receives RM23,577 per month.

“These examples involve a portion of agencies under the JPM, in fact there are more CEOs that receive incomes that far exceed that of Senior Managers of the same rank with Grade 54, but are paid far higher,” he said.

In relation to that, Kian Ming said Najib should also stop the establishment of new agencies such as Green Foundation (Yayasan Hijau) because existing agencies such as Malaysia GreenTech has the same function as the foundation which is to be developed.

The JPM budget leaped by 13 percent, making the amount RM16.45 billion and the amount is the highest allocation, breaking the previous record of RM15.62 billion (2011), which was announced in the National Budget 2014 on 25 October.

BR1M Not Enough to Accommodate Subsidy Cuts

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KUALA LUMPUR, 28 Oct: The 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) is still not sufficient to offset the subsidy reduction presented by the Federal Government on 25 October.

Opposition Leader, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the subsidy cuts of RM7.29 billion far exceed the increase in BR1M payments for 2014.

He said, in conclusion, the difference of the RM.6 billion collected by the government remains funded by recipients of BR1M because of subsidy cuts even though the amount of the aid is increased.

“The amount of BR1M recipients earning less than RM3,000 per month is 4.8 million households, while the figure of the National Department of Statics is at 2.56 million households.

“If the actual number of eligible households is truly lower, is this another form of leakage which would be condoned by Barisan Nasional (BN),” he asked during the debate session in Parliament today.

A total of RM7.29 billion in subsidies will be reduced in 2014, making the real amount RM39,408 billion compared to 2013, which was RM46,498 billion, and the addition of BR1M is estimated to increase to RM1,7 billion.

Anwar also questioned to actions of the federal government which has yet to fulfill its promise in relation to the BR1M in the 13th General Election.

“The government promised that the BR1M for each household would be increased from RM500 to RM1,200, but now, only RM650 is given. This is similar to the BR1M assistance for singles who were promised to be given an increase from RM250 to RM600, and now, only RM300 is given. This is Barisan Nasional’s (BN) ‘promises fulfilled’,” he said.

In the meantime, Anwar described the 2014 budget debate today as ‘talking to the deaf’ because it was not attended by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also the Finance Minister.

“When he (Najib) tabled the budget, I was present. I listened despite my ears hurting. But when it is the budget debate session, he is not present. If the Finance Minister is not there, it is like I am talking to the deaf and this is the democracy practiced by BN,” he said.

GST: People of Sabah and Sarawak will be Further Burdened

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KUALA LUMPUR, 28 Oct: The people of Sabah and Sarawak will be further burdened if the goods and services tax (GST) is implemented by the central government in the near future.

Member of Parliament for Sandakan, Wong Tien Fatt said the burden will occur because the people of Sabah earn far less than the people on the Peninsular.

He said the cost of living in the said states will also increase due to the higher prices of goods through the ‘carbotage’ policy of the six percent GST.

“The people of Sabah will be further burdened is the GST is implemented because the majority of people earn 30-40 percent lower than those in the Peninsular.

“In addition to the low wages, the people of Sabah also have the problem of the higher price of oil than the Peninsular,” he said in a press conference in Parliament today.

Tien Fatt also urged for all goods in Sabah and Sarawak to be standardised when the GST is implemented next year.

“If the GST is implemented, Sabahans have to pay more expensive prices than they should. We hope that if the GST is really going to be implemented, the federal government should standardise all prices in Sabah and Sarawak with the Peninsular,” he said.

PR to Visit Every State to Protest Against GST Implementation

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KUALA LUMPUR, 28 Oct: Pakatan Rakyat (PR) will visit every state to protest against the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST) which was presented in the National Budget 2014 on 25 October

Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the protest will be done because the Central Government should not implement the GST in the near future.

He said that the people should not be burdened with the GST in order to ‘pay’ for the national debt which has been increasing every year and he also expects that the GST will increase to eight percent by 2016.

“This is a crime and you let leakages and corruption be shouldered by the people. So we (PR) will fight relentlessly. This protest is also being done so that future generations do not have to shoulder the national debt.

“I want the young people to rise up and protest against the implementation because the GST is a burden which the people would be forced to shoulder. The GST can be implemented if it is done in a transparent manner, but not in the near future because corruption, wastage and leakages are rampant in this country.

“Pakatan is of the opinion that the GST cannot be implemented yet and should be reviewed until the income of the people is satisfactory, the tax collection is completely improves and until the economic position is more favourable,” he said in the budget debate 2014 in Parliament today.

PEKAWANIS Hands Out Deepavali Aid

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SHAH ALAM, 28 Oct: The Selangor Women’s Welfare and Charity Organisation (PEKAWANIS), consisting of wives of Assemblymen and Members of Parliament as well as Women Members of Parliament handed out aid to ease the burden of the less fortunate for the Deepavali celebration.

A total of 30 women, most of whom are single mothers, received a cash donation of RM100 and gift bags presented by the Seri Andalas Assemblyman, Dr Xavier Jayakumar at the Seri Andalas Assemblyman Community Service Office recently.

During the same ceremony, recipients also raised a number of health problems which they suffer from to Dr Xavier.

PEKAWANIS is an association devoted to welfare efforts as well as the management of a welfare home in Shah Alam from young women who are facing problems, and the association also managed a dialysis centre in Klang.

During festival celebrations, the association will contribute RM3,000 to be distributed to poor women and families in every constituency.

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Najib Improvident, Official Residence Electricity and Water Bills over RM2.5 Million

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KUALA LUMPUR, 28 Oct: The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his Deputy, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin would need to bear the cost of their own electricity and water bills at their official residence with the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST).

Member of Parliament for Seremban, Anthony Loke proposed that following the high increase in electricity bills for the official residence of both the leaders; at RM8,500 per day compared to RM6,00 two years ago.

He said the amount makes the total electricity bill expenses at the Seri Perdana Complex to come to over RM2.2 million while over RM300,000 was spent on water bills last year.

For the Sri Satria Complex, RM865,000 was spent on electricity bills while water bills amounted to RM99,264.

“Najib asked for the people to be thrifty but at this time, he and his deputy are being lavish in managing the cost of electricity and water at their official residences,” he said in a press conference in Parliament today.

In relation to that, Anthony said Najib and Muhyiddin should set a good example in managing the said costs so as to not burden the people.

He also gave examples of wastage that occurred when the Seri Perdana Complex was built on a land of over 17.19 hectares, compared to the White House which was built on a land of about 7.29 hectares, equivalent to the Seri Satria Complex.