The value of Khazanah

Tuan Lim Lip Eng [Segambut] minta Menteri Kewangan menyatakan sehingga 31.12.2003, apakah penilaian pelaburan Khazanah Nasional Berhad di luar Negara mengikut angka nilai pokok (book value), kos dan nilai pasaran dan berapakah angka – angka itu pada 31.12.2008.

JAWAPAN:

Tuan Yang Di-Pertua,

Untuk makluman Yang Berhormat, sehingga 31 Disember 2003, Khazanah Nasional Berhad (Khazanah) tidak mempunyai sebarang pelaburan luar Negara. Walau bagaimanpun, setakat 31 Disember 2008, Nilai Aset Boleh Direalisasikan (RAV) pelaburan luar Negara Khazanah adalah RM5.5 bilion atau 7.9% daripada keseluruhan RAV Khazanah bernilai RM69.5 bilion.
Berikutan dengan kenaikan harga-harga saham pasaran luar Negara yang lebih cepat berbanding pasaran tempatan, pecahan RAV pelaburan Khazanah di luar Negara pada 30 Jun 2009 telah bertambah kepadan 8.9% atau RM7.6 bilion daripada keseluruhan RAV Khazanah yang berjumlah RM85 bilion.

My comment: I'm sure Khazanah can do much better if its CEO was hired through public advertisement based on credentials, not by government's appointee.

Pertanyaan bukan lisan di Parlimen berkenaan elaun-elaun Ketua Negara Malaysia dan lain-lain

Tuan Lim Lip Eng [Segambut] minta Perdana Menteri menyatakan perbandingan elaun-elaun Ahli Parlimen, Menteri-Menteri dan Ketua Negara Malaysia dengan Negara–Negara jiran di Asia Tenggara.

JAWAPAN:

Tuan Yang Di-Pertua,

Untuk makluman Ahli Yang Berhormat, penetapan gaji dan elaun Ahli Parlimen, Menteri-Menteri dan Ketua Negara Malaysia adalah mengikut acuan Negara yang tersendiri. Adalah tidak wajar membandingkan dengan Negara–Negara jiran yang lain kerana asas yang digunakan adalah berbeza- beza. Elaun yang dinikmati oleh Ahli Parlimen, Menteri–Menteri dan Ketua Negara Malaysia adalah selaras dengan tugas dam tanggungjawab mereka mengikut jawatan masing–masing serta berdasarkan kos sara hidup semasa dan kemampuan Kerajaan pada masa ini.
Bagi Ketua Negara Malaysia, Ganjaran Diraja (Privy Purse) adalah RM608,400 atau sebanyak mana yang kena dibayar sebagai Privy Purse di bawah Undang–Undang Negeri kepada Raja sesuatu Negeri pada tarikh Raja itu dipilih menjadi Yang Dipertuan Agong, mengikut mana yang lebih besar jumlahnya. Manakala elaun keraian yang diperuntukan adalah pada kemampuan yang sewajarnya. Gaji bulanan bagi YB Menteri Persekutuan yang diperuntukan mengikut subseksyen 4(a)(iii) Akta Ahli Parlimen (Saraan) (Pindaan) 2005 [Akta A1244] adalah sebanyak RM14,907.20 dan Elaun Tetap Bulanan sebagai Ahli Parlimen yang diperuntukkan mengikut seksyen 3(i) Akta Ahli Parlimen (Saraan) 1980 adalah sebanyak RM4,112.79 (Ahli Dewan Negara) dan RM6,508.49 (Ahli Dewan Rakyat).

My synopsis: This is what always happens to questions asked by opposition Member of Parliaments, we ask about issue A but we are given answers about issue B or other unrelated answers.

Tan will accept help if his efforts fail

A flashback of NST report on July 7.

Source: Dawn Chan (streets@nstp.com.my) 27/7/2009

Dog lover Tan Tiam Seng, who was in the news recently for having more than 15 dogs at his home in Taman Sri Segambut, has sought the help of a friend to shelter some of his pets temporarily. This followed an ultimatum for him to find new homes for the dogs or action would be taken against him as his neighbours had complained about the stench and the noise. Speaking to Streets recently, Tan, a 65-year-old retiree, said he had sought the help of a friend to temporarily place some of the two-year-old mongrels at a factory where the canines double up as guard dogs. He visits the dogs every day to make sure they are well cared for and has paid some workers to feed and bathe them. “I only have three to five dogs with me now and they are all puppies which are less than a year old. I am in the midst of finding a suitable location where I can shelterhome all of them together,” he said. Tan said he had been approached by several parties offering help with finding homes for the dogs but he would rather solve the problem himself. “I appreciate their offers but I want to try and handle it on my own first. If all else fails, then I will accept their assistance,” he said.
Meanwhile, Segambut member of parliament Lim Lip Eng, who had highlighted the residents’ complaints against Tan’s dogs, said he was leaving it to the non-governmental organisations to help Tan. He said since Streets front-paged Tan’s plight, he (Lim) had been criticised for not being sensitive. “I will let the NGOs help Tan as I believe they know how to handle the matter better. I visited Tan recently and found only three dogs in his house. Two are outside and another inside,” Lim said.
It was reported that residents had complained to Lim that apart from the noise and stench, the dogs’ faeces had also clogged up the common drains. As City Hall only permits one dog per household, Lim had advised Tan to remove his dogs in seven days. Failing which, Lim said, he would have no choice but to write to City Hall, asking for the health department’s intervention. Since Tan’s plight was highlighted, Streets had received numerous e-mail from concerned readers as well as the Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association (Petpositive) with suggestions on shelters for the dogs and other assistance.

Blood in his pants

The picture is taken from the internet. It appears to be blood in Teoh Beng Hock’s white-colored torn pants. Was it really blood in his pants? Why was his pants torn from behind? MACC must answer these questions.

Teoh’s death tears the hearth of the nation. I wish Hollywood TV sitcom CSI team is real so that we can bring them over to find out what or who killed Teoh because our police has only completed 60% of the investigation despite it is now 6 days after his death.
Rest in peace, Teoh. We shall seek justice for you and for your unborn child.

DAP leader Kit Siang at Teoh's funeral

CCTV to fight crime

It has always been my proposal to police, DBKL & government to have more CCTV in KL town to fight crime because knowing that our police is always in lack of manpower, budget, patrol cars & etc... my view is that we have got no choice but to rely on technology to trace the criminals. By having CCTV all over KL, criminals' whereabouts & their cars' number can be easily tracked down immediately after their act of crime.

I asked in parliament last November about the cost & units of CCTV in KL & I was given a shocking answer. Last year KL had 255 units of CCTV with an average cost per unit of RM160,260 and 80 out of which (almost 1/3) were damaged! Government needed another RM8 million to repair it! Many of my friends told me that we can buy NASA technology CCTV with RM160,260 and China made very good quality CCTV only costs about less than RM2,000.
Again I asked in parliament last month whether government is prepared to install one unit of CCTV at every 1 kilometer distance in KL to prevent crime. Government’s answer is NO due to high in cost and government also said only 82 CCTV were now installed in KL for this purpose. Can you imagine that the people in KL have to rely on only 82 CCTV for their safety? I believe Genting casino or any bank headquarter has more than 82 CCTV in their buildings. Does that mean human lives are worst than gambling business and financial house? Or is our government poorer than betting companies and banks?

Toll protest: BMC folks want free road

Close cement-mixing plant, say residents

Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro (By Jade Chan, 2 July 2009)

KAMPUNG Segambut Luar residents want the authorities to shut down a cement-mixing plant that has been operating behind their village for the past five years, and hope they would be compensated for the damage to their homes. Resident Adnan Abdul Aziz, 45, said the plant operated round-the- clock throughout the week. “The machines run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which has resulted in us having difficulty sleeping. “We also have to endure the dust pollution that dirties our homes,” said Adnan, who grew up in the village in Kuala Lumpur. “The plant’s poor drainage system has worsened the flood problems in our village. While it used to flood only when there is a downpour, it now floods even when there is a light rain.” Adnan said the village, which had 40 houses, was flooded five times over the past month and the floodwaters went up to as high as 0.6m. “Our houses have cracks and are damaged as a result of the constant cement-mixing activities and floods. “We are also worried about our health due to the pollution and clogged drainage system. One resident even died from dengue three years ago,” he said. “The residents have met the plant supervisor who said he didn’t have the authority to stop the operations. We have complained to the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) but no action has been taken.” The residents also claimed that the plant in Jalan Segambut had been conducting its cement-mixing operations for the construction of the Duke Highway.
Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng said he received complaints about the cement-mixing plant a few months ago and upon investigation discovered that the privately-owned land had been sublet. “The landowner had signed a tenancy agreement to a company owned by a datuk, who in turn, sublet the plot of land to a tenant who built the cement-mixing plant,” said Lim, adding that the plot was formerly a mining land that had been converted into a parking space for lorries. “The landowner informed me that he had earlier sent a letter through his lawyer asking the tenant to tear down the plant. When I questioned why he didn’t take court action, he cited the high cost and long duration (of settling the case in court) as his reasons. “The landowner plans to not renew the tenancy agreement once it expires in March next year (March 2010).” Lim said the cement-mixing plant was illegal as it did not have the licence and approval to conduct such operations. He also questioned why the DBKL did not take any action despite issuing a “final reminder” notice dated Sept 18 last year to the landowner to destroy, shift and transfer the cement-mixing machine and related operation structures, equipment and vehicles from the site. “I have written to DBKL deputy director-general Datuk Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz to ask for an explanation as to why the illegal activity is still ongoing despite the 14-day notice that was issued last year, and to request for enforcement action to be taken immediately,” said Lim.

I was admonished in parliament!

The Parliamentary Select Committee has proposed to fine 4 Umno Youth leaders RM1,000 each for obstructing Karpal Singh (DAP – Bukit Gelugor) entering the House because they had on Feb 26 stopped Karpal from entering the House. The committee also proposed to admonish 8 MPs for not responding after they were called up. They are Karpal, Fong Po Kuan (DAP – Batu Gajah), Lim Lip Eng (DAP – Segambut), N. Gobalakrish-nan (PKR – Padang Serai), Fong Kui Lun (DAP – Bukit Bintang), Lim Kit Siang (DAP – Ipoh Timur), Kamarud-din Jaafar (PAS – Tumpat) and R. Sivarasa (PKR – Subang). (Refer http://thestar.com.my/)

What does "admonish" mean? Merriam-Webster Online dictionary defines it as “to express warning or disapproval to, especially in a gentle, earnest, or solicitous manner”. Kit Siang, a 10-termed MP and Karpal, 7-termed still need to be kindly warned whereas the wrongdoers who obstructed a MP in his duty were given a fine of mere RM1,000 each.
Police has said the Umno Youths involved cannot be charged under Section 124 of the Penal Code for assaulting an MP with the intent to compel or restrain him from exercising his duties which provides for a maximum jail term of 7 years because police cannot interfere with Parliamentary business. Yet Perak assembly speaker, Sivakumar, was dragged out from the State’s Assembly Hall by the same police.
The Committee’s proposal has not only insulted the 8 MPs, it may send out a wrong message to the public that anyone who harasses a MP in Parliament whom he or she dislikes, will only face a fine of maximum RM1,000, no jail term. With the police's refusal to interfer, are we the MPs still safe in Parliament?