Declassify contract extension agreement

The government has been urged to buy back highways that have generated huge profits.
Source: http://www.nst.com.my/streets/central/declassify-contract-extension-agreement-1.27387 (By Sarah Rahim, 4/1/2012)
Segambut member of parliament Lim Lip Eng has requested the government to declassify an agreement for Duke Expressway's proposed concession contract extension.
The extension is being considered from 2040 to 2069. "It should be done to allow for expert review and to safeguard public interest," Lim said. Under the current agreement, toll collections will stop by 2039. Lim opposes the extension as he believes the government can bear the proposed cost of RM1.392 billion for Duke Expressway's upgrade and extension works. "The government has spent up to RM250 million of public funds on the National Feedlot Corporation cattle project. The proposed cost for Duke is about 5.5 times higher than that."
He also showed copies of documents from the Prime Minister's Department on the proposed upgrade and extension works.
There are three proposed extensions -- a 7.1-km stretch from Sungai Buloh to Segambut, a 9-km addition from Jalan Tun Razak to Gombak and a 5.2-km expressway from Kuala Lumpur to a new Metropolis project.
Moreover, Lim informed that the new Metropolis project is yet to materialise. He also revealed that, previously, the Democratic Action Party had suggested that the government buy back highways that have generated huge profits. "On Duke Expressway, the owners should take into consideration their corporate social responsibility." Lim said the government should also come up with a plan to counter potential job losses due to the non-extension of the concession contract.
On Nov 10 last year, Lim asked for a clarification on the contract extension from the Works Ministry during a parliamentary session.
"Until today (Jan 2), I am still waiting for a written answer," he said.

Kidney patients get pleasant surprise from MP

For you: Lim (centre) and Chua giving shopping vouchers to kidney patients at the centre.

Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2012/1/30/central/10303874&sec=central (30/1/2012)
A TOTAL of 40 kidney patients at the Nanyang–NKF Dialysis Centre in Jalan Pahang, Setapak received a pleasant surprise before the Chinese New Year celebrations recently.
They were presented shopping vouchers worth RM50 each by Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng. “I hope these vouchers may ease their financial burden as they do their CNY shopping. My father-in-law used to be a dialysis patient; he was on dialysis for 19 years before he passed away. I understand the hardship the kidney patients go through,” said Lim.
He also encouraged organ donation. “It’s a meaningful pledge. With technology, it’s just one click away as we can go online to register to become an organ donor. In the past 15 years, only 356 Malaysians successfully donated their organs while the list for organ transplant shows more than 14,000 patients in the queue,” said Lim; who has pledged to become an organ donor himself.
Speaking about this charitable giveaway, NKF chief executive officer Chua Hong Wee said, “NKF is grateful to Lim’s kind support and his understanding towards the patients’ needs. We are also grateful to Lim who personally donated RM500 to our organisation. “The money will help ease the burden of our kidney patients. This support and kindness inspires NKF to continue to do what we do best, providing dialysis care to poor kidney patients and educate the public on kidney care.”
Those who are interested to join NKF can call 03 – 7954 9048 ext 208 or e-mail fundraising@nkf.org.my

Police counter report on 'assault by drunk cop' claim

Source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/187302 (By Aidila Razak 22/1/2012)
Three separate police reports have been lodged in relation to the claim by businessman Khoo Gin Seong that he was assaulted by a drunk plainclothes police officer. The first report was lodged by police against Khoo for causing damage at a restaurant in Bukit Sentosa, Hulu Selangor district police chief Norel Azmi Affandi Yahya said late last night.
"Complainant Korporal 111668 Aziz, along with three other personnel of the Bukit Sentosa police station had about 8.20pm on Jan 20 arrested a Chinese man who was drunk. "The man had broken two plastic chairs using a saw, and broke glasses and a liquor bottle at a Chinese restaurant," Norel Azmi said in response to questions from Malaysiakini. He said the 44-year-old businessman was taken to the Bukit Sentosa police station along with some seized items, where an agreement was brokered between Khoo's wife and the restaurant owner.
Owner Lee Lai Fong accepted RM200 as compensation payment from Khoo's wife, in exchange for no police action against her husband, and a police report was lodged on the agreement.
Police had initially opened investigation papers based on Kpl Aziz's report under Section 427 of the Penal Code, which deals with committing mischief resulting in damage worth more than RM25. The third police report was lodged by Khoo on Saturday morning, alleging that he was assaulted by police and had RM1000 taken from him.
Different versions of the incident
Yesterday, the businessman told the media that he was assaultedby a drunken plainclothes police officer and other policemen in a coffee shop in Bukit Sentosa, resulting in him suffering bodily injuries and a broken denture. Khoo said this was took place after the police officer, named only as ‘Mansur', was irritated by him as he was gambling and drinking noisily at the next table. He said police pocketed RM1,000, which he won in the card game, and took him to the Bukit Sentosa police station where he was detained until the police were paid several hundred ringgit brought by his friends.
DAP MP for Segambut Lim Lip Eng, who called the press conference upon Khoo's request, said police informed him that the businessman's complaint was being investigated under Section 323 and 325 of the Penal Code, which deals with voluntarily causing hurt.

MP slams DBKL over lack of transparency

Source: http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=26715%3Amp-slams-dbkl-over-lack-of-transparency&Itemid=2#.Txq1VWcNDDk.facebook (Written by Douglas Tan, Malaysia Chronicle, 21/1/2012)
Segambut Member of Parliament Lim Lip Eng today slammed DBKL over the lack of transparency by their refusal to reveal the details of the recently approved RM2.3 billion DBKL Budget for 2012.
At an open consultation meeting on Thursday 19th January, with the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur, Datuk Seri Ahmad Fuad bin Ismail, the mayor informed YB Lim that he was unable to provide a detailed copy of the budget, and that only a “ringkas” (summary) was available. When asked as to why the full budget could not be made available to the public, the mayor remained silent and refused to give an answer.
“This is outrageous,” Lim exclaimed. “Why are DBKL unable to provide us with a detailed copy of the budget? As wakil rakyat, we have the responsibility to report back to our constituencies as to how the money is being spent!”
Where is the People First?
The DAP MP was quick to point out that this went against Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s pledge to ensure greater transparency and accountability, consistent with the principle of “Rakyat Didahulukan”. “Even in parliament, we are given a full copy of the national budget before it is debated,” he said. “How come we are unable to get a copy of the DBKL budget, especially after it has been approved?”
YB Lim lamented that although he was a member of parliament in Kuala Lumpur, DBKL is accountable only to the Prime Minister’s department, and is not answerable to elected representatives. “It insults the intelligence of the people of Kuala Lumpur when a local government refuses to disclose how they want to spend the taxpayer’s money, especially as they are appointed not elected. I call on the Prime Minister to show his sincerity for reforms by forcing DBKL to release their full budget to the public.”
A check on the DBKL website on Saturday 21st January showed that no details of the 2012 budget were available. The 2012 DBKL budget is almost 44% larger than the entire budget of the state of Selangor which is RM1.6 billion.

Robbed and beaten up by drunk cop

Photo: Lim Lip Eng
Story: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2012/01/21/robbed-and-beaten-up-by-drunk-cop/ (By K Pragalath, 21.1.2012)
A 44 year man today related how he was beaten up and robbed by a police man last night.
Speaking to FMT shortly after a press conference with Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng of the DAP in Rawang, he related his bad experience.
“Last night, at 9 pm a drunk policeman by the name of Mansur started scolding and beating me,” said Khoo Gin Seong who was gambling at a restaurant in Bukit Sentosa, Hulu Selangor. Khoo said he recognised Mansur as a policeman who he claimed frequently got drunk in that restaurant. He said he was then taken to the Bukit Sentosa police station.
“They took RM1,000 from me and a group of policemen started beating me. They also threatened to lock me behind bars if I don’t give up my money. “After that I was beaten up until my dentures broke and my body was in pain,” said Khoo.
At this point, Lim told FMT that Khoo returned home at 11 pm and later lodged a report at 4.30 am at the same police station. “The front desk personnel in the police station were initially reluctant to accept the report.” Lim claimed the investigating officer for the case urged Khoo to settle the case at 9 am. “Khoo declined and informed him that he had alerted the DAP of his predicament,” said Lim.
“Don’t try to charge this innocent man for obstructing police work,” he said because the police, according to him, had a tendency to charge the public for alleged obstruction. “Don’t play tricks because I have witnesses,” said Lim who said that several patrons in the restaurant had witnessed the entire incident.

Related news: Businessman claims assault by drunk cop http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/187260

MP slams delay in repairing hall

Source: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2012/01/18/mp-slams-delay-in-repairing-hall/ (By G Vinod, 18/1/2012)
A DAP MP questioned the Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) delay in repairing a community hall here.
Speaking at a press conference today, Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng said he had highlighted the pathetic condition of the hall in early November 2010, but repair works only started yesterday. “At that time (in November 2010), DBKL told a press conference that the hall fell under the jurisdiction of the Department of National Unity and Integration. “But City Hall has the authority to act upon any public structure in Kuala Lumpur which could endanger public safety due to its dilapitated condition,” he said.
The 20-year-old community hall, located at a road setback leading towards Jalan Kuching, was badly damaged after an Alam Flora truck rammed into the building in September 2010.
The then Segambut division Barisan Nasional chairman B Jayanthi Devi told English daily The Star that relevant authorities were looking into repairing the structure. “Alam Flora had agreed to pay for the damages,” she was quoted in the report.
Lim criticised Jayanthi for the delay despite making the promise in 2010. “And the repair works just started yesterday. Is it because election is around the corner?” he asked.
Lim also queried the safety of reconstructing the structure as it is located at a roadsetback. “Can DBKL erect a community hall at a roadside which can endanger its occupants? It’s best if the City Hall could reveal its blueprint to the residents here for evaluation,” he said.

Saman: Kayveas berdepan kemungkinan bankrap

Source: http://bm.harakahdaily.net/index.php/berita-utama/7565-saman-kayveas-berdepan-kemungkinan-bankrap (Hazayani Zakaria, 13.1.2012)
Ahli Parlimen Segambut dari DAP, Lim Lip Eng hari ini mendedahkan Presiden Parti Progresif Penduduk (PPP), Datuk Seri M Kayveas sedang berdepan kemungkinan jatuh bankrap. Beliau berkata, Kayveas dan isterinya, Datin Seri Blanche O' Leary pernah disaman oleh sebuah syarikat kontraktor, Peninsular Concord Sdn Bhd pada tahun 1997 kerana gagal membayar ganti rugi bernilai RM470,000 kepada syarikat tersebut.
"Pada 1 Februari 1997 Peninsular Concord bayar RM470,000 kepada Kayveas dan isteri sebagai 'stakeholder' untuk satu projek. Tapi projek itu terbengkalai dan Peninsular minta balik duit tersebut tapi kayveas enggan bayar balik," kata beliau pada sidang media di pejabat khidmat masyarakat Parlimen Segambut, hari ini.
Pada 28 Julai tahun lalu, mahkamah memutuskan Kayveas mesti membayar balik wang tersebut berserta interest dan tiada perintah mahkamah menyebut kes ini ditangguh. Walaupun Kayveas dan isteri mengemukakan rayuan di Mahkamah Rayuan, namun kes ini masih dalam perbicaraan.
"Kayveas kena bayar balik walaupun telah failkan rayuan. Peninsular Concord pula telah memfailkan notis bankrapsi terhadap Kayveas," jelasnya.
Semalam, Kayveas yang juga bekas Timbalan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri mengesahkan bahawa namanya tidak terdapat dalam senarai bakal calon PPP untuk pilihan raya umum ke-13. Menjelaskan perkara itu, Kayveas seperti dilaporkan media berkata, beliau menyerahkan keputusan sama ada bertanding atau tidak kepada Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak yang juga Pengerusi Barisan Nasional. PPP telah mengemukakan hasrat bertanding di empat kawasan Parlimen dan 12 kawasan Dewan Undangan Negeri kepada Najib.
Pada pilihan raya umum lalu, PPP diperuntukkan dua kerusi di Perak iaitu kawasan Parlimen Taiping dan kawasan DUN Pasir Bedamar. Di Taiping, Kayveas tewas kepada calon DAP Nga Kor Ming dengan 11,298 undi manakala bagi kerusi Pasir Bedamar, calon PPP Lee Heng tewas kepada Seah Leong Peng daripada DAP dengan 7,914 undi.

Nova 1 Condominium residents want swift action on eroding slope

Temporary: A makeshift canvas laid by DBKL in late December 2011 before repair works began on Jan 11. (Photo by Carol Leong)

Lim Lip Eng (second from right) thanks City Hall for proceeding with the remedial works. (Pic by Afiq Razali)

Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2012/1/13/central/10244925&sec=central (By Vincent Tan, 13.1.2012)
Residents of the Nova 1 condominium in Taman Sri Sinar, Kuala Lumpur breathed slightly easier on Jan 11, as contractors appointed by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) arrived that morning to shore up an eroding slope next to their residence. According to Patrick Chan Yew Choong, a member of Nova 1’s management corporation (MC), the soil erosion was taking place on the piece of land next to Nova 1.
Residents feared if the erosion continued, it could have negative consequences for the land which Nova 1 was built on. Pointing to the retaining wall which separated Nova 1 from the road, he said further erosion could cause the wall to crack, and give way if corrective action was not taken.
“If the retaining wall goes, then the land which Nova 1 is built will erode too,” said Chan. However, MC chairman Manoharan Dhanaraj said DBKL did not take any corrective action despite repeated enquiries from the residents. “The slope started eroding, then we noticed that the concrete drain had cracked and collapsed back in March 2011. We reported the matter to DBKL in May last year, whereby we were given a report number as well as the contact details of the people handling this case.” “What DBKL did in the last week of December, was to put up canvas sheets to prevent more rain from eroding the soil. We had to seek the assistance of Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng,” he added.
Lim said after discussions with the residents on Jan 4, he took up the matter with DBKL the next day. “On Jan 6, they informed me that they will start work on Jan 9. They sent people down to assess the situation and they started moving in material to repair the collapsed drain walls,” said Lim. Lim hoped the repairs would be completed quickly, to minimise further erosion from the rain.
According to Manoharan, the time estimated for repairs by the contractor was put at three weeks. There were other problems afflicting the slope, such as leaking pipe connectors belonging to a water pipe owned by Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas), which Manoharan and Chan theorised might have also led to the erosion problems on the slope. “We called Syabas about the leaking pipe connectors and they only replaced it recently. But they only replaced one, and not the other,” Chan said.
Related news: City Hall repairs slope http://www.nst.com.my/streets/central/city-hall-repairs-slope-1.31574