City Hall's ang pow for flash flood victims

From NST, Wednesday, 14 January 2009

KUALA LUMPUR: The Year of the Ox will bring some good news to flash flood victims of Kampung Segambut Bahagia.

They will get the RM300 promised to them by City Hall around Chinese New Year.

"We wanted to have a proper function for the residents and we are considering distributing the money around Chinese New Year," said mayor Datuk Ahmad Fuad Ismail.

The residents had earlier complained that no further action was taken by City Hall since former mayor Datuk Ab Hakim Borhan visited them on Oct 29 and announced that RM300 would be given to each of the 193 families.

Hakim had also announced three flood-retention projects for the area.

One of the victims, Zori Hamid, 37, said none of the City Hall officers got in touch with them since the announcement was made.

"We have been complaining about frequent flash flood but the problem still persists. During the rainy season, we get flash floods two or three times a week.

"The worst was on Oct 17 last year when the water level was waist high. I suffered losses totalling RM7,000 as most of my electrical appliances were damaged," Zori said.

Residents of other nearby villages affected by the flash flood have asked if they would also be getting money from City Hall.

S. Chinapan, 53, of Segambut Estate, said about 30 families in his neighbourhood were affected by the floods.

"We had to throw away food items like rice as they were damaged during the flash flood and there was nothing we could do. I just want this problem to be solved as we have been forced to put up with the frequent flash floods long enough," he said.

Duke

After I lamented the non-disclosure of the newly launched Duta-Ulu Klang Expressway’s (DUKE) concessionaire agreement on Friday, the authority swiftly made it public at the Works Ministry library this morning and I have the honour for being the first “outsider” to read it. Compare to some other concessionaire agreements that I’ve read, Duke is a fairly good drafted agreement. At least the government didn’t have to pay the concession company via a loan involving hundreds of millions for the project. Another unique clause in the agreement is that it mentions of an initial cost of RM909,276,822.03, unlike other concessionaire agreements where the value of the project was silent. This is of great significant in two-fold; first, in the event that government decides to buy back the highway, the cost given will be referred to in calculating the compensation sum to the concession company. Second, in times of breach or dispute between the parties, that figures will be an indication of how much the damages are to be decided.

Can the government buy back Duke? Sure it can. The agreement provides that government may expropriate the concession if it is of “national interest” or “national security”. So now we know national security is not the special right of Internal Security Act (ISA). The government should consider invoking the “national interest” excuse to buy back Guthrie Corridor Expressway, the KESAS, LDP, KL-Karak, Grand Saga highways and etc… because it is outrageous that motorists in Klang Valley have to pay increased toll rates when there are in fact more traffic jams, poorer services and deterioration of roads on the highways.


Lim Lip Eng

Dato Hakim, please pay up?

On 29.10.2008, former KL city mayor Dato’ Hakim b. Borhan promised to give RM300 to the 193 families at Kg Segambut Bahagia who were affected by floods. He also announced that city hall will build 3 flood retention ponds as the short term measure to avoid future flooding incident. Nothing has come through as of today and he has since “retired” last month. His successor, Datuk Ahmad Fuad, too has not replied to my letter dated 30.12.2008 inquiring into the progress of the ponds and the status of the money pledged. Yesterday, the frustrated flood victims had a protest, they give city hall until end of the month to deliver the goods. Failing which they will have more actions.


Lim Lip Eng

The ELITE Slaughterer

The ELITE (Expressway Lingkaran Tengah) highway was the last of the 22 concessionaire agreements made public at the Works Ministry library on Wednesday afternoon.

I went there yesterday to have a firsthand look at the long awaited agreement.

The compensation scheme by our government to the concession company for not to increase toll rate at year 2002 is a real slaughterer!

First, besides waiving all interest accrued from the original 100 millions loan, the concession company was granted another 300 millions interest free loan for the project. Second, the concession period to collect toll was extended twice from year 2018 to 2025 and again to 2030. Last but not least, the concession company is to collect levy throughout the concession period and to increase it by 10% every 3 year until its expiry on year 2030.

Of course, any feedback from the people on these agreements will be remained hooha and for academic arguments. The government should make public now the existing and upcoming toll concessionaire agreements, for instance the 90% completed DUKE (Duta-Ulu Klang Expressway) project, inviting constructive criticisms from the people so any wrong can be rectified before it’s too late.


Lim Lip Eng

Who says Highway operators are privatised?

(Photo taken from Sin Chew Daily)

3 DAP MPs and I were at Works Ministry library yesterday morning 9am queuing up to view the toll concessionaire agreements, which were made public for the first time yesterday.

(Photo taken from The Star)

We were only allowed to read 1 agreement per appointment for 2 hours in the library. Frustrated but with no choice, I chose to view the Grand Saga (Cheras-Kajang highway) concessionaire agreement.

The starkest shock I gathered from the agreement is that the government has to provide a “Support Loan” of RM59 millions for the concession company who is already a 32-year concessionaire! And the terms and condition of the loan is provided in a separate “Support Loan Agreement” which is not declassified yet!

Simply interpretation is, on top of the parting of the goose that lays the golden eggs to Grand Saga, the government still has to lend RM59 millions to the private company for the project.

Isn’t this a fundamental breach of the concept of privatization?

Another lopsided clause provides that if Grand Saga violates the agreement, it is given 6 months to make good the breach and failing which, the government will still have to compensate Grand Saga before the agreement can be terminated.


Lim Lip Eng