Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu RAPS PAC: Stop INTERFERING; My DG “LOTS of RESPONSIBILITIES …and SAMY to see Dr MAHATHIR for aborted BRIDGE
Such is the arrogance you can find only in the Datuk. On being questioned by reporters to ask the Gerbang Perdana , the contractor of the cancelled scenic bridge to reduce the compensation amounts, he started a tirade against the
The following is a detailed account from Bernama filed under
Samy Raps PAC For 'Meddling' In Ministry's Affairs datelined June 13, 2006 20:44 PM
KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 (Bernama) -- Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, Tuesday cautioned the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) not to interfere in the ministry's affairs, saying it was well equipped to handle any issue.
Samy Vellu said the ministry has its own officers to study any issue before making a decision and there was no need for others to interfere. "Please allow the ministry to do its work. There must be limits to the
its officers.
"My director-general has lot of responsibilities. We can't be going there for every meeting to answer their questions. I direct them (PAC), if they have a question, put it in writing and we will reply," he told reporters after holding a briefing session with his officers on the Ninth
Plan (9MP) at his ministry here.
The minister was responding to a reporter's question whether the Public Works Department (JKR) should discuss to lower the RM100 million claim by Gerbang Perdana Sdn Bhd, the contractor in charge of building the eight-lane overhead highway in Johor Baru linking the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex.
PAC Chairman Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad yesterday told reporters that the committee would suggest to the JKR to negotiate with Gerbang Perdana to reduce the RM100-million compensation following the cancellation of the scenic bridge that was to have replaced the causeway connecting
The decision was reached after the committee was briefed by the JKR at Parliament House on the scrapped half-bridge project. Samy Vellu, in response to the statement by Shahrir, said the ministry was not "blind" to give away the RM100 million demanded by the contractor.
"We are not stupid and the PAC must be aware of this. Any contractor can ask for RM100 million but we are not going to give it to them. We have to consider the request, discuss with our engineers, visit the site (construction site) and get more details before making any decision."
"If not ask the PAC chairman to come and sit here and run the ministry. When he approves any project, we will implement it," he added.
Samy Vellu said that though the Works Ministry was involved in implementing projects, ultimately it was the Finance Ministry which makes the final approval. "We are the implementing agent for the Finance Ministry for all projects and tenders. I don't want any other party to interfere and disturb our work," he said.
He also said that it was ridiculous for Shahrir to suggest that the ministry buy houses in the Sungai Besi area which were affected by the
"When we take over any land for projects, we pay proper compensation but not to houses near the project. Doesn't the PAC chairman know that... "One day, when we have a project passing through
Appointment to meet Dr Mahathir for Explanation of the cancellationof
"What is done by my ministry, I will seek an appointment with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and will give him an explanation. I will present him a paper for his information.
"I have already instructed my DG (director-general) to prepare the papers. Next week, when the papers are ready, I will seek an appointment with him," he said.
Monday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the relevant ministries would reply to the allegations made by Dr Mahathir on decisions adopted by the government on several issues, including the bridge project, sale of MV Agusta and issuing of Approved Permits (APs) to import cars.
It is interesting to note that Rafidah already has given a reply to Dr M regarding the AP issue and apparently Dr M was not satisfied. What more information or reasons can she give to satisfy him?
Update from Lim Kit Siang Blog -Ministers’ conflicting responses - 2 PMs in Malaysia or no PM?
"Firstly, there is the hostile attitude of the Minister for International Trade and Industry, Datuk Paduka Rafidah Aziz, who seemed to be breaking ranks with the Prime Minister’s decision by indicating that there is nothing more to explain as far as the APs and Proton/Tengku Mahaleel issues are concerned.
This is the clear implication of the statement by the Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister, Ng Lip Yong who told Sin Chew Daily that there was nothing more to explain with regard to these two issues, as everything had been explained, and that the question is whether Mahathir wants to accept them or not.
Nobody would believe that Ng would dare to make such a statement, implicitly defying the Prime Minister, without the authorization or specific directive of his Minister.
If Rafidah and Ng are right, that there is no more explanation to offer on these two issues specifically raised by Mahathir, why then did Abdullah promise a “detailed” explanation?"
Update: Check out SYDNEY MORNING HERALD full account of Dr Mahathir's Vison getting sour
and also read on
MIC ELECTTION DIRTY TACTICS
posted by multidimid at 8:40 AM
1 Comments:
Had we gone ahead with the project, according to the PAC, the original cost was RM1.113 billion -- meaning you would have had a bridge by putting in an extra RM373 million.
But this would be assuming that use of the completed bridge WOULD NOT be held up while awaiting adjudication by TLOS or some other court, when Singapore invariably brings it up for adjudication - Singapore has unambiguously signaled such intent.
WHAT IF the ITLOS actually ruled in favour of Singapore?
The original fault lay squarely with Mahathir - he SHOULD have either
obtained/negotiated concrete agreement from Singapore, OR obtained a
positive decision from ITLOS (or a similar world court) _before_ embarking
on the building of the CIQ or even designed the bridge or half-bridge.
The problem is that Mahathir was such a megalomaniac that he thinks he can
force through everything. I guess he's just used to having no opposition
from the sycophants which he surrounded himself with.
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