RM10 Million spent for open houses

I think everybody is thinking that for "Open House", the organiser or home owner will use their own pocket money for that. But in reality, there is a special allocation for every parliamentary representative. Do you know how much 10 BN MP' have spent during last year festive?....Not much, RM10 Millions only......

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/11/19/parliament/2582042&sec=parliament

Wednesday November 19, 2008 - The Star

RM10mil spent on open houses

TEN Barisan Nasional MPs spent almost RM10mil to organise open houses and celebrations in their respective constituencies during festive seasons last year, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum.

The 10 constituencies, which spent as much as RM900,000 each, were Tenom with 58 events followed by Dungun (87), Putatan (86), Tawau (66), Silam (40), Kuala Nerus (248), Sepanggar (54), Kuala Terengganu (304), Parit (137) and Marang (186).

In a written reply to Tan Kok Wai (DAP – Cheras) Mohd Johari said the Tenom constituency recorded the highest average per function at RM17,042.

It spent RM988,475 to organise 58 functions while the lowest average cost per function was by Kuala Terengganu with RM3,018.

Tan had asked the Prime Minister to state the cost and number of open houses during festive seasons such as Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Gawai Dayak, Christmas, Good Friday, Wesak and for Merdeka celebrations by MPs in their respective constituencies using the special parliamentary allocation.

Johari said 196 Barisan Nasional MPs had used the special allocation and that the money was spent on food, drinks, rental of tents and equipment, and donations to the poor, orphans and the disabled and other related services.

When met, Tan said it was extravagant and lavish and demanded that the MPs explain themselves.

“In everybody’s mind, the special allocation should be spent on small projects but instead they use it to spend on feasts,” he said.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, in another written reply, said total expenditure for 105 of Malaysia’s missions from June 2004 to June 30 this year was RM1.36bil.

In a written reply, he said there were 440 ministry staff stationed in offices in Africa, America, Asia, Europe and the South Pacific.

Teo Nie Ching (DAP – Serdang) asked how many staff members were in its missions including the locations and operation costs incurred by all its overseas offices.

Did we have a new flag?

Picture worth of thousands words.... (taken from Utusan Malaysia)
Please look at the picture, tell me what is wrong with the picture....Thanx...


http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2008&dt=1118&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Dalam_Negeri&pg=dn_01.htm

Malaysia hab eksport Uzbek

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dan Islam Karimov (berdiri kanan) menyaksikan majlis menandatangani memorandum persefahaman (MoU) antara Hassan Merican dan Ergash Shaismatov (duduk kanan) di Kediaman Presiden (Durmen) di Tashkent, semalam. - Bernama

TASHKENT (Uzbekistan) 17 Nov. - Malaysia sedang meneroka kemungkinan menjadi hab eksport bagi barangan Uzbekistan memasuki ke pasaran ASEAN dan rantau sekitarnya.

Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi berkata, walaupun Uzbekistan tidak mempunyai pelabuhan, perkhidmatan kargo udara akan digunakan untuk tujuan itu.

Dengan cara ini, kedua-dua pihak akan menikmati faedah bersama dan Uzbekistan sendiri dapat memperluaskan pasarannya menjangkaui rantaunya sendiri.

"Ini adalah antara strategi yang akan diambil bagi meneroka hubungan dua hala. Kedua-dua negara kita mempunyai sumber asli yang besar yang boleh diterokai," katanya pada sidang akhbar bersama dengan rakan sejawatnya, Islam Karimov selepas mesyuarat delegasi dua hala di Kediaman Presiden (Durmen) di sini hari ini.

Abdullah berada di sini sempena lawatan rasmi empat hari ke Uzbekistan. Turut serta dalam mesyuarat itu ialah dua Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz dan Senator Tan Sri Amirsham Abdul Aziz; Menteri Pengajian Tinggi, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin; Menteri Perpaduan, Kesenian, Kebudayaan dan Warisan, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal; serta Presiden dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Petronas, Tan Sri Hassan Marican.

Sementara dalam masa yang sama, Uzbekistan pula bersetuju untuk membuka peluang kepada pihak swasta Malaysia meneroka industri di negara ini, termasuk membuka ruang prospek yang lebih besar kepada syarikat petroleum negara, Petronas.

Presiden Islam pula berkata, pihaknya mempunyai kepercayaan dan hormat yang amat tinggi terhadap Petronas serta akan memberi peluang yang lebih luas kepada syarikat minyak itu untuk meneroka industri minyak dan gas di negara ini.

Katanya, beliau juga bersetuju dengan Abdullah untuk bekerjasama dalam industri pertanian terutama dalam bidang bioteknologi asas tani.

Sejak menjalin hubungan diplomatik 20 tahun lalu, hubungan perdagangan dua hala telah meningkat tiga kali ganda iaitu daripada AS$12 juta pada 2006 kepada kira-kira AS$40 juta pada 2007.

"Ini memberikan satu gambaran jelas minat yang semakin meningkat oleh sektor swasta Malaysia untuk memperkenalkan hubungan perdagangan yang lebih bermakna di antara mereka. Kita perlu menggalakkan trend sebegini untuk terus meningkat kerana sektor swasta adalah enjin sebenar kemajuan ekonomi kita," kata Abdullah.

Dalam ucapannya, pada mesyuarat itu, Abdullah berkata, kedua-dua negara telah bersetuju untuk memperhebatkan kerjasama dalam bidang-bidang penting semasa kunjungan Presiden Islam ke Malaysia pada 2005.

Katanya, empat memorandum persefahaman (MoU) telah ditandatangani pada ketika itu yang antaranya berkaitan kerjasama dalam bidang pelancongan, pembangunan sumber galian, memerangi keganasan dan membentuk Jawatankuasa Perdagangan Bersama.

Dalam mesyuarat dua hala hari ini tiga MoU lagi dan satu protokol telah ditandatangani antara kedua-dua negara.

MoU berkenaan sains dan teknologi telah ditandatangani antara Shafie dan Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Koordinasi Pembangunan Sains dan Teknologi, Shavkat Salihov.

MoU dalam bidang pengajian tinggi ditandatangani antara Mohamed Khaled dan Menteri Pelajaran Tinggi dan Menengah, Azimjon Parpijev serta perjanjian persefahaman mengenai Pembangunan Modal Insan dalam Industri Minyak dan Gas ditandatangani antara Hassan dan Timbalan Perdana Menteri Dua, Ergash Shaismatov.

Satu protokol dikenali sebagai Protokol Perjanjian Penerokaan Surkhanski turut dimeterai antara Hassan dan Shaismatov.

Abdullah dalam pada itu, turut menarik perhatian mengenai minat yang ditunjukkan oleh kerajaan Uzbekistan terhadap konsep Islam Hadhari yang diperkenalkannya di Malaysia.

- Utusan

Selective Investigation

It is normal and obvious in Malaysia, when BN members make a Police Report, The police will straight away investigate, but this is not happened when the report was made by the opposition, that's why there are so many backlogged cases beside the police inefficiency....


http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/11/18/nation/20081118155855&sec=nation

Published: Tuesday November 18, 2008 MYT 3:59:00 PM - The Star

Parliament: Cops haven’t probed ghost voter allegations

By ROYCE CHEAH

KUALA LUMPUR: The police have not investigated allegations of ghost voters being used in Sabah to ensure a Barisan Nasional victory as was published in a book entitled IC Palsu Merampas Hak Anak Sabah (Fake IDs used to rob Sabahans).

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) would have stepped in if there were any discrepancies by the Election Commission.

He was replying to a question from Johari Abdul (PKR-Sungai Petani) who had asked if the police had taken action on the allegations in the book which was written by Andul Mutalib Mohd Daud in 1999.

In response to Syed Hamid’s answer, Johari said the police had acknowledged the existence of the book and that he was disappointed that no action had been taken, especially considering that fake identification cards have long been an issue in Sabah.

“I reiterate that the allegations raised by the book are very serious as they involve the issue of our citizen’s rights and honour. The sovereignity of this country can no longer be guaranteed if these syndicates are not overcome,” he said.

Johari said the police ought to be more pro-active and start their own investigations instead of waiting for the ACA to do so.

No Subsidy means we subsidised the government

As per my earlier post.... We are now instead subsidizing the government, but of course the term change become Tax..... No more 30 sen subsidy as promised earlier...I'm speechless...... Malaysia Boleh...

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/11/18/nation/20081118134826&sec=nation

Published: Tuesday November 18, 2008 MYT 1:49:00 PM
Updated: Tuesday November 18, 2008 MYT 3:43:07 PM - The Star

Govt has stopped paying petrol subsidies: Shahrir

By ROYCE CHEAH

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government has stopped paying subsidies for petrol since the beginning of this month due to lower global oil prices, Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Samad said.

“The savings on petrol subsidies next year is expected to be more than RM10bil if oil prices remain stable,” he told reporters Tuesday at the Parliament lobby here.

Elaborating, Shahrir said that at a price of US$65 per barrel, the Government would not be paying subsidies and that the focus now would be on deciding whether to set a floor price or figuring out a way for the Government to get some income from the sale of petrol.

“Even with petrol retailing at RM2 per litre, we are not paying any subsidies. We have actually arrived at a time when the price can return to RM1.92.

“In that context, we hope to be able to set a policy to address this when the National Economic Council next meets. A decision must be made on the floor price.”

Shahrir said that for six months from September 2001 to February 2002, the Government had collected taxes from the retail sale of petrol and had stopped that practice since February 2002.

“Earlier announcements of how much the subsidies cost us, even as recent as 2005 or 2006 always included how much we had to forego in terms of taxes. We have stopped doing this however and just focused on how much subsidy we are paying.”

Shahrir said the Government was now enjoying some revenue due to the difference in the ex-refinery price and the price oil companies sell petrol to station operators.

He added that the revenue being taken now was a form of tax that could max out at 60sen per litre.

“After the station operators take their margin of 12.1sen and the oil companies take their margin of 19.1sen, we are left with RM1.69 from RM2.

“If the refinery price is RM1.30 per litre for example, the Government will be taking 39sen per litre as revenue.”

Shahrir also released information on the amount of fuel subsidies paid so far which have amounted to RM15.57bil as at the end of October.

Fuel subsidies last year cost the Government RM16.18bil.

The fuel subsidies in October amounted to RM610mil as compared toRM2.99bil in May when oil prices peaked at over US$120 per barrel.

Is it true Government is still subsidising petrol for 30 sen?

Is it true as what the government claim that they will peg the petrol price at the subsidy price of 30 sen. With the world current petrol price at almost USD60 per barrell, can we say that we are now instead subsidizing the Government not the other way round..... Malaysia Boleh......

Bail Out, again?

Is this a bail out exercise? what a shame..... Our taxpayer money is again wasted by our moron politician... Thank Allah, we are oil rich country that can sustain this, but what happen if we don't have oil? Malaysia will be a third world country like Africa, maybe worst...... Think again my friend...

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/11/4/nation/20081104135240&sec=nation

Published: Tuesday November 4, 2008 MYT 1:53:00 PM
Updated: Tuesday November 4, 2008 MYT 4:36:25 PM - The Star

Parliament: Is RM5b a 'rescue package' for ValueCap?

By LISA GOH

KUALA LUMPUR: DAP wants to know if the recent RM5bil injection into ValueCap Sdn Bhd is in fact a “rescue package” to repay its RM5.1bil debt due in February next year.

DAP National Publicity secretary Tony Pua (DAP- PJ Utara) said that The Malaysian Insider (www.themalaysianinsider.com) had reported that ValueCap had a RM5.1bil debt to bondholders - the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), Khazanah, and Permodalan Nasional Bhd.

“The latest audited report of ValueCap in 2007 also confirmed that there is an existing ‘long-term deferred liability’ of that amount.

“We call upon the Finance Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) to come out with the truth if they are using the money to repay ValueCaps’s debts,” he told the press here on Tuesday.

He added that the underlying reason for the RM5bil injection was not known, but “it looks extremely suspicious”.

Pua explained that according to documents from the Securities Commission website, ValueCap had issued bonds on Feb 28, 2003 which would mature three years from the date of issuance.

It can be extended for another three years, as allowed in the terms of the bond in 2006.

“So now ValueCap is required to return the monies to the three bond holders come Feb next year.

”We find it very incidental that the Finance Minister had only recently announced an injection of RM5bil to ValueCap to support the flailing stock market.

“His statement can only be described as a half-truth,” he said.

He added that in addition, DAP demands a “full and immediate accountability of ValueCap investments since 2003”.

“We call upon the Finance Minister to withdraw the RM5bil injection which only serves to deal with the symptoms of the global financial crisis,” he said.

Sabah: Do they know that Kelantan also exprerience the same?

Kelantan also suffering now, they have oil and gas but Petronas don't want to cooperate in order to drill out from their soil until UMNO get Kelantan back. They have waiting for a long-long time now. At the moment, even the gas pipeline also pass through Thailand. That's different case actually, but in Sabah, I don't know why, maybe the pipe is more viable as Sarawak already has the oil processing industry over there....

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/11/4/nation/20081104142118&sec=nation

Published: Tuesday November 4, 2008 MYT 2:22:00 PM - The Star

Dompok to raise gas pipeline issue with PM

By MAZWIN NIK ANIS

PUTRAJAYA: A Sabah Barisan Nasional component party is unhappy with the Federal Government’s decision to give Petronas the go-ahead to build a gas pipeline. Its president Tan Sri Bernard Dompok plans to bring this matter up with the Cabinet on Friday.

Dompok, who is United Pasok Momogun Kadazan Murut Organisation (Upko) president said the party is unhappy with the decision, claiming that a majority of Sabahans are unhappy too.

As he sits in at Cabinet meetings in his capacity as the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Dompok said he would raise the issue with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Friday.

“I don’t see how the project will benefit Sabahans except for the landowners whose property are bought over to make way for the gas pipes.

“Sabah is an oil and gas producing state but there is no related activity whatsoever; there is no refinery, no university and no petro-chemical or other related industry.

“The industry is good for the state’s economy which is overly dependent on oil palm plantation and tourism. We need to be more diverse. Oil and gas is right before us and we should capitalise on it,” he told reporters Tuesday after launching the Education Services Commission website.

On Nov 1, Abdullah confirmed that the Petronas gas pipeline from Sabah to Sarawak would go on, despite an earlier decision to scrap it.The 500km pipeline from Kimanis to Bintulu, worth RM1.5bil is expected to be operational in 2011.

Asked if he would be getting support from the Sabah government to “fight” this issue, Dompok said: “There is no support from the state government. As for my colleagues from other parties in Sabah, they should know what to do.

“Even though this matter has been decided upon, I will still bring it up with the Cabinet again,” he said of the project.