SAPP to BN govt: Don’t shift your own Failure to manage properly and Burden the Rakyat unnecessarily.

Malaysia is one of the few oil and gas producing countries in the world. Sabah especially, being rich in oil and gas, has been contributing millions and millions of Ringgit to the Malaysian government.

Electricity is a basic utility and being one of the most basic needs for people, it comes as both logical and obligatory for the BN government to provide for a stable, reliable and affordable supply of electricity to a contributing state like Sabah in return.

SAPP CLC Api Api Organizing Secretary Clement Lee says that it is totally unfair, unjustifiable and unacceptable, relating to the press statement issued by the Datuk Seri Peter Chin today (24/6/2011) with The Daily Express carrying the title “Power Tariff Review” was due to the increase of the fuel prices.

Clement Lee would like to ask TNB (which owns SESB), the main electricity supplier in the state, how it can still make losses in a monopoly state of business, like that of Sabah's ?

The main causes of loss incurred by TNB and SESB are mainly due to mismanagement, incompetency, poor planning and execution methodology, lopsided deals, high maintenance costs due to the purchase of used and second-hand power generators, parts and very possibly, inferior services.

The compensation of about RM70 million to a Chinese company due to the scrapping of the coal power plant in Sabah recently proved yet again that poor management, planning and decision making have caused our tax money to go down the drain. The government should have consulted the state assembly, people and NGOs before committing and signing an agreement with the supplier to prevent wastage of time, money and other resources.

This was clearly contradicting to the BN's 1Malaysia slogan “People first, Achievement is main priority”.

Another one of the contributing factors that made TNB and SESB suffered losses was due to power theft mainly committed by illegal immigrant in the state which prove to be a long term liability to the government.

The people of Sabah have been suffering and enduring with one of the highest cost of living of any states in Malaysia and yet the lowest take-home pay, especially for young working adults for umpteenth years.

I reckon the present BN government will need to solve its internal problems first as mentioned above before shifting the burden to the people.

So, the suggestion by Datuk Seri Chin Fah Kui to review the current electricity state tariff is totally unfair, unjustifiable and utterly unacceptable.

Clement Lee is SAPP CLC Api Api Organising Secretary

If the State government was really financially strong, why was there a need to issue Bonds?

KOTA KINABALU, June 21, 2011: SAPP CLC Api-Api Organizing Secretary Clement Lee would like to query the RM544 million worth of bonds issued by BN-led government as stated by the Chief Minister during his budgeted speech on 19 November 2010 at State Assembly.

"The estimated revenue for 2010 being over the RM3 billion level takes into account proceeds from the issuance of bonds worth RM544 million effective this year.” which in actual fact meant that the estimated State revenue was merely RM2.5 billi

Bond is a form of debt investments where state government loans a certain amount of money, for a certain period of time, with a certain rate of interest, to companies and individuals at large at a discounted price.

"How could the BN government account the RM544 million worth of bonds issued, which in essence are debts, as State Revenue in 2010?

When such bonds mature in 5 years time, the State government will need to buy back the bonds at the original price from the investors.

"If the BN-led government really had a strong financial backing in the state coffer, why would they still need to issue bonds in order to raise funds? It seems like the present BN government is not telling the truth and utterly misleading the public.

The present government should seek more sources of income like opening up more land for cultivation and increasing the productivity of the present state-owned GLCs and reducing the operational costs which would surely translate to revenue, among others.

"What about the RM1 billion special allocation promised by the federal government for the Sabah Development Corridor project?

"Another pressing issue is that, why did the state government give away 5,000 hectares of palm oil land to United Malacca Berhad whilst local based Sabahan companies were more than capable to develop them?

"We want the BN government to explain on these matters and clear public ambiguity and confusion.

Kerajaan rugi RM70 juta batal loji sinakut

Oleh : Datuk Eric Majimbum

DALAM sidang Dewan Parlimen kelmarin, Menteri Tenaga, Teknologi Hijau dan Air telah menjawab soalan bertulis saya (Sepanggar) mengenai pembatalan projek penjanaan 300 Megawatt Loji Arang Batu di Sinakut, Tungku.

 

Menteri KeTTHA mengesahkan bahawa pemilik projek terpaksa membayar pampasan ganti rugi kepada pihak kontraktor USD22.5 juta sebagai pembayaran muktamad bagi kontrak yang telah ditandatangani.

Saya amat kesal di atas kebongkakan kerajaan yang menandatangani perjanjian awal tanpa menjalankan laporan EIA terlebih dahulu sehingga menyebabkan kita kerugian sebanyak RM70 juta.

Tentunya kerugian ini boleh membangunankan lebih banyak infrastruktur di Sabah, terutama untuk menaiktaraf hidup dan mengeluarkan rakyat Sabah daripada kekangan Miskin Tegar.

Jumlah tersebut juga boleh digunakan untuk membayar elaun Ketua Kampung dan Pengerusi JKKK dan JKDB sejumlah RM800 seorang seperti yang dijanjikan Perdana Menteri dalam Bajet 2011 bermula sejak Januari 2011, tetapi sehingga kini belum dilaksanakan di Sabah.

Kerugian ini, kata Eric bolehlah disifatkan sebagai ‘berniaga buluh kasap, hujung dapat, pangkal lesap!’