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news without borders
Maria J. Dass and Karen Arukesamy at the Selangor State Assembly
Azmin queries Balkis’
RM1.2m travel bill
SHAH ALAM: Permodalan
Negri Selangor Bhd records
show the company spent
RM1.2 million in travelling ex-
penses for members of Wives
of Selangor Assemblymen and
MPs Welfare and Charity Or-
ganisation (Balkis) throughout
2007.
“There was a ‘technical’
visit to Disneyland, Tokyo by
the members of Balkis. What
kind of ‘technical’ visit is this?”
asked Azmin Ali (PKR-Bukit
Antarabangsa) during his
debate on the Sultan’s address
PR men grill Khir
SELANGOR opposition leader Datuk Seri
Dr Mohd Khir Toyo was grilled by Pakatan
Rakyat assemblymen over the protest by
Umno against the sultans in Kedah and
Terengganu over the choice of mentri be-
sar after the 12th general election when
he brought up the issue of disrespect
for the Sultan of Perak’s decision not to
dissolve the state assembly.
“We fought at first but then we
obeyed, we have had differences with
the sultans but we learned from history
and are obedient now,” he said.
Complaining about the time when
he was questioned by the Anti Corrup-
tion Agency (now the Malaysian Anti-
Corruption Commission) for 10 hours
over allegations of abuse regarding the
transfer of funds from Balkis to its fed-
eral equivalent Bakti, he said, “I have
been cleared, I’m not afraid of anything
but I will not forgive some people for
creating this perception”.
Ng Suee Lim (DAP-Sekinchan)
urged MACC to probe the abuse of
power pertaining a contract to manage
a multi-level car park in Kota Kemuning
which was given to Sani Tanjung Bunga
Sdn Bhd by Shah Alam City Council.
He also mentioned three projects
which were possibly given out without
open tender by MBSA on Dec 15, 2008
to three different companies.
He said the contracts should be
terminated if there is proof of abuse.
at the state legislative assembly
yesterday.
“This ‘technical’ visit did
not end at Disneyland because
Mickey Mouse had run away, so
they had another two ‘technical’
visits – Hongkong and Korea.”
He called for an explana-
tion of the visit and a report on
the outcome, if it brought any
benefit to the state.
“Maybe (they) want to bring
Disneyland to Sg Panjang
(former mentri besar Datuk
Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo’s con-
stituency). I do not know, please
Selangor exco’s assets
go online tomorrow
THE asset declarations of Selan-
gor executive council members
will be made public on Friday on
the state government’s official
website www.selangor.gov.my.
Speaking to the media on the
sidelines of the state legislative
assembly meeting, Mentri Besar
Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim
said this will allow the public
to scrutinise all transactions of
assets during the exco’s period
of appointment in office since
taking their oaths on March 24
last year.
The assets include house-
hold property, shares, large
sums of cash transfers as well
as acquisition and disposal of
assets during the period.
However, the assets of
children aged 21 and above will
not be included in the declara-
tion as some of them may not
want to be associated with the
obligations of their parents, said
Abdul Khalid.
“The objective of the asset
declaration is to ensure that
those holding the highest office
within the Selangor government
explain,” he said, gesturing
towards the Opposition bench.
Speaker Aniza Talha re-
marked that they (opposition
assemblymen) are not Balkis
members, to which Azmin
retorted: “They are not Balkis
members but they sleep with
Balkis (members).”
Azmin also revealed that
Balkis had received a large
contribution or allocation, sup-
posedly for welfare, but accord-
ing to the information received,
it was used by the members for
their clothing and accessories.
would not take advantage of
their positions to unlawfully
or unethically acquire assets,
financial or otherwise,” Abdul
Khalid said.
He said the declarations
would enable exco members
to make unbiased and impar-
tial decisions on policy, thus
enhancing the credibility of the
state government.
Abdul Khalid said after
seeking legal advice, the state
decided that it is best not to
include assets owned by exco
members prior to taking office
as the state was unable to
provide security for the exco
and their family members; and
neither is there any insurance
policy that can be obtained to
address this concern.
This information has, how-
ever, been disclosed privately
to the mentri besar’s office and
this information can be released
for legitimate reasons – subject
to the conditions and approval
of the Select Committee on
Competence, Accountability
and Transparency.
theSun | THURSDAY MARCH 12 2009
WE’LL KEEP OUR Bangladeshi family, local man
PROMISE ... killed in suspected arson
Mentri Besar Tan Sri
by Charles Ramendran and that of the local man identi-
Abdul Khalid Ibrahim newsdesk@thesundaily.com fied only as Ah Yong, 50.
with some 100 trade
Ah Yong is said to be the night
union and residents PETALING JAYA: A Bangladeshi watchman for the used car shop.
association
couple, their two children and Petaling Jaya police chief
representatives a local man died in a blaze sus- ACP Arjunaidi Mohamed said
who handed a pected to be arson involving a fire investigators found flam-
memorandum to him
outside the
container home on Jalan Sungai
Buloh yesterday.
mable substances and have
sent samples to the Chemistry
Poritosh Kumar, 32, his wife Department for tests. He said
state assembly
hall yesterday in
support of the state’s
Tounsani Das, 28, and their children,
two-year-old Prema and eight-
police suspected arson and have
classified the case as murder.
efforts to reclaim month-old Shilpa, were believed to On checking the activities of
be asleep when the fire broke out pickpockets and thieves, Arju-
the management
about 5am in their house next to naidi said personnel from the
of water. He said
a used car dealer near the Rubber district police would randomly
Selangor will strive to
Research Institute of Malaysia. board interstate buses daily.
keep its promise to
Firemen arrived at the scene He said the operation began
ensure water tariffs
within minutes after being yesterday and would see both
are low and that the
alerted by the public. plainclothes and uniformed
20 cubic metres free
They later found the charred policemen involved in curbing
water programme crime committed in public trans-
remains of Poritosh, who worked
continues. port facilities.
for the used car dealer, his family
Two killed, one injured March 23 deadline for
while crossing rail track online IPTA application
KUALA LUMPUR: Two people were killed KUALA LUMPUR: The deadline for online
and one seriously injured when they were hit application to enter the public institutions
by a train while crossing the railway track at of higher learning (IPTA) for Sijil Tinggi
KM379.7 between the Kepong and Segambut Pesekolahan Malaysia (STPM) holders is
stations yesterday. March 23.
Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) operations
The Higher Education Ministry said in a
manager Mohd Hider Yusuf said the three,
statement yesterday the online application
believed to be Indonesians, had encroached
has been made available from Feb 3 via
the fenced-up area to cross the rail line, and
http://upu.mohe.gov.my while the applica-
were knocked down by a Langkawi Express
tion to enter Universiti Sains Malaysia could
train on its way to the Kuala Lumpur station
be done directly through the university’s
from Padang Besar.
KTM was informed of the incident at website at http://pohon.usm.my.
6.47pm and requested for police to remove Further information can be obtained
the dead bodies and send the injured to Se- by calling the ministry at 03-88835801,
layang Hospital. The train service resumed as 03-88835802 and 03-88835848 or though
usual after that, Mohd Hider told Bernama. email at upu@mohe.gov.my. – Bernama