updated, with corrections:
No, not that SIL. The son-in-law of Umno's Permanent Chairman Tan Sri Onn Ismail appears to be one of the pieces in Port Klang Free Trade Zone's RM4.6 billion puzzle. This son-in-law's name is Faizal Abdullah. [I earlier erroneously reported that he was Umno Kapar chief's SIL]. We don't know if any other family members or in-laws are involved. Malaysiakini has the scoop - Blood runs deep in troubled RM4.6b PKFZ.
Why a puzzle? Because we don't know who in the government is answerable to this debacle. We don't know if anyone is accountable. So far, the Finance Ministry, the Transport Minister, and the PM's Department have kept mum. I haven't seen any report in the mainstream media, except for the Sun and the Edge.
An excerpt of the Malaysiakini article by Fauwaz Abdul Aziz:
Now its PKFZ, later it will be WPI and latest will be NCER to be followed by Kelantan Valley. By then there wont be a cent left in the country's coffers. Is this the way of Islam Hadhari?
ReplyDeleteIt was reported fairly extensively in the Singapore Business Times newspaper some weeks back. The journalist who wrote that report is S. Jayasankaran.
ReplyDeleteCome to think of it, several of these "fiascos" have first surfaced in the Singapore papers. Both the Spore Straits Times and Business Times newspapers have bureaus in Malaysia, and their KL-based correspondents are quite well-connected.
Yo Rocky! Perusing the excerpt,(am not a subscriber of MK) shouldn't it be Onn Ismail's SIL instead of Rahman Palil's?
ReplyDeletetsbdre
This just makes my blood boil....starting to become amok!
ReplyDeletezawi, country's coffers may be empty but some people's coffers full to the bream! (Chiak beh liau)so why worry?
ReplyDeleteYou are right bro, issue not covered in mainstream media. I also don't remember seeing the news about the Rulers rejecting govt Chief Judge nominee.
What I read in the Star yesterday was this news about the agric ministry discovering that there's a cartel (basically a gang conspiring to fix prices) importing beef cheaply (mainly from india) but selling them expensively. The wonder of it all is that this has been going on for 20 YEARS!
The meat from india (85%)is actually daging kerbau and not lembu.
To break this cartel the ministry will be sending their officers to visit australia, new zealand and other countries....
Tsbdre,
ReplyDeletethank you. Will read it again. When I get to a wi-fi place, I'll import the malaysiakini article to the comment section for all to read.
It could be the other guy's sil, but for sure there is a sil involved.
It never rains but pours.
ReplyDeleteFaizal is Onn Ismail's SIL. This is the same Faizal that Joceline Tan keeps using as her source in her Sunday column in The Star.
ReplyDeleteRocky,
ReplyDeleteI am sad and angry reading about the sad story of 5 family parished down by candle - because the eletricity has been cut off. This is the story of us, the real Malaysian. Everyday we strugle to earn a few ringgit to put food on the table and we have mega rich, I mean filthy rich politician who is busy enriching themselves rather than extending their arm to help these poor people.
All I am going to say is: Tuhan it u maha besar!
look at the personalities behind the seller of the land and contractor of the project. then, you see the political connections. well, not the first time the rakyat is screwed big time by the politicians; neither would it be the last. this time I get more mad cause the PM just didnt even live up a bit to his promise for a clean and fair administration.
ReplyDeleteDear Rocky,
ReplyDeletefurther to anonymous 1.25pm comments, TNB doesn't go after the big companies who owes million in unpaid electricity bills but intimidate we the poor rakyat. Only 1 month unpaid bill, TNB threaten with warning letters already.
Malaysia is full of fiasco one after another.Look at the Bakun Dam, our steel mill which Eric Chia once control, MAS, Proton, swearage privatisation project. When there is no more oil then the country will suffer. By the way why should the account of Petronas be off budget account and even the Parliment cannot question ?
ReplyDeleteMalaysia is full of fiasco one after another.Look at the Bakun Dam, our steel mill which Eric Chia once control, MAS, Proton, swearage privatisation project. When there is no more oil then the country will suffer. By the way why should the account of Petronas be off budget account and even the Parliment cannot question ?
ReplyDeleteThe start was promising, but the plot looks similar each time. You just cannot drive straight along a crooked road.
ReplyDeleteThis morning on AlJazzera Channel the Riz Khan programme interviewed Malaysia Kini editor and Nathaniel Tan. The discussion was on goverment wanting to curb bloggers because of misinformation. Nathaniel the young man was brilliant. He said "berani kerana benar" and said the real news are from the bloggers after 50 years of media control by the goverment. Nathaniel ended the discussion by saying that he is blogging for his country and for the coming generation including his children. Young man I am a 60 year old malay and I am touched by your words and I salute you.
ReplyDeleteThe Goverment in this country is to a large extent determined by the Malays and UMNO. On PKFZ land fiasco, no malay papers have carried this story. I don't remember seeing this story in Malay blogs. The reason is simple because if the Malays in the Kampong knows the full story the Govt cannot defend itself.
The Company Kuala Dimensi bought land from Malay Fisherman Cooperative for $95 mill ringgit and sold to Port Klang a goverment body for over $1 bill. Kuala Dimensi then was given contracts by Port Klang for $3.6 bill. Total cost of project is $4.6 bill. This project which was more focus on giving out contracts rather than business needs is now lying idle -a " ghost town"
Now who are involved in this project? The Chairman of Kuala Dimensi is Azim Zabedi, UMNO tresurer and Deputy Minister of Information ie the Ministry which wants to curb the bloggers. The owner of Kuala Dimensi is Dato Tiong, MCA MP from Bintulu. This project cannot have gotten so far without the support of the Ministry of Transport, which is Chan Kong Choy. Minister Chan then appoints 2 other individual to carry through the scheme of things,Dato Chor who has connection to Kuala Dimensi subsidiary company is now appointed Chairman of Port Klang. For the execution of this whole project from the beginning is Madam OC Phang. She is a govt officer and her contract has been extended beyond her retirement age with 3 or 4 renewal upon recommendation by Minister Chan Kong Choy.
So what do we do? $4.6 billion down the drain. For this amount you can air con all the schools in this country with still extra money. You can build all the rural roads, a new highway or improve public transport.You can do many things and a very important role of any Goverment is the allocation of scarce resources to developed the country. Here on the Port Klang project the Goverment has failed miserably.It reeks of corruption. Worst still until about 2 months ago the Goverment didn't know this project has balloned from $1 bill to $4.6. They didin't know because the GM of Port Klang together with the Ministry of Transport issued guarantee letters to Banks without the knowledge of Ministry of Finance or any body in the Goverment.
So Bloggers like Rocky and Nathaniel and others are playing a very pivotal role in this nation's history. Sadly the malay community is still in the dark about all this. By the way, the $ 4.6 bill is also enough to buy all the computers and internet links to all the kampongs for the benefit of the Malays.This however will not be done because simply if the Malays know whats going on it will not benfit the Govt.
this is nothing new,,,,,bangsawan ppls eating rakyat money for generations
ReplyDeleteDang will somebody with connections just send postings from the blogs as breakfast reading for the PM. Are our efforts wasted? Just wondering.
ReplyDeletejust a norm, they are all out for the $$$
ReplyDeleteNow is the SIL and FIL trend... What is more is who is footing the bill??? Not the tax payers again. How much longer before this nonsense end?? Next election?????
ReplyDeletePAk Lah era is not abt creation but destruction under many guises.
ReplyDeleteBTW, there is no post called Transport Minister but Minister Air Asia Affair.
check this http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19762112/site/newsweek/
ReplyDeletewhen i first read the article in ancient mariner blog i was shock that it was so well plan, from buying the land to completing the project.it was more than a job of a sil.from head to toe should be held accountable for this scandal.
ReplyDeleteRocky!
ReplyDeleteJust to let you know now, Bakun Dam was never about building dam to generate electricity. Bakun Dam is about a massive scale scam to extract valuable timber as old as 1000 years old worth billions, in the unreachable Bakun area. The only legitimate way to fell these precious asset of ours is to come up with the dam idea!
Anon (3.59pm),
ReplyDeleteAncient Mariner carried the story on his blog.
And he's a malay who's well versed with the PKFZ issue.
anon 3.59, i'm impressed with your knowledge on the matter, i'm sure other readers too. Now can we have at least ONE of those involved deny or refute this?
ReplyDeleteYou are right about not educating the kampung people too much - as they say ignorance is bliss. Let the rural folks enjoy akademi fantasia while some rob us blind!
off topic.....be prepared for A judiciary explosion soon........
ReplyDeleteok..just another debacle to the multitude of debacles, fiaisco and mismanagement our Bapak Dollah is keeping "elegantly" quiet on.
ReplyDeleteCome on...Malaysians already has tahan-ed for yrs all the $$$$$$$$$ going down the longkang...this is why everyone feels entitled to making bucketloads.
I bet they think "Orang lain dah makan banyak, saya pun makan sedikit lah".
Can we blame ppl who wants to make a buck fr screwing us??
We are so very liberal in Msia and do not place limits such as age/sex/race/education on who can screw us.
We are willing rape victims - because we chose the rapists, and then continually allow ourselves to be raped. How's that for Malaysia Truly Asia??
and all this is for who? the Malays? which Malays? UMNO oneslo!!! Malaysian pay taxes and Malays should be upset cos they pay taxes too and this is all tax payer money. The country get screwed with bail outs while a selected few laugh all the way to the bank. wonder if they do pay taxes and if they do, how much?
ReplyDeletePak Lah....you know this or don't know again? Is this part of your manifesto in 2004. You cakap tak serupa bikin. Malu lah Islam Hadhari macam ini.
I go with TDM' view on Islam and Islam Hadhari, he says there is only one Islam, so I'm not in anyway saying it is malu to Islam.
ANON 3:59pm said
ReplyDelete"Sadly the malay community is still in the dark about all this."
-----------
I also remember one guy the other day mentioning about goin underground, whether that's a threat or advice. But thanks, I consider that as an advice. It's time for a
Cyber-Guerrila-Warfare/Peacefare (NO ARMS PLEASE!).
Translate, translate, translate.
Set up, set up, set up lots of BLOG sites.
Go incogmito, you are NO GOOD as a dead hero.
Look for No Copyright logo
Malaysians overseas it's time to contribute for your country, set up your blog sites(4/5), just copy & paste articles with the "No Copyright" logo, with credits due though.
Those who can, translate articles into BM and paste onto your blog sites. Remember it won't take up much of your time!
Set up Sopo2/3/4/5/6 overseas so no one can touch you there!
Consider this as the third wave coming to overwhelm the good-4-nothings into submission!
And last but not least please remember to thank Zam for telling you to go blokging
It's Good to be Independence Day! Watch it and learn!
The gravy train stops
ReplyDeleteOn the crony’s line of call
There the many hands take
The mint of gold shining in their eyes
Walk the distance
Under the cool sky
Everyone thinks
The big shots come
To make the sleeping hollow
A wake up boom town
It never meant to be
When the gravy train moves
These people all disappear
Leaving the ugly heads
No soul on the ground
The cronies laugh
The tax payers feeling hot
And the people get misery
High costs in daily living
The gravy train moves
Somewhere some place
The same objects repeat again
The sleeping hollow
Shining for a while
Then it all disappears
OK the NST carried aa small part of the story today. I challenged the main stream papers to come out and say, Who is the Chairman and owners of Kuala Dimensi?
ReplyDeleteThen wa don't play play.
.
ReplyDeleteEveryone in this party is tailored to the same specification and from the factory
After 36 years of crappy policies –spawned by the second pm, and perpetuates by the silly, stupid son and ilk – what do you expect – a revolution of some awesome kind.
GREED is doing the talking - every where. Sad but true.
.
copy&paste.
ReplyDeleteRocky,
I am sad and angry reading about the sad story of 5 family parished down by candle - because the eletricity has been cut off. This is the story of us, the real Malaysian. Everyday we strugle to earn a few ringgit to put food on the table and we have mega rich, I mean filthy rich politician who is busy enriching themselves rather than extending their arm to help these poor people.
I AM SURE THERE ARE MORE TO COME!AND I AM SURE TO 'PANGKAH PAS'.MAY BE THERE IS HOPE!!
No wonder the harrassments are loud and clear lately because the ruling elites are rattled by all the revalations via the internet. I agree with goin-underground that ordinary people have to be informed about the going-ons through alternative channels, since the MSM is under Government control and cannot do that.
ReplyDeleteanon 3.59
ReplyDeletethanks for the revealation of the personalities involved. tell me PM and please dont lie. Is your government going to condone such sodomisation of the rakyat's purse? Is this not going against your grain of a clean and fair administration? Are you going to let your Islam Hadhari sullied by condoning such massive corruption right under your nose?
Faizal is Onn Ismail's sil.
ReplyDeleteThis is the Faizal who is deputy manager of Selangor Red Giants (Read Pussy actually!).
Faizal or Haji Faizal is also Deputy Selangor Umno chief and his mobile no is 019 312 2020.
Faizal is also SIL's No 1 sidekick el-balachee wal pecacai.
Under TDM, nearly every other week we hear of the Govt trying to expand the internet service and bringing this knowledge to the rural areas so that more people can be internet-savy.
ReplyDeleteUnder the bodowi, we hardly-if ever hear about effort to teach as many people, especially the old folks, be it the rural or urban area the abilty to surf the net and make use of this technology to gain knowledge and information.
I GUESS I KNOW WHY UNDER THIS REGIME, THIS ASPECT OF EDUCATION HAS CEASED.
THANK YOU , TDM , FOR YOUR VISION AND FORESIGHT.
Anon (10.15 am)
ReplyDeleteYes the NST carried the story partly today. But it misses the point by a mile. The issue in the main is not essentially with a "white elephant" project. Fundamentally the issue is how public's money to the value of $4.6 bill can be spend without any check and balances and accountability.? What's the role of the Ministry of Transport here?How can they give out contracts worth billions without tender? Was the contract price competitive? Why is it only this company Kuala Dimensi secured all the contracts? Who is behind Kuala Dimensi? Is the allegation that Govt is not aware of the huge cost of this project until a few months ago true?
That I want to know.
Salaam Bro Rocky
ReplyDeleteAnother fiasco by Umno empire wasting billion of dollars again. Seems that we are not moving forward competing in a globalised world today. Umno empire under AAB been blinding the 'rakyat' using there mainstream media and threatening bloggers with legal action when we write the truth about AAB administration. But only a small percentage like us who are internet savvy that read alternative media. It is also difficult to argue/debate with people that get there news from Umno controlled media (always happen with me & my dad).
Like my father, he follows the 'going on politics' in Malaysia mostly reading newspaper from Umno controlled media send to him everyday from JB.
Early this year I taught him how to surf the internet, use gmail & youtube on my Mac. He is 76 years old and it takes a while for him to grasp it. He is doing great now (surfing) and enjoy reading your space here and other news portal.
When will all this 'shite' stop? I have nothing against Umno but the people who run the administration. Will The Conference of Rulers (Majlis Raja-Raja) have the guts to challenge AAB administration. It is about time the Yang di-Pertuan Agong act on his responsibility for safeguarding the rights and privileges of all citizens of Malaysia.
Wassalaam
Cheers
Hatz
Rocky,
ReplyDeletejust wondering if the "I DONT KNOW" PM will use the OSA to cover up the whole mess. Afterall, this episode will die down over time. Malaysians are a forgiven lot except those pwoers that be.
Well, the Port Klang Free Trade Zone fiasco has received another extensive airing in the Singapore Straits Times (http://straitstimes.com.sg) today, Aug 13, courtesy of a report ("Govt bailout looms for Port Klang project")by Leslie Lopez.
ReplyDeleteSo, even if the mainstream papers in Msia are suppressing news on this subject, it is getting plenty of coverage in the Spore Straits Times and Business Times. And in these days of the Internet, anyone who can access the Straits Times website can read the report for himself/herself.
And the fund managers, bankers and MNC chiefs who have their regional HQs in Spore will shake their heads and wonder why is it that Msia stumbles from one fiasco to another!
The key facts, as per Lopez's report:
(1) The Port Klang Authority has almost RM5 billion in borrowings following its entry into the Free Trade Zone project.
(2) A private company, Kuala Dimensi (current chairman: Datuk Azim Zabidi, who is the Umno treasurer) acquired the land in the 1990s for RM96 million (approx RM3 per sq ft).
(3) Port Klang Authority bought the land from Kuala Dimensi in 2002 for RM1 billion (approx RM25 per sq ft).
(4) Port Klang Authority apparently ignored advice from the govt's legal adviser to forcibly acquire the said land under the Land Acquistion Act at an approx value of RM10 per sq ft.
(5) The Port Klang Authority then proceeded to award Kuala Dimensi sole rights to develop the free-trade zone.
(6) Kuala Dimensi issued bonds to fund development of the project. These bonds were backed by the Transport Ministry (the normal practice is that govt guarantees on loans or bonds can only be issued by the Finance Ministry). It is not known which Msian banks took up these bonds.
(7) The Cabinet was informed in July that the project cost had escalated from the original RM1.08 billion to RM4.6 billion, and that this escalation was not approved by the relevant govt agencies.
(8) The Jebel Ali Free Trade Zone (Jafza), who had entered into a JV in 1999 with the Port Klang Authority to develop the free-trade zone, decided to pull out as principal partner in July this year.
(9) The Straits Times report claimed that Jafza executives had raised concerns about the project as early as March 2006, and that "a top Jafza executive, senior V-P Chuck Heath, had written to Transport Minister saying that, without 'radical surgery', the project was doomed to failure".
(10) The report said that the Msian govt has decided to provide RM4.6 billion to the Port Klang Authority to meet its obligations on borrowings from Msian banks. This will include a RM510 million payment this year to Msian banks, with the remainder in instalments between 2008-2010).
All in all, an unsavoury mess!
A key question: who was the Transport Minister in 2002, when the Port Klang Authority decided to buy the land from Kuala Dimensi for RM1 billion was made? This is relevant because the Authority comes within the portfolio of the Transport Minister.
Another key question: who was the Transport Minister at the time when the Transport Ministry gave a backing for the bonds issued by Kuala Dimensi?
Will Kuala Dimensi, the Port Klang Authority or the Msian govt sue the Spore papers for false reporting? Stay tuned!