Over Hsrogovt Urged to Come Clean on Reasons the Mega Project Was
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INSIDE TELLING IT AS IT IS Umno at page Weatherman: Brace page crossroads 2 for more rain 3 CAPITOL CHAOS ... Pro-Trump protesters storm US Capitol during clashes with police at a rally to contest the certification of 2020 presidential ON FRIDAY JANUARY 8, 2021 election results by the Congress in No. 7697 PP 2644/12/2012 (031195) www.thesundaily.my Washington yesterday. – REUTERSPIX Question marks oGovt urged to come clean on reasons the mega over HSR project was derailed █ BY ALISHA NUR MOHD NOOR RM800 million in compensation government “is a reflection of an [email protected] instead of seeing the project through to opaque administration with many realise potential profits of more than things to hide”. ETALING JAYA: The RM6 billion yearly. “The government must come government has been urged to In a Facebook post, he also accused clean with the details. Otherwise, it come clean on the reasons the government of planning to give the will risk a more serious trust deficit behind the decision to cancel project to its cronies. with the people just as we are staring Pthe Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Akhbar said the government should down at the possibility of early Speed Rail (HSR) project. stop being ambiguous about the whole elections,” she added. Former Transparency International deal. Given that taxpayers’ money is Malaysia (TI-M) president Datuk Seri “This is a mega project, which is not being used, she said, the people have Akhbar Satar expressed curiosity over a priority at this moment. Why can’t the the right to know the terms (of the the government’s apparent decision to government just request for a agreement with Singapore). hush up the matter, while Center to postponement?” he asked when “If it’s true that Malaysia rejected the Combat Corruption and Cronyism speaking with theSun. “More open tender system to appoint (C4) president Cynthia Gabriel importantly, why is the government contractors, then we should hang our accused the government of failing to be being ‘hush’ about it?” heads in shame,” Gabriel said. transparent. He alleged that the government had “There is no point in talking about Both were commenting on the “made mistakes” on mega projects but eradicating corruption when secrecy decision by Singapore to walk out of taxpayers ended up taking the financial remains a cornerstone of the MOTORING STUFF the HSR deal and the lack of details on hit. administration,” she added. the part of Malaysia over the “In Malaysia, nationalising losses Gabriel pointed out that rumours disagreements that have led to the and privatising profits have become a about local contractors and cronies break. policy,” he added. being favoured to get rewards and to Just this week, former prime Current TI-M president Mohammad enjoy the spoils of the project minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, Mohan said the least the government are still abuzz. Turn to under whose term the project was first could do is to make the financial This, she said, is in stark — conceived in 2010, alleged that the statements public. contrast to the reasons a page 2 Perikatan Nasional (PN) government In expressing her disappointment, Singapore minister had was prepared to pay RM300 million to Gabriel said this approach taken by the hinted for the cancellation. 2 theSUN ON FRIDAY | JANUARY 8, 2021 NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS Kedah PH backs plan to charge Umno at crossroads Penang for water █ BY RAJVINDER SINGH The party will have no choice but [email protected] oParty can no longer play dominant role and to find a way forward without ALOR STAR: Kedah Pakatan Bersatu, he added. Harapan has expressed its full PETALING JAYA: Umno has to realise should consider working with former enemies, Dr Lim Teck Ghee, a director of the support for the state government’s that it now faces a new reality. Centre for Policy Initiatives in proposal to impose charges on The political landscape has say analysts Malaysia, said Umno should help Penang for drawing water from changed so drastically that it may no form a government without setting Sungai Muda. longer be able to play the dominant preconditions. However, its deputy chairman role it once did. shaky by the day. significantly, leading to calls for its He said the problems and Datuk Phahrolrazi Mohd Zawawi And for the benefit of the country, It would also mean working withdrawal from the coalition to force limitations of the current government said the “best and most cordial it may even have to consider working with parties that Umno traditionally early elections. “are clear to party members and means must also be considered to with long-time nemeses, according to viewed as its enemies, such as Awang Azman said internal strife leaders”. resolve the issue”. two political analysts theSun spoke to the DAP and PKR, Awang Azman is another problem Umno has to “It is a matter of time before the PN He said Kedah’s claim is yesterday. said. contend with. “It is a fractured party, government collapses. A unity appropriate given that it has Prof Dr Awang Azman Awang “Umno can no longer pick and divided between those who government is the best way forward sacrificed a large portion of its Pawi said, for a start, Umno must lose choose who they want to work with. contested in past party elections and for the nation, particularly when it is forest as a water catchment area. its old mindset that it can still be the The way people are voting has those who did not.” facing a crisis. “But there should be better major party in a ruling coalition. changed, and Umno has to realise He said former Umno leaders had “The question is whether or not negotiations, without sounding Awang Azman, a socio-political that,” he added. chosen to sit out the last party Umno can put national interests like a threat and it would be best to analyst at Universiti Malaya, said that He pointed out that Umno’s elections because they thought it was above its own party interests.” involve the federal government. for Umno to return to power, it could partners in PN, namely PAS and Parti no longer strong and relevant. Lim said snap elections are not a “Indeed any party that derives start by forming a new coalition with Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) “The rifts among its leaders are good option when the Covid-19 water supply from this state other parties to prepare for an had previously worked with the DAP, causing the party a lot of problems as pandemic continues to worsen. “Any should pay the raw water charges election. and so had veteran party leader it tries to move forward,” Awang party that precipitates it will be to the Kedah State Water “A flimsy coalition will no longer Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah. Azman said. punished by voters.” Resources Board, so Penang work, not if we want a strong Umno and PAS have formed a He said while some leaders insist He does not see a reason why should do the same,” he said at a government to take the nation partnership called Muafakat on staying with PN, the party Umno and the other parties in the media conference yesterday. foward,” he said, in obvious reference Nasional within the PN coalition. supreme council realises that it current administration cannot form a Phahrolrazi said the federal to the Perikatan Nasional (PN) However, its ties with another PN cannot ignore the voice of the unity government with the government should also provide government that is becoming more partner, Bersatu, has deteriorated grassroots (who want out). Opposition. compensation to the Kedah government which is conserving the state’s water resources not just for Penang, but also Perlis. “In fact, this (raw water charges) could also be claimed from Perlis.” The Kedah government had TEMPORARY previously demanded that Penang BRIDGE ... pay RM50 million per year for the Members of the raw water that the Penang Water 91st Royal Army Supply Corporation draws from Engineers the Ulu Muda River, whose source Regiment is in Kedah. Phahrolrazi said as opposition building a leader in the Kedah state temporary legislative assembly, he urged the bridge to state government to quickly replace the one resolve the water supply issue and washed away the problem of non revenue water, during floods in which stands at 40%. Jalan Lenchar, “People are still facing water Ulu Dong in supply problems.” – Bernama Raub on Sunday. – BERNAMAPIX Pejuang application rejected KUALA LUMPUR: The Registrar of Societies (RoS) has rejected the application by Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) for Conflicting reasons given for HSR project cancellation registration as a political party. Lawyer Mior Nor Haidir Singapore Transport Umno deputy president economic impact of the Covid-19 RM820 million. Suhaimi, representing Pejuang Minister Ong Ye Kung had From Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan pandemic as the reason for not The government has agreed to which is led by former Prime told the republic’s front later pointed out that the proceeding with the project. pay Singapore a compensation for Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Parliament that Malaysia’s page reason given by the In a statement issued on cancelling the project. While it has Mohamad, said the RoS had proposal to remove the Malaysian government for Tuesday, Johor PKR deputy chief stayed mum about the quantum, notified its protem secretary- system supplier and network cancelling the project Jimmy Puah Wee Tse said “personal Minister in the Prime Minister’s general Datuk Amiruddin operator of the HSR was the main appeared to contradict what Ong greed” that drove those in power to Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Hamzah of the rejection, saying point that lead to the collapse of the said.