DAP: No sense gaining RM1b from GST to lose RM28b to graft

By Clara Chooi

IPOH, Nov 29 – DAP has urged the Federal Government to reconsider the proposed 4 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST), claiming it would do nothing to narrow the nation’s current deficit budget and would only further burden the poor and the middle class.

Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng (pic, left) said that the Government should, instead, concentrate on fighting corruption and realising savings of at least RM28bil annually instead of a mere RM1bil in additional revenue from GST.

“This RM28bil was admitted by Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah as the cost of leakages from having closed tenders in government procurement or just failing to have open tenders for government contracts in an open manner.

“If the government focuses on changing this, there is no need to impose GST on the people to raise funds.

“But unfortunately, the Barisan Nasional is not brave enough to truly fight corruption,” he said in his opening address at the Perak DAP’sn 15th annual convention here today.

In fact, Lim pointed out the supposed RM28bil in losses to corruption annually may even be an under-reported figure.

“As Time Magazine had quoted Daniel Lian, a Southeast Asia economist at Morgan Stanley in Singapore, saying that Malaysia might have lost as much as US$100bil since the early 1980s to corruption,” he said.

Lim said that the proposed 4 per cent GST, which is set to be tabled in Parliament early next year, would not widen the tax base much, seeing as the present budget deficit was over RM50bil.

“So what is an additional income of RM1bil annually? In fact, this GST would only serve to affect 85 per cent of the working population who currently do not pay taxes because their incomes are below taxable levels.

“The impact would be most severely felt on the 38 per cent of the 5.6 million households with income levels of less than RM2,000 monthly or 2.12 million households,” he said.

Lim also voiced disappointment over the “unconditional support” for “Umno’s GST” by MCA Gerakan, SUPP and MIC.

“No MCA minister has defended public interest but has continued to perpetuate this national economic divide by burdening the poor and the middle-class instead of fighting corruption to get more money. Why fear fighting corruption so much?” he said.

Lim also called for the withdrawal of the 15 per cent preferential income tax rates given to professionals in selected areas on the Iskandar Development Region, saying that the benefit should be offered to all professionals in Malaysia.

“Why is it that professionals in other states have to pay 26 per cent? How can there be 1 Malaysia when we have one country and two systems with double standards and discrimination in tax treatment?” he questioned.

Kit Siang wants Najib to close down BTN

Lim says BTN is used to brainwash people to hate the opposition.

KUALA LUMPUR - DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang wants the Najib administration to close down the controversial Biro Tata Negara (BTN) under the Prime Minister’s Department, saying its courses is a major factor for the failure of nation-building.

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) leaders including Lim have accused the ruling Barisan Nasional federal government of using BTN to brainwash civil servants and tertiary students to hate the opposition.

“If Najib is serious, sincere and genuine about the 1 Malaysia concept, the first thing he must do is to close down the BTN as it is the biggest obstacle to 1 Malaysia nation-building," the Ipoh Timur MP said in a statement today.

“The BTN is the litmus test whether Najib’s 1 Malaysia slogan is just empty rhetoric or whether he is really prepared to ‘walk the talk’ of creating a united, harmonious and progressive Malaysia,” he added.

Lim also asked why BTN is not open to public and conducted in secrecy.

“The BTN courses have been shrouded in great secrecy. Not only are participants not allowed their mobile phones and other electronic media gadgets, lectures and course notes are also not allowed to be taken away after the indoctrination,” he added.

PR lawmakers had condemned the BTN for the “brainwashing propaganda” programmes conducted in the course.

According to the lawmakers, BTN courses — compulsory for local university students and civil servants — taught students to hate and was contrary to its original purpose as well as the Constitution.

The Selangor government had recently moved to ban its civil servants, employees of state subsidiaries and students at state-owned education institutions from attending any BTN courses with immediate effect.

Lim was shocked when Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin defended BTN yesterday and claimed that it was not racist but is line with the 1 Malaysia concept.

“It is most shocking that the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, could defend such communal poison in BTN courses,” he said.

The DAP veteran also challenged the government to launch a public inquiry into BTN.

“Is the Cabinet prepared to order a full public inquiry into running of the BTN so that Malaysians can know the truth about the BTN courses and how it deviated from its original purpose to foster nationalism to become a great obstacle to national unity by pumping communal poison and promoting racial ill-will and hatred?” he asked.

Kursus bercanggah 1 Malaysia, DAP mahu Najib tutup BTN

PETALING JAYA, Nov 27 — Penasihat DAP Lim Kit Siang menggesa Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak mengambil tindakan drastik menutup Biro Tatanegara (BTN) atas alasan ia menjadi halangan kepada usaha pembinaan negara, sekali gus bercanggah dengan gagasan 1Malaysia.

"BTN merupakan ujian litmus ke atas gagasan 1 Malaysia yang diperkenalkan oleh Najib sama ada ia hanya satu retorik kosong ataupun sama ada beliau benar-benar bersedia untuk mewujudkan sebuah negara Malaysia yang bersatu, harmoni dan progresif," katanya lagi.

"Kursus-kursus BTN kini diselubungi dengan rahsia besar. Bukan sahaja para peserta tidak dibenarkan membawa telefon bimbit dan peralatan media eletronik yang lain, nota kuliah dan kursus juga tidak dibenarkan dibhawa keluar selepas indoktinasi," kata beliau dalam kenyataan dikeluarkan hari ini.

Najib memperkenalkan gagasan 1 Malaysia apabila mengambil alih kepimpinan kerajaan awal April lalu.

Sehubungan itu, Lim yang juga Ahli Parlimen Ipoh Timor menyoal sama ada Kabinet bersedia untuk mengarahkan agar diadakan satu inkuiri yang menyeluruh berhubung perjalanan BTN bagi membolehkan rakyat mengetahui keadaan sebenar di biro itu, yang terletak di bawah Jabatan Perdana Menteri.

Semalam, Timbalan Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin mempertahankan peranan BTN sambil menegaskan ia tidak bermotifkan doktrinasi politik sebaliknya ia menerapkan semangat kenegaraan dan perpaduan masyarakat selaras dengan konsep 1 Malaysia.

"Kursus BTN tidak bertujuan untuk membawa peserta-peserta kepada Umno dan Barisan Nasional. Ia tidak mempunyai niat yang jahat, ia mempunyai tujuan-tujuan yang baik," kata Muhyiddin mengulas tindakan kerajaan Selangor kelmarin yang memutuskan untuk melarang kakitangannya dan pelajar institusi pengajian tinggi milik kerajaan negeri itu daripada menghadiri kursus BTN berkuat kuasa serta-merta dengan alasan kononnya kursus BTN adalah satu proses doktrinasi oleh kerajaan Barisan Nasional.

Muhyiddin yang juga Timbalan Presiden Umno berkata kerajaan negeri Selangor dan Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim telah diberi gambaran yang salah tentang BTN.

"Masyarakat dan syarikat-syarikat swasta tidak sepatutnya dihalang daripada menghadiri kursus-kursus yang dianjurkan BTN," kata Muhyiddin.

Kerajaan persekutuan, kata Muhyiddin, tetap akan meneruskan kursus-kursus BTN walaupun Selangor mengambil tindakan sedemikian.

巫统秘密进行资产重组 纳吉安插亲信收编资源

【本刊梁志华撰述】有消息指出，自纳吉在今年四月拜相以来，巫统（UMNO）开始针对旗下企业资产进行重组，并委任亲信出任该党资产的首要代理人（chief nominees），负责掌控这些党资产。

新 加坡《海峡时报》(The Straits Times）今天引述负责这起重组计划的巫统高级官员与银行家的报道指出，巫统目前通过数家投资控股公司所持 有的党资产，将会进行一轮重组行动，最终将全部并入一家名为Temasek Padu私人公司的旗帜下。该项重组计划是自纳吉在今年四月上任首相以来，针 对巫统党内事务进行大规模调整的一部分。

委任亲信操刀重组计划

受 访的巫统官员与银行家透露，企业重组活动分别由纳吉身边的两名亲信全权负责。这两名亲信分别是现任驻美大使贾马鲁丁（Jamaludin Jarjis） 和企业律师兼Zul Rafique & Partners律师事务所创办人祖吉菲（Zulkifly Rafique）。

一名熟悉该重组计划的巫统高级官员说：“负责看管党资产的现任代理人已受促交出看管权，并将权力转移给新的巫统代理机构。”

《海峡时报》尝试向祖吉菲与贾马鲁丁确认，不过，Zul Rafique & Partners律师事务所的职员表示祖吉菲目前人在国外，而贾马鲁丁也联络不上。

由于巫统所掌控的一大部分企业资产，都是通过持有那些未在马来西亚交易所上市的公司的股权来掌控这些资产，因此这批党资产的总价值难以估计。此外，在现有马来西亚法律下，私人公司在股权更替时，并不需要对公众作出呈报，因此，更难洞悉到这些资产的动向。

根据公司注册局的资料，祖吉菲与其律师楼的一名律师东姑阿里占（Tunku Alizan Raja Muhammad Alia）是巫统资产新掌门人——Temasek Padu私人公司的股东，持有同样数量的股权。

马哈迪时代巫统资产大肆扩张

《海峡时报》在报道中指出，巫统的企业控股结构，长久以来都是银行家与外资投资者非常感兴趣的课题，皆因为巫统在联邦政府的主导地位，并操控国家经济资源。

巫统早在1960年代就涉及商业活动。不过，巫统的企业资产，却是在前首相马哈迪时代（1981年之后）才开始大肆扩张。马哈迪在1984年委任他的亲信，也是巫统总财政的达因（Tun Daim Zainudin）全权负责扩张巫统的党商业利益与企业资产。

达因（左图）在稍后获委任，出任财政部长。在担任财长的这段期间，达因颁发了大规模的合约，包括备受争议的大道特许经营合约，并在私营化计划下，为巫统创造了一批效忠党的企业家。

而巫统所持有的企业控股则通过商业代理人负责看管，并在玲珑集团（Renong）的旗帜下运作，当中涉及领域非常广泛，包括银行、证券行、大道、酒店、产业发展以及石油与天然气领域。

不过，玲珑集团绝大部分是通过举债来进行企业扩张行动。当1997年爆发金融风暴时，该公司顿时变成了马来西亚最大的举债公司，借贷超过马币200亿元。

在尝试与本地和外资银行进行若干的重组计划，以解决债台高筑的债务却无法取得成功后，马哈迪政府插手，在2001年中旬接手玲珑集团。目前，这家集团虽然已经换了名称，但还是在政府的全面掌控中。

撤阿都拉亲信安插自己人马

根 据巫统官员指出，在马哈迪于2003年把首相棒子交给阿都拉（Abdullah Ahmad Badawi）时，他同时也将党资产与超过马币10亿元的现 金，转移到阿都拉手中。而阿都拉在接手后，委任银行家阿都阿金（Abdul Azim Zabidi）为巫统的总财政。后者通过重组巫统旗下的企业控股， 把这些党资产通过数家控股公司来分别掌控，包括Realmild 控股, Pesaka Consolidated 以及Temasek Padu。

巫 统原任的首要代理人是一位名叫拉迪夫（Latif Abdullah）的商人，与阿都拉关系密切。而巫统官员与银行家口中所说的。该名即将遭撤换的首要代 理人，就是拉迪夫。据悉，拉迪夫将把巫统的党资产，从Realmild控股转移到由纳吉亲信控制的Temasek Padu。

同时，纳吉也把原任巫统总财政阿金撤换，改由自己的亲信，也是第二财长的胡斯尼（Mohd Husni Hanadzlah）出任该职务，以全面掌控巫统的资产。

负 责该计划的巫统官员与银行家透露，在这项由纳吉主导的企业重组计划下，Temasek Padu将接手Realmild控股所有党资产，包括医疗服务公司 Radicare与造船公司Labuan Shipyard & Engineering。同时，Temasek Padu也会接手 Pesaka Consolidated 所持有的一家位于玻璃市的能源发电厂的股权。

根据公司注册局的 资料，Temasek Padu是在2005年成立，在一些企业持有大批股权，包括负责营运吉隆坡以外的机场总站的Subang Skypark，一家名 为Pandan Village的产业控股公司，以及在印尼分销电脑与电子产品的 Mahkota Technologies and Canas Unggul。

Who is lying – father (2nd PM Tun Razak) or son (6th PM Najib Razak)?

I asked in Parliament today – “Who is lying – father (second Prime Minister Tun Razak) or son (sixth Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak”?

This was during the committee stage debate on the Prime Minister’s Department on the 2010 budget in Parliament.

On 3^rd November, while replying during question time, Najib told Parliament that from a legal aspect, states such as Kelantan and Trengganu are not entitled to oil royalties for petroleum produced “off-shore” - as they are only entitled to oil royalties if the petroleum is drilled from its water.

Najib said:

“The offshore oil operations in their waters are defined as an area not more than three nautical miles, which is measured starting from the low watermark or the shoreline of the state.

“Currently, there is no oil production in the waters of Kelantan or Terengganu. Because of that, from the legal standpoint, Kelantan does not have a right to demand oil royalties, the same as Terengganu”.

This was in clear contradiction to the answer given by Najib’s father, Tun Razak when he replied to my question as the second Prime Minister in Parliament on the same issue 24 years ago in 1975.

This is the Q & A from Parliament Hansard of November 12, 1975:

Tuan Lim Kit Siang minta Perdana Menteri menyatakan samada semua negeri di Semenanjung Malaysia, Sarawak dan Sabah telah menandatangani perjanjian dengan Petronas untuk mencarigali minyak di sepanjang pantai dan samada perjanjian tersebut mengandungi apa-apa syarat dan kepentingan bersama. Nyatakan juga keuntungan bersama yang akan diterima oleh tiap-tiap negeri.

Perdana Menteri (Tun Razak): Tuan Yang di-Pertua, semua negeri di Malaysia, melainkan Sabah dan Selangor, telah menandatangani perjanjian dengan Petronas sebagaimana yang dikehendaki oleh Akta Kemajuan Petrolium, 1974. Saya diberitahu Kerajaan Negeri Selangor pun telah bersetuju menandatangani perjanjian ini. Mengikut Perjanjian itu, tiap-tiap negeri akan menerima 5% daripada nilai petrolium yang dijumpai dan diperolehi di negeri masing-masing samada yang diperolehi dalam kawasan perairan atau di luar perairan negeri tersebut, yang dijual oleh Petronas ataupun ejensi-ejensi ataupun konraktor-kontraktornya.

I called on the son and the sixth Prime Minister to keep to the commitment by the father and the second Prime Minister that Kelantan and Trengganu are entititled to 5% oil royalty for petroleum “whether onshore or offshore” as stipulated in the Petroleum Development Act 1974 (one of whose architects is Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah who had rightly spoken up on the legal rights of Kelantan and Terengganu to 5% oil royalty for petroleum produced offshore and not as mere “wang ehsan”).

Otherwise, Najib’s 1Malaysia would be sheer mockery if the legal rights and status of states to oil royalty is politicized to depend on whether Umno/Barisan Nasional controls the state government, as happened to Terengganu and Kelantan.