MONEY, MONEY, MONEY!!!

ARCHIVES 2010

By admin-s On Jun 15, 2010

RM800 million (Istana Negara) + RM800 million (proposed new Parliament site) = RM1.6 billion

By Masterwordsmith

I am constantly amazed by the amount of money that is being spent. I almost feel as though I live in a very rich and prosperous nation! After lunch, I read THIS ARTICLE which revealed The new Istana Negara in Jalan Duta will now cost more than RM800 million, and not RM400 million as announced by the government in 2006. According to the article, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Yong Khoon Seng said the cost includes the construction of a new RM130 million flyover leading to the palace in Jalan Duta, and upgrading works on Jalan Changkat Semantan costing RM32.5 million. Tthe flyover project and the road upgrading works were awarded to Ahmad Zaki Resources and Kejuruteraan Kenari respectively through direct negotiation.

The article said:

“The figure announced by the former minister did not include the details, before the negotiation,” said Yong when responding to DAP’s Taiping MP Nga Kor Ming.

Nga pointed out that former works minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu had said in 2006 that the new palace would only cost RM400 million.

He said he was also shocked with the government’s reply that the projects were awarded through direct negotiations.

“This is against the principles of the New Economic Model. According to the Treasury, any procurement of more than RM200,000 must be made through open tender,” said Nga.

“How is it possible for the cost to increase by 100 per cent within five years?” he asked, before questioning if the cost overruns were caused by the practice of direct negotiations.

In defending the ballooning cost, Yong said the project was special as it is the first time the country is building an Istana Negara for the Yang DiPertuan Agong.

MP Nga has rightly highlighted the ridiculous increase of 100% within 5 years. This morning, the Star reported that FOMCA’s Consumer and Research Centre said that prices of goods are increasing at 5% annually.

Don’t forget that a few days earlier, Nazri announced that the Parliament might be shifted to Putrajaya at the cost of RM800 million.

RM800 million (Istana Negara) + RM800 million (proposed new Parliament site) = RM1.6 billion

Bernama reported HERE that Permata programme, the project that belongs to the PM’s wife is getting RM100 million under the 2010 budget. The report said:

Exceptionally intelligent students should excel through the Permata Pintar programme that will be implemented by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in collaboration with the University of Johns Hopkins of the United States.

Elaborating, Rosmah, who is chairman of the National Permata Policy Executive Committee, said Malaysia needed a programme tailored for exceptionally smart children so that parents would stop sending them to other countries for education.

“If we don’t come up with something now, these gifted children may end up working overseas when they grow up,” she said, noting that such a situation would be a loss for Malaysia.

We do not need to spend so much money to prevent the brain drain. All it takes is for a fairer distribution of places in universities and for public scholarships based on merit!