Of Terengganu's save land, dump money policy...

What more can one say about "My ambition was to be a postmeng" Ahmad Said, the current MB of Terengganu? There is nothing degrading about being a postman, mind you but to repeatedly say that in public function is fast becoming unbecoming of an MB.

Now, in his latest bold corporate move which is soon going to be envied by the rest of Malaysia is his decision for Terengganu state government's purchase of Strawberry Kijal Resort apartment in Senajang bay which is obviously in Kijal, Ahmad's village.

Ahmad Said camourflaged the buy-out (or is it the bailout) by turning the incomplete resort into Terengganu heart institute.

Is it a real necessity? Mind you that Kijal is only next door to Kuantan which has its own specialist centre. So who will check in Terengganu Heart Institute? Will this be another Ahmad Said project? Designed and build to cater for his cronies?

Back to the real issue - is Ahmad Said putting the rakyat's money at the right place? Is there any need to salvage the abandoned project to save a few? Or are these few the ones who financed his political funds?

Is this a clear cut case of "when the cat's away, the mice is out to play"? Before this, it has been said that Ahmad Said has been reminded and reprimanded for his past actions which has not gone well with the King. Ahmad Said should know that he is currently sitting on the MB's seat due to the King's intervention.

Has anyone visited Strawberry Kijal resort? I have and frankly it is nothing special there. It's entrance is highly dangerous and it's position is no longer strategic with a faster and safer by-pass road isolating it from the main trunk road. How do one expect an ambulance to make it's way to the "heart institute"? And how does one expects the same ambulance to exit the institute safely less the patient is firmly strap to the stretcher! If that is the way, I do not foresee ambulances comes screeching into Kijal heart institute but rather "slow coach" ambulance cautiously negotiating the hill to arriive at the institute.

Isn't heart diseases related to stress? If it is so, then how many stressful fishermen are there in Kijal and its surroundings? Yes, Kijal is a fishing village and it has that laid-back kampung atmosphere, something that is totally opposite of KL. Ahmad Said cannot be counting for Pahang folks to come flocking to this heart institute. So, will this be another white elephant ala "satu lagi projek pembaziran BN"?

Ahmad Said's argument to save the land is totally illogical. This is a private funded project so let the developer solve its own problems. Why need Ahmad Said's intervention?

I see this a waste of money...unless Ahmad Said envisage he needs the heart institute for his own ersonal use...when he is kicked out of his Terengganu MB-ship. Manusia...manusia...

Till then...G'nite M'sia...wherever u are... Read More

1T : UMNO is bickering, MACC acts...

Terengganu is back in the news. Still construction related but not the infamous roof collapse of Sultan Mizan stadium. So which one now? That of MRR2 highway...that of hairline cracks detected on several supporting tiers of the elevated highway.

1.7 km of the elevated highway was first closed in 2004 and after repairing 31 out of 33 affected tiers in 2006, the section was opened to public before one of the ramps was closed down in Aug 2008 when some panels fell down from one of the pillars.

STAR, in their news datelined 11th June 2009 reported that Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested 3 directors of a company involved in the project on 5th June 2009. To date, the directors have not been charged in court. UMNO secretary has indicated that due actions will be taken on the 2 of the directors who happened to be UMNO members after they were formally charged in court.

So, the next question is who are the 2 UMNO members who are the directors of the company? Buletin online speculated that the 2 directors are Datuks from Terengganu. You see, the portion of the MRR2 highway with the hairline cracks were constructed by Bumi Hiway-SUKMIM Sdn Bhd-Konsortium Kontraktor Melayu Sdn Bhd (KKM). KKM is a subsidiary of Persatuan Kontraktor Melayu Malaysia (PKMM). Datuk Roslan Awang Chik is PKMM's Chairman during the project and is te current Chairman whilst Datuk Rosli was PKMM's secretary. Both are from Terengganu.

The trail did not stop there. Datuk Roslan Awang Chik is the currect Terengganu UMNO treasurer whilst Datuk Rosli is the currect secretary of UMNO Terengganu. So what will happen now? Is there any connection between MACC's action with Terengganu politics? If there is no connection, why is MACC going to haul up three former Terengganu EXCO members?

These questions need answers now :-

1. Why is MACC taking action now on PKMM's Chairman and Treasury? It has been 5 years since the MRR2 hairline cracks, why is action taken after 5 years ?
2. Why is MACC acting on PKMM only? What about other consortium members ie Bumi Hiway and Sukmim Sdn Bhd? Is MACC saying that the 2 companies are innocent and corruption free?
3. Why choose Datuk Roslan Awang Chik and Datuk Rosli? Is it anything to do with the recent Terengganu UMNO politics? Are the victims of circumstances?
4. If MACC has enough evidence, why are they not charge in court (yet)?
5. Why is MACC hauling up the 3 former EXCO members of Terengganu? Is it because they are in gang of 10 who wanted to oust Ahmad Said?
6. Why MACC did not wait for the committe findings? On what grounds are MACC investigating
7. Is this part of secret deal between Ahmad Said and gang of 10? Wjat is the action of Hishamuddein Hussein? Is he not the Terengganu UMNO chief?
8. Are Datuk Ruslan and Datuk Mustapha not in Najib's good books? Is MACC's action sanctioned by Najib?
   
9. How much money is involved?
10. Will Hishamuddein reshuffle Terengganu UMNO due to this development? Who will be dropped? Who will be promoted?
    

This may be selective prosecution by MACC and sanctioned by the corridors of power from Putrajaya. This may also reflect the changing equation in Putrajaya. Is Terengganu UMNO pulled by strings from Putrajaya puppetmasters? And if it is, who is the puppetmaster? Will it be Hishamuddein? Which faction will govern Terengganu? Idris's gang of 10 or Ahmad's musketeers?

UMNO is bickering in Terengganu and yet the battlefront is in Selangor. If UMNO Terengganu is bad, what about PR's Selangor? That, my friends, will be discussed in other postings...

Till then...G'nite M'sia...wherever u are... Read More

Terengganu : It's monsoon season...

Time to go, Ahmad Said

Monsoon season is normally over by Chap Goh Mei, the last day of Lunar New Year. For those living by the seashores of South East Asia, that will be the day to avoid the rough seas. Common beliefs say that the sea gods are angry during the time and will need human sacrifice...

That, my friends, is the myth making its rounds every time poor souls lost their lives in the choppy waters off Terengganu shores. Now, another sacrifice of sorts is needed in Terengganu, not for the sea gods but for political stability.

It started with a whisper here, whisper there. Then it propagate into silent hush hush amongst friends, later it evolve into backroom talks in family gatherings before emerging as the worst kept public secret.

Anticipating that a vote of no confidence will be tabled during the state assembly seating to oust him, Ahmad Said has warned his BN colleagues that strict action will be taken against those who support the motion. 10 BN state reps did not turn up on the second day of state assembly seating. Their reason? 3 of them received live threathening sms threats and subsequently file police reports.

The funny side of the story is the 10, were found holed up in a hotel in Kuala Terengganu. Normally, a person under threat will look for secluded place to hide but no, not in Kuala Terengganu.

Step in, 1 Malaysia PM, Najib Tun Razak. The PM instructed the 10 to attend the final day of teh assembly meeting. And yes, like cows pulled by their horns, all the 10 attended the assembly meeting.

Fast forward few days. After separate meeting with Najib, Muuhyiddin, Idris Jusoh and Ahmad Said, the 10 came out with guns blazing accussing Ahmad Said of sidestepping them in their constituencies. To spice things up, the 10 played up issues of mass TCS (Terengganu Civil Servants) transfers, all 67 of them, untimely sacking and termination et al. These are one of the issues that brings Idris Jusoh down. It is a replay of sorts.

How close is Ahmad Said in losing his job? Well, for one, he cancelled his working trip to Russia and Ukraine where he is supposed to lead the trip today.

Adding more pressure, the 10 state reps has receive support from another 8 of their colleagues, making 18 state reps going against Ahmad's 6 supporters. Another 8 state reps are from opposition party, PAS. If this trend continues, Ahmad Said will see himself out of the MB's office doors.

The first UMNO supreme council meeting schedued on 24th April 2009 will be Ahmad's make or break. If, by chance, Najib choose other than Ahmad as Terengganu UMNO state chief, it will be all over for Ahmad. As it stands, there is high possibility that Ahmad will be forced down soon. And when that happens, it's not Idris nor Rosol who will helm the state.

Rumours has it that the person earmarked by Najib to be the next Terengganu MB is a greenhorn, friendly to Najib. Maybe that greenhorn will kow tow gratefully to Najib and more than willing to surrender the expected RM 600 million plus royalty money.

When that happens, penyu menangis lagi di Terengganu...

Till then...G'nite M'sia...wherever u are... Read More