'Why didn't you collect the debts, Khir?'
Yip Ai TsinPublished: Nov 11, 2009 11:24 AM | Updated: Nov 11, 2009 11:51 AM
Bukit Antarabangsa state assemblyperson Azmin Ali has countered former Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo’s claim that the Selangor government is deceiving the public by its move to '"buy up" Talam Corporation’s' debts to state-owned agencies.
Bukit Antarabangsa state assemblyperson Azmin Ali has countered former Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo’s claim that the Selangor government is deceiving the public by its move to '"buy up" Talam Corporation’s' debts to state agencies.
On his blog yesterday, Khir Toyo wrote: "(Menteri Besar Abdul) Khalid (Samad) is either lying or is unaware of what is happening...I believe he is trying to mislead the public.”
Rubbishing Khir Toyo’s allegations today, Azmin (left) charged that the previous Barisan Nasional administration did not act to recover the money owed by Talam, a property developer.
It owes state subsidiaries RM400 million after entering into joint-venture projects with the state-owned agencies while under BN administration.
"Why weren’t there any efforts to retrieve Talam's debts?” asked Azmin.
“It is a question of the state government's failure under Umno to collect monies from private companies and this was erased in state subsidiaries' and private companies' financial statements.”
The Selangor assembly had on Monday approved a supplementary budget of RM392 million to the Menteri Besar Incorporated for a debt recovery exercise.
Azmin said the Pakatan Rakyat state goverment has taken the initiative to create a "more innovative mechanism" to recover the debts.
"Khir (right) never thought of this," he said.
Asked if the state government is overspending, Azmin said: "We do not spend more than what we (have). We get RM1.3 billion, we spend RM1.3 billion."
He also said there should be more effective ways to increase the state government's income and warned his counterparts against complacency.
With new incentives given to Selangor district offices, Azmin said he hoped that they would seize the opportunity to find new ways to collect outstanding unpaid premiums from landowners.
"As at 2009, premiums amounting to RM100 million have not been collected," he added.
On his blog yesterday, Khir Toyo wrote: "(Menteri Besar Abdul) Khalid (Samad) is either lying or is unaware of what is happening...I believe he is trying to mislead the public.”
Rubbishing Khir Toyo’s allegations today, Azmin (left) charged that the previous Barisan Nasional administration did not act to recover the money owed by Talam, a property developer.It owes state subsidiaries RM400 million after entering into joint-venture projects with the state-owned agencies while under BN administration.
"Why weren’t there any efforts to retrieve Talam's debts?” asked Azmin.
“It is a question of the state government's failure under Umno to collect monies from private companies and this was erased in state subsidiaries' and private companies' financial statements.”
The Selangor assembly had on Monday approved a supplementary budget of RM392 million to the Menteri Besar Incorporated for a debt recovery exercise.
Azmin said the Pakatan Rakyat state goverment has taken the initiative to create a "more innovative mechanism" to recover the debts.
"Khir (right) never thought of this," he said.Asked if the state government is overspending, Azmin said: "We do not spend more than what we (have). We get RM1.3 billion, we spend RM1.3 billion."
He also said there should be more effective ways to increase the state government's income and warned his counterparts against complacency.
With new incentives given to Selangor district offices, Azmin said he hoped that they would seize the opportunity to find new ways to collect outstanding unpaid premiums from landowners.
"As at 2009, premiums amounting to RM100 million have not been collected," he added.
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