Massive re-forestation rip-off
Hazlan ZakariaPublished: Nov 13, 2009 9:52 AM | Updated: Nov 13, 2009 10:23 AM
The Selangor government today released declassified documents which it said contains information on re-forestation projects which "ripped-off" the people of the state."
The Selangor government today released declassified documents which it said contains information on re-forestation projects which "ripped-off" the people of the state."
The papers, said Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, will detail re-forestation projects between 2001 and 2007 undertaken by the previous BN state government under Mohd Khir Toyo.
Under the project, Khalid said more than 20,000 hectares of forest land had been developed in Bukit Tarek, Rantau Panjang, Bukit Belata and the Sungai Jeloh.
"When the project was announced by Khir in 2001, it was projected to bring in RM800 million from the sale of harvested timber, leasing of the land and other royalties.
"However, up till now," Khalid lamented, "the state government has not see anything amounting to those millions. To me, this is a big loss!
"They harvest timber, and the state gets nothing, they plant crops and the state has to pay astronomical prices for it. What is this?" asked Khalid.
"I used my privilege as the MB and asked the exos to accord me this power to de-classify the information under section 2(c) of the Official Secrets Act (OSA)."
The section allows for the PM, a minister or an MB to declassify information and documents deemed important in the public interest or specific interest.
'We want answers'
With the report being made public, Khalid said: "Now we can see (in this report) who gets what, we want the public to know. Read the report and it will be clear.
"We have given the names of the companies, and even where they operate. All the information has been declassified, so it is in public domain, it can be analysed."
Khalid said that there was a pattern, the same persons and sometimes the same companies winning the projects.
"Several of the companies do not have any expertise in re-forestation or the plantation business.We want the companies to provide answers," said Khalid.
The declassification of documents is also to show to the public why the Freedom of Information Act is so important.
"Future leaders will be careful in making decisions, because their records will be made available. Therefore all decisions must be made on a very professional basis.
"That's what we want to do. This is what transparency is all about," he said.
The papers, said Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim, will detail re-forestation projects between 2001 and 2007 undertaken by the previous BN state government under Mohd Khir Toyo.
Under the project, Khalid said more than 20,000 hectares of forest land had been developed in Bukit Tarek, Rantau Panjang, Bukit Belata and the Sungai Jeloh."When the project was announced by Khir in 2001, it was projected to bring in RM800 million from the sale of harvested timber, leasing of the land and other royalties.
"However, up till now," Khalid lamented, "the state government has not see anything amounting to those millions. To me, this is a big loss!
"They harvest timber, and the state gets nothing, they plant crops and the state has to pay astronomical prices for it. What is this?" asked Khalid.
"I used my privilege as the MB and asked the exos to accord me this power to de-classify the information under section 2(c) of the Official Secrets Act (OSA)."
The section allows for the PM, a minister or an MB to declassify information and documents deemed important in the public interest or specific interest.
'We want answers'
With the report being made public, Khalid said: "Now we can see (in this report) who gets what, we want the public to know. Read the report and it will be clear.
"We have given the names of the companies, and even where they operate. All the information has been declassified, so it is in public domain, it can be analysed."
Khalid said that there was a pattern, the same persons and sometimes the same companies winning the projects.
"Several of the companies do not have any expertise in re-forestation or the plantation business.We want the companies to provide answers," said Khalid.
The declassification of documents is also to show to the public why the Freedom of Information Act is so important.
"Future leaders will be careful in making decisions, because their records will be made available. Therefore all decisions must be made on a very professional basis.
"That's what we want to do. This is what transparency is all about," he said.
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