vox populi small thumbnail'Here's a simple solution: make the PPAs public so that the rakyat can decide who is wrong - the opposition or the government.'

Pakatan got it all wrong on IPPs, says Peter Chin

FellowMalaysian: This type of dodgy reply from Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Peter Chin will not reflect well on him. It creates further ambiguity, and thus mistrust from the rakyat.

His statement was just a denial. Where are the hard figures? Chin himself mentioned that Petronas could have saved RM133 billion between 1997 and March this year if gas prices were not fixed by the government to the power generating companies.

If it were true that this colossal amount has indeed gone into subsidising consumers' usage as he claimed, then a simple calculation (based on data kept by TNB and the government) would reveal whether the independent power producers (IPPs) benefited from the such subsidies.

Syam: This much quoted "pass-through" term is just another way of saying that the profit is guaranteed in this business. If every time a cost rises in the business and it can raise prices at the same time, then the business will have a guaranteed fixed profit. This is just a super sweet deal for the IPPs.

Combined with fact that TNB has to pay for everything they produce ("take or pay" clause), to increase profit, the IPPs just burn as much gas as they can to maximise production, even if the country doesn't need it.

In fact for every MMBtu gas they burn, they will make a profit. So Peter Chin, stop saying that they don't profit from the gas subsidy. The truth is, Francis Yeoh (YTL Power), Ananda Krishnan (Powertek), Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhari (Malakoff), Lim Goh Tong (Genting-Sanyen) and the likes have been burning the country's assets for their own fat profit for years.

Our grandchildren who will soon live in a much poorer nation with depleted gas reserves will spit at the graves of these tycoons.

Kgen: See how the IPPs, TNB and the government are all sitting on the same side of the table? How to negotiate a good deal for the public with these sort of players?

The IPPs are screwing TNB. TNB doesn't mind because they can pass the cost to the public. The government facilitates everything by putting their agreement under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) and allowing TNB to raise electricity rates. So they all happily screw the public together.

Buffalo_Bill: Here's a simple solution: make the power purchase agreements (PPAs) public so that the rakyat can decide who is interpreting it for political mileage or concealing an abuse - the opposition or the government.

Quigonbond: If the facts were so straight forward, why only speak up now in defence? Saying more won't blunt public disquiet over the PPAs until they are revealed in full to the public.

The facts are bared for all to see that the IPPs make a lot of money from what is essentially a necessity. Their contracts should be revised in the national interest.

DannyLoHH: Stop beating around the bush. Whatever is said by the government and the IPPs now will have no credibility. Just publish the power purchase agreements. If you have nothing to hide, then it would naturally be reflected in the agreements signed. Or else, your words mean nothing.

Kgen: A reserve margin of 20 percent is considered adequate in other countries. Now this Umno-inspired TNB chief operating officer Azman Mohd is saying we cannot compare with other countries. You mean we can only compare the price of sugar, petrol and diesel with other countries without tying back to per capita income as BN politicians are fond of doing?

A reserve margin of 45 percent is excessive and this margin does not come free as TNB has to pay for it whether electricity is actually generated or not. With a COO who thinks on the side of the IPPs, TNB is doomed.

Casey_1019: If three years is enough to bring up additional capacity, that offers ample time horizon for power requirement planning, even if our economy were to grow by double digits (which is not very likely given the macro-economic landscape ahead).

Sick Negara: Peter Chin, if you are right and the opposition got it all wrong, reveal the IPP contracts to support your claim.

Joker: Why turn here and there and beat around the bush so much? Just disclose the PPAs and let everyone read for themselves. Don't give us the rubbish about the non-disclosure clause.

TNB is owned by the people and TNB is a party to the agreement and is the sole customer for all the PPAs signed. As owners of TNB, the rakyat has the right to read what has been signed on their behalf. Berani kerana benar, beralasan kerana bersalah.


PM: 1M'sia affordable housing for KL soon

Fairness for all: Why is the housing in Sungai Buloh to be offered only to those under 35? Doesn't the government care about the senior citizens or those above 35 who still cannot afford to buy a house? It's ridiculous as those under 35 can still work and earn money and get bank loans.

What about those above 40 who have difficulty getting jobs because of their age and can't afford to buy a house? Don't they have a right to own a house too? It is more crucial for the older generation to buy houses as the younger generation still have time.

Many employers give more importance to youth rather than capabilities and they also want to pay peanuts, hence employ young inexperienced people who are more often than not use the company as a stepping stone for their career.

The older people are left out despite having lots of experience, hence making it difficult for them to get a job, especially for those who have been retrenched.

It's time the government also do something for the middle-aged. While the youth may be important, don't forget those who are older.

Anonymous_3f35: Najib Razak is the PM of the country, yet he is not showing leadership. He has avoided addressing the real problems afflicting this country, but is keeping his eye on the youth who will eventually become voters and who are already voters.

This is part of the plot to offer this group of young people some goodies while they trade in their good sense and sense of fair play.

David Dass: These are good initiatives - affordable housing and cheap food. These are subsidies in the right places. There must however be quality control to ensure that substandard goods and houses are not dumped on the rakyat.

Rakyat Malaysia: In Malaysia - cheap thing, not good; good thing, not cheap. Sometimes there are things not cheap and not good also.

Why create 1Malaysia brand if you can reduce the prices of food? That will be better than creating another crony company to sell questionable 1Malaysia products.

Vocal Malaysian: Irony of ironies, the unelected prime minister wants people save money by shopping at Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia, but his wife waddles around in Birkin bags costing thousands of pound sterling.

 

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