PAS: Pakatan will compensate hunger strikers
Nigel AwPublished: Sep 14, 2011 10:32 AM | Updated: Sep 14, 2011 10:44 AM
Pakatan Rakyat will compensate the loggers, who have gone on hunger strike in protest against the Pahang government for defying a court order to pay them some RM63 million, if it takes over the state government.
Pakatan Rakyat will compensate the loggers, who have gone on hunger strike in protest against the Pahang government for defying a court order to pay them some RM63 million, if it takes over the state government.
"Yes, we will pay, we have to re-instill public confidence in the government... even in Penang, there are outstanding cases where the state government has to pay up to RM40 million, and we will pay," PAS central committee member Khalid Samad (left) said today.
The hunger strikers are shareholders of logging company Seruan Gemilang Makmur Sdn Bhd, who won a lawsuit against the Pahang government. The High Court in Kuantan in 2000 ordered the state to pay the company RM37 million, with an interest of eight percent a year.
However, the state government has defied the court order and today, 11 years later, the payment due has ballooned to a staggering RM63 million.
The Seruan Gemilang Makmur shareholders began their relay hunger strike last Thursday, demanding that the state government pay the money owed to them.
One of the shareholders, Ramli Suleiman (on right in picture) collapsed on Monday, after four days on hunger strike, while another, John Chong (on the left) had to abort his action after two days, when his hernia problem relapsed.
Khalid, who is also Shah Alam MP, said the Pahang government's refusal to pay up was an indication that it was broke or that it had no respect for the law.
"It is either bankrupt, or is a pirate government that does not respect the Judiciary and the law. The whole judicial system has been corrupted by them (BN) and this is the apex, with the Pahang state government sticking its thumb up the noses of the Judiciary.
"The best case scenario is that the Pahang government is a gangster, and the worst case scenario is that it is bankrupt," he said.
'Umno should take Pahang government to task'
Khalid also took Sementa assemblyperson Abdul Rahman Palil and Selangor Umno Youth chief Ungku Salleh Ungku Jamal for attacking him.
Last week, the Selangor Islamic Affairs Council (Mais) banned Khalid from speaking in mosques and suraus throughout the state.
The Umno men had accused Khalid of being stubborn and refusing to abide by the Selangor's Islamic enactments, which led to the ban on him.
"They say that I do not abide by the law, but the Pahang government has defied the courts. They should tell this to (Pahang Menteri Besar) Adnan Yaakob," Khalid said.
Ramli and Chong are among 10 investors who are part of the relay hunger strike, taking turns to go on hunger strike in pairs until the Pahang government pays Seruan Gemilang Makmur the RM63 million for breach of contract, as ordered by the High Court in Kuantan.
Seruan Gemilang Makmur was at the centre of a logging scandal exposed by Malaysiakini in 2003, where the company claimed it was issued a permit to clear 8,000 acres on the Nenasi plot near Pekan, said to be owned by Umno Pahang.
However, it was later discovered that the land was, in fact, owned by the state government and not the political party, eventually forcing the company to cease operations until the matter was resolved in court.
"Yes, we will pay, we have to re-instill public confidence in the government... even in Penang, there are outstanding cases where the state government has to pay up to RM40 million, and we will pay," PAS central committee member Khalid Samad (left) said today.The hunger strikers are shareholders of logging company Seruan Gemilang Makmur Sdn Bhd, who won a lawsuit against the Pahang government. The High Court in Kuantan in 2000 ordered the state to pay the company RM37 million, with an interest of eight percent a year.
However, the state government has defied the court order and today, 11 years later, the payment due has ballooned to a staggering RM63 million.
The Seruan Gemilang Makmur shareholders began their relay hunger strike last Thursday, demanding that the state government pay the money owed to them.
One of the shareholders, Ramli Suleiman (on right in picture) collapsed on Monday, after four days on hunger strike, while another, John Chong (on the left) had to abort his action after two days, when his hernia problem relapsed.Khalid, who is also Shah Alam MP, said the Pahang government's refusal to pay up was an indication that it was broke or that it had no respect for the law.
"It is either bankrupt, or is a pirate government that does not respect the Judiciary and the law. The whole judicial system has been corrupted by them (BN) and this is the apex, with the Pahang state government sticking its thumb up the noses of the Judiciary.
"The best case scenario is that the Pahang government is a gangster, and the worst case scenario is that it is bankrupt," he said.
'Umno should take Pahang government to task'
Khalid also took Sementa assemblyperson Abdul Rahman Palil and Selangor Umno Youth chief Ungku Salleh Ungku Jamal for attacking him.
Last week, the Selangor Islamic Affairs Council (Mais) banned Khalid from speaking in mosques and suraus throughout the state.
The Umno men had accused Khalid of being stubborn and refusing to abide by the Selangor's Islamic enactments, which led to the ban on him.
"They say that I do not abide by the law, but the Pahang government has defied the courts. They should tell this to (Pahang Menteri Besar) Adnan Yaakob," Khalid said.
Ramli and Chong are among 10 investors who are part of the relay hunger strike, taking turns to go on hunger strike in pairs until the Pahang government pays Seruan Gemilang Makmur the RM63 million for breach of contract, as ordered by the High Court in Kuantan.
Seruan Gemilang Makmur was at the centre of a logging scandal exposed by Malaysiakini in 2003, where the company claimed it was issued a permit to clear 8,000 acres on the Nenasi plot near Pekan, said to be owned by Umno Pahang.
However, it was later discovered that the land was, in fact, owned by the state government and not the political party, eventually forcing the company to cease operations until the matter was resolved in court.
View Comments0