Will Low be transparent on new highways?
Published: Apr 6, 2014 12:53 PM | Updated: Apr 7, 2014 9:30 AM
A group of DAP assemblypersons have urged de facto Transparency Minister Paul Low to walk the talk by having Putrajaya disclose the concession agreement for the upcoming RM2.42 billion Kinrara-Damansara Highway (Kidex).
A group of DAP assemblypersons have urged de facto Transparency Minister Paul Low to walk the talk by having Putrajaya disclose the concession agreement for the upcoming RM2.42 billion Kinrara-Damansara Highway (Kidex).
In a joint statement by Yeo Bee Yin (right) (Damansara Utama), R Rajiv (Bukit Gasing), Ng Sze Han (Kinrara) and Lau Weng San (Kampung Tunku), they pointed out Low had last month questioned the need to have toll concession agreements kept secret.
"We believe that Low should push for disclosure of concession agreements of all the highways to be built in his tenure. And we suggest that he start with Kidex concession agreement.
"This is definitely a golden opportunity for him to prove that he is after all not a lame duck ‘transparency minister’," they said.
This comes after the assemblypersons yesterday urged Putrajaya to disclose the highway's Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) report which is also being withheld under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) 1972.
Low, who is former Transparency International-Malaysia (TI-M) president, was last year roped in as minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of governance and integrity.
While acknowledging Kidex will help alleviate the highly congested Damansara Puchong Highway (LDP), the assemblypersons are worried it will become another cash cow for the concessionaire to milk at the expense of the rakyat.
"Will it become another LDP that rob people for obscene profit for the concessionaire in the name of infrastructure?
"The total capital cost of construction of the LDP is estimated at RM1.3 billion while the projected profit after tax over the 30-year concession period will be RM18.9 billion, which is 14 times the capital investment," they said.
As such, the assemblypersons said disclosure of the concession agreement is necessary to prevent a repeat of that.
"How long will the concession be? How much is the toll rate? On what basis will the toll rate be computed?" they said.
The 14.9km Kidex elevated highway will begin from NKVE Damansara toll and run southwards to the Bukit Jalil Highway near Kinrara, passing through the heart of Petaling Jaya.
"The contract was awarded to Emrail Sdn Bhd and Zabima Engineering Sdn Bhd, which are linked to Umno lawyer Hafarizam Harun and the wife of former Chief Justice Zaki Azmi.
Kidex Sdn Bhd, a company formed by Emrail Sdn Bhd and Zabima Engineering Sdn Bhd, had announced the highway construction will begin as early as the beginning of next year.
In a joint statement by Yeo Bee Yin (right) (Damansara Utama), R Rajiv (Bukit Gasing), Ng Sze Han (Kinrara) and Lau Weng San (Kampung Tunku), they pointed out Low had last month questioned the need to have toll concession agreements kept secret."We believe that Low should push for disclosure of concession agreements of all the highways to be built in his tenure. And we suggest that he start with Kidex concession agreement.
"This is definitely a golden opportunity for him to prove that he is after all not a lame duck ‘transparency minister’," they said.
This comes after the assemblypersons yesterday urged Putrajaya to disclose the highway's Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) report which is also being withheld under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) 1972.
Low, who is former Transparency International-Malaysia (TI-M) president, was last year roped in as minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of governance and integrity.
While acknowledging Kidex will help alleviate the highly congested Damansara Puchong Highway (LDP), the assemblypersons are worried it will become another cash cow for the concessionaire to milk at the expense of the rakyat."Will it become another LDP that rob people for obscene profit for the concessionaire in the name of infrastructure?
"The total capital cost of construction of the LDP is estimated at RM1.3 billion while the projected profit after tax over the 30-year concession period will be RM18.9 billion, which is 14 times the capital investment," they said.
As such, the assemblypersons said disclosure of the concession agreement is necessary to prevent a repeat of that.
"How long will the concession be? How much is the toll rate? On what basis will the toll rate be computed?" they said.
The 14.9km Kidex elevated highway will begin from NKVE Damansara toll and run southwards to the Bukit Jalil Highway near Kinrara, passing through the heart of Petaling Jaya.
"The contract was awarded to Emrail Sdn Bhd and Zabima Engineering Sdn Bhd, which are linked to Umno lawyer Hafarizam Harun and the wife of former Chief Justice Zaki Azmi.
Kidex Sdn Bhd, a company formed by Emrail Sdn Bhd and Zabima Engineering Sdn Bhd, had announced the highway construction will begin as early as the beginning of next year.
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