Teng: State assembly did not approve budget for bungalows
Published: Mar 11, 2005 7:25 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
The Selangor state assembly did not approve an allocation to construct official residences for executive councillors, said its opposition leader Teng Chang Kim today.
The Selangor state assembly did not approve an allocation to construct official residences for executive councillors, said its opposition leader Teng Chang Kim today.
"The budget approved then was for the construction of civil servants quarters. If the sum approved or part of it was actually meant for exco members' official residence, then it was wilfully concealed from the state assembly, " he added in a statement.
He was responding to Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo's claim that the 10 exclusive bungalows in Shah Alam, which has been subject to controversy, are not meant exclusively for exco members but for other senior state officials as well.
"Is he (Mohd Khir) downgrading the exco members to the level of civil servants or is he upgrading the status of civil servants to that of exco members?" asked Teng, who is the DAP state assemblyperson for Sungai Pinang.
He added that it was not necessary to have triple-storey bungalows and none of the facilities, such as the club house, could be used by non-governmental organisations for meetings.
On top of that, he said the state government will also have to bear the maintenance costs for the swimming pools, club house facilities, furniture and fittings.
"This is a classic case of 'penny wise pound foolish!'" he added.
Previously, Mohd Khir said the state government will be saving RM1,000 a month by housing the exco members, as that is the sum given for their housing allocation.
Commenting on this, Teng said then it would take 300 years to reach RM36 million, which is the estimated costs of the bungalows.
He also urged the chief minister to admit that the exclusive bungalows, a project by the state-owned Selangor Development Corporation (PKNS), was a mistake.
Illogical argument
In a related development, DAP International Secretary Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew said the state government could have increased the housing allocation for exco members instead of blowing millions on the bungalows.
"This is a clear-cut case of power abuse and mismanagement of public funds," he added in a statement.
He also said it was illogical for Mohd Khir to claim that the bungalows were built using the profits gained from certain privatised projects since the state government still owed the federal government much money.
Liu suggested that it would be best if the bungalows were to be sold to the public instead.
"The budget approved then was for the construction of civil servants quarters. If the sum approved or part of it was actually meant for exco members' official residence, then it was wilfully concealed from the state assembly, " he added in a statement.
He was responding to Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo's claim that the 10 exclusive bungalows in Shah Alam, which has been subject to controversy, are not meant exclusively for exco members but for other senior state officials as well. "Is he (Mohd Khir) downgrading the exco members to the level of civil servants or is he upgrading the status of civil servants to that of exco members?" asked Teng, who is the DAP state assemblyperson for Sungai Pinang.
He added that it was not necessary to have triple-storey bungalows and none of the facilities, such as the club house, could be used by non-governmental organisations for meetings.
On top of that, he said the state government will also have to bear the maintenance costs for the swimming pools, club house facilities, furniture and fittings.
"This is a classic case of 'penny wise pound foolish!'" he added.
Previously, Mohd Khir said the state government will be saving RM1,000 a month by housing the exco members, as that is the sum given for their housing allocation.
Commenting on this, Teng said then it would take 300 years to reach RM36 million, which is the estimated costs of the bungalows.
He also urged the chief minister to admit that the exclusive bungalows, a project by the state-owned Selangor Development Corporation (PKNS), was a mistake.
Illogical argument
In a related development, DAP International Secretary Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew said the state government could have increased the housing allocation for exco members instead of blowing millions on the bungalows. "This is a clear-cut case of power abuse and mismanagement of public funds," he added in a statement.
He also said it was illogical for Mohd Khir to claim that the bungalows were built using the profits gained from certain privatised projects since the state government still owed the federal government much money.
Liu suggested that it would be best if the bungalows were to be sold to the public instead.
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