S'gor parking: MB defends royalty link, to declassify documents
Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said royal ties do not preclude a private company from doing business or managing services for the state government.
He said this after it was found that a member of the Selangor royal family is linked to a company awarded three concessions thus far under the Selangor government’s initiative to privatise street parking.
Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said royal ties do not preclude a private company from doing business or managing services for the state government.
He said this after it was found that a member of the Selangor royal family is linked to a company awarded three concessions thus far under the Selangor government’s initiative to privatise street parking.
Amirudin stated that a prospective company was only assessed based on its track record and performance in past projects.
“If the company has a proven track record, it is not an offence for it to be appointed to manage services by the state, even if it has ties to royalty,” The Star reported him as saying yesterday.
Amirudin also mentioned that the state’s investment arm, Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI), made the decision, not the state executive council.
“The MBI vets the company by reviewing its past performance in similar work in Johor and now, in Kuala Lumpur.
“It did not dive into details such as the owner of the company, nor was the decision made based on any royal name involved,” he added.
Malaysiakini’s checks found that Raja Muda of Selangor, Tengku Amir Shah, has a beneficial 16.5 percent stake in the appointed firm, Selmax Sdn Bhd, through two other holding companies - Tanah Perwira Sdn Bhd and Greyscale Holdings Sdn Bhd.
Incorporated in March last year, Tanah Perwira is a minority shareholder of Selmax, a subsidiary of Itmax System Bhd, with the listed company controlling 70 percent of Selmax’s three million shares.
Itmax System itself is majority-owned by Sena Holdings Sdn Bhd, with the remaining shares held by several other entities, including GLCs and unnamed investors via nominee firms.
Tanah Perwira’s RM100 issued share capital, in turn, is wholly owned by Greyscale Holdings - a three-year-old company in which the heir apparent of Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah holds a majority 55 percent stake.
Selmax had secured three concessions to manage the Selangor Intelligent Parking (SIP) system for the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA), the Subang Jaya City Council (MBSJ), and the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) – with Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) being the only holdout.
The documents related to the SIP deal are classified under the Official Secrets Act 1972 (OSA).
‘No problems declassifying but…’
During an interview on the Keluar Sekejap podcast, Amirudin said he has no problems declassifying documents related to the deal.
However, he said it might be “tricky.”
“Because it involves three parties: the Selangor government, MBI, and the company.
“So, the state government can approve it (declassification), but if the company is against it... Perhaps there is a trade secret involved…maybe then we may not be able to declassify,” he added.
Questioned by host Khairy Jamaluddin on whether there was an application to declassify the documents, Amirudin replied in the negative.
“No application. Actually, we have freedom of information, but they have to mohon (apply).
“And when they apply, we will approve. I will ask a legal adviser for advice,” Amirudin added.
However, Amirudin’s remarks seem to be at odds with Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung's assertion on Oct 24, where the latter had claimed that a resident’s request to access documents related to SIP was rejected on the grounds that it was classified under the OSA.
Lee pointed out that the request was made under the state’s Freedom of Information (State of Selangor) Enactment 2011.
Giving MBPJ space
Touching on MBPJ’s objection to signing a deal, Amirudin said he is giving the local council members space to deliberate on the matter reasonably and rationally.
He stressed that when it comes to making Selangor a smart city, connectivity and uniformity are important among the local councils.
“Though they are (councillors and mayor) appointed by the state government... I’m giving them space to make a proper decision.
“But when the time comes, the state government has to act so we won't have confusion in the parking management of the state,” Amirudin added.
