感谢议长先生让我有机会参与2014年砂州财政预算案的辩论
议长先生,每当国阵后座议员站起来参与辩论的时候都不忘赞美和歌颂国阵政府和首长的领导真的让我感到疑惑和不解。
为什么我会这么说?
我们可以看到,当他们在歌颂赞美之后他们就带出他们选区里所面对的许多问题。这些问题如没有自来水,没有电流供应,没有像样的道路,没有诊疗所,没有学校,没有消防服务。为什么在他们的甘榜里却没有这些最基本的设备?。这样的状况和议员们歌颂赞美国阵和首长的举动根本就是自相矛盾。
国阵执政砂州50年,首长也已经担任了31年的首席部长,如果有那么好的领导为什么砂州还是这么的落后?或许尊贵的国阵议员们应该自我反省。
我也质疑国阵后座议员的心态,当他们指责行动党只做口头服务时候。他们应该要有一点基本常识,在一个民主国家,执政政府和在野党所扮演的角色或者他们想对换角色?
消费税
议长先生,
尊贵的国阵后座议员及地方政府部高级部长兼第二财长指责行动党在消费税的课题上误导人民。
议长先生,消费税是一种逆行的税务,这是毫无争议的。它将扩大税收的人数,从而减低社会高收入群体的税务。那就是为什么被称之为“劫贫济富”。
政府在误导人民,告诉人民这税收对人民有好处,因为那是世界最好的税收制度。其实这只是政府从中获利,将会有更多的人民“喂养”国阵政府。2015年4月1日消费税实行之后,中低收入的一群将成为缴税的一分子。在还没有实施消费税之前,这些低收入的群体不必缴税,在消费税实施之后连最贫穷的同胞都被逼缴付消费税。
正当这些贫穷的人民透过消费税在“喂养”政府之际,政府的营运开支是2003年(140亿)和2008年(260亿)之间的双倍,在2014年增加至366亿。当政府没有足够的钱花费时,他们就“记得”人民。政府的尽量挥霍,反而要求人民缩紧腰带过日子。
让我举个例子,在目前的系统下,每月收入3千令吉以下的人士不需缴税。在消费税的系统下这些群体都会受到影响,因为他们的基本消费都必须缴付消费税,除了一些免税的项目。如果一个家庭每月开销为2000令吉,那么他们必须缴付120令吉的消费税,一年将缴付1440令吉。整体来说,他们2/3的收入将被用于缴付税收。
除此之外,那些月入3万令吉人士的消费或许是1万,其余的用于投资而投资赚到钱却不必还消费税,严格来说他们只有1/3的收入被征收消费税。
你们可能会问“有多少的人们将会受到冲击?” 照政府的资料高达80% 的大马家庭或5百20万的家庭的月收入少过马币3,000 ,所以为什么我们不赞同消费税的施行。
津贴
2014年大马财政预算案,政府废除白糖津贴,因而从中节省了3亿2500万。当政府废除白糖津贴之后,为何白糖还是被定为通统制品?为何不让价格自由浮动,在市场竞争的状况下白糖价格将会下跌?这样做法的目的是增加人民的消费从中保护白糖供应商。
石油的津贴,国阵政府曾在2008年的340亿削减至2013年的248亿。这为政府节省了100亿令吉,可是这些钱去了哪里?我国依然面对赤字,即使削减津贴。这就是为什么我们反对削减津贴。当政府还是毫无节制的花费他们失去了道德本钱去向人民说“我们不能继续津贴你们了。”
在总稽查师报告中持续的看到许多来自政府财政预算案里的供应开销的供应和服务出现漏洞和贪污事件。该项目的预算已经从140亿令吉(2003),260亿令吉(2006)飙升至366亿令吉(2014)。试想一下,如果供应和服务可以被削减至2003年的水平,这将是226亿令吉。那现在他们用什么理由告诉我们他们不能继续提供石油和白糖津贴给人民。
公务员
我们大约拥有140万名公务员。依据我国大约2600万人口,那意味着每20个马来西亚公民就必须养一名公务员。在2016年国家将花费636亿来支付公务员的薪金。
国家总发展开支只有465亿,这比国家发展开支多出170亿。国阵政府应该很清楚,我们不能负担这么大的公务员人数,因为它几乎占据了国家一大部分的预算。
为什么首相没有思考这个问题?或者是因为政治因素,他认为公务员是国阵的铁票?
但是,如果我们继续这样下去,我们将会把这个“财政负担”留给我们的孩子。在未来5年,政府必须要有一个计划来削减公务员。倘若,我们可以减少20%,那我们可以节省几百亿纳税人的钱。唯有这样才可能有一个平衡的预算案。
砂州预算案
回到砂州2014财政预算案,里面有几个项目首长已经向人民做出解释。砂州预算案的数额是全马最多,是雪兰莪的双倍以及槟城州的3倍。那为什么依然有许多人民没有电流和自来水供应?为什么会有那么多人民生活在赤贫线下?
我听到国阵议员都以我们砂州财政预算案的72%发展开支为荣和我们的财政盈余就说我们的砂州首席部长是多么的良好管理我们的财政。如果是这样的话,那么我们的联邦财政就一文不值了?不是吗,我们联邦财政是16年连续的赤字财政。
砂州财政预算案的要点如下:
19亿8300万用于实行工业和商业活动及工程,
4亿8600万用于公用事业的用途,
4亿3800万将用于交通与通讯
T.05(预算案第28页)
RM 161,270,895被分配于2014年公共服务债务,2013年为RM 91,799,541。
首长必须解释及告诉议会,从2012年起这些债务提升了多少,提升公共债务的目的以及债务证书中所记载的债务细节。
依据我的查询,在2011年7月州政府已经提升至16亿美元,由Goldman
Sachs包办承销的债务就是用来承建再生能源走廊的项目。依据纳闽金融交易所的资料显示,砂州政府发行的债卷总额为27亿5千万美元(资料来源:http://bit.ly/17v/SnS)由砂州财政秘书处通过的公司持有人如下:
1) Sarawak International Incorported -8亿美金(2005)
2) Sarawak Capital Incorporated-3亿5千万美金(2006)
3) Equisar International Incorporated-8亿美金(2011)
4) SSG Resources Limited-2亿美金(2012)
这些借贷从来不曾在议会里讨论过,政府没有针对这些债务用途和借贷条款做出解释。现在是时候给首长对这些借贷做出澄清。
政府部门的效率
政府首席秘书丹斯里政府阿里博士哈姆萨表示,依据世界银行经商报告排名中显示马来西亚在过去几年取得巨大的进展。从2007年第25位的排名将在2014年时提升至第6的位置。
州内的经济必须与商界取得联系以塑造简易的经商环境。当我们在庆祝所取得的进展之时,这意味着我们已经拥有良好的经商环境,就如世界银行报告中所公布的。我们也有很多部门给业者“地狱时间”来运行他们的业务。我会在这里列出让议会知道是那些部门:
多年来砂州商用车辆注册局制定了一些毫无意义的政策,如:
a)
董事局每月只开一次会议来批准执照,如果砂州局长无暇执行任务,一切的程序将停顿。那么那些车辆的买主和卖主必须对待下个月的会议来决定。想象一下,如果局长在第2个月依旧无法出席会议,业者必须继续付出他们的营运开销。
b)
一名独资者最多只能申请两张执照。这种不合逻辑的政策背后的原因是什么?独资者不如一家私营有限公司?或许我们应该修改马来西亚法令,规定独资者不可经营任何企业?
c)
商业A准证申请人不可以是被列入陆路交通局及警察局黑名单的人士。什么是“黑名单”?如果我被警员误开非法停车罚单,那我就被定为黑名单人士。试想一下,这样的情景,一名马来西亚公民被上述提及的部门列入黑名单,那他就被禁止在公共部门进行任何运作。但是,即使是马来西亚选举法令也没有这样的延伸规定。
在申请准证的过程中是多么的为难人民,我认为马来西亚不会在世界银行经商报告中排名第6,如果他们知道或以我们的运作程序做为评估的标准。
商用车辆注册局已经推出他们认为可行的政策,例如:
申请人必须出示3个月的银行账单。对于刚开始运行业务的业主如何可以提供这些资料?他们在等待商用车辆注册局的准证来开始运行他们的业务,现在商用车辆注册局却要他们出示银行账单。
业主公司的定期存款必须是公司的名字,而不是业主本身的名字。商用车辆注册局是否懂得基本商业法令?公司背后的真实持有人是不是业主本人?
我想让议会知道的是,当一名业者要申请更换他的旧车去新车的时候必须给予A准证,有时必须耗时大概2个月的时间商用车辆注册局才会给予批准。我看不出商用注册局在批准程序上有什么难处,为何不能像移民局般那么有效率,可以在一天的时间内完成护照。类似这种简单的事情应该立即完成,3天的时间就已经非常充裕给其部门进行一切的准备工作。可是,商用车辆注册局说必须将这些事项带到每月只开会一次的董事局会议上决定。
砂州商用车辆注册局的董事局掌控了必须依赖运输业过生活的业者们的生死大权,以及那些从事销售和分销车辆的业者。政府必须采取必要的措施来确保商用车辆注册局不会破坏良好的商业运作环境。
警方与罪案
首先,我要表明我的立场,我没有针对警方。我和砂州人民都有共识,近年来不断攀升的罪案指数已经使到警方的形象破灭。
在诗巫和其他砂州大部分地区,发生的罪案例如掠夺,武装抢劫,破屋行窃和严重的罪案如枪击案已经使到人民感觉不安,无论他们身在何处。我们每天都可以看到那些罪案不断在危害人民和社会的报导,然而警方似乎无法解决这些问题。
非法网络赌博依然到处林立,社会大众觉得警方没有尽力去打击非法赌博,虽然只有一些个案发现警员本身在非法网络赌博场所内。
掠夺匪猖獗的干案手法,没有人感到走在路上是安全的,许多受害者受到严重的伤害,有些甚至失去宝贵的生命。人民对于警方无力遏制罪案而感到愤怒。
人民抱怨缺乏制服警员在街上和巡逻车在住宅区巡逻,以防止不法之徒进行不法行为。
我们不能维护警察,因为他们辜负了人民的期望,这是时候由州政府告诉内政部必须重视砂州的罪案问题。
警区主任告诉我“诗巫的罪案没有柔佛州新山严重”,我们不能接受这种所谓“没那么严重“的心态。那是非常严重,因为关系到人民的安全和保安。
砂能源供应有限公司
砂能源供应有限公司 垄断砂州生产,传输和分配电力的主导权。多年来,在垄断的状态下,营造 了上亿的 收入。此外,砂能源有限公司躲在2001年能源委员会法令的后面,因为它不包括在2010年竞争法令。
砂能源供应有限公司的行为已经展现出它是多么的傲慢,采取高压的手段来处理有争议性,涉嫌偷电的事件。在第13届全国大选之前,砂能源供应有限公司将涉嫌偷电的案件带上法庭以法律程序处理。可是,在第13届全国大选之后,砂能源供应有限公司不要将案件带上法庭,透过司法来处理,如果无法付还电费单中所要求的款项,当局将会割掉被怀疑偷电用户的电流供应。
行动党不认同偷电或任何犯罪的行为。但是我们发现一些案例,一些被指责偷电的用户是无辜的,尽管他们的电费没有少,却被指偷电。我们必须保护无辜的人,这些人有权利透过法律途径,而不是砂能源供应有限公司一手遮天。
第二能源策划与环境部长拿督阿玛阿旺登雅在2012年8月表示砂能源供应有限公司必须将偷电案件带上法庭,我非常赞同这样的说法,因为法庭才是判决的地方而不是砂能源有限公司。可是,砂能源供应有限公司表示在电力法令第33A(3)条文下允许他们这么做。
但是,在砂能源供应有限公司所抓获的偷电案件中有许多不是真正的盗电案件。砂能源供应有限公司在9月28日刊登在婆罗洲邮报的文告中表示砂能源供应有限公司曾在254宗案件中批准149宗案件提出上诉(58.66%)以及在2012年254宗案件当中241宗获准拖欠(95%),2011年的数据显示在获准上诉的129宗案例当中的57宗拖欠获批准(44%)。
上述由砂能源供应有限公司所提供的数据说明了,砂能源有限公司对于用户偷电的指责大部分都是错误的,否则为何会有那么高的上诉批准率?
我要第二能源策划与环境部长告诉议会,自2012年至今有多少宗案件被带上法庭及多少宗被判有罪?
虽然,行动党不纵容偷电,我们也不能纵容砂能源供应有限公司缺乏专业和高度霸道的方式来处理怀疑偷电的案件。我呼吁第二资源策划与环境部长认真看待这项问题,透过降低电费,以积极的方式来鼓励砂州人民不要盗电。
这将是砂能源供应有限公司与砂人民互利的一个方案,一方面可以减少偷电率。由于,砂能源供应有限公司表示偷电造成年度损失高达1亿2千万,2011年和2012年为7千万。那为什么不降低电费?
在我去年预算案讲词中,我呼吁政府实行以下事项来维护砂州人民的利益:
我要借此机会向首长提出以下的挑战:
a.
指示所有部长,助理部长,政治秘书公布他们个人和家人的财产。
b.
实行公开招标;所有超过RM 50,000.00的政府工程必须公开招标,而不是从特定的名单里挑选。
c.
禁止所有部长,助理部长,政治秘书和民选议员及他们的家人参与政府工程招标。
d.
禁止所有部长,助理部长,政治秘书和民选议员及他们的家人申请政府的土地。
令人感到遗憾的是,首长没有积极的响应这项呼吁。我要首长向人民解释,在我提出的透明度和问责制的4个要点当中有什么错误。
如果首长无法察觉到透明度和问责制,那么无论他提出什么样的预算案,从根本就已经有缺陷的性质。
Tuan Speaker, it puzzles me every time when I see the BN’s backbenchers singing praises about the BN government and the leadership of our CM. Why did I say that?
We
can see that following their praise they will bring out the issues faced by
their constituencies, issues such as no water supply, no electricity, no proper
road, no clinic, no school, no Bomba services in their kampong and what not.
Now, doesn’t that contradict the praises that the honourable members sang for
the BN and the CM?
BN
has governed the state for 50 years and the CM has been the CM for 31 years, so
how come Sarawak is still so backward if they are so good? Maybe the honourable
members of the BN should do some soul searching on these?
I
also question the mentality of the BN’s backbencher when they accused DAP of
paying “lip service” only. Don’t they at least have some basic knowledge about
the roles of the government and the opposition in a democratic society or maybe
they want to switch the roles that we play in Sarawak?
GST
Tuan Speaker,
The
honourable members of the BN and the senior minister of Local government and 2nd
Finance minister accused DAP of misleading the people regarding the GST.
Tuan
Speaker, GST is a regressive tax, no
argument about it. It widens the tax base while reduce the tax proportionately
for the higher income bracket of the society. That’s why it is called “robbing
the poor to help the rich.”
The
government is misleading the rakyat by telling them that it is for the benefit
of the rakyat as it is the best tax structure in the world. The actual truth is
it is good for the government as there will be more people to “feed” the BN
government. The middle and low incomes bracket of the society are made to pay
tax after the introduction of the GST on the 1st April 2015. These
groups of people do not have to pay income taxes before but with the
implementation of the GST, even the poorest among the people will be forced to
pay tax (GST).
While
the poor are made to “feed” the government with the GST, the government
operating expenditures more than double between 2003 (RM 14 billion)and 2008
(26 billion) and further increased to RM 36.6 billion in 2014. When they don’t
have enough money to spend, they “remember” the rakyat and they bring the
people in. Instead of prudent spending, the government spends like no tomorrow
and ask the rakyat to tighten their belts.
Let
me give an example to enlighten this House, under the present system, those
earning below RM3000 per month do not have to pay tax. Under the GST, these
group will be affected as they basically pay GST on all their consumption apart
from some exempted items. If there group consumed RM 2000 per month, they will
have to pay GST of RM120 per month and RM1440 per year. Overall, 2/3 of their
incomes are taxed.
On
another hand, those making RM30, 000 per month, their consumption may be
RM10,000 while they invest the rest of their incomes and strictly speaking only
1/3 of their incomes are taxed under the GST.
Subsidies
The 2014 Budget for Malaysia the government cut the subsidy for sugar and save RM325 million. But while the government don’t subsidise the sugar price anymore, why did they keep that item on the control price item? Why not let the price float so that there will be more competition to bring down the price of Sugar? The motive is to protect the sugar distributor at the expense of the rakyat.
Oil
and Gas subsidies, the BN government had reduced the subsidies from RM34
billion in 2008 to RM 24.8 billion in 2013. The saving is RM 10 billion for the
government but where did the money go to? The national deficit continues even
with the reduced subsidies and that’s why we oppose the reduction of the subsidies
while the government still spend lavishly.
The
leakages and corruption continues as pointed out by the Auditor-General reports
and the reports came from the spending of the government under the Supplies and
Services heading in the budget. This item in the budget has soared from RM14
billion (2003) to RM26 billion(2008) to RM36.6 billion(2014). Imagine the
saving from the Supplies and Services can be cut down to the 2003 level, which
would be R22.6 billion. Now tell me we can’t afford to continue the subsidies
to the rakyat for oil and sugar.
Civil servants
We have almost 1.4 million of civil servants among us. With the national population of round 26 million, that means 20 Malaysian have to support 1 civil servant. The cost to the nation is RM 63.6 billion in 2016!
That
is RM 17 billon more than we spend on the total national development
expenditure which is only RM 46.5 billion. The BN government should know very
well that we can’t afford to have such a large number of civil servants as it
took up almost % of the national budget.
Why
didn’t the PM think about this? Or maybe because he doesn’t have the political
will to cut down the civil servants as he considers them as his Vote Bank?
However,
if we continue like this, we will leave this “financial burden” to our
children. The government should have a plan to reduce the civil servant over
the next 5 year as if we can reduced them by say 20%, that would be saving in
the tens of billion of tax payers’ money and only then a balanced budget is
possible.
Sarawak Budget
Coming back to the 2014 Sarawak budget, there are some items which the CM has to explain to the people. With the largest budget among all the states in Malaysia, more than double those of Selangor and 3 times the size of the Penang state budget, why they are still so many people without power supply and pipe water supply to their home? Why are there so many who live below the poverty line?
The
key items for the Sarawak budget are as below:
RM
1,98 billion for the implementation of Industrial and Commercial programmes and
projects,
RM
486 million for public utilities,
RM
438 million for transportation and communication
Kepala T.05 (page 28 of the budget)
A sum of RM 161,270,895 was allocated for servicing of
Public Debt for 2014,
it was RM 91,799,541 for RM 2013.
The
CM should explain and tell this House how much debt was raised for the past
years since 2012 and the purpose of raising these public debt and the terms of
the det certificate issued.
According
to my research, the state government has raised USD 1.6 billion bond in July
2011 underwritten by Goldman Sachs for the SCORE project. The Labuan Financial
Exchange details the bonds issued by the Sarawak government which total USD
2.75 billion( Source: http://bit.ly/17v/SnS)
hrough the companies owned by the Sarawak Financil secretary listed below:
1) Sarawak
International Incorported- USD 800 million in 2005
2) Sarawak
Capital Incorporated- USD 350 million in 2006
3) Equisar
International Incorporated-USD 800 million in 2011
4) SSG
Resources Limited- USD 200 million in 2012
These
borrowing have not come to light in the Dewan and no explanation was given as
for the uses and terms of these government debt. Now is the time for the CM to
clarify the above borrowing.
Malaysia has made tremendous progress over the
last few years in the ease of doing business as evidence by the ranking in the
World Bank Doing Business Report, having improved from 25th position in 2007 to
sixth position for 2014, says chief secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali
Hamsa.
The economy of the state has to be link with
commerce and the ease of doing business. While we celebrated the progress we
had made in the ease of doing business as published by the World Bank's Doing
Business Report, we have also many departments which are giving business
"hell of a time" to run their business. I will list a department here
to let this House know which department it is:
1) The first on such list is LPKP or
Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board. The LPKP holds the key to any commercial
vehicle registration in Sarawak as all these vehicles needed permit and license
to be able to register.
The LKPK over the years have made some
senseless policies such as:
a) The Board meets only once a month to
approve the aplications for licenses and if the Chairman of the LKPK Sarawak is
not free then all the works stop and the vehicle buyers and sellers have just
to wait for another month. Imagine the cost of running a business if the
Chairman of LPKP is not free to attend the monthly meeting on the 2nd month
again.
b) Sole proprietors are allow to apply for a
maximum of two (2) permit。 What is the reason behind such illogical
policy? Are sole proprietors not as good as a private limited company? Then
maybe we should amend the law of Malaysia so that sole proprietors are not
allowed to engage in businesses?
c) The applicant of commercial A permit must
not be a blacklisted person in the JPJ and Police department. What is
"blacklisted”?If there is a mistake by the police officer to
issue me an illegal parking summon, then i am a blacklisted person, imagine
that! Imagine the scenario that Malaysians who have been blacklisted by
any of the above mentioned department are barred from running for public
office. But even the Election Act of Malaysia did not go to such extend.
The process of the application for permit is
so tedious and i do not think Malaysia will rank as no. 6 in the World Bank’s
Doing Business report if they know about this or use this as a measuring
yardstick.
The LPKP has been found to introduce policies
at their winch and fancy such as:
The applicant must show three (3) months bank
statements, how can a new start off show anything in their bank statement? They
are waiting for the permit to start their businesses and yet LPKP wants them to
show their bank statement?
The Fixed Deposit of a sole proprietor firm
must be in the name of that firm and not the proprietor. Doesn’t LPKP know
basic commercial law? Isn’t the proprietor the true identity behind the firm?
I would like this House to know that when a
business applies for a change of vehicle to replace the old vehicles that an A
permit has been given,sometimes it took almost two month for the LPKP to give
the approval. I cannot see why it is so difficult for the LPKP to issue a
letter to that effect when we can go to immigration department to get our
passport done in a day. A simple thing like that ought to be able to be done
immediately and 3 days should be sufficient time for the said department to
prepare everything but LPKP says the application must go to the Board’s meeting
which only convene once a month.
The Board holds the keys to the livelihood of
those making a living in commercial transportation businesses as well as those
engaged in the selling and distribution of these vehicles in the state. The
government must take appropriate action to make sure that LPKP is business
friendly and not some department to sabotage businesses.
Police and crimes
First, let me put my record straight, I have
nothing against the police. What I am against, and most Sarawkians would agree
with me, is the fact that the police image has taken a deep plunge in recent
years as the number of crimes climbs steeply.
In Sibu, as in most parts of Sarawak, crimes
such as snatched theft, armed robberies, break in and serious crimes such
shooting are making people feel very insecure no matter where they are. Every
day we can see reports of these crimes against the people and society and the
police seem to be helpless in solving them.
Illegal cyber gaming outlets are still around
and people in general feel that the police are not doing enough although there
were a few cases of police raids on these outlets.
Snatch theft is so rampant that nobody feels
safe on the road and many victims have suffered serious injuries and some of
them lost their precious lives. The people are angry on the police inability to
curb these criminal acts.
People complain about the lack of uniformed
police personnel on the streets and of the lack of patrol vehicles in
residential areas to prevent the criminals from their criminal acts.
We can’t defend the police as they have failed
to live up to the expectation of the people and it is time that the state
government tell the Home ministry to take crimes seriously in Sarawak.
A KPD told me that “crimes in Sibu is not as
serious as in Johor Bahru”, we cannot accept that kind of mentality as “not as
serious” is very serious when it comes to people safety and security.
Sesco
Sesco holds the monopoly in generating,
transmitting and distributing of power in the state. It has made billion over
the years and taken a free ride under its monopoly. Moreover Sesco has hide
behind the Energy Commission Act 2001 as it is not covered in the Competition
Act 2010.
Sesco has shown how arrogant it has become by
taking the high-handed tactics in handling any dispute regarding alleged power
theft. Before the 13th GE, Sesco did brought the disputes to the
court of law but after the 13GE Sesco would not refer the case to the judicial
but instead threatened the consumers to cut off their electricity if the
consumers do not pay whatever amount is stated in the arrear bill.
DAP do not condom power theft or any criminal
act but we have found cases whereby the consumers were innocent of theft but
were billed none the less and accused of power theft. We must protect the
innocent and these people have the right to the rule of law instead of the high
handed tactics of Sesco.
The 2nd Minister of Resource Planning and Environment
Datuk Amar Awang Tengah has said in August 2012 that Sesco should start taking
electricity theft to court and I must say I agree that the court is the place
to decide the matter and not Sesco. However Sesco says it is allowed under the
Section 33A (3) of the electricity Ordinance.
However, the catch is many of the cases
brought up by Sesco are not genuine theft cases. Sesco has on September 28 2013
published a statement in the Borneo Post saying that Sesco has approved 149 out
of the 254 appeals (58.66%) in 2013 and as for the year 2012, 241 out of the
254 arrears cases were approved (95%), while the figures in 2011 showed the
approval of appeal for 57 out of the 129 arrears (44%).
The above figures supplied by Sesco say it
all, Sesco is wrong most of the time in accusing the consumers of power theft
or else why such a high rates of approval for appeal?
I would like the second Resources Planning and
Environment Minister to tell this House how many of the cases were brought to
court and how many were found guilty of theft by the court since 2012.
While DAP do not condone power theft, we also
cannot condone Sesco for its lack of professionalism and high handed way of
dealing with suspected cases of power theft. I urge the second Resources
Planning and Environment Minister to look into the issue of giving the positive
reinforcement method of encouraging Sarawakian not to steal by reducing the
electricity tariff of Sesco.
It would be for the mutual benefit of Sesco
and Sarawakians if we can reduce the tariff on one hand and reduce the number
of power theft on the other. Since Sesco has said it total annual lost to power
theft is RM 120 million and RM 70 mllion in 2011 and 2012 respectively, why
doesn’t it reduce its tariff instead.
During my winding up on my budget speech last
year I called on the government to do the following in the interests of the
state and the people of Sarawak;
I would like to take this opportunity to
challenge the CM to do the following:
a. Direct all the ministers,
assistant ministers, political secretaries to declare their personal and
families’ asset,
b. Implement open tender system;
all government contracts and procurements exceeding RM 50,000.00 must call for
open tender and not just a few selected are short listed,
c. Forbid all the
ministers, assistant ministers, political secretaries and ADUN and their
families to tender for government’s contract, and
d. Forbid all the ministers,
assistant ministers, political secretaries and elected ADUN and their families
to apply for state land.
Regrettably, the CM did not response
positively to the calling. I would like the CM to explain to the rakyat what is
wrong with the four main points I made which are meant to show transparency and
accountability.
If transparency and accountability cannot be
observed by the CM then whatever budget he presented is of fundamentally flaw
in nature.