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Monday, March 7, 2011

Intense Parliament session expected as polls loom

Parliament building. — Picture courtesy of Mohd Hafiz Noor Shams
KUALA LUMPUR, March 7 — It will be crunch time for Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s two-year rule today when Parliament opens for the year as the prime minister is expected to be grilled over his administration’s projects and economic initiatives proposed under the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).

Pakatan Rakyat’s (PR) troops have labelled the session as “answer time” for the Barisan Nasional (BN) government, pledging to bombard the administration and “take the prime minister to task” for his ambitious projects, which they claim were geared to impress the electorate for the coming polls.

But the opposition pact, reeling from the impact of its twin defeats in Merlimau and Kerdau last night, is said to be lagging in popularity behind BN and will now have to go out on a limb to best its foes through debates in the legislative arena.

The Malaysian Insider understands that PR MPs have long readied themselves for what is touted to be a highly-intense sitting this round as speculation is rife that this will be the final parliamentary session before polls are called.

Among others, Najib will face intense pressure to justify the government’s plans to build the multibillion ringgit Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) rail system, explain the Defence Ministry’s whopping RM6 billion offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) purchase and divulge details on the host of other ambitious mega projects outlined in the ETP and Budget 2011 like the Warisan Merdeka.

He will also be attacked for failing to explain reports on Malaysia’s staggering RM888 billion in illicit capital outflows in the past decade and the country’s ballooning public debt of RM407 billion, which is 53 per cent of GDP.

Azmin is one of four opposition MPs suspended.
This round, however, the PR bench will be notably crippled by the absence of four key personalities — Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (PKR-Permatang Pauh), PKR chief whip Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak), R. Sivarasa (PKR-Subang) and DAP chairman Karpal Singh (DAP-Bukit Gelugor).

The four were slapped with six-month suspensions during the last parliamentary session in December last year — Anwar for his APCO-Israel jibe against the government, and the others for committing contempt when they revealed the proceedings in Anwar’s APCO investigation in the House’s Rights and Privileges Committee.

But Azmin told The Malaysian Insider that despite their absence, the opposition’s remaining backbenchers were armed with enough material to parry with BN backbenchers in the House.

“Even though I will not be there physically, we have prepared enough issues to attack the administration. We had our pre-council meeting and we have discussed what issues to raise.

“Many things have taken place in the past few months since our last sitting and I think our MPs are quite prepared for this session,” he said when contacted recently.

He revealed that PKR MPs will be grilling the government on all its major announcements and initiatives outlined in Budget 2011 and the 10th Malaysia Plan.

“Issues like the price hike, the MRT, privatisation projects, failure to fulfil its promises for open tender and so on. We want answers this time and our MPs are ready,” he said.

Pua said he would press the Defence Ministry for answers over its RM6 billion OPV purchase.
Tony Pua (DAP-Petaling Jaya Utara) told The Malaysian Insiderthat many PR MPs would likely be using the current session as an opportunity to call for close scrutiny over all mega projects announced by Najib.

“This session will be about scrutinising the ongoing plans for mega projects in Malaysia... all the ETP projects, the entry point projects, and how they are going to be funded.

“A few good examples would be the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), the 1 National Health Institute, all the projects under Budget 2011, the KL International Financial District (KLIFD), the Warisan Merdeka and others,” he said.

He added that he would also continue pressuring the Defence Ministry for answers over its RM6 billion OPV purchase, despite facing the prospect of a legal suit.

“I have been attacked on it but I will pursue it in Parliament. It is my duty as an MP,” he insisted.

In Pua’s list of questions to Parliament, the DAP MP will be urging Najib to reveal the value of 1 Malaysia Development Board’s (1MDB) current assets, return on equity, total assets, as well as the current status and value of new investments through the board and the estimated return on each identified project.

Pua will also be asking for the scope and conditions listed in the appointment of Gamuda-MMC as the project delivery partner for the MRT and the cost of the appointment or “contingency” costs, if any.

In his written questions, the MP will also ask the government to reveal estimates on fare collection for the rail system between 2016 and 2030 and maintenance cost to operate the system.

He will also be asking for details on the impact of subsidy cuts on food and daily needs items, and the latest development on projects outlined in Budget 2011 like the KLIFD, the development of the Malaysian Rubber Board land in Sungai Buloh and the Warisan Merdeka project.

Dzulkefly said would raise the issue of the illicit funds outflow.
Like his PR colleague, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (PAS-Kuala Selangor) has submitted similar questions to the government.

“Seeing as this could be the last session before the general election, and also without Karpal, Anwar, the Subang and Gombak MPs, the configuration certainly has changed.

“My questions will heap pressure on the Finance Ministry and top of my list, I will raise the issue of the illicit funds outflow. I think the finance minister (Najib) and the government has to be responsible,” he told The Malaysian Insider.

Dzulkefly noted that the time was ripe now to “take the prime minister to task” for his “reckless” spending, citing examples of the major development initiatives announced by the administration.

“They are doing pump-priming projects and they are doing it recklessly because they will certainly trigger further fiscal deficit and public debt.

“What they are doing is they are just looking at growth numbers, going back to infrastructural development, back to brick and mortar. But where is the higher income economy, the higher value-added enterprises... these are not addressed.

“They are just looking at short-term, feel-good and look-good measures to prepare for the general election, nothing more,” he said.

Projects like the MRT, he continued, merely showed that the Najib administration was “rushing” to face the general election.

“They are rushing it with the MRT, without any comprehensive programme in place. Look at what happened with the LRT... the final result is that our public transportation system is fragmentised and not integrated,” he said.

Chua Tian Chang (PKR-Batu) echoed Dzulkefly’s words and revealed to The Malaysian Insider that the government would be dealt with a severe beating from the opposition bench on its ambitious slew of project promises for the country.

He predicted that Najib was likely attempting to rely on his popularity to gain better leverage for his administration through the “feel-good” projects and announcements, in time for the coming polls.

“I will be harping on several key, urgent issues. The government is rushing and going on a spending spree... with the MRT, the river cleaning project, massive infrastructure projects like the Merdeka tower and yet nothing done on feasibility studies.

“But where is the money coming from? It will be answer time... we are not gearing up just to attack them blindly but we want and we need answers. You can speak to any MP, almost all have the same intention,” he said.

Yusmadi Yusoff (PKR-Balik Pulau) said he will be grilling the government on economic reform issues and foreign policies.

“There are many outstanding issues on governance... especially about our outflow of illicit funds.

“Also, considering a recent statement that a few more projects under the ETP are going to be announced. Let’s see what they say about what has happened to the previous projects?

“Were they just politically motivated... announced for the sake of the elections?” he said.

Yusmadi said Sarawak would soon go to polls, adding that BN was likely gearing itself up in preparation for it.

The Sarawak state election has to be called by this July when the present state administration’s mandate expires.

Speculation is that Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud will be dissolving the state assembly by mid-March and call for polls by early next month.

The first meeting of the fourth term of the 12th Parliament opens at 10am today with the royal address by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin.

The sitting will go on for 20 days until April 7. - Malaysian Insider

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