Monsoon Cup a mega waste, says Ahmad Said

The former Terengganu MB continues his tirade against Putrajaya.

PETALING JAYA: Former Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Said has made good on a pledge to reveal more instances of Putrajaya’s alleged victimisation of his state, but his latest revelation refers to decisions made when Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was Prime Minister.

Speaking in the Terengganu State Assembly, he said the RM1 billion the state had spent on the Monsoon Cup project had not brought any benefit to the state, but had instead burdened it with losses incurred in organising the annual yacht race.

He said the project was nothing less than a betrayal of the people of Terengganu by those entrusted to take care of their interests.

The project was started when Idris Jusoh was the Menteri Besar. Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was one of its critics. He once alleged that Patrick Lim, who is said to have an interest in the project, was a close associate of Abdullah.

The State Assemblyman for Bukit Payong, Mohamad Nor Hamzah of PAS, said Ahmad’s complaint about the waste incurred in the project proved that PAS had been right all along.

“PAS has, one many occasions, expressed opposition to this obviously wasteful project,” he said in a Facebook posting. “Unfortunately, power is not in our hands.”