THE ROSMAH BIRKIN-BAGS LOGIC? NO MONEY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS, YET NAJIB WANTS TO BUILD RM650MIL PARK

To me, the real question is, do we need this project at this point in time?’

Khazanah gives rough breakdown for RM650m Taman Tugu project

Quigonbond: I just have to ask:

1. Is RM6,000 too expensive for one tree? What is meant by “activation”? Lake Gardens have been a place of heavy foot traffic for decades – what has changed? Isn’t it already activated?

2. Lake Gardens is well-connected already – are there need for additional roads to be built to a tune of RM184 million?

3. They are going to spend RM184 million on a learning centre – how big/useful is this building going to be? Is it going to be another white elephant? Conservatively, that’s the price of a staggering 10 bungalow units in Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

4. How is spending RM500 million out of Khazanah Nasional Berhad’s coffers a “strategic” investment for Khazanah? I’m thinking more tech stuff, intelligence, military, cutting-edge genetics research etc, when I think “strategic” – is this another whimsical diversification?

5. Will Tugu Negara be demolished? That’s the most important question.

Slumdog: Khazanah, you call this a breakdown, it could be written on the back of a stamp.

Khazanah says there are four components but only describe two. Somehow I have already lost any confidence in this RM650 million project.

EmEmKay: Khazanah is a government-owned company and thus must be answerable to taxpayers. Please declare the proposed expenditure in full. Don’t try to hide behind the OSA skirt.

Old Timer: The budget for our universities has been slashed to a minimum and there is not enough money to carry out research.

Why not use the RM650 million to top up the budget for innovation and research effort in universities?

What kind of learning and innovation can the park provide or carry out? Is this just an excuse to spend money?

Telestai!: A country that cannot afford scholarship for its youth cannot afford to splurge RM650 million on a park. Even wealthy countries like Australia and New Zealand do not spend this amount of money on a park.

Three years down the road, it’ll end up being neglected wasteland much like the Ecopark in Shah Alam.

And Khazanah should not pretend it is spending their own money and hence not accountable to taxpayers.

Khazanah is the investment arm of the government, and it is answerable to the people of Malaysia. There are no two ways about it.

Gaji Buta: To me, the real question is, do we need this project at this point in time?

Costs can somehow be justified, like why a Mercedes costs so much and why Honda cost so much, but do really you need a Mercedes?

NNFC: Can we have information of how the tender will be given, and whether strict controls will be in place to ensure that board members who know parties tendering for the jobs are not permitted to vote to ensure arm-length tenders. Of course, an auditor should be present.

Solaris: Build retirement villages instead with this colossal amount. There should be such villages and parks in every housing area, not only in Kuala Lumpur.

Report: Merdeka PNB 118 mega-tower project facing setbacks?

Negarawan: Singapore doesn’t have the tallest building in the world, but their country stands tall in comparison to Malaysia.

Malaysia is mired with issues of massive corruption, racial and religious polarisation, a declining economy and currency, high crime rate, low educational standards and political instability.

What is the benefit of the Merdeka Tower to the country and rakyat, when basic amenities and services are not available to a large section of the population?

Is the purpose of the tower to boost the ego of certain individuals, who already have a very bad image internationally?

Sonofmsia: Another most useless money-wasting project. What good does it bring when we already have a property glut?

The Umno government is still living in the 80s. Who in the world now is still excited over who has the tallest tower?

Sleepy: The world is focusing on space exploration, robots, renewable energy, transportation, health, the internet, and other cutting-edge technologies, while we are talking of skyscrapers. Talk of falling behind.

Pemerhati: Quote: “Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak defended the mega-tower, saying it would have a multiplier effect on the economy and generate business opportunities for all races.”

Najib has given us a good idea of what he really means with his 1MDB venture which allegedly had a multiplier effect on his bank accounts and generated business opportunities for all races, such as his cohorts like Jho Low, some Arabs and stepson Riza Aziz.

Kit P: Najib needs a new monument. The Twin Towers is too closely associated with Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Boeyks: If I am asked what do I remember about this particular government, the first thing that comes to mind is the donation scandal. Definitely not any building or civil construction.

Let hope the end to the scandal will bring some closure, and not be something that is cursed by the generations that follow.

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