PAS tells MB to explain losses as BN promises housing project revival

Harakahdaily

KUANTAN, Mar 1: Pahang PAS commissioner Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has urged Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob to explain the state government's 13th consecutive deficit budget as well as debts amounting to RM2.17 billion.

L-R: Pahang MB Adnan Yaakob and Tuan Ibrahim

Tuan Ibrahim said these were among the contents of the Auditor General's report on the Pahang state administration, which said four state-linked companies which failed to repay their loans were the main culprits for revenue loss of some RM227 million.

The Auditor General’s report has named the top two state-linked companies Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Pahang (PKNP) and Amanah Saham Pahang Berhad as having failed to repay their loan of RM160.71 million and RM 59.82 million respectively to the state government.

“To make things worse, the report also revealed that the state government cannot take action against the GLCs which fail to repay the loan on schedule.

"It is now crystal clear why some economic experts predicted that Pahang has the potential to go bankrupt,” said Tuan Ibrahim.

Tuan Ibrahim, who is also the PAS vice president and election director in the upcoming Kerdau by-election, said the responsibility now was Adnan's to explain to the people, including the voters in Kerdau, on the measures taken to overcome weaknesses highlighted in the report.

Another promise to revive abandoned project

Meanwhile, Kerdau constituents are crying foul over a statement by UMNO's Kuala Krau member of parliament Ismail Said announcing an allocation of RM2.2 million to revive a long-abandoned low-cost housing project in Paya Taram.

Locals said the project had remained abandoned for the last 20 years despite repeated promises by BN to revive it in every election campaign.

It is believed that the government has handed over the project to private banks, with house buyers being told to apply bank loans of RM35,000, about RM10,000 more than the original price, with RM2.50 a square foot imposed for extra lots.

House buyer Sharuddin Mohd Salleh, 50 told Harakahdaily that although he welcomed the latest promise, he had doubts if the project ever see completion.

“When it is abandoned and completion date not known, it definitely makes us uncomfortable,” he said.

Siti Fatimah Abdul Rahman, 48, said her hope to own a house had been dashed by the stalled project.

“My son is now 24 years old and our dream house is still not ready. I am very disappointed as I had always planned to stay there, but until now it is not completed.

"I really hope that the house will be completed and the government will not ignore it. What’s more when there are parties who keep promising its completion during every election,” she said.

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