Speech on Motion of Thanks (Part 1)

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Speech on Motion of Thanks (Part 2)

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Speech on Motion of Thanks (Part 3)

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Parliament: RM5.54 billion in taxes from NS from 2004-2008

Soalan:

LOKE SIEW FOOK (RASAH) minta MENTERI KEWANGAN menyatakan jumlah kutipan cukai oleh Kerajaan Persekutuan di Negeri Sembilan mengikut pecahan jabatan-jabatan berlainan setiap tahun dari tahun 2004 hingga 2008 dan jumlah peruntukan dari Kerajaan Persekutuan kepada Negeri Sembilan dalam tempoh yang sama.

Jawapan:

Untuk makluman Yang Berhormat, jumlah kutipan cukai oleh jabatan Kerajaan Persekutuan iaitu Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (LHDN) dan Kastam Di Raja Malaysia (KDRM) di Negeri Sembilan dari tahun 2004 hingga 2008 adalah sebanyak RM5.54 billion di mana kutipan cukai bagi LHDN adalah sebanyak RM2.32 billion dan bagi KDRM adalah sebanyak RM3.22 billion.

Jumlah pemberian oleh Kerajaan Persekutuan kepada Negeri Sembilan dari tahun 2004 hingga 2008 adalah sebanyak RM622.99 juta. Jumlah pemberian ini tidak termasuk peruntukan yang disalurkan melalui kementerian dan agensi Persekutuan yang lain. Read more!

Parliament: More than RM15 million spent for Kuala Terengganu by-election

Soalan:

LOKE SIEW FOOK (RASAH) minta PERDANA MENTERI menyatakan jumlah perbelanjaan mengikut item-item spesifik untuk perjalanan Pilihan Raya Kecil P036 Kuala Terengganu pada bulan JAnuari lepas yang perlu ditanggung oleh Kerajaan termasuk kos untuk kerahan 6,000 anggota polis.

Jawapan:

Untuk makluman Ahli Yang Berhormat, jumlah keseluruhan perbelanjaan bagi pilihan raya kecil Kuala Terengganu adalah sebanyak RM580,000. Manakala jumlah keseluruhan perbelanjaan bagi operasi PDRM pula ialah sebanyak RM15.153 juta! Read more!

Parliament: Government allows 10 "Special Draw 4D" in 2008

Soalan:

LOKE SIEW FOOK (RASAH) minta MENTERI KEWANGAN menyatakan jumlah "Special Draw 4D" yang telah dibenarkan oleh Kerajaan sepanjang tahun 2008, kutipan cukai untuk "special draw" tersebut dan apakah rasional Kerajaan membenarkan "special draw" tersebut.

Jawapan:

Untuk makluman Ahli Yang Berhormat, sejumlah 10 cabutan khas (special draw) yang telah dibenarkan oleh Kerajaan pada tahun 2008. Jumlah kutipan cukai yang diperolehi daripada cabutan khas tersebut adalah sebanyak RM77,026,171.04. Kerajaan membenarkan cabutan khas diadakan berdasarkan kepada keperluan semasa yang bertujuan untuk membiayai pelbagai program/projek pembangunan yang berbentuk sukan, kebajikan, pendidikan, kesihatan dan kemasyarakatan.

My comment:

We have received many complaints from members of the public regarding this "special draw" issue as the approval for "special draw" will increase the number of betting days from 3 to 4 times a week. I have raised this issue twice in Parliament last year and urged the government to stop allowing gaming companies to have "special draw". The Minister of Finance has evaded this question many times and very little information was announced in the media regarding this issue. Now i know why the government allows more "special draws" - to fund development projects! Read more!

Parliament: PLUS collected RM6.68 billion from 2004-2007

Soalan:

LOKE SIEW FOOK (RASAH) MINTA MENTERI KERJA RAYA menyatakan jumlah kutipan tol yang telah dikutip oleh Projek Lebuh Raya Utara Selatan (PLUS) dari tahun 2004 hingga 2008 dan sama ada jumlah pendapatan tersebut melebihi "Threshold Toll Revenue" yang ditetapkan dalam Perjanjian Konsesi PLUS.

Jawapan:

Untuk makluman Ahli Yang Berhormat, jumlah kutipan tol yang telah dikutip oleh Projek Lebuh Raya Utara Selatan (PLUS) dari tahun 2004 hingga 2007 adalah sebanyak RM6.68 billion. Walaubagaimanapun jumlah kutipan hasil tol bagi tahun 2008 masih belum disahkan oleh juruaudit bersama di antara Kerajaan dan syarikat konsesi.

Sepanjang tempoh tersebut, hanya pada tahun 2004 jumlah pendapatan yang direkodkan melebihi "threshold toll revenue" yang ditetapkan dalam perjanjian konsesi PLUS. Untuk itu, kerajaan telah menerima perkongsian hasil tol sebanyak RM4.08 juta.

My comment:

Can you imagine that out of RM6.68 billion collected by PLUS in the form of toll revenue, the federal government got a profit sharing of only RM4.08 million! It is obvious that the "threshold toll revenue" stated in the concession agreement is too high and unrealistic. The idea is that the threshold will never be reached so PLUS can "suck" all the toll revenue they collected. I will give more details on the threshold tomorrow. Read more!

Transport Minister's reply on KLIA East@Labu

Below is the answer I received from Parliament. You can draw your own conclusion on how flip flop the BN government is! I'm more confused after reading the answer whether the project is still on or otherwise. "The government agreed to the project but yet to make a final decision"... what does it mean?

Soalan:

Loke Siew Fook (RASAH) minta MENTERI PENGANGKUTAN menyatakan secara terperinci mengenai projek Lapangan Terbang LCCT KLIA East@Labu dan apakah justifikasi pelaksanaannya dari sudut pandangan Kerajaan Persekutuan dan siapakah yang akan menanggung perbelanjaan untuk membina infrastruktur sistem jaringan pengangkutan seperti landasan penghubung ERL dan sebagainya.

Jawapan:

Untuk makluman Ahli Berhormat Rasah, walaupun Jemaah Menteri telah bersetuju dengan cadangan pembinaan LCCT Labu baru-baru ini, namun keputusan muktamad masih belum dibuat lagi sama ada cadangan projek ini diteruskan atau sebaliknya. Ini kerana kajian yang lebih terperinci dan menyeluruh sedang dijalankan bagi memastikan projek ini benar-benar sesuai dan memberi faedah kepada rakyat dan Negara. dalam hubungan ini pandangan dan komen dari Jabatan dan Agensi Kerajaan, pihak-pihak swasta, pertubuhan-pertubuhan bukan kerajaan, serta individu-individu sememangnya diambilkira agar keputusan muktamad yang dibuat kelak adalah merupakan keputusan yang tepat.

Projek Pembinaan LCCT baru yang dicadangkan di Labu merupakan satu projek penswastaan. oleh itu, kos pembinaan projek akan dibiayai speenuhnya oleh pihak swasta iaitu AirAsia Berhad. ini termasuk kos connectivity yang melibatkan pembinaan jalanraya dan rel keretapi ke LCCT tersebut. Manakala tentang pembinaan bangunan terminal serta lain-lain bangunan berkaitan dengan pengurusan lapangan terbang, syarikat swasta berkenaan perlu mematuhi segala piawaian serta peraturan operasi sesebuah lapangan terbang termasuk mendapatkan lesen-lesen yang berkaitan yang dikawal oleh Kementerian Pengangkutan.

Sekiranya projek ini dipersetujui dan dilaksanakan kelak, Kementerian Pengangkutan akan terlibat dari segi memastikan bahawa LCCT tersebut mematuhi segala piawaian dan peraturan pengurusan lapangan terbang serta semua urusan sistem kawalan trafik udara dan prosedur bagi pengendalian penumpang serta passenger transfer yang telah ditetapkan oleh International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
. Read more!

Parliament reconvenes!

The second session of the 12th parliament was opened by the King this morning. Today's sitting is only ceremonial and actual debates will begin tomorrow. The house will be in session for more than 5 weeks until end of march. All DAP MPs have been briefed by party leaders this afternoon to expect lots of fireworks and fiery debates across the floor. Recent political developments in perak will surely dominates the debate but we will make sure economic hardships faced by the ppl will be heard in the dewan too. I will raise the flip flop airport project in labu and will continue to press for abolition of kl seremban tol. Will keep you posted about parliament happenings. Read more!

SPR Independent?

The Election Commission (SPR) has just announced that nomination day for the vacant Bukit Gantang parliamentary seat and Bukit Selambau state seat will be held simultaneously on March 29. If there is a contest, voting will be held on April 7. This is probably the longest period in the history of election in Malaysia to hold a by-election after a seat was vacant.

The late Bukit Gantang MP passed away on 9 Feb 2009. It will take 58 days before the voters of the constituency get to elect their new MP. The law allows up to 60 days to hold an election after a seat is vacant or after Parliament is dissolved. In last year's general election, it took the SPR only 25 days to hold the election after Parliament was dissolved. The fact as below:

Dissolution of Parliament: 13th February 2008
Nomination Day: 24th February 2008
Election Day: 8th March 2008 (Saturday)

The SPR Chairman owes the Malaysian public and in particular the voters of Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau an explanation as to why they need such a long period to hold the by-election in both constituencies?

Were they purposely fixed a date later than the UMNO General Assembly so that UMNO leaders in particular their in-coming President Datuk Seri Najib Razak can be spared of any humiliation in case BN lost in the by-election? For the record, UMNO General Assembly will convene from March 24 to 28. Do you think it was a co-incident that nomination falls one day after the UMNO General Assembly?

DAPSY slams the Election Commission for acting in the most unprofessional manner and reinforced the perception that it is not in any way, independent. Read more!

DAPSY protest in front of Perak State Government building on 8th Feb 2009

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Keep up the fight for democracy

DAP NS held a "Perak Political Crisis" forum in Seremban last night. The hall was packed with about 300 members of the public although it was only a 2-days notice. The crowd listened attentively and i felt their anger on what's happening in Perak and their spirit to play a part to keep democracy alive. We prepared a banner for the public to sign whether they "agree or disagree" that Perak State Assembly should be dissolved. 100% who turned up signed at the "agree" column.

I stressed that our struggle for the restoration of democracy in Perak must be peaceful. That is our No 1 principle. Our political enemy named "evil BN" are trying to provoke us with all means possible in hoping that we will retaliate violently. We will not fall into their traps. We must be careful and keep our vigilant at all times.

This are trying times but we have to continue our struggle to keep democracy alive. Show our moral support to our Pakatan comrades in Perak. We are playing our part to organize forums to inform the public of what's happening, issuing statements and we are also organizing a bus trip to Ipoh on Friday, 13 Feb to show our solidarity with the Perak MB Datuk Seri Nizar and his EXCO. Nizar has emerged as a true Malaysian leader from this episode. We vow to campaign as hard as we can to help Pakatan to win Bukit Gantang and Bukit Selambau with a much bigger majority. Read more!

Cry for Malaysia!

It's a dark day for Malaysians and a big setback for our democratic system. I'm in ipoh currently and attended the pakatan meeting at the mb's official residence and later the pakatan leadership press conference as the picture above. A legitimate government elected by 54% of the voters have been forced out of power by the most undemocratic means. BN has robbed the perak government by crook. The MB has not resigned yet but the state secretary told him that he is no longer the mb and the SS is fully in command now. See how dirty are they. And the police including FRU has cordoned off the state government building and ordered all the Exco to leave immediately. Let us tell this to BN loud and clear, 'you might have won this battle, but you will lose the war'. The rakyat will curse you and throw you out! Read more!