THE opposition highlighted the failure of state cabinet ministers to respond to Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Datuk Amar Adenan Satem’s call to make the integrity pledge at the state legislative assembly (DUN) yesterday.
ONE FOR THE ALBUM: Pupils and teachers of SK Encik Buyong, Petra Jaya pose for a photograph at the State Legislative Assembly complex during a visit The 70 pupils were visiting the complex as part of their study tours. — Photos by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
Chong Chieng Jen (DAP-Kota Sentosa) when debating on the budget speech at the DUN sitting yesterday said it was a sad thing that none of the ministers took up Adenan’s call.
“The Chief Minister has to wait for three months for his cabinet ministers to make their stand until in the end he has to leave it to them to decide whether to make such integrity pledge or not,” he said.
He challenged the ministers who were not at the gallery, except for Women, Welfare and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah to make their stand on the pledge when delivering their respective winding-up speeches next
week.
“I am challenging them to make their stand that they will emulate the chief minister’s integrity pledge not to allow family members to apply for state land and logging concessions,” he stressed.
On another matter Chong questioned how it was possible for a company to pay RM400,000 per acre of state land along Jalan Batu Kawa when the market price was actually at least RM2 million per acre.
He said now that the document had already been signed and could not be nullified, the government should impose certain conditions to the company in developing the land.
“One of it is for the company to build what could benefit the people such as constructing low cost houses, schools and playgrounds and so on since they are paying the land at an unreasonably low price,” he said.
On electricity tariff, Chong, who is also Bandar Kuching MP, said since Sesco had been making lot of profit it should be able to reduce the electricity tariff in the state by 30 per cent.