Make Public Highway Concession Agreements

We, members of the National Coalition for a Freedom of Information Act, condemn the Prime Minister’s threat to prosecute Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) under the Official Secrets Act for revealing to the public the LDP Concessionaire Agreement.

The Prime Minister’s threat, reported in the New Straits Times on Jan 10, contradicts his promise to uphold an open, transparent and accountable government. His latest threat to take action against whistleblowers casts doubt on the sincerity of his call to the people to tell him the truth.

The public has a right to know the content of the agreement between the government and highway builder LITRAK. The government, as the trustee of tax payers’ money should recognize, and not criminalize, this right.

Little access to information and poor explanations from the government only aggravate public dissatisfaction. The lack of transparency can also decrease people’s faith that the government is acting in the public interest, rather than in particular or sectoral interests.

We urge the Prime Minister to immediately make public all the highway concession agreements and translate his pledge of transparency to people by enacting a Freedom of Information Act, through a parliamentary select committee to review all media-related legislations.

Endorsed by:
Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ)
Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA)
Pusat Komunikasi Masyarakat (KOMAS)
All Women’s Action Society (AWAM)
Writers’ Alliance for Media Independence (WAMI)

For more information please call FOI Coordinator Yi Xing at 03 4023 0772  

Source: CIJ 

Anwar: Probe Russian Jet Deal

 

Opposition figure Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday questioned the integrity of Malaysia’s purchase of Russian warplanes, and asked the police and the anti-corruption agency to probe the deal.

Malaysia ordered 18  Sukhoi SU-30MK planes in 2003, the first of which was originally due for delivery in 2006. Malaysia has yet to receive the aircraft.

The $900-million deal includes a plan to put a Malaysian astronaut into space and palm oil sales to Russia.

 IMT Defence Sdn Bhd, a privately held Malaysian firm headed by former cabinet minister Mohd Adib Adam, was the agent for the deal, local media have reported.

The role of Mohamad Adib surfaced in March 2005 after a director of the company filed a legal suit to prevent his dismissal.

Mohammed Zainuri Mohammed Idrus claimed he was being sacked to prevent him from exposing the details of the Sukhoi deal.

Anwar, former deputy prime minister until he was arrested in September 1998 and thrown in jail after he challenged then premier Mahathir Mohamad, said IMT was set to receive $108 million, or 12 percent of the purchase price, as commission.

Anwar claimed he has evidence to prove commissions were paid, but said he could not disclose it.

“Why do we see a pattern of questionable agents being appointed in procurement deals worth billions of ringgit by the Ministry of Defence?” he asked.

“Ultimately, we want to know: Who are the real beneficiaries of these dubious defence deals,” he told a news conference.

IMT officials were not immediately available for comment. A press secretary to Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is also the Defence Minister, said he had no immediate comments.

Anwar said appointing an agent in such deals was uncommon in Malaysia.

“Normally, in major contracts or procurement of weapons or military hardware, it’s either government-to-government or between the government and the manufacturer,” he said.

Malaysia’s Anti-Corruption Agency director of investigation Mohd Shukri Abdull was attending a meeting and was not immediately available.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi came to power three years ago on an anti-corruption platform, but Anwar said the incidence of graft was only increasing.

“All the small issues are dealt with in the media but the big ones, there is an effort to cover them up. This is worrying and questions the integrity of the government,” he said.

In his other allegation, Anwar said the central Bank Negara had lost 33.8 billion ringgit in forex speculation from 1989-1993, but that it managed to recoup 2.5 billion ringgit in 1990.

Sources: Reuters,  AFP