The monopoly over sand mining in Selangor by the state-owned Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (Semesta) should be broken, a PKR representative told the state assembly today.

azmin ali pc in parliament 020709 02 Mohamed Azmin Ali (PKR-Bukit Antarabangsa) said a healthy competition would be created if private companies were given the opportunity to join the fray while enhancing corporate governance and transparency.

In the Petaling District, royalty from the extraction of sand from three rivers paid by Semesta so far this year was merely RM27,000 compared to more than RM3 million in 2008, he said when debating the 2010 Budget.

"Is what is happening to Semesta an oversight or the management should be revamped?

"Is there any truth that Semesta employees were involved in the alleged stealing of truckloads of sand as the trucks detained by the authorities belonged to the company?" asked Azmin.

Performance below par

Ng Suee Lim (DAP-Sekinchan) said as Semesta's performance was still below par, the state government should give it a deadline to shape up, failing which the management should be reorganised.

He said Semesta paid RM4.67 million in royalty up to October this year compared to RM735,000 in the corresponding period last year.

Ng claimed that he knew the identities of Semesta officers, who acted in cohort with sand thieves, but declined to name them when challenged by Mohd Shamsudin Lias (BN-Sungai Burong).

- Bernama