DAP Malacca asks CM to explain AJA reclamation project awards
With the exclusive revelation yesterday by Malaysiakini that the companies of two Umno leaders have been awarded the reclamation concessions for the Waterfront Economic Corridor, DAP representatives are demanding an explanation from Malacca Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali.
The AJA reclamation project is only a small part of the 25,000 acres of new land involved in the M-WEZ, Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong announced at a press conference today.
Khoo believes that since the companies that have been awarded the reclamation concessions for the AJA project are all Umno affiliated, they have reason to suspect that the other M-WEZ reclamation projects may also have similar problems...
With the exclusive revelation yesterday by Malaysiakini that the companies of two Umno leaders have been awarded the reclamation concessions for the Waterfront Economic Corridor, DAP representatives are demanding an explanation from Malacca Chief Minister Sulaiman Md Ali.
The AJA reclamation project is only a small part of the 25,000 acres of new land involved in the M-WEZ, Kota Melaka MP Khoo Poay Tiong announced at a press conference today.
Khoo believes that since the companies that have been awarded the reclamation concessions for the AJA project are all Umno affiliated, they have reason to suspect that the other M-WEZ reclamation projects may also have similar problems.
"Therefore, we want Malacca Chief Minister Sulaiman to reveal all the 25,000 acres (of reclamation concessions) that have been awarded. Which companies have they signed contracts with, so far?
"We want to know the names of these companies, and who are the owners of the companies.
"Because we believe that this (the AJA project) is not the only one, it is not the first and it will not be the last... We have reason to suspect that other companies linked to Umno leaders have also benefited.
"We want him to reveal... whatever the period, the BN period... to the PN that came to power through the back door, how many (waterfront economic corridor reclamation projects) have been awarded?" Khoo asked.
Other DAP representatives who attended the press conference included Ayer Keroh assemblyperson Kerk Chee Yee and Kota Laksamana assemblyperson Low Chee Leong.
As reported by Malaysiakini yesterday, the AJA reclamation project, which is one of the commercial and residential developments under M-WEZ, is now in the environmental impact assessment stage.
According to EIA report and SSM information, Malacca Umno deputy chairperson Mohamad Ali Mohamad, and the former deputy exco Ghazale Muhamad are in control of four companies that have been awarded the AJA reclamation concession.
However, although Ghazale later admitted to Malaysiakini that he was one of the major shareholders of BBM Ventures Sdn Bhd, one of the concessionaires for the AJA reclamation project, he clarified that he was not involved in the decision-making at the time and therefore there was no question of conflict of interest.
Furthermore, Kerk pointed out that with Sulaiman recently declaring that he aimed for a zero-corruption government, he is therefore obliged to explain the reasons for the state government to award the AJA reclamation project to the four companies owned by Mohammad Ali and Ghazale.
"I also urge the state government to cooperate with the Anti-Corruption Commission and set up a commission of inquiry to examine the transactions under the entire M-WEZ scheme to ensure that they are truly corruption-free."
Kerk also criticised Ghazale's explanation as unconvincing and lacking in detail.
On the other hand, Low pointed out that although the M-WEZ project is claimed to have 25,000 acres, only about 11,083 acres have been approved, of which only 3,279 acres, or 37 percent have been reclaimed.
Not only that, but only 267.9 acres, or less than 10 percent of the reclaimed area have actually been developed, he added.
"So we are asking the government to review the M-WEZ programme because less than 10 percent of the existing reclaimed land has been developed. Does the state government have other considerations and keep approving plans? But there is simply no market (for them)."
Low called on the state government to address the pollution and ecological damage issues raised in the EIA report.
"We hope that the state government will give an explanation to all the Malacca people in the new state assembly meeting that will be held on the 27th of this month," he added.
