This is to remind the Tourism Minister, Datuk Azalina Othman that it is more than a week since her promise in Parliament to table the PriceWaterhouse report on the various financial scandals of Tourism Ministry’s subsidiary, Pempena Sdn. Bhd.
When replying to me in Parliament on Monday, 3rd November on the 2009 Budget, Azalina said that PriceWaterhouse report into the financial scandals of Pempena would only be ready two days later on Wednesday, and I specifically reminded her at the time to keep her undertaking to present the PriceWaterhouse report in Parliament.
In fact, when she was further questioned on the PriceWaterhouse report, the Deputy Speaker, Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, who was in the chair at the time, came to her rescue, urging MPs to “bersabar tunggu hari Rabu”…”hingga laporan selesai”.
In my speech on the 2009 budget on October 15, I had referred to the Oct. 13, 2008 expose by the Sun in the report “Over the limit…PSD ALLOWS MINISTER ONLY EIGHT STAFF, BUT 20 ON TOURISM MINISTRY’S PAYROLL”, calling in Parliament for a full explanation for the serious allegation that the tourism minister’s office “has excess baggage”, being overstaffed as “the appointment of some 20 staff breaches the Public Services Department (PSD)’s regulations limiting the appointments to only eight” and that “it defies a Treasury circular on cost-cutting and austerity”.
The Tourism Minister had in fact three special officers, five political officers, one research officer, six information technology (IT) officers and given support staff. As only the PSD can approve the new appointments, the guidelines were circumvented by getting Tourism Ministry subsidiary Pempena Sdn. Bhd and its affiliates Malaysian Travel Business Travel Sdn. Bhd and SD Corp Communication Sdn. Bhd to pay their salary.
One such appointment is Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun, who is the executive director of Pempena and paid RM10,000 and is provided with a car and driver.
I also raised the financial scandals in the various Tourism Ministry projects including the RM30 million for Malaysia Kitchen and RM10 million for E-Tourism Portal. Another scandal is the Pempena Teksi Service (Pets) which has lost millions of ringgit.
In her reply, Azalina admitted that all was not well with the ministry’s various projects and subiidaries especially, Pempena resulting in serious allegations of graft and criminal breach of trust against senior officials in Pempena.
She said that this was why PriceWaterhouse had been asked to conduct an audit report.
Azalina has asked MPs to be patient until the PriceWaterhouse report is officially handed to her last Wednesday. When is she going to keep her promise to table the PriceWaterhouse report into Pempena financial scandals in Parliament?
#1 by malaysia born on Thursday, 13 November 2008 - 12:10 pm
These peoplea re trying to evade their responsibilties and work…….but people are still voting and supporting them.
You deserve the government you vote for.
#2 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Thursday, 13 November 2008 - 12:14 pm
I don’t trust Azalina.
And I never will.
For the record: I don’t trust UMNO.
And I never will.
#3 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Thursday, 13 November 2008 - 12:16 pm
How else can the UMNO crooks fund all the money politics in UMNO elections?
The rot is top-down, left, right, center, diagonal and UNIVERSAL!
#4 by One4All4One on Thursday, 13 November 2008 - 12:30 pm
Accountability, integrity, transparency, impartiality, honesty, responsibility and all virtuous traits are not in their dictionary and vocabulary.
Instead, treachery, cheat, non-disclosure, corruption, manipulation, abuse, irresponsibility, “ketuanan”, special privileges, hidden agenda, quotas, plunder, embezzlement, money politics, race cards, bias, and all convenient instruments of self-interest which could help perpetuate their positions are most welcomed.
This is the general and common situation with regard to certain people.
Let’s abolish them!
#5 by k1980 on Thursday, 13 November 2008 - 12:31 pm
Why should I pay taxes so that some Pempena nincompoop is getting paid RM10,000 a month and is provided with a car and driver? Pempena is really Pemampus
#6 by frankyapp on Thursday, 13 November 2008 - 12:38 pm
Hey you guys,now you can say I am right all the way when I said scandals ,scandals and more to come.This pempena scandals is the latest one of many more to come .Those pretty smart illegal UMNO hunters will not set traps to trap themselves.
Reasons why I said all their appointments to ACA ,MCAC,PAC,Judiciary,etc etc are their cronies or culprists.And as these officials are their servants/cronies what do you think they can do given the task infront of them. Do you guys think you would bite the hands that feed you ? Come,be real and think about it .
#7 by All For The Road on Thursday, 13 November 2008 - 12:52 pm
What – man? Employing more staff than it’s necessary and not doing their jobs well, efficiently and effectively at the expense of the poor taxpayers is really ‘makan gaji buta’!
What more – man? The defeated and former PJ Utara MP cum Parliamentary Secretary is appointed as an executive director in Pempena Sdn Bhd at a whopping RM10,000 a month + car + driver. Far more better than the former post and gained financially too! It’s actually news to us if it is not disclosed by YB LKS. This is the usual practice of the BN government to ‘reward’ political ‘have-beens’ for their so-called past services. What more does one want then? The Tourism Minister has a case to answer! But will we get the right and logical answers?
#8 by taiking on Thursday, 13 November 2008 - 1:21 pm
Allegations of impropriety against her staff it seems.
But staff of the ministry are the responsibility of the minister.
And so those allegations are as good as allegations against the min herself.
#9 by Anak Msia on Thursday, 13 November 2008 - 1:25 pm
who care about the money coming from where, this is not their own money but the rakyat’s.
this is where you can did dig dig and more shit will surface.
Tourism is spending millions of $ to advertise or so called attracts tourist to Malaysia but all these are not tangible assets that you can see, it always cost the rakyat a lot but we don’t get to enjoy the result. At the end, they tell you they manage to increase 50% of tourists as compare last year, all the figure are fed by goment but it is up to you to judge whether it worth the value or the figure is correct. God knows!
Uncle Lim, pls be thick skin to pursuit the matter and we want the truth.
#10 by taiking on Thursday, 13 November 2008 - 1:36 pm
Sorry. Cant resist this little diversion.
Some idiots are objecting to road signs in other languages.
Reason, disrespectful to national language.
Stupid.
RTM must not broadcast english news then.
Stupid.
Umoputras must drop “I”, “you”, “best” and the whole load of other english words from their conversation.
Stupid.
Umno government must not print government info in english. Foreigners must also respect national language when in malaysia.
etc etc etc
#11 by yhsiew on Thursday, 13 November 2008 - 1:37 pm
After Eurocopters now Azalina – what a frightening den of draculas in UMNO!
#12 by taikohtai on Thursday, 13 November 2008 - 3:42 pm
Aiyah….since when BN elected representatives are there to do the jobs they are supposed to?
They all think their jobs are:
1. sweet talk to the rakyat until the cows come home.
2. cover up the tracks of BN’s devious ways of milking the rakyat
3. take free trips overseas whenever things get a bit too hot to handle
4. beat up and jail those who protest too much or write too many Statutory Declarations
5. buddy buddy with the Judiciary
6. hatam the opposition no matter what
7. spend, spend and spend the rakyat’s hard earned tax money
8. bail out their own ailing companies and declare it is done for the good of the country
Sorry, YB Lim, getting down to the nuts and bolts of a promised job is definitely NOT ONE OF THEM!
#13 by carboncopy on Thursday, 13 November 2008 - 5:09 pm
Uncle Kit,
Did I hear correctly from the video? Umi Hafilda got RM300,000 for a program which did not happen? Is this Umi Hafilda the same person as the Umi Hafilda 10 years ago?
The Umi Hafilda who appeared in the news day in day out at court house dressed to kill (Anwar politically)?
#14 by monsterball on Thursday, 13 November 2008 - 10:30 pm
She tried to earn commission…by approving a sport training center in London….when she was Sports Minister.
Got back fired!!
Now in Tourism…just started..already showing signs of…..no management at all.
Being the first…to be elected…in 12th election..unopposed….by her tribal loyal voters….does not mean…she must be a minister.
But…..if not her….who else?
UMNO needs yes man/woman….idiots as ministers. So she is chosen.
#15 by rubini on Thursday, 13 November 2008 - 11:37 pm
U mean all this while, she doesn’t read the financial reports of the business. Wow now blame it on bad mgmt. Looks like someone left the money tap open.
#16 by yellowkingdom on Friday, 14 November 2008 - 12:25 am
… has gone to London for the Commonwealth Tourism Ministers meeting. What a good excuse to be away!
#17 by pjboy on Friday, 14 November 2008 - 2:08 am
When in Sports Ministry, Malaysian sports downhill.
What happened to the front page news about the mega mark up prices for simple tools purchased under her watch in 2007?
Running Pempena S/B…downhill.
Now in Tourism Ministry…where are the tourist ???
Anything she touch go downhill. Why?
#18 by Godfather on Friday, 14 November 2008 - 12:45 pm
“UMNO needs yes man/woman….idiots as ministers. So she is chosen.” Monsterball
Are you sure Azalina qualifies as a woman ?
#19 by monsterball on Friday, 14 November 2008 - 1:39 pm
She dressed like a woman..speaks like a woman…but maybe you know more than me?
Last time…..I thought she was a she/he.
Then I suspected she became a lesbian…when she dressed more like a man.
Then of late…..she showed up with big boobs!!
And that’s only one sure thing,.,.,.to attract a man.
So she is normal.
#20 by Godfather on Friday, 14 November 2008 - 4:56 pm
Last time she was the butch one in a relationship, now she has turned to be the feminine one…..maybe some of the UMNO delegates will find her “delicious”…..based on her track record of corrupt allegations…..
#21 by gmansayong on Friday, 14 November 2008 - 9:50 pm
KIT SIANG SEMBRONO LAGI
Lim Kit Siang, siapa yang tidak kenal dengan Ahli Parlimen dari Ipoh Timur ini. Kit Siang memang terkenal dengan kebiadapannya terutama apabila berbahas di dalam Parlimen. Kebiadapannya semakin terserlah apabila siaran perbahasan disiarkan secara langsung di TV1. Hinggakan kemulian Parlimen dicemarkan oleh ahli parlimen cina yang terkenal dengan semangat perkaumannya itu.\
Terbaru penulis terbaca artikel yang disiarkan olehnya berkenaan Menteri Pelancongan. Kit Siang mengesa supaya Azalina menghormati janjinya untuk membentangkan laporan audit oleh PriceWaterHouse di Parlimen. Bagi mengelakkan isu ini terus dijaja olehnya, penulis telah menelefon salah seorang rakan yang secara kebetulan bekerja di Kementerian Pelancongan.
Hasil perbualan tersebut, penulis dimaklumkan laporan tersebut telah pun dihantar kepada Setiausaha Dewan Rakyat, Roosme bt Hamzah. Sekadar untuk kepastian penulis terus menghubungi salah seorang kakitangan di Dewan Rakyat dan beliau juga mengesahkan laporan tersebut telah diterima dan salinan pengesahan juga telah diberikan..
Laporan tersebut mungkin terlewat, tapi ia bukanlah disengajakan. Mungkin syarikat audit yang dipertanggungjawabkan perlu meneliti laporan tersebut sebelum diserahkan kepada Menteri.
Penulis juga dimaklumkan, laporan bertulis itu diserahkan terus kepada Setiausaha Dewan adalah disebabkan kerana pada ketika ini Azalina berada di luar negera (London) atasan urusan rasmi. Masakan Lim Kit Siang tidak tahu, atau pura-pura tidak tahu, sedangankan Buletin Utama pada 12 dan 13 November telah melaporkan mengenai perkara itu.
Masakan orang yang kononya bijak dan cerdik seperti Kit Siang tidak meneliti laporan berita? Atau mungkin Kit Siang dengan sengaja cuba mencari ruang bagi mencari publisiti murahan. Atau mungkin juga artikel tersebut bertujuan untuk memburuk-burukkan Menteri Kabinet Kerajaan bagi menarik sokongan rakyat.
Namun ternyata tindakan Kit Siang telah memakan dirinya, kerana artikel yang mengharapkan Azalina untuk menghormati janji yang dibuat sebenarnya telah pun dikotakan. Sekiranya Kit Siang masih meraguinya bolehlah merujuk kepada Setiausaha Dewan untuk kepastian. Dan ada baiknya kiranya Kit Siang bermeditasi seperti para sami Budha untuk memumuk sifat sabar dalam tindakan.
#22 by ktteokt on Saturday, 15 November 2008 - 1:20 pm
Syabas again to our MENTERI SERBAGUNA! Any Tom, Dick or Harry can be minister in one position at one time and presto, the next moment he or she is in another portfolio. How do you expect these people to be efficient when they know NUTS about the new ministries they take over? But this way we get to create more TUNs (NUT spelt backwards) in Malaysia! Good thing to do as it will save the DYMM lots of trouble in conferring this title. They become self-made TUNs!
#23 by frankyapp on Saturday, 15 November 2008 - 2:02 pm
Ktteokt,how’s only in malaysia ,criminal, corruptors,balls-carriers ,along,mat rempit,lesbian,tomboy,pondan,etc.etc can get datukships, Tansriship,even Tunship ? Many who died for the country,yet get nothing. How on earth ,it’s happening here. People told me when you throw a stone in Petaling Street it’s pretty likely you hit a datuk,or a tansri or even a chance to hit a Tun. What a joke or is it real ?
#24 by veddy.lum74 on Sunday, 16 November 2008 - 10:47 am
i tell you,this lesbian azalina is corrupt to the core!
whereever she goes,her motto is:how shall i maximising my ministry’s power n be corrupting to the edge!no body can touch me!