By Lim Guan Eng
The Penang Development Corporation (PDC) Board decided on 9 February 2010 to award the open tender of managing the BJCC to a company that is worth more than RM 40 million over 10 years. Full details of the tender award will be published after the Chinese New Year in accordance with CAT principles of Competency, Accountability and Transparency.
BJCC is run by Island Golf Properties Bhd(IGP), a PDC owned subsidiary company. At the present moment Bayan Baru MP Dato Seri Zahrain Mohd Hashim is still the Chairman of IGP. Zahrain has been the Chairman and Director of Island Golf Properties Bhd since 9th July 2008. PDC has informed me that no letter has been sent by either PDC or IGP to any director of IGP of any changes.
Certain actions and claims by Zahrain on the IGP has compelled PDC to monitor IGP closely to ensure that IGP is run in the public interest and in compliance with CAT principles. PDC has been concerned at how Zahrain was leading the IGP, when he and the IGP recommended on 12 January 2009 that the operations of the BJCC be outsourced and awarded to a RM 2 company.
PDC Board meeting on 10 February 2009 rejected Zahrain and IGP’s recommendation that the RM 2 company be selected. Instead the PDC Board agreed with the Chief Minister’s recommendation that a fresh open tender be called.
The Chief Minister had based his recommendation for a fresh open tender for the management of BJCC on two important reasons. One, to allow a RM 2 private company to win the tender for running BJCC, that involves expenditure of tens of millions of ringgit, would make a mockery of the meaning of open tender system. Two, the RM 2 company had no track record of running a golf club and was established on 29 Sept 2008. The RM 2 company was established a mere two months before the tender, clearly with the sole intended purpose of bidding for the tender in December 2008.
I had refused to heed requests to follow the recommendation by Zahrain and IGP to select the RM 2 company. Instead I had insisted on full compliance with the PDC Board’s directive that a fresh open tender must be held in line with the CAT principles. The fresh open tender exercise was carried out last year with 7 interested applicants.
The PDC Board decided on 9 February 2010 meeting to select a company that offered a combined value of more than RM 40 million to BJCC over 10 years. The company selected has a track record and most importantly its paid up capital is not RM 2.
The time has come to look at open tenders and government contracts based solely on performance and public interest.
#1 by yhsiew on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 12:05 am
///Instead I had insisted on full compliance with the PDC Board’s directive that a fresh open tender must be held in line with the CAT principles.///
Yep, that is the right thing to do – public interest comes first.
Don’t be influenced by BN moles and agents. There are too many of them in PR.
#2 by chengho on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 12:07 am
Why you have to wait until CNY , any CAT around?
#3 by frankyapp on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 1:56 am
So this now revealed the true color of Zahrain. Chengho should now demand that he resigns immediately. Now what Umno has to shout about ?. This Zahrain guy is indeed looking after his own interest.Well done PDC Board.Please keep it up.
#4 by pwcheng on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 3:02 am
An leopard will never change its skin. All these are disgruntled ex UMNO members who are now in PKR are only looking for greener pastures. Their “monkey see monkey do” habits cultured from UMNO has practically eroded their moral and ethics and this crop of weeds are now sprouting in PR and if not controlled or weeded will destroy the crop that the people has toiled and planted.
Look at PAS. With a 1 seat majority they can control Kelantan for years. These are the ethical and morally grounded hard core supporters that PKR should be looking for, not those rubbish from UMNO. Discard them before they do more harm.
#5 by Comrade on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 8:26 am
Although PR may not be perfect
It is by far better than BN in effect
BN moles in it is its main defect
For bright future PR is the better prospect
#6 by ch on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 10:03 am
Actions being taken by a few PKR MPs and YBs blatantly reinforced the caption of “they are out in politics to make money”. You can see now that politicians often say things which are only good to themselves.
#7 by jus legitimum on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 10:12 am
PR should kick out all the self serving and unprincipled ‘garbage’ (2 from Penang,1 from Kedah) now.The rakyat are very discerning people.They know these one term MPs are damn selfish and are trying to enrich themselves by all kinds of dirty and underhand tactics including the venomous racist utterances.They should look at the mirror before they open their stupid mouths.Dap statesmen like LKS,KS,LGE,and many others have decades of proven track records and even have sacrificed themselves as political prisoners for years.Now take a look at the three garbage above,they really stink and they will definitely be cast out in the coming election if they are not sacked or resign now.
#8 by Black Arrow on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 10:15 am
PKR seems to have the most number of BN agents. These BN agents must be thrown out with immediate effect. If not, they will destroy Pakatan Rakyat from within and give the impression that Pakatan leaders are unfit to govern. These BN agents are capable of doing great damage to Pakatan.
#9 by k1980 on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 10:22 am
Fly-by-night instant companies with RM2 paid-up capital should be banned in the country. Even beggars can set up these companies.
A few years back, one such company was unable to repair the runway of Penang Int. Airport because it has only RM2 in capital and hence unable to procure the manpower and material
#10 by Onlooker Politics on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 10:27 am
The good reason to reject a competitive bid of the tender should be that the bidder is not able to show proof of the financial soundness and financial health of the bidding company. RM2 paid up capital could not immediately prove that a bidder was financially unsound or unhealthy, especially when the RM2 company could be proven that it would be strongly backup up with the adequate amount of personal assets of its substantial shareholder.
As an accounting-trained professional, Lim Guan Eng should cite some much more convincing reasons of rejecting a bidder and should not only mention the reason that the bidder was a RM2 company. In the first place, did the project developer require a performance bond in terms of bank guarantee to be submitted by the tender winner? If the bidder was able to provide the performance bond, why should it be rejected based on the ambiguous reason that it was only a RM2 company? A newly registered company is much cleaner in terms of accounting purpose and is much easier to manage than an established company for venturing into a new project!
#11 by Onlooker Politics on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 10:29 am
Sorry, typo error…
“especially when the RM2 company could be proven that it would be strongly backED up with the adequate amount of personal assets of its substantial shareholder.”
#12 by Onlooker Politics on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 10:39 am
Perhaps the best reason for Lim Guan Eng’s telling off Zahrain was that Zahrain’s untransparent intervention in the selection process was in violation of the Penang State Government’s CAT principle. Tell us a much more convincing reason is important to prove that the Penang State Government is making a wise and rightful decision!
#13 by Dap man on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 11:05 am
In the 1970s and 1980s I was wary of Chinese politicians. They hopped from the DAP to MCA or Gerakan and some from Gerakan to MCA and vice versa.
Now I am wary about the Malays. They hopped from UMNO to Semangat 46 and then back into UMNO.
Then many hopped from UMNO into PKR and then back into UMNO.
These hoppers must be castrated and their organs thrown to the dogs. They have no integrity. Shameful human beings.
#14 by rahmanwang on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 11:43 am
Mr DAP man,
If we were to castrate these hoppers and feed their organs to the dogs,I think the dogs will not even want them.These hoppers are taking the easy way out in joining political party just so that they can get easy contracts.Luclily Guan Eng is clear and will only entertain CAT policy.So if not happy with CAT then get the hell out of Pakatan.
#15 by k1980 on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 11:58 am
Comment #13: These hoppers must be castrated and their organs thrown to the dogs.
After eating those severed “balls”, the dogs would start hopping around like frogs, turning into traitors that would bite their owners!
#16 by yhsiew on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 12:29 pm
Zahrain quits PKR
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/52915-zahrain-quits-pkr
=========================================================
It is better that these BN agents leave PR early lest they rock the boat and jeopardize PR’s chance of taking on the federal government in the 13th GE.
It is time to clean the house to weed out BN moles and agents to get ready for the 13th GE.
#17 by jus legitimum on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 12:52 pm
If still got b.lls(not yet castrated or half castrated),better resign from the seat and pave way for a by election.After all the bum won under the PKR ticket.Show u masih ada bola sekarang,pengkhianat cum opportunist.Good riddance to a real racist who is another ketuanan very staunch supporter.
#18 by pohsoon on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 2:26 pm
Well.. it should be Lunar New Year, not Chinese New Year.
#19 by rockdaboat on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 4:22 pm
We will celebrate at Gurney Drive tonight!
Yes if this is a man of principle, he should quit the seat he won under PKR flag.
As for the clown TTB, let him do his wayang alone at MACC, PR do not have to stoop to his level!
#20 by rockdaboat on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 4:28 pm
#7 by jus legitimum
Well said!
Please add one more garbage from Wangsa Maju!
#21 by rockdaboat on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 4:40 pm
“I had refused to heed requests to follow the recommendation by Zahrain and IGP to select the RM 2 company. Instead I had insisted on full compliance with the PDC Board’s directive that a fresh open tender must be held in line with the CAT principles.”
Thank God that the truth has come to light and a fat mosquito has finally left PKR.
#22 by k1980 on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 4:48 pm
Hey YB Lim, I have just registered a RM 2 company. Now can I be awarded the (closed) tender of managing the Penang International Airport? If not, I am going to quit PR and join BN, just like Zotty Zahrain had done
#23 by frankyapp on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 6:43 pm
Zotty Zahrain not only damaged himself,he alsoll damaged his race and religion.Can anyone nowaday trust a “Dato Seri” ? I wonder how Zahrain got his title. Funny thing in Malaysia, dishonest and untrustworthy people still could be honoured by governors,rulers and king who hold the nation’s highest morality. Don’t malaysians ever feel ashamed to see so many honoured persons with great title committed various forms of crime in and outside the country ?
#24 by dawsheng on Friday, 12 February 2010 - 8:14 pm
It is all about the money for politicians! LGE has only one thing to do, show the results and fast, nothing is better than the real thing.
#25 by DCLXVI on Tuesday, 16 February 2010 - 1:09 am
chengho: “Why you have to wait until CNY , any CAT around?”
Well, Rome wasn’t built in a day.
I think Zahrain was given ample time to reconsider his aggressive remarks against Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng, as a courtesy to PKR as DAP’s political ally.
However, since Zahrain had refused to let up, I guess Guan Eng had no choice but to reveal in his defence the most plausible cause of Zahrain’s verbal attacks against him.
That must have pushed Zahrain to the edge, and thus, his resignation from PKR.