Speech by Piasau lawmaker Alan Ling Sing Kiong in the State Assembly, April 24, 2015
Expensive Airfares in Sarawak
I have received many complaints from the people of
Sarawak, especially those coming from rural areas who are the most affected,
and who felt ‘victimized’ by the costly rural airfares¬ charged by Maswings, a
subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAS).
For example, the one-way 15-minute economy class airfare
from Miri to Marudi ranges from RM70 to RM80.
For an urban link say between Miri and Sibu, the airfare
is priced from RM180 to RM220 for a one-way 55-minute flight. Round trip
tickets between Sibu and Marudi will easily set back a traveller RM500, which
is comparable or even cost more than an international flight to some
neighbouring countries in an age of budget air travel and online booking.
All these costly domestic air travels add to the already
high costs of living in a poor state that is ironically rich in natural
resources, and which has contributed much to the national budget, but which has
yet to meet the needs of Sarawak’s development as evident in the lack of state
infrastructure.
A flight by Maswings from Miri to Lawas is about RM120 to
RM130 one way for a 45 minutes’ trip, and from Miri to Bario about RM120 per
trip. I wonder why Maswings can price such short trips so highly and yet it is
still complaining of not making money.
The state government should step in and demand for a
review and reduction of domestic airfares, as well as to push for exemption of
the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on domestic airfares.
If they continue to offer these kinds of outrageous
airfares, and keep using lame excuses of being unable to make profits, then
Sarawak should find alternatives that offer more competitive airfares to the
people.
Perhaps the state should start its own domestic airline,
or welcome more investors to operate affordable and efficient domestic flights.
Due to poor road conditions and vast reaches of the
state, the skies have become a vital medium for travelling or even the only
mode of transportation available. For example, flight is the only practical way
for travellers to reach certain tourist destinations like Mulu Cave National
Park and Bario Highlands where established ground routes do not exist.
Expensive airfares will also hamper the tourism industry,
because the airfare from Miri to Mulu may cost more than the airfare for flying
in from KK or KL to Miri.
Also most of the time, the airfares between KL and major
towns of Sarawak is cheaper than shorter domestic routes like Miri-Marudi or
Miri-Limbang.
Although Maswings occasionally offered promotional
airfares, it is still far from enough because it is the social duty of the
government to make sure that the people enjoy affordable airfares, and if the
flights are too costly to maintain profitably, then I suggest the state government
subsidise it in context of much needed public services for the people,
especially for rural folks who already have to suffer from lack of public
infrastructure.
GST is also imposed on domestic flights - this is most
unfair to the people of Sarawak many of whom depended heavily on air travel to
get around. The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumerism should intervene to
set a ceiling price (the maximum fare the airline is allowed to charge), in
preventing the situation of exorbitant airfares being charged during festive
seasons causing injustice to the people of Sarawak.
If Maswings is not capable of running its operations in
the state to provide affordable airfares to rural folks efficiently, I hereby
propose that the state government set up an airline as part of a wider,
far-sighted plan to provide for an alternative mode of public transportation
that is really affordable to the people. In the long run, it will also help
stimulate the local tourism industry and the state economy.
Drug activities in the state
On December 5 last year, the seizure of 11.58 kilogrammes
of methamphetamine (syabu) worth about Ringgit Malaysia 21 million in market
value at the Miri Airport shocked many people, especially Sarawakians. I
believe the seizure broke the records, and was the largest drugs bust in the
history of the state.
According to news report, the drugs were hidden in more
than 100 sealed packets labeled as ‘Pearl Milk Tea’ products and packed in six
suitcases. One local man in his 20s was detained in connection to the seizure.
The suspect and the bags containing the drugs were bound for Kuala Lumpur (KL).
The seizure by and large raises suspicion that Sarawak
has become a place to produce illicit drugs for domestic supply, as well
becoming a production center of drugs for export to meet international demand.
We must be serious and vigilant on this issue, for
illicit drugs has a destructive impact on the society and creates social
problems like crime and broken families.
My concern is whether there is any illicit drug
LABORATORY (LAB) in the state, especially in remote rural areas where it can be
hidden and is hard to be detected by the authorities. As much money are
involved in such illegal activity, the operators will usually be well armed and
dangerous. This drugs case has raised many questions that need to be addressed
urgently.
As the seizure and arrest of suspect were made in Miri,
where is the actual source of the drugs, and after KL where was the final
destination of the delivery?
Can the police tell this august house that there is no
existence of any illicit drug laboratory in Sarawak?
If there is no drug laboratory, then where were those
illicit drugs coming from? Is the state just a transit point used by drug
traffickers sourcing drugs from neighbouring countries, or does the seizure
reveal a more serious problem like a drug laboratory operating in the state?
I would appreciate that the police brief this august
house on the progress and results of investigation on this very serious case.
Drug trafficking is the number one enemy of the country,
but in spite of severe punishment in the form of mandatory death penalty, there
are still many people who consider it to be a very lucrative business, and
sophisticated drugs syndicates have been formed.
From news reports, most of the suspects arrested were
drug mules who were conned or forced to be couriers, while the mastermind
behind drugs syndicates were rarely brought to justice. Out of the 5,237 cases
of arrests reported last year, how many faced the death penalty, and has any
mastermind behind drugs syndicates been arrested, investigated, charged, and
sentenced?
The state government must be serious about this issue,
especially to ensure that no police personnel work for drugs syndicate. If
corrupt practices are rampant and not curbed, the drugs issue will remain a
major threat capable of destroying the state and country. On this drug issue,
I humbly seek the kind attention of the honourable Chief
Minister to look into this and make sure the police are serious in combating
drug trade and drug use.
Fighting corruption
I applaud the effort and attempt by the honourable Chief
Minister in trying to clean up the image of the state government which had been
dogged by accusations of corruption for so many years, resulting in the signing
of the Integrity Pledge on January 15 this year by nine state cabinet ministers
and 19 assistant ministers, followed by all Aduns and political secretaries on
April 6.
However, it is disappointing to note that the steps taken
to sign the pledge and declare their assets to the CM only were incomplete, and
were at best a half-hearted attempt to portray a clean governance of the state
administration.
Meanwhile Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) in
its comment and press statement on Integrity Pledge has urged greater
transparency and accountability by seeking full public disclosure of assets of
elected and public officials. In quoting TI-M, “There is nothing to fear in
making a public declaration of assets if one has no ill-gotten or unexplained
wealth. Personal fears of private safety or their family members if the
politicians publicly declare their assets have proven to be unfounded”.
So if the honourable Chief Minister is serious and
sincere in wanting to clean up the state administration and its system, he
should lead by example to declare his assets and that of all the ministers and
assistant ministers to the public on an annual basis, as was shown possible by
the late founder of a small neighbouring country whose success in fighting
corruption right from the top has won the admiration of the world, that is
Singapore.
The lack of a public declaration of assets will only show
there is still no political will in fighting corruption, nor is there a reform
with a real impact for clean governance of the state, and all the drama served
as window dressing for political reasons.
Tuan Speaker,
The effective way to minimize conflict of interest and
cronyism among those holding public office is to have them regularly declare
their assets to the public so as to allow public scrutiny and monitoring of
their conduct as an effort to inculcate integrity and the right attitude in
those holding executive powers in the administration of the state as entrusted
by the electorate.
Therefore, I request that the honourable Chief Minister
and his cabinet members to immediately declare their assets on an annual basis
without further delay.
Any delay in doing so may raise suspicion of those
holding public office of being given ‘enough time’ to ‘clean up’ personal
assets by disposing of ill-gotten gains quietly. So by the time a public
declaration of assets is made, it will all appear to be in order – I hope that
is not the reason for the undue delay?
Perhaps the honourable Chief Minister will live up to his
words as a real statesman, otherwise the whole show he did will remain mere
window dressing, and a public relations exercise to score points and win votes
in view of the coming state election, without any political will for real
reform in his governance which is very disappointing. #
State Land Alienation - Policy Reform
Land is a valuable asset and natural resource where the
state generates revenue such as from leases, land taxes, and property
assessment taxes, but the current practices of direct alienation to applicants
has, by conservative estimates, caused the state multi-billion ringgit losses
over the years.
This is because most of the state lands which were
alienated for commercial purposes were charged premiums payable to the state at
grossly below market values.
Many plots of state land at prime locations were
alienated to a selected few at the expense of the general public who were
deprived of getting land due to a lack of a transparent open tender policy that
allow everyone to participate fairly.
In most cases, those who obtained state land through
special connections were not interested in developing the land. Instead, they
were out for quick profits, selling lands to interested parties like investors,
property developers, or even speculators. Simply by a change of hand in land
transfers, they were able to pocket millions of ringgit in profits without
having to work hard.
The state’s wealth was being exploited and unfairly
channeled to a few well-connected individuals or cronies. More often than not,
these people were paying “under-table money” to secure land alienation deals from
officers entrusted with the power to approve applications.
If the honourable Chief Minister is really serious about
combating corruption and cronyism in the state, the least he could do is to
immediately implement an open tender system for state land alienation exercises
that distributes state land fairly for productive use.
State lands should not be allowed to fall into wrong
hands – these are selfish and greedy people who care only for quick profits.
These people are like speculators who push up the costs
of doing business in the state, and which will be detrimental to the economy of
the state and the well-being of the people in the long run.
As a preventive measure against unhealthy practices
involving state lands.
I would like to put forward a suggestion in imposing a
caveat on alienated state land.
The caveat is to prohibit state lands from being sold,
whether the land was obtained through open tender (if implemented) or direct
alienation.
To strengthen the caveat, the shares of the company
getting the land must not be transferred or sold to others (third
party/non-applicants), a necessary condition to prevent instant enrichment in
the ali-baba style that is counter-productive to the state.
As state land is under the purview of the state where it
has full powers over, we look forward to the honourable Chief Minister in
walking the talk by carrying out policy reforms, and one of the most crucial
reform is to have state land alienation done by way of open tender in a
transparent manner, which will allow for greater participation to achieve
equitable distribution of state wealth for the benefits of more people,
particularly Sarawakians. #
Official recognition for Opposition Leader and
appointment as chairman of State PAC (Public Accounts Committee)
In a democratic system that we are practicing, the State
Legislative Assembly (DUN) has until today not officially accorded the
Opposition Leader the necessary recognition. In actual fact, Sarawak does not
have an Opposition Leader in the DUN.
I would like to propose that the House officially create
the post of Opposition Leader and provide the appropriate facilities to carry
out his or her roles as an effective check-and-balance measure to the Executive
in the highest spirits of democracy.
We are now in the year 2015 where many things have
changed following the wishes and demands of an increasingly informed and
educated electorate.
Ultimately it may lead to a change of state government
every few terms and become a common feature of a mature democracy in a
developing nation.
In conjunction with this matter, I would like to call
upon the honourable Chief Minister to also appoint the state’s Opposition
Leader to head the state’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
Of late, the Chief Minister has surprised us by telling
the people that the Opposition is not an enemy of the ruling party, and even
acknowledged the important roles we play in upholding democracy in the state.
I believe the Chief Minister can go one step further in
extending his wisdom by appointing the state’s Opposition Leader to be the
chairman of the state PAC, which is the best way to minimize conflict of
interests in ensuring that the resources of the state is utilized efficiently
for the benefits of the people in the state.
We, the state DAP are offering ourselves to shoulder the
heavy task and responsibility of leading the state PAC as a check-and-balance
measure to audit state agencies and keeping them on their toes in discharging
their duties honestly and efficiently.
Therefore, we would like to know from the honourable
Chief Minister on his response to this proposal - whether he will accept the
challenge in demonstrating that he dares to be different in carrying out policy
reforms in the best interests of the state and its people; and one of the best
ways is by creating a full office of the state Opposition Leader, and
appointing him or her to chair the state PAC.
And, to make the current state PAC chairperson Yang
Berhormat from Bukit Kota an assistant minister of the state cabinet, I can
assure you if you are made the assistant minister and if the opposition is made
the chairman of the PAC, we may consider not contesting in your Bukit Kota seat
come the state election. I hope Bukit Kota can support my proposal. #
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