RM230 MILLION SAGA in MPSP

Seriously how can even such piece of news be called news? Its like a press statement being glossed over to pass off as news?

How RM203mil was spent
By DERRICK VINESH www.thestar.com.my

BUTTERWORTH: A large portion of the Seberang Prai Municipal Council’s reserves was spent on putting up buildings, including the State Stadium in Batu Kawan. Former municipal councillor Datuk Dr Loga Bala Mohan said the council spent RM110mil between 1997 and 1999 to build the stadium for Penang to host the Sukma Games in 2000.

A case of biting off more than the council can chew? I thought the budget should come from the state coffers and not the council? Anyway, the funds stood at 230mil in 2000. So the 110 million will have in no way impacted the reserves as most of the expenditure has been accounted for between 1997 and 1999.

He said the council also spent RM24mil on Seberang Prai’s biggest multipurpose hall, Dewan Milenium in Kepala Batas, between 2001 and 2002. “The council’s headquarters in Bandar Perda, Bukit Mertajam, was constructed between 2002 and 2006 at a cost of RM83mil.

I guess they have to make Pak Lah looked good... I really wonder.. wont the multi purpose hall in areas such as Seberang Jaya or Bukit Mertajam makes more sense than in Kepala Batas? And its the biggest mind you! I am sure if its in the vicinity of Prai and Bkt. Mertajam, there would be more income be generated from rental of the hall's facilities. But why Kepala Bantal???? I mean Kepala Batas?

“Between 2005 and 2006, the council also spent RM12.8mil on a sports and recreation complex in Bukit Mertajam,” he said in an interview yesterday. Last week, State Local Government Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow expressed shock that the council was going broke with its reserves dwindling from RM229mil in 2000 to only RM25.6mil as at the end of 2007.

Dr Loga, a two-term MPSP councillor since 2006, argued that the buildings should be viewed as long-term investments and assets, noting that the council headquarters was built to last 100 years. “Instead of making publicity statements, the state government should help the council replenish its reserves,” he said.

What a whammy!!! Dr Loga actually said, "Instead of making publicity statement, the state government should help the council replenish its reserves so that if we ever take power again, we can squander those funds again!"

Has he no shame in uttering that statement???? He has been part of the team that squandered those funds and he actually has the audacity to ask the incoming state government to top it up???

Another former councillor Datuk Ma Kok Ben said the council should conduct proper groundwork before embarking on major projects, such as building markets to cater to a few residential areas and not one in every housing scheme. “The Taman Bagan market was built 10 years ago, but the traders are still complaining that people hardly patronise it,” he said.
Former state exco and Seberang Prai municipal councillor P. K. Subbaiyah said when he left the council in 2004, the council’s reserves then stood at about RM130mil. “The state-proposed independent auditor’s findings into the council’s financial management should be made public,” he said.

So... Subbaiyah... are you saying that after you left the squandering start and you are innocent? You still have to answer why during 2000/04, there is a deficit of 99mil? Which luxury cruise did you councillors go for ah?

2000 - 229mil
2004 - 130mil
2008 - 29 mil

Oooops.. no more money to squander, it will leave the council deep in the red of -100mil by 2012! At the rate you flers are spending.