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We call on the Malaysian Government to reduce wanton waste effectively and use the money thus saved to build and maintain highways within cities such as Kuala Lumpur   Speech - countdown to the closure of the Cheras toll on 15 September by Dr Tan Seng Giaw (Kuala Lumpur, Sunday):  The annual Federal Government development expenditure is over RM 30 billion. If we can cut down on terrible waste, then we can use the savings to help build and maintain highways within cities.  At the same time, should we  do the same thing with the over RM66 billion operating expenditure, the savings would be much bigger.  Even the flood mitigation project of   Kuala Lumpur, that has a special geographical feature within the Klang Valley, is open to public doubt. The Government must investigate the true cost of the project. It has awarded contracts worth RM2.1 billion for the project to Gamuda and Malaysian Mining Corporation (MMC). But, a general opinion is that the project may only cost RM1 billion. Why are the contracts so special as to cost RM1.1 billion more?  This year, City Hall Kuala Lumpur (CHKL) allocates RM889.50 million for operating expenditure and RM927.42 million for development. If CHKL prevents wanton waste in the over RM1.8 billion expenditure, the money saved can be used for highways within the city. For example, the Government should look into the following: CHKL is installing 108 spotlights at its Selayang Baru market. Suppose each block has 18 spotlights, CHKL gives RM50,000 for installing them, RM32,000 being for the contractor. Where are the remaining RM18,000? Each spotlight costs about RM3,000. 108 mean RM320,000. Where do at least RM70,000 go?  CLOSURE OF TOLL PLAZA  In the 1980s, DAP protested against having tolled roads within KL and other cities. The existing toll plazas should be closed once the concessions end. We opposed the Kuching Road toll. We were even more vehement against the 7-year extension of toll collection. When the toll ended at the beginning of this year, we thought that the fireworks displays by Barisan Nasional component parties were insults to those Kuching Road users who had paid about RM8,000 each at the toll plaza in over 20 years. The money was used for fireworks?  Towards the end of this year, the Cheras toll plaza will be closed. We object to any display of fireworks on the day of the closure. Today, the launching of the countdown to the day is historic because nobody has done this before. It reminds the city folks of the principle of having no tolled road within the city and no extension of toll collections once each concession ends.  Building and maintaining highways are very expensive. Hence, the Government has to launch effective campaigns against extreme wastage. The money saved can be used for highway construction and maintenance.  The structure of public finance, from revenues collected to consolidated fund and allocations for operating and development expenditure has to be reviewed continually. People can hide within the cumbersome governmental machinery. We must scrutinize the finance of all departments. (8/6/2003) * Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP National Vice-Chairman and MP for Kepong