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Did Ipoh Datuk Bandar lie when he said that Ipoh parking meters
imported from Australia were above board?
Media Statement
by Ngeh Koo Ham
(Ipoh, Monday):
Ipoh Datuk Bandar (Mayor) should be investigated to see if he is morally fit
to implement his morality policy for Ipoh.
Last month, at Syuen Hotel, Ipoh during a dialogue session organised by Ipoh
City Watch, Datuk Bandar, Datuk Sirajudin said that the purchase of Ipoh
parking meters imported from Australia and rumoured to cost more than
RM20,000.00 each was above board.
Datuk Sirajudin had refused to confirm the price of the meters saying that
he was not aware of the price as he has just been appointed the mayor but
stated that the purchase was above board.
The 1st question that come to mind was did Datuk Sirajuddin lied? On the one
hand he knows the purchase was above board but on the other hand he does not
know the purchase price.
The 2nd question is, "Was the purchase of the imported parking meters above
board?
On 20.03.2003, the Minister of International Trade & Industry, Dato' Seri
Rafidah Aziz at an Investment Seminar at Hotel Casuarina, Ipoh very bluntly
criticized the Perak State Government of applying to her ministry to import
parking meters when we have very good parking meter manufacturer. She said
that she rejected the application outright.
How then can the import of the parking meters be above board when the
Ministry of International Trade & Industry had refused to allow the import
of the said meters.
If the rumoured price of the meter is true, then the parking fees paid by
Ipoh residents will not be enough to pay for the meter itself and its
subsequent maintenance. Ipoh residents have be taken as fools. It caused so
much inconvenience to Ipoh residents just to ensure that they paid
sufficient amount for parking to avoid being issued with summons. They will
be shocked to realise that their parking fees are used to pay for the
parking meters and not as additionl revenue to the city council to help
improve the city.
The Datuk Bandar needs to answer the following 3 questions truthfully.
1. What was the actual cost of each of the imported parking meters?
2. Was the purchase properly approved?
3. Why were the meters still imported when the Ministry of International
Trade & Industry had objected to their import?
The public will judge if he is morally fit to administer the city by
comparing the facts to see if he lies.
(9/6/2003)
* Ngeh Koo Ham, Perak DAP Chairman
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