Friday, February 17, 2012

Istana Sebilliong Ringgit


Last I wrote about the new palace for Terengganu, work was on-going and the cost had escalated to more than half a billion ringgit. Current status, same sources told, work on the istana is still on-going and the cost is fast approaching RM1 billion. Something is really wrong here. When construction of the palace was approved, the previous Menteri Besar had put a cap on the cost (the Agong's palace in Putrajaya had just been completed at less than RM100 million then), Current MB Ahmad Said was aware of this.

In 2008, Ahmad Said was made MB courtesy of the Palace. Many had expected Najib Razak to "correct" this mistake by the previous PM but he, instead, allowed the status quo to run its course. Perhaps that was a fair thing to do but come PRU13, Ahmad Said must not expect the palace to be able to back him again. And if he's not careful, there may not be a state government for him to aspire to run after PRU13!

Ahmad Said must be able to deliver as well as his predecessor Idris Jusoh did in the 2008 general elections. But at the rate things are going, this will be a tall order. It certainly isn't looking like a walk in the park for BN/UMNO in this East Coast state. Idris is deeply frustrated by the way things have turned out and has said he would not contest in the next general election. Some observers thought Idris was paving the way for the old guards to give way to new blood in BN-UMNO, but his supporters say Idris is disillusioned.

Najib has a lot of work to do from now until the GE to make sure Terengganu does not fall to his political rivals. The PM can start by demanding his MB to explain why the new Istana is trying to cost nearly as much as the new Istana Negara! One thing will lead to another ... and another.

47 comments:

  1. Anonymous12:17 pm

    Rocky,

    First time we see you noted that Najib is a "MR STATUS QUO"

    Apa jadi pun Status Quo...Dia tak faham. Buddha kan dah Cakap everything changes..Nothing stsya permanent. Akhir Sekali dia akan berstatus quo dengan shahrizat....diperbatasan

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous12:35 pm

    Easy come, easy go.....the Istana Negara in KL is now at RM 1.2 billion and counting....

    My friend is a woodwork carpenter, and he is the third in line for the subcontracting i.e. main contractor Maya subcontract to a bumi company, and this bumi company subcontract to my friend.

    This is life in Bolehland, my friend.

    Don Corleone

    ReplyDelete
  3. Bro.. Thousand apologies for having to occupy this space. I need to extend the invitation on the Malaysian History Colloquium here..

    Dear all, please be informed that the Ministry of Information and Communication, through the National Heritage Department will be organizing a Colloquium on Malaysian History.

    The event will be officiated by YB Dato' Sri Utama Dr Rais Yatim, Information Communication and Culture Minister.

    The information are as follows;

    Venue : Experimental Theatre, University of Malaya Kuala Lumpur

    Date : Saturday, 25 February 2012

    Time : 9am - 5pm

    Guest speakers;

    i) Dr Leon Comber

    ii) YBhg Dato' Sri J.J Raj (former Muar Chief of Police - involved in the Bukit Kepong tragedy)

    iii) YBhg Prof. Emeritus Datuk Ramlah Adam

    iv) YABhg Tun Hanif Omar (former Inspector General of Police Malaysia)

    v) YBhg Datuk Kanang Anak Langkau

    The respected speakers will talk and discuss on the claims by some that the Communists movement in Malaya had fought for and contributed to the Independence of this country.

    All are welcome to participate in the event.

    p.s - refreshments and lunch will be serve as well.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous12:50 pm

    Who cares....Rosmah has a doctorate now...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous12:50 pm

    1,000,000,000/RM50,000 = 20,000 unit of low cost houses can be deliver to the needed! (80,000 people can stay in a comfortable home!)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous1:36 pm

    Datuk Rocky, a simple analysis:

    - in any situation involving failure, the leader is always to be blamed; either for being negligent or soft-hearted or even stupid to take remedial action.

    - during Dr. M's era, he was in charge. Whatever he did, be it for good or bad, he was always in charge.

    - back to our current time: Najib seems unable to rein in or control his ministers and 'affiliates'. You have to admit that the various policies introduced under him (the ambiguous 1Malaysia, 1Care (ongoing), SBPA) and the issues at hand (abolishment of PPSMI, NFC, Rosmah alleged spendings) do not exactly paint a rosy picture for Najib. Admitedlly he is a nice guy, too nice for a PM material.

    Najib is not strong enough to lead BN. Blame the ministers under him all you want, but the fact remains that he IS their leader.

    -Sinc+opinion#

    ReplyDelete
  7. Skilgannon10662:09 pm

    A billion ringgit here, a billion ringgit there...but who's counting?

    More important, who's minding the books?

    And why is there a fixation with billion-ringgit edifices that are just, bottom line, dwelling places?

    Push comes to shove, a person needs just one bed, one mattress, one pillow and one blanket to get his or her daily quota of sleep.

    Simplicity of lifestyle is a desirable objective, isn't it?

    It gives you the moral high ground!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous2:33 pm

    itu belum kita baca luahan rakyat pasal di negeri Gapura Selatan...nun di selatan tu yg dekat dgn Pulau Temasek...lagi terok dan hodoh bebe...semua dia sapu!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous2:48 pm

    Sedih dengar cerita ini. Ditengah rakyat tertekan kehidupan mereka menyebabkan kerajaan mengadakan pelbagai bantuan seperti BRIM la, bantuan murid RM100, 200 untuk budak universiti dan pelbagai lagilah. Tiba-tiba ada orang buat Istana RM1 billion. Ini betul-betul sebuah kerajaan yang bangang.

    ReplyDelete
  10. ngantuk mata3:28 pm

    projek istana RM1b ON...projek Kolej Matrikulasi Terengganu RM300 juta apsal tak jadi? apsal tangguh? apsal letak dalam peti ais?

    jangan main ini game...bahaya. rakyat marah....

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous5:20 pm

    Rocky, apa mau kecuh, kalau renovated "istana" rosmah di putrajaya boleh spent RM68 juta duit rakyat, kos untuk buat istana baru untuk sultan mesti RM1 billion la. baru la balance.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous5:51 pm

    all this while government have to "borrow" 1.5bil from EPF to build houses for the poor.. i can see they have their priorities right..

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous5:59 pm

    Dear Rocky,

    On 15th Feb 2012, few MACC reps did their NORMAL ROUTINE VISIT to Tabung Huji requesting for HR documents after receiving a surat layang questioning the appointment of TH Real Estate's CEO in Jeddah, Maslee M. It is a known fact among employees of Tabung Huji that Maslee's appointment does not follow Tabung Huji proper procedure, i.e. no advertisement for job in media, no proper interview (Tabung Huji did not interview other candidates for the post), etc. Not only Maslee is not qualified for the CEO post (no relevant experience), HE DOES NOT EVEN SUBMIT HIS RESUME/CERTIFICATES TO TABUNG HAJI! (Dia ingat Tabung Huji company mak bapak dia punya ker?)

    According to little bird, Maslee got the job bcos he is buddy-buddy with the big brother of Tabung Huji CEO (one greedy bastard by the name of JXXmi). While Mazlee's appointment is a clear cut of abuse of power by the CEO of Tabung Haji, many observers in Tabung Haji believe MACC will not do anything except continue with their wayang kulit pretending to take action.

    ReplyDelete
  14. memang susah macam ini kalu.
    lepas satu, satu.

    usabukata

    ReplyDelete
  15. memang susah macam ini kalu.
    lepas satu, satu.

    usabukata

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous7:15 pm

    Shifting camp agaknya. Nampak najib dah surut, kena start ampu yang nak naik.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous8:22 pm

    Bru, every time I drove from Trgganu to Kelantan I felt so sorry to see so many families living in dilipated homes along the coastal road, hardly any changes after so many many years-why can't the state or federal govt do something to help them build a decent small house?Wonder why no politicians have said a word about this sad real situation.

    KL Lee

    ReplyDelete
  18. The royalties are getting more feudalistic and they had better watch it or else the rakyat, read Malays, will go against them!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous10:22 pm

    Come on Rocky!

    You should know better....UMNO's way of siphoning money out through its contractors Ma...

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hurm ... i think Ganu this time will be under PAS ... Umno will lost Ganu this year ...

    ReplyDelete
  21. SEBAGAI AHLI PARTI, YAB DATUK SERI MB,SAYA LIHAT SENDIRI PENTADBIRAN NYA. TERTIB DAN BERTANGGUNGJAWAB, ITU ADALAH YANG TERBAIK UNTUK RAKYAT TERENGGANU.

    MB YANG TEGAS DAN JUJUR, DAN TAHU APA PENDERITAAN RAKYAT .

    SALAM ROCKY... JOM KITA GI JEDDAH..

    ReplyDelete
  22. Kadre7:03 am

    Rocky,
    Why ask the MB? Ask JKR laa. Aren't they the one monitoring all government projects?

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous7:19 am

    Idris the stadium wrecker????? oh no!!!...it is like handing over Terengganu to Kelantan!!!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Malaysia belum muflis lagi kan~apahal kita rakyat nak riuh dan sibuk,kan baru dapat wang RM500 ihsan kerajaan pusat untuk tutup mulut.

    ReplyDelete
  25. RM100 millions is enough. Why is there the need to spend RM1000 millions when the government is short of money!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous11:12 am

    Aduhai mak ooi

    Kalau saya le duit ni boleh bagi makan anak cucu cicit sampai tujuh keturunan!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Salam Zainal,
    Thank you for your response. And your invitation. Insyallah, one day gita gi sama.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Dear Eugenist,
    Selling Rais Yatim's using my blog? Nanti dia sue you ... :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous3:32 am

      bro,
      that statement mmg epic.
      +1000 pts for u


      m fadhil yahya

      Delete
  29. Anonymous3:02 pm

    After the mess created by paklah & sil, Najib needs the strength of a goliath to put things right.

    May Allah give him the needful guidance and energy. Amin.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous3:39 pm

    Now lets give PM Najib a big mandate, 2/3 or more.
    Then he can do a Mahathir.
    Constitutional ammendment... remember?

    wak

    ReplyDelete
  31. Bedul7:05 pm

    Rocky, ada dengar apa-apa berita tentang Rais tak bertanding lagi.
    Cer ceritalah kalau ada. Tak sabar nak tengok dia out.
    I malas nak tengok berita RTM sebab ada saja mukanya menempel.

    BTW the istana looks like a replica of the new Agong palace in Jalan Duta.
    Maybe Tuanku rasa tak puas dapat duduk sat saja di istana baru tu.
    Tapi jadilah kan. Dicatatkan sebagai Agong pertama gunakan Istana Negara baru.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous7:18 pm

    Kenapa kita mesti bising-bising,nak buat 50 tingkat ke! hak kerajaan lah,, everybody got their share.

    Untuk Rakyat miskin, BR1M ada,,yuran, buku free. Semuanya FREE. Tak lama lagi OVER EXPOSURE Rakyat di KL akan dapat FLAT free juga kot!!!!

    Rm589M,,,Tajuddin nya kes pon duit Rakyat,,,apalagi Kat Ijat Rm250M,,,JANGAN risau selagi
    BN memerintah BANYAK lagi FREE.


    Tapi kan JALAN RAYA PERSEKUTUAN sekarang ni mana ada di TURAP LAGI,,,kalu dulu eyery 3 tahun ada dibuat,,,silap-silap duit
    semua dah di bagi kat Rakyat.


    -BODO LAGI-

    ReplyDelete
  33. "Duit minyak banyak" seems to be common when commenting about Terengganu.
    Nonetheless, that is too much money to spend on a palace.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Anonymous10:42 pm

    i am almost crying and going mad everyday thinking how to suap my family, while gomen deducting tax from my income equivalent to salary of a clerk, and now reading about one man wants 1bilion house for him that built from the money come from rakyat like me.

    i am speechless...

    ReplyDelete
  35. Bru Lat1:32 am

    Se biliong ringgit tu sikit le, Bru! Bukang ke Ganu kaye minyak? Kita oran tak maing le takat ratuh jute. Mane ade standad. Bukang kite gune duit rakyat pong.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Anonymous3:26 pm

    apa ko cakap ni bro kan dlm rukun negara dah disuruh bertaat kepada golongan ni dari kentut ke taik depa. Rakyat bangang deserves what they ask for.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Jasper Bloodstone6:49 pm

    What is the cost of this public housing project in Penang that has raised the ire of pro-Umno bloggers?

    Yup, that same project where the Penang state government had the cheek to award a consultancy contract to Surbana International, the privatised consultancy arm of Singapore's HDB, and for which Lim Guan Eng got roundly condemned.

    Anyone coming out to say that this Penang project is going to cost a billion ringgit? Or thereabouts?

    ReplyDelete
  38. Anonymous11:37 pm

    UMNO ada duit ke nak beli tanah tu!!!

    SEDAR lah sikit UMNO Penang,,,,Jawatan Ketua Menteri SUDAH diPERUNTUKAN untuk ORANG CINA,,,,,!!!!


    Bising macan mana pon MELAYU,,,or MAMAK PENANG takaan dapat MERINTAH negeri tu!!!!!

    Sama seperti WANGSA MAJU,,,,dulu UMNO,,,kasi sama MCA hancusssss!!


    Duduk diam-diam kasi LANCAP lagi BAGUS,,!!!


    -AH JU BOR-

    ReplyDelete
  39. Anonymous12:01 pm

    local grapevines said that the issue has nothing to do wit MB but everything to do wit somebody who was formerly a nobody. maybe those in the know in t'ganu dare to share the grapevine.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Jasper Bloodstone1:39 pm

    Ah Ju Bor

    Well, if Umno Penang has the funds, they could have participated in the tender exercise for the land parcel in question.

    If they didn't have the funds, they could have turned to Umno HQ to get a bank guarantee that sufficient funds are available.

    After all, Umno is not exactly short of cash, is it?

    Or is it?

    It's cheap histrionics to talk big post-event!

    Why, I don't even see an Umno presence in the proposed RM80 billion JB waterfront redevelopment. Why is that, I wonder?

    Big on talk, but short on financial firepower?

    ReplyDelete
  41. Anonymous7:32 pm

    Is this the best they can come up with RM1.2b and may be more. Forgettable design, completely without character.Just looks like a huge building with yellow domes -basically like some building in Putrajaya ...it is supposed to be a national.landmark.....where is the traditional Malay cultural identity ....a sheer waste of money and space....

    Jebat

    ReplyDelete
  42. Dear Rock~~ I bololwed your post t light up Midnight Voices, cun? Thanks, have endless lounds of tehtarik at Lingam's on Desi, jest don't bling the Chief Justice along, OK! ~~ YL, newsdog, Desi, BUMmerKnottyaSsusual:(

    ReplyDelete
  43. Anonymous11:58 am

    Sabah also need a new Palace. 500 million pun cukup lah.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Anonymous2:46 pm

    ha Bru..

    what is the fuss..the Sultan just retuned fr a Multi Billion dollar palace and rightfully deserves a billion dollar palace in his own oil rich state...simple logic ma...!

    anyway what is a billion dollars today..! even a cow farmer can get a 250 million dollar loan..! we must maintain our standards as an oil rich nation. it's the rakyats duty to make the Sultan happy; when the Sultan is happy then his subjects will be happy..!
    rakyat

    ReplyDelete
  45. Jasper Bloodstone3:22 pm

    Blame it on inflation, lah - a billion ringgit ain't what it used to be....

    Now, can we blame it on Dr M's capital controls - specifically the one that fixed the US Dollar at 3.80 Ringgit?

    Perhaps the costings should be reworked to cut out unrelated third parties, subcontractors twice and 3 times removed and other unnecessary appendages to the supply and food chains?

    ReplyDelete
  46. Anonymous3:57 pm

    Apa ni? Tak habis nak blame Pak Lah. Seingat saya, MB sekarang bukan ke Sultan yang titah bukan Pak Lah yang mintak. Adil lah sikit bila report tu. Jangan ikut hati je. Yang lain-lain pengomen sibuk marah-marah ni pasal apa? Istana mahal tu, mestilah Raja yang nak. Marahlah kat Raja, kutuk la dia! Kalau tak berani jangan nak loyar buruk -marah-marah pihak lain pulak.

    ReplyDelete