Malaysian Insider, Teresa Kok: Malay chamber chief telling lies, has grudge against Khalid, Aug 30 2010

Teresa Kok: Malay chamber chief telling lies, has grudge against Khalid

By Yow Hong Chieh

August 30, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 – Teresa Kok today refuted claims by the Selangor Malay Chamber of Commerce (DPMMS) that it had been sidelined, calling its chairman’s statement irresponsible and baseless while accusing him of having a personal grudge against the Selangor mentri besar.

DPMMS chairman Tan Sri Rozali Ismail yesterday claimed that the Selangor state government had not consulted the chamber about the economic position of Malays in Selangor and their economic development.

“The Selangor state government has never and will never sideline, marginalise or exclude any chambers of commerce from this process,” Selangor trade and industry executive councillor Kok (picture) said in a statement.

“I believe that Tan Sri Rozali Ismail made this baseless statement due to his personal grudge against Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid and the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government for trying to buy over his cash cow, Syabas,” she added.

“It is well known that Tan Sri Rozali is a major financier of Umno, thus he has joined the fray of Pakatan Rakyat government bashing initiated by Umno.”

The Malaysian Insider understands that BN is putting pressure on Rozali, who is also Puncak Niaga Holdings Bhd executive chairman, to delay a tentative deal worth more than RM8 billion to sell all three state water treatment concessionaries to Selangor for fear that it will keep the state in PR’s grip come the next general election.

Control over Selangor’s water will enable Khalid’s administration, in one stroke, to reduce tariffs and continue its free water policy. Both could potentially embarrass states under BN and boost PR’s popularity ahead of the next general election.

Rozali is under pressure from investors to move on as they want to exit the industry. Additionally, Khalid is playing hardball with Rozali and Putrajaya by delaying the massive inter-state water transfer project that will channel water from the proposed Kelau dam in Pahang to Selangor. Although a federal initiative, Selangor government approval is required for land acquisition for the project.

Kok said the state government had invited all chambers of commerce, including DPMMS, to a dialogue held last month on Selangor’s annual budget but revealed that, while organisations like the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM) and the Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association Malaysia (REHDA) sent representatives, DPMMS did not.

“Their conspicuous absence from this pivotal dialogue was both startling and disappointing,” she said.

The Seputeh MP also characterised Rozali’s statement as “lies and misinformation”, pointing to the fact that the state government had already appointed DPMSS members to sit on the Selangor Business Council together with other prominent Malay businessmen and economists.

She gave assurance that the Selangor state government “has never and will never” sideline or exclude any chambers of commerce from its dialogues with business stakeholders.