Deputy Minister of Transport replied to the points raised by me on 26 February 2009 as follows:
– As at 31 January 2009 Air Asia owed the Airport Tax to the tune of about RM900,000-00. When pressed whether the previous sum of RM110 million of Airport tax debt , which sum has been confirmed by the Minister of Transport during the last session of Parliament, has been paid, the Deputy Minister of Transport chose to avoid answering this point.
(Note: I believe this is the new airport tax chalked up until 31 January 2009 but no commencement date provided.)
When I asked the Deputy Minister of Transport why there was no action taken by MAB against Air Asia for not paying the airport tax of more than RM110 million since 2002, the said Deputy Minister chose not to give a direct answer and instead he told Parliament that legal actions can be taken against Air Asia for not paying airport tax.
When I asked why MAB did not withdraw all facilities at LCCT from Air Asia since it is not handing over the airport tax that it has collected, the said Deputy Minister did not reply at all.
I also pressed the said Deputy Minister whether he was aware that Puan Noni Mahmud (the sister of the late Datin Seri Endon Mahmud) is the person behind Air Asia and she is the sister in law of the Prime Minister. The said Deputy Minister did not provide any answer. At this juncture, YB Pasir Salak intervened and called upon the said Deputy Minister to check on this serious allegation made by me and inform the House accordingly. The said Deputy Minister gave an undertaking that he will investigate into this matter and informed the House accordingly.
– Terjemahan oleh Lee Wee Tak – Ucapan ribuan terima kasih dari Wee Choo Keong –
Waktu Soal Jawab Parlimen, 2 March 2009
Naib Menteri Pengangkutan telah memberi jawapan berikut kepada
perkara yang saya ungkitkan pada 26 Februari 2009 seperti berikut:
– Setakat 31 Januari 2009 Air Asia hutang cukai lapangan terbang sebanyak RM900,000-00. Apabila didesak sama ada hutang sebelumnya berjumlah RM110 juta yang disahkan oleh Menteri Pengangkutan pada sidang dewan rakyat yang lalu telah dilunaskan, Naib Menteri memilih untuk mengelakkan daripada menjawab soalan ini.
(Nota: Saya percaya jumlah yang diberi di atas hanyalah cukai terkini hingga 31 Januari 2009 tetapi tarikh permulaan pengiraan tidak dijelaskan.)
Tatkala saya menanya Naib Menteri Pengangkutan mengapakah tiada
tindakan nan diambil oleh MAB terhadap Air Asia atas tunggakan cukai
lapangan terbang yang berjumlah lebih daripada RM110 juta semenjak
2002, Naib Menteri memilih supaya tidak memberi jawapan terus dan
memberitahu dewan pula tindakan undang-undang boleh diambil terhadap
Air Asia kerana tidak menjelaskan hutang cukainya
Apabila saya menanya mengapakah MAB tidak menarik balik segala
kemudahan dan peralatan di LCCT daripada Air Asia atas keenggan mereka
membayar cukai, Naib Menteri tersebut langsung tidak menjawab.
Saya juga menekan Naib Menteri tersebut sama ada dia perasan bahawa
Puan Noni Mahmud (adik Allayarham Datin Seri Endon Mahmud) merupakan salah seorang pemilik Air Asia dan beliau adalah adik ipar kepada Perdana Menterie. Naib Menteri juga tidak memberi jawapan. Ketika ini, YB Pasir Salak mencelah dan meminta Naib Menteri menyiasat dakwaan berat ini oleh saya dan kembali ke dewan dengan penjelasan. Naib
Menteri tersebut janji akan menyiasat dan akan membentangkan hasil
siasatannya di dewan kelak.
