On 20 November 2008, the Malay Mail reported here that …
“The controversial, soon-to-be-built Rebana Ubi Arch along the Federal Highway is part of a trade-off deal between the Malaysian government and an outdoor media company, Libroff Media Sdn Bhd, in exchange for an exclusive 15-year concession and a 5-year waiver of advertising licensing fee. As part of the deal, the government will have access to each of these sites for 3 months every year in which to advertise its programmes and promotions.”
According to the managing director of the media company, En Maarof Rahman, the Federal Highway arch is a pilot project that will kick off in December and is a forerunner to 13 other similar arches that will be built nationwide. The cost of building each arch, measuring 30 feet high and 100 feet wide, would be more than RM1 million and the whole project will not cost the government even one sen. It was claimed that this is one venture where the “rakyat” are helping the government. The managing director further said, “instead of seeking aid from the government, we are the ones suffering the losses and the government is the one benefitting.”
Libroff, what a philanthropist!
But how do we reconcile this? The PM had been telling the rakyat to tighten their belts in readiness of the impending economic crisis, which had already hit America, UK and most other countries in the world, and now the “rakyat” are spending good money to build arches where they will be “suffering the losses?” Not so smart is it, “rakyat?”
The question for this week is:
Should the “rakyat” use their money to build 14 arches throughout the country that DO NOT BENEFIT the rakyat directly or should we instead use the money wisely to build more schools, hospitals, sports complexes, public libraries, etc., to help the nation progress in the right direction and be productive?
– Terjemahan oleh Lee Wee Tak – Ucapan ribuan terima kasih dari Wee Choo Keong –
Soalan Mingguan Wakil Rakyat Anda #35
Pada tanggal 20 November 2008, akbar Malay Mail melaporkan bahawa …
“Gerbang Rebana Ubi di Lebuhraya Persekutuan yang banyak dipersoalkan dan akan dibina tidak lama lagi adalah akibat urusniaga bertolak ansur antara pihak pentadbiran Malaysian dengan sebuah syarikat pengiklanan luar bilik bernama Libroff Media Sdn Bhd, dimana pembinaan gerbang ini disahut dengan ganjaran konsesi eklusif 16 tahun serta tidak perlu membayar lesen pengiklanan selama 5 tahun. Pihak pentadbiran pula dibenarkan mengiklankan rancangan mereka selama tiga bulan setiap tahun.”
Menurut pengarah urusan syarikat tersebut, En Maarof Rahman, gerbang di LP adalah projek perintis yang akan dimulakan pada bulan Disember dan akan disertai oleh pembinaan 13 lagi gerbang yang lebih kurang sama di seluruh negara. Belanja setiap gerbang, 30 kaki tinggi dan 100 kaki lebar, menelan belanja melibuhi RM1 juta dan pihak pentadbiran tidak akan mengeluarkan satu sen pun. Ini didakwa sebagai urusniaga di mana “rakyat” membantu pihak pentadbiran. Beliau menambah lagi bahawa, “kami yang menanggung kerugian dan tidak minta bantuan kerajaan dan kerajaanlah yang akan dapat untung.”
Wahai Libroff, anda penderma yang sangat murah hati!
Tetapi bagaimanakah kita boleh merumuskan urusan ini? Perdana Menteri sudah minta rakyat ikat perut meghadapi kemelesetan ekonomi, yang sudah melanda Amerika syarikat, United Kingdom dan kebanyakan negara lain, dan kini “rakyat” belanja besar membina gerbang yang akan “merugikan rakyat”. Nampaknya “rakyat” kurang bijaksana, bukan?”
Maka soalan minggu ini adalah:
Patutkah “rakyat” gunakan wang mereka untuk membina 14 gerbang di seluruh negara dan tidak mendatangkan apa-apa manfaat kepada rakyat secara langsun ataupun kita patut memperuntukkan wang dengan bijaksana untuk membina lebih banyak sekolah, hospital, pusat sukan, perpustakaan umum dan sebagainya untuk membantu negara maju ke arah yang betul dan berhasil?
