TAWAU: Sri Tanjong assemblyman Chan Foong Hin yesterday questioned the State Cabinet’s stand on the alleged privatization of the Sabah section of Pan Borneo Highway by a consortium of UEM-MMC.
Chan, who made a commentary on the 2015 National Budget, asked whether the State Cabinet agreed to the privatization of the Pan Borneo Highway (Sabah section) by UEM-MMC.
The RM27 billion highway stretches 1,633km across Sabah and Sarawak.
Chan, who is also the Democratic Action Party (DAP) Sabah vice chairman, believed the State Cabinet cannot be totally in the dark for the Sabah section of the highway that would be handled by UEM-MMC consortium which are West Malaysia-based companies. The Sarawak section will be handled by the state’s own companies.
He also expressed his doubts over inaction by State Government towards the end.
“Do we need to help the super-rich Bumiputera to increase the Bumiputera market equity share? Or the Thrust of Advancing Bumiputera Agenda should emphasize on the wealth distribution within Bumiputera? Will the award of privatization of Pan Borneo Highway beneficial to the bottom group of the Bumiputera, or it’s just another wealth enrichment exercise to benefit the top?” Chan asked.
He said, Kalabakan Member of Parliament Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh complained in Parliament that the Pan Borneo Highway project had been given to UEM-MMC.
North South Highway in Peninsular Malaysia was built and operated by PLUS, a member of the UEM Group. It has collected billions of toll fee since the 80s.
MMC, led by Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, is involved in MRT construction with joint venture with Gamuda Berhad. Syed Mokhtar is the richest Bumiputera corporate figure in Malaysia and he runs an empire that includes power plants, ports, plantations, car factories, rail, mail, rice, sugar and defence supplies. He has a net worth estimated to be US$2.75 billion according to Forbes, making him the 8th richest Malaysian.