Govt
Questioned For Taking Action Only After TV3 Airs Issue
Bernama 31/3/2005
KUALA LUMPUR, March 31 (Bernama) -- The success of TV3's journalist Karam
Singh Walia in resolving environmental issues prompted several members of
parliament to question the government's concern of the people's problems.
They said they have to turn to Karam Singh, who specialises in
environmental issues, to solve environmental problems in their
constituencies.
Datuk Abdul Ghapur Salleh (BN-Kalabakan) raised the issue when debating
the motion of thanks to the royal address by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong
Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed Putra Jamalullail in the Dewan Rakyat
Thursday.
Highlighting the air pollution caused by a quarry in his constituency,
Ghapur asked whether he had to bring Karam Singh to his constituency to
air the problem over TV3 to attract the authorities' attention.
Echoing Ghapur's sentiments, Dr Mohd Hayati Othman (PAS-Pendang), raised
the pollution created by padi husks in his constituency but no action had
been taken despite reporting to the authorities.
Ghapur said he had raised the issue many times in Parliament and with the
authorities in his constituency but no action had been taken so far.
"If the government doesn't care, we will bring Karam Singh to air the
problem over TV3. This is what I am going to do. Any ministry cannot solve
problems, I will bring TV3," he said.
This prompted Datuk Mohamed Aziz (BN-Sri Gading) to seek clarification and
proposed to the government to dissolve the ministries which acted only
after the problems were highlighted in the television.
"If ministries took action only after bringing Karam Singh Walia, just
close the ministries. This means Parliament has no powers, Karam Singh has
more powers because he can ask the ministries to take action. They
(ministries) don't bother what we discuss in Parliament.
"I urge the government to just drop the minister, deputy minister,
parliamentary secretary and close the ministry," he said.
Interjecting, Dr James Dawos Mamit (BN-Mambong), who was former Sarawak
Natural Resources and Environment Board senior controller, asked Ghapur to
take him to Kalabakan to study the problems faced by the people as a
result of the environmental pollution. "Don't worry Yang Berhormat, I will
give you the ticket (to go to Kalabakan). Actually, this Yang Berhormat
from Mambong should be a minister because he is more concerned," Ghapur
quipped.
Abdul Fatah Harun (Pas-Rantau Panjang) claimed the Pas-led Kelantan
government could overcome all social ills, including drug addiction, if
the state government was given absolute powers to enforce its own rules
and regulations in the state.
He said the current federal system rendered the state government with no
authority on the police and military and hence, it was difficult to
enforce the regulations to curb unlawful deeds.
"If given full authority, the Kelantan government can solve everything,
it's very easy," he said, drawing jeers and boos from Barisan Nasional (BN)
backbenchers, expressing their disagreement.
Earlier, Idris Haron (BN-Tangga Batu) stood up to point out that Kelantan
had the second highest number of drug addicts in the country.
Abdul Fatah had earlier ridiculed the Umno-led BN government's initiatives
to tackle social problems in the country which were not in line with the
concept of Islam Hadhari (Civilisational Islam).
Datuk Mohamed Aziz (BN-Sri Gading) rose to say all political parties in
the country encouraged good deeds and opposed sinful activities to protect
the people's interests.
As such, he said, Abdul Fatah's statement was unfair and an "old story."
Abdul Fatah also urged the government to give a clear account of the money
collected for the National Disaster Fund and the balance to date to avoid
irregularities.
Loh Seng Kok (BN-Kelana Jaya) urged the government to take appropriate
action to ensure open areas were retained as sites for recreational
facilities.
He said the relevant government agencies must ensure no land titles were
issued for such areas to developers after a development project had been
completed.
He said the developer should surrender the open areas to the land office
or local authorities to be gazetted as recreational sites. Loh also said
state governments should be more careful in developing government land or
land reserves of government agencies for optimum returns.
"The usage of the land should not be contrary to the original structural
plan or local plan of the local authorities' development agenda," he said.
Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan (BN-Baram) urged the government to review the
strategies to develop the biotechnology industry in the country.
He said research and development and human resource development aspects
should be given due attention since the industry was relatively new in
Malaysia.
"We also need to build adequate infrastructures as the biotechnology
industry has bright future," he said.
He also called on the government to give priority to help smallholders,
especially in rural areas, as farming was still the main source of income
to the low-income group.
Baharum Mohamed (BN-Sekijang) wants reformed addicts to be fitted with
chips or detectors to monitor their movements after rehabilitation.
"We can probably use handphones to trace their whereabouts if they were
fitted with the gadgets," he added.
The sitting continues on Monday.
-- BERNAMA |
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