MCA, Umno's running dog, can't save Chinatown, 'selling out' the Chinese!

Prasarana’s buyout of Chinatown lots unusual, says Tee Keat

By Clara Chooi

September 03, 2011

Ong suggested today that the MRT owners and transport regulators convene a town hall meeting with the local communities concerned. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 3 — Former Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat expressed suspicion today over the Jalan Sultan property acquisition controversy, saying it was unusual for outgoing MRT owner Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd (SPNB) to be so adamant in its pursuit of acquiring such iconic areas knowing it would trigger public furore.
Ong cast doubt over the purpose of the acquisition to make way for the multibillion ringgit MRT project and questioned why the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) and SPNB had not consulted the affected business owners along the famous street prior to announcing the acquisition.
“Why did they choose to target the most densely populated business district that is characterised by historic buildings, knowing very well that it is likely to trigger community protest? This seems to run contrary to the usual norm in the practice of Prasarana of evading as much as possible resistance from the affected community.
“If in the recent past, protest raised by any residential village or kampung affected by the new proposed LRT route could warrant considerate accommodation from Prasarana and result in the ultimate re-routing, why then should it be so difficult to practise the same in handling the Jalan Sultan protest?” Ong asked in a blog posting today.
He backed his suspicion with the argument that the acquisition was likely due to the commercial value of the land by pointing to Performance Management and Deliver Unit (Pemandu) chief executive Datuk Seri Idris Jala’s recently sighted letter stating that the acquisition was to help fund the expensive rail project.
“I sincerely hope the adamant stance of Prasarana and SPAD in pursuing the Jalan Sultan land acquisition issue is not driven by the commercial value of the land acquired following Pemandu’s clarification on the misgiving arisen from Minister Idris Jala’s letter to ACCCIM president Tan Sri William Cheng.
“The minister’s letter had indeed caused a stir as it was perceived as an indication of a strong desire by the authorities to re-develop the land nearby, modelling the ‘rail plus property model’ in Hong Kong,” he wrote in his blog today.

Ong also said that the apprehension felt by Jalan Sultan business owners was justifiable due to similar acquisition attempts in 1970. — file pic

The Malaysian Insider published Jala’s letter to Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Malaysia (ACCCIM) president Tan Sri William Cheng last month where the minister admitted that the government was pursuing a “rail-plus-property” model as it would not be able to recoup the cost of the first line between Sungai Buloh and Kajang through fares alone. “For the government to manage the project efficiently and sustainably, fare box revenue will not be sufficient to finance the high capex and opex for the MRT network,” Idris had said in the letter dated August 23, written in response to Cheng’s queries about the acquisition of the Jalan Sultan land.
But the efficiency unit stepped in to refute the article shortly after its publication, denying that acquisition and development of land along the MRT route is the only way for the government to pay for the multi-billion ringgit project. In a joint statement with SPAD, the regulators said the report quoting Jala’s letter was “misleading” and used “out-of-context” paragraphs.
Ong said today that the apprehension felt by Jalan Sultan business owners was justifiable due to similar acquisition attempts in 1970 of shophouses on Jalan Tun HS Lee, Jalan Sultan and Jalan Sekolah by UDA Holdings to develop UDA Ocean and Plaza Warisan.
He said both buildings have, to date, only served commercial purposes, triggering the question on whether the acquisition then had been done for the right reason. UDA Ocean and Plaza Warisan, he pointed out, are both not related to public amenities.
“Premised on the past unpleasant perception that went unanswered, understandably certain quarters especially the critics and sceptics may view the present move of acquisition in the name of making way for MRT development as a ploy designed to nibble away at Chinatown (encompassing Jalan Petaling, Jalan Sultan and Jalan Tun HS Lee) progressively,” he said.
To lay the entire controversy to rest, Ong suggested that the MRT owners and transport regulators convene a town hall meeting with the local communities concerned where every point raised must be addressed, dealt with and displayed for public scrutiny.
“Any ambiguity and hesitation in addressing such concerns would readily be construed as reducing the town hall-like dialogue engagement with the stakeholders to a mere political ploy,” he said.
Ong also suggested the formation of a committee comprising experts, both legal and technical, to look into alternative solutions as well as to draft out agreements seeking to protect the interests of stakeholders.

Now, there's not even a whimper after a 'bang' from Soi Lek when he announced that 31 shops in Chinatown spared.

MCA, truly a running dog of Umno!

 

Image Source:

http://mob1900.blogspot.com/2007/08/machai-amazing-kow-towing-k-9.html