Kedah Applies To Extend Lada Until 2020. Reward For Kubang Pasu Triumph?

Even before the leadership of Umno could utter the words "mission accomplished," with reference to the closing out of Dr Mahathir from the Umno general assembly, the Kedah state government very quickly put in its claims for 'professional' services rendered and a job well done.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said that Kedah will apply to the federal government to extend the operations of the Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) to 2020 so that federal funds can continue to flow in to develop the resort island. The federal government was apparently scheduled to dissolve Lada in 2010.

What this shameful fellow won't mention even in a whisper is that Lada was and is a brainchild of Dr Mahathir. Lada, a federal agency established on March 15 1990 and placed under the Finance Ministry, had contributed a lot to developing Langkawi, especially in the tourism, socio-economic and commercials sectors. However he is willing to admit that "Lada must be extended by another 10 years because Langkawi still needs the agency to coordinate the development."

Whether Mahathir is in or out does not matter to these guys. What is paramount is that federal funds must flow in. And now that the hatchet job has been successfully concluded, before the federal government forgets his 'contribution' in ousting the former PM, he has submitted his 'invoice' for speedy payment. He also knows that gratitude and acknowledgement of helping out in a time of need are very short-term transient phenomena and he has to strike while the besi is still hot.

Lucky devil, Mahdzir Khalid. Came from nowhere, rose to be MB by default when Syed Razak fell ill, betrayed his ex-boss and now awaits federal funds as his reward. Some guys are more fortunate than others; especially those who have less of a conscience.