1997 Toll Hike To Pay ‘Crooks And Bandits’

The following article by Andrew Ong (Malaysiakini) as posted on the Keadilan website.

The ongoing protest over the hefty toll hike in the Klang Valley took on another twist when a former finance minister claimed last night that he was told a hike in 1997 was necessary as the concessionaire had to pay out ‘kickbacks’ to certain individuals.

Anwar Ibrahim, deputy premier and finance minister that year, revealed that a highway concessionaire sought an increase in toll charges in 1997 because the extra money was needed as inducements for unspecified individuals.

Speaking to about 200 National Union of Bank Employees delegates at their first extraordinary delegates conference in Port Dickson, Anwar said the matter was first raised by Works Minister S. Samy Vellu.

Anwar said the Treasury later found that there were no justification for the toll increase sought.

“He (Samy) still said it was important to increase (the toll charges), and I told him that he should resign (from cabinet) and go work for the company (instead),” said Anwar.

Following this, a ‘Tan Sri’ from the company sought an appointment with Anwar to appeal against the refusal to allow the toll hike.

Anwar said he calculated the cost of running the highway with the ‘Tan Sri’ and realised that its operating cost included paying inducements to certain individuals.

“This ‘Tan Sri’ said he had to pay! Pay leaders and their families from Perlis to Johor,” he said.

“(So I said to the ‘Tan Sri’) you pay these rotten crooks and bandits, you give them million of ringgit. And you expect me [minister of finance] to sign (the documents), so that the poor workers, teachers, farmers fork out the money for you to pay those crooks?” Anwar added.

Controversial trial date

Anwar claimed he refused to sign the documents allowing the toll increase. Subsequently after his sacking in September 1998, the documents were signed by the government and toll rates for the unspecified highway was increased a month later, he said. He said he had made the matter public before, but there had been no investigations into the matter.

Anwar, who is Parti Keadilan Rakyat advisor, also condemned the decision to hold the murder trial of Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu until March 2008.

“It’s to make sure that you don’t hear it until after the (next general) election. This is a murder case, not a political case. If Malaysians are condoning corruption to murder, then we are condemning ourselves to hell,” he said.

He warned that the world was watching the case closely, the Mongolian government and Parliament in particular.

***** Whew!! Now that is quite a bombshell! I wonder what Samy Vellu has to say to all this. If it is true then Sam had better resign pronto as he has stabbed the citizens of this country in their collective backs by supporting toll increases all for the sake of a few cronies. Shame on all the so-called leaders involved in this mass deception.
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