Re: SPRINT Toll increase

Update on SPRINT Sdn Bhd  toll increase

SPRINT Sdn Bhd convened a special board meeting on 27th October 2015 to discuss the increase of toll rates which had already been implemented pursuant to a letter from Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia ( LLM) dated 6th October 2015. The meeting was convened at the request of the Menteri Besar of Selangor YAB Azmin Ali.

At the meeting which was attended by the Chairman of SPRINT Ir Haji Yusoff bin Daud, director Dato' Hj Azmi bin Mat Nor and myself, the SPRINT management presented the financial outlook for the company comparing the numbers with and without the toll increase.  What the numbers showed was that the Federal government was stopping the previous annual payment of about 90 million ringgit of compensation paid to SPRINT pursuant to the concession agreement which would now be collected from the highway users through increased toll rates.

I put on record the objection of the Selangor State Government, who is the majority shareholder of Kumpulan Perangsang Bhd who I represent on the SPRINT board, to the toll increase.  The position of the Selangor State Government is that given the current economic climate, a responsible government would manage the situation differently ie by maintaining the current toll rates and renegotiating the terms of the concession agreement in respect of the compensation payments.

Our objection could not change the final position taken by the board and management of SPRINT by virtue of the fact that Kumpulan Perangsang is only a minority shareholder holding only 20 percent of the shares of SPRINT which were invested during the time of the previous BN government in 1999. At that time Perangsang invested about 132 million ringgit in SPRINT. Since 1999 to date, no dividend returns have been paid to Perangsang.  No toll increases have been implement from 2001until the recent increase a few weeks ago.

By reason of the fact that a major policy decision has been taken which I am in principle opposed to, I am reviewing my position as a member of the board of directors of SPRINT.  I will consult with the other members of the board of Perangsang and also the Menteri Besar of Selangor before I make a decision.

Sivarasa Rasiah
30th October 2015

Media Statement - Deepavali Bazaar

Media statement by Sivarasa Rasiah, Member of Parliament for Subang dated 18th October 2015.
“Some friendly advice for my friend YB Tony Pua”
From his recent Facebook postings I can see that my friend and colleague in Parliament, YB Tony Pua, member of Parliament for Petaling Jaya Utara seems quite upset, in particular, with two division level leaders of Keadilan from Kelana Jaya division naming them as “a Samy” and “a Murali” and calling them “gangsters” and “disgraceful thugs”. He also claimed that “this Samy and his gang ….charged exorbitant rentals to traders at the traditional site for the Deepavali bazaar in Sungei Way.
Tony also said that “a group of gangsters led by the same Samy and Murali” heckled him as he spoke to the Tamil press in front of the Easwari Temple in Sg. Way on Thursday. Having watched the videos of the incident  ( in particular the Kinibiz video ) and read the Malaysiakini accounts dated 15.10.2015 and talked to some of those present, it seems to me quite clear that the heckling started after the crowd present which  included  traders understood that Tony had just said to the media present that he was opposed to any bazaar at the original site in Sg Way village and,  second,  that the move to Easwary Temples area  was necessary to stop certain persons from committing extortion of the traders in the original site.
These unfortunate accusations are all arising out of a proposed relocation of the Deepavali bazaar traders in their original site in Sg Way village to the new site next to the Easwari Temple.  Tony and his assemblyman YB Lau Weng San are in favour of this move. Many traders are strongly opposed to it saying that it jeopardizes their earnings from their stalls.
My advice to both Weng San and Tony is that such matters are best left to the best judgment of the Datuk Bandar of Petaling Jaya and his councillors.  We should not interfere unless the decisions made at MBPJ  are clearly unreasonable or obviously wrong or against stated policies of the Pakatan coalition.
Tony and Weng San would also know that a majority of the MBPJ councilors have in fact already proposed to the Datuk Bandar a win-win solution where the Deepavali bazaar for Sg Way would be conducted,  for this year anyway,  at both the original site ( where it has run for 15 years at least ) and the new site near Easwary Temple ( as a trial run for evaluation ).  This would also be known to many of the traders involved.  Therefore, my advice would be, rather than make controversial public pronouncements on the matter, let us leave this to the Datuk Bandar of MBPJ and his councilors to resolve.
I also wish to point out that the DAP is now again in a formal coalition with Keadilan and Amanah, a move which we have all welcomed.  We must therefore manage complaints about one another ‘s members in the spirit of coalition building.  If there is evidence of wrong-doing, we should present it to the leadership of the party concerned.  I must make this clear - if there is evidence, Keadilan will not tolerate such misconduct and will take the necessary action.
However making unsubstantiated  serious allegations that extortion is taking place without specifics ( as was discernible in the video ) does not assist at all. Name calling aggravates the accused persons further. The video shows some of those present demanding evidence from Tony and for which there seemed to be no immediate response.  That has now resulted in those Tony accused and some other traders filing police reports at the IPD Petaling Jaya yesterday against Tony in defence of their reputation.   This is also an unfortunate development.
The Deepavali bazaar in the original site in Sg Way has been operating there for at least 15 years.  Since Pakaan took over from 2008, I am not aware of any specific complaints to MBPJ or police reports made by traders or others since 2008 alleging extortion of themselves by third parties.  Last Thursday appears to be the first time such allegations are being made in public to justify moving the bazaar.  If there is any such evidence implicating our members, then we would urge Tony to present it to the party.
Then, on Friday, certain DAP leaders organized a press conference  where one  Indian gentleman appears to be complaining that he has been prevented by from running his stall in the new site at Easwary Temple.  He also complained that Samy had prevented him from getting a stall in the original site.  Such allegations can and should be taken to MBPJ or even the police for them to investigate.  On the other hand, I am told that traders at the Deepavali bazaar original site who were  present at the IPD Petaling Jaya yesterday made statements to the media that they have no experience of any form of extortion and having to make exorbitant payments.
Keadilan will not tolerate any proven criminal conduct on the part of its members, especially the misconduct alleged by Tony that acts of extortion are being perpetrated. 
Keadilan regrets very much that Tony was subjected to the angry and rude statements that were hurled at him when he went to the Easwary Temple to do his press conference on Friday.  However as a experienced member of parliament regularly handling people’s grievances, I am sure that Tony would appreciate that people who perceive proposed changes as threatening their  meagre incomes can react emotionally and aggressively.  Some of these traders are having great difficulty understanding why Ton y and Weng San are insisting that the bazaar move to the new site when the  majority of the MBPJ councilors have now  proposed the win-win solution that it can operate in both sites.  When one insistently waves the proverbial red flag at an angry bull, it is naïve to expect the bull to sit patiently and watch.
My friend YB Pua has done sterling work ( and continues to do ) on critical national issues such as IMDB.  He should concentrate on those issues and leave more mundane  issues, like as in this case,  about  where a Deepavali bazaar should be located,  to the appropriate authorities to decide.
We have far bigger battles to fight.  We need to remove Prime Minister Najib and end the corrupt oppressive and inefficient rule of UNMO and BN.  Let us remain united and focused on that. 

Sivarasa Rasiah
Member of Parliament  for Subang. Member ofPolitial Bureau and Central Leadership Council,  Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

Sprint Toll Increase - Kenaikan Toll Sprint

PRESS STATEMENT RE SPRINT Highway toll increases dated 14th October 2015.

I have received many queries in social media as to whether I am on the board of SPRINT Sdn Bhd ( in full - Sistem Penyuraian Trafik KL Barat Sdn Bhd ) and whether I supported the toll increase as a member of the board.

These are the facts. I do sit on the board of SPRINT Sdn Bhd as a representative of Kumpulan Perangsang Selangor Bhd ( KPS) which owns twenty (20) percent of the shares of SPRINT. Gamuda Group owns the other eighty (80) percent.

The question of my support for the toll increase does not arise because the issue was never brought to a board meeting of SPRINT for discussion.  The SPRINT management have implemented the  toll increase pursuant to a letter received about a week ago from Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia ( LLM) informing them of several matters - that the Federal Government was not prepared to increase their compensation anymore, that SPRINT could increase their toll rates as specified in the letter and such increases must be announced by the company itself.  The toll increase was then announced. It was not referred to the board of directors by circular resolution or a meeting.

I am not in agreement with such an increase. Given the current state of the economy, this is the wrong time to further burden the people of Selangor and Malaysia with toll increases on top of the continuing increase in prices and GST.  My position is consistent with that of the Pakatan Selangor government headed by Menteri Besar Azmin Ali.

I am therefore writing to the Chairman of SPRINT, Ir. Hj. Yusoff  bin Daud to convene a special board meeting to discuss and review the matter. I have also reported the matter to  Menteri Besar Azmin Ali and will act on any further instructions given by him.

Sivarasa Rasiah
Member of Parliament for Subang

PERNYATAAN AKHBAR bertarikh 14hb Oktober 2015
Kenaikan kadar tol oleh SPRINT Sdn Bhd.

Saya telah menerima banyak soalan di dalam media sosial samada saya adalah ahli lembaga SPRINT Sdn Bhd ( nama penuh adalah Sistem Penyuraian Trafik KL Barat ) dan samada saya telah menyoking kenaikan tol sebagai seorang ahli lembaga pengarah.

Berikut adalah kenyataan.  Saya memang adalah seorang anggota lembaga pengarah SPRINT sebagai wakil Kumpulan Perangsang Selangor Bhd (KPS) yang merupakan pemilik dua-puluh peratus saham SPRINT. Kumpulan Gamuda memiliki baki lapan-puluh peratus saham.

Persoalan sokongan saya sebagai ahli lembaga pengarah untuk kenaikan tol tidak timbul langsung.  Isu kenaikan tol tidak pernah dirujuk kepada lembaga pengarah untuk dibincang.  Pengurusan SPRINT telah melaksanakan kenaikan tol menurut satu surat dariapda Lemabaga Lebuhraya Malaysia ( LLM) yang diterima seminggu lalu yang telah maklumkan, antaranya, saperti berikut - bahawa kerajaan Persekutuan tidak akan bayar lebih pampasan kepada syarikat, bahawa SPRINT boleh naik kadar tol selaras dengan kadar yang tertera dalam surat tersebut, dan syarikat bertanggung jawab untuk mengumumkan kadar kenaikan tol. Ekoran surat itu, kenaikan tol diumumkan oleh syarikat. Perkara itu tidak dirujuk sebelum itu kepada lembaga pengarah melalui pekeliling atau mesyuarat.

Saya tidak setuju dengan kenaikan tol yang telah diumumkan.  Memandangkan keadaan ekonomi sekarang, ini bukan masa yang sesuai untuk menambahkan beban atas rakyat Selangor dan Malaysia dengan kenaikan kadar tol bertambah kenaikan harga barang yang berterusan dan juga GST.  Pendirian saya, saya anggap, adalah selaras dengan pendirian Kerajaan Selangor Pakatan yang dipimpin oleh YAB Menteri Besar Azmin Ali.

Justeru, saya akan menulis kepada Pengerusi syarikat SPRINT, Ir Hj.Yusuff bin Daud untuk memanggil satu mesyuarat khas lembaga pengarah untuk membincang dan kajisemula perkara ini.  Saya telah juga melapurkan perkara ini kepada YAB Menteri Besar Azmin Ali dan akan melaksanakan apa-apa arahan lanjut daripada beliau.

Sivarasa Rasiah
Ahli Parlimen Subang