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Media Statement          
by Lim Kit Siang  
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(Ipoh, Saturday): The “passing-the-buck” game over the collapse of the RM4.5 million Perak State Park Corporation complex in the Royal Belum State Park, Perak has begun, with the Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Tajol Rosli Ghazali blaming his predecessor Tan Sri Ramli Ngah for the debacle.

Who is really responsible for the collapse of the RM4.5 million Belum complex – Tajol or Ramli?

After visiting the Pulau Banding site of the collapsed structure in Grik yesterday, Tajol described the complex as a project that had never been viable and had been problematic from the start.

This is what he said in the New Straits Times report today:

"How can you spend RM4.5 million for a complex that has only 14 rooms?"

"I am really frustrated (with the whole project). As an accountant, I knew that it would be a problem to manage due to the limited number of rooms. You need at least 50 rooms for such a place to be economically viable."

Tajol said there were developers in Ipoh who could build a complex or resort with 100 rooms on a budget of only RM8 million.

He cited poor interior design as one of the problems of the complex, which was to be a one-stop centre for tourists.

He said: "It was too late for me to stop the project as it was already being constructed then (when he became MB)."

Tajol made no mention of the real cause of the collapse of the complex, which cannot be its lack of economic viability, but can only be due to failures of engineering design or construction as well as irresponsibility of contractor/sub-contractor and government supervision.

So who is at fault – Tajol or Ramli? Tajol took over as Perak Mentri Besar from Ramli Ngah in December 1999.

Is it possible for Tajol just to wash his hands of responsibility so easily simply on the ground that it was “too late” for him to intervene in the project.

If so, this should be additional reason for him to support an independent public inquiry into the collapse of the RM4.5 million Belum complex, to fully exonerate him of any responsibility for the collapse of the building.

Ramli, who is Speaker of Parliament, should not object to an emergency debate in Parliament on Monday on the collapse of the RM4.5 million Belum complex, which will be his strong defense that he has nothing to hide.

With the collapse of the Belum complex, sub-standard government delivery system in Malaysia has entered a new phase from new public buildings “cracking up” or leaking to simply collapsing.

Although this is unprecedented, it is nothing to be proud but cause for shame for the government, whether at state or national level.
As Tajol has openly passed the buck and put the blame on his predecessor, it is also time for Ramli to present to the public his case as to whether he accepts or refutes the Perak Mentri Besar’s kicking the ball to him.
 

(17/11/2007)