Is the PKR Selangor state Government the Father of Grand Complaints?

It seems in everything that the Federal Government plans and does, the PKR-helmed Selangor State Government will always seem to have something to complain about.

This time, it is its Tourism, Consumer Affairs, and Environment Exco Elizabeth Wong’s turn citing Sections 20 and 20A of the Town and Country Act 1976, that all development planning must be presented and discussed with the state government before proceeding (Malaysiakini, 20 March 2018). She should recall that back in 25 January 2017, Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali had a discussion with the project's steering committee.  

So it is NOT true that no federal agencies have approached the state government. Therefore Elizabeth Wong as the State Exco should have more discussion with the federal agencies to reflect the state government’s sincerity in supporting Selangor’s aspiration of becoming a low carbon and smart Selangor state by 2025.

Thus the call by Damansara Utama assemblyman Yeo Bee Yin to the Selangor state government to not support the project is reckless. Moreover, what does Elizabeth mean by “just because BN is short of money, the project needs to be fast track?” Is she implying any wrong doing here by the Cabinet Minister?

Construction has already commenced in the East Coast and more than 3,000 jobs have been offered while tender jobs for ECRL have also been offered. Come next quarter (July to September 2018), between 18,000 to 20,000 construction workers are expected to be involved. So where did Elizabeth Wong come up with the conclusion that the Prime Minister officiated the project without the state government's consent and the approval of various other agencies?

If the project is truly illegal then it would not have even started works!

Does Elizabeth also know that the original ECRL design could have involved the loss of over 2,000ha of forest reserves but modifications to the alignment and provisions of 45 tunnels with a total length of about 49km have managed to reduce the loss of forests by 90%? Wildlife underpasses will also be built at 29 strategic locations so that wildlife can move freely despite the railway line passing through.

Yet her statement saying this project is riddled with environmental issues, deforestation risks, forced eviction on land, route feasibility issues and many more problems is just blatant lies and irresponsible.

Opposition lawmakers like her have many things to complain about. It is then better to suggest that they should look at the Ijok land scandal first where just recently the owners and management of third party consulting firms are believed to have received at least RM260mil from the RM1.18bil payment made for the plots of land in Ijok. With this type of scandal involving her own backyard in Selangor, it is better for a Selangor Exco like her to have a more serious look into it rather than commenting on national issue.

Chris Daniel Wong
MCA Religious Harmony Bureau Secretary 
MCA Youth Lembah Pantai Deputy Chairman

-MCA online-