A comprehensive plan in managing bauxite issue to be readied by year-end, assures the Menteri Besar

EDITOR’S NOTE;

The Star – an MCA-owned daily newspaper, today - Wednesday, December 16, carried a front-page story on bauxite under the headline – Red alert.

Written by it’s Kuantan-based reporters; Qishin Tariq and Ong Han Sean, the full story that appeared in the subsequent page, has among others quoting experts as saying that bauxite mining areas in Pahang could cause dangerous mudslides and worsen floods if monsoon rains lash the state as expected.

In response to this, Menteri Besar Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan Yaakob who is still abroad, attending his youngest son graduation ceremony; has sms-ed to the local media-people the following brief statement;    

WISMA SRI PAHANG, KUANTAN – The Pahang State Government welcomes and appreciates media reporting on the bauxite mining activities in Pahang.

The State Government has also received many complaints from many quarters; be they within UMNO and BN, so are from NGOs and some concerned individuals regarding this issue.

The Menteri Besar was not sitting still. He had on numerous occasions engaged in discussions with the stakeholders on this issue.

The Menteri Besar has met, no less than four (4) times with the operators, contractors and transport operators, advising them to take into consideration the hardship the people are experiencing due to their irresponsible mode of  extracting the ore.

Sadly, this advice has fallen on deaf ears.

‘WELFARE OF THE INNOCENT COMMON PEOPLE MUST OUTWEIGH WHATEVER ECONOMIC BENEFITS’

In the meantime, the Federal Government has stepped in to assist the State Government in handling this issue and the State Government highly appreciates this.

InsyaAllah by year-end, the State Government will come up with a comprehensive plan to manage this issue.

To all media – both mainstream and social, political parties, NGOs and concerned individuals; the State Government wishes to record it’s appreciation.

In the final analysis, the social benefit and welfare of the innocent common people must outweigh whatever economic benefits. – Khabar

Tutup buku lama, simpan rekod lama

“Dan saya percaya, ucapan penangguhan YAB Dato’ Sri Presiden, akan menjurus ke arah memandang ke hadapan dan apakah langkah-langkah yang akan diambil untuk mengukuhkan parti”

… ulas Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan tentang kehendak perwakilan mahukan pemimpin UMNO bermaaf-maafan daripada terus bersengketa

WARNA BAJU HIJAU YANG HAMPIR SAMA, RIANG DAN MESRA BERSAMA-SAMA... Inilah wajah-wajah girang dan mesra pemimpin-pemimpin Pahang kita. 

Foto ini dirakam sempena Jamuan Makan Tengah hari pada Jumaat, 11 Disember di Dewan Tun Dr Ismail, Aras 2, PWTC anjuran Badan Perhubungan UMNO Negeri yang diketuai Dato' Sri DiRaja Adnan, dengan jemputan khasnya, Dato' Sri Mohd Najib. 

Yang turut kelihatan ialah Timbalan Pengerusi Perhubungan UMNO Negeri, Dato' Sri Mohd Sharkar Shamsuddin; serta, Bendahari Perhubungan UMNO Negeri, Dato' Sri Ir Mohd Soffi Abdul Razak (berbaju warna biru, membelakangkan kamera).       

BILIK BUNGA, LANTAI 3, HOTEL SERI PACIFIC, KUALA LUMPUR – “Nampaknya, pihak perwakilan ingin - buku lama ditutup dan rekod lama disimpan. ‘We look forward’.

“Dan saya percaya, ucapan penangguhan YAB Dato’ Sri Presiden, akan menjurus ke arah memandang ke hadapan dan apakah langkah-langkah yang akan diambil untuk mengukuhkan parti”.

Inilah kata-kata Menteri Besar Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan Yaakob yang juga Pengerusi Perhubungan UMNO Negeri, ketika ditemui wartawan selepas hadiri majlis menanda tangani perjanjian melibatkan Pasdec Automative Technologies (Pty) Ltd (PAT) dengan Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) pagi Jumaat, 11 Disember di sini.          

Ia sebagai menjawab soalan wartawan Berita Harian yang menanyakan pendapatnya tentang saranan oleh para perwakilan semasa perbahasan di Perhimpunan Agung UMNO ke-69 yang sedang berlangsung ketika ini.

Saranan tersebut mahukan para pemimpin bermaaf-maafan ekoran persengketaan membabitkan mereka terutamanya kritikan terbuka oleh Timbalan Presiden, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yasssin; dan Naib Presiden, Dato’ Sri Shafie Apdal;

PERSIDANGAN MEDIA 'IMPROMPTU'... Sungguhpun beliau perlu segera kembali masuk ke Dewan Merdeka, Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra (PWTC) yang bersebelahan, untuk meneruskan kehadirannya pada sesi perbahasan sempena Perhimpunan Agung UMNO ke-69 yang masuk hari kedua, hari ini; 

Oleh kerana tidak mahu menghampakan para wartawan, Dato' Sri DiRaja Adnan tetap melayani wartawan dengan mengadakan persidangan media ringkas dan 'impromptu' di koridor bersebelahan Bilik Bunga ini.   

A DECISION THAT WILL BENEFIT ALL

Disertai bekas Presiden, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad; terhadap Perdana Menteri dan Presiden UMNO, Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Abdul Razak tentang pelbagai isu semasa terutamanya soal 1MDB dan derma peribadi RM2,600 juta.

Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan juga ditanyakan oleh wartawan sebuah portal Berbahasa Inggeris yang lentuk ke arah pembangkang, tentang kecaman pembangkang terhadap pengendaliannya dalam isu gejala bauksit khususnya di Kuantan.    

“The Minister and the Menteri Besar will meet once again and then we’ll come out with a formal statement… The decision (to be) made will be benefit to all, especially to the common people.

“That much I can say. You just wait for another one or two weeks,” he said. The Minister that Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan referred to is Dato’ Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar who is the Minister of Natural Resources and Enviroment (NRE).

He then insisted that the next meeting to be held with the Minister and the subsequent decision to be made, was not in response to criticism nor pressure mounted by the opposition party, PKR alone such as suggested by the portal’s reporter.

MEMORANDA RECEIVED EVEN FROM PARTY-MEN

“I received a lot of memoranda – from my own party-men, from NGOs, from JKKKs and also from the opposition (and) we welcome them. But, it doesn’t mean that just because we were pressured by PKR, we then take the action, no…,” he stressed.  

On why the one or two weeks’ timeline, Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan said that, it was because he and Dato’ Sri Wan Junaidi will both not be in the country – the latter is now in Paris while he himself will be leaving for England, tomorrow.

“… all are busy men (in the next one or two weeks). So, just wait for us to come back then we’ll (have the meeting, and) come out with an announcement (to further check the negative effects of the bauxite industry),” he assured. – Khabar  

Construction of PAT/BDC’s RM58.5 million (BWP150 million) plant in Lobatse, Botswana is on schedule

“I consider the shifting of our plant from South Africa to Botswana is a very important effort. Leaving South Africa was with a pinch of sadness; and we are very happy to be in Botswana,” says the Menteri Besar.

WITNESSING THE SIGNING OF AGREEMENTS... Dato' Sri DiRaja Adnan is seen here witnessing the agreements signed by (L-R) Dato' Pather; Dato' Kamaruddin; Mr Bashi; and, Mr Bafana. 

Also seen in this photograph are (standing, L-R) Dato' Khairuddin; and, Dato' Abdul Rahim.   

BUNGA ROOM, LEVEL 3, HOTEL SERI PACIFIC, KUALA LUMPUR – A joint-venture deal between Pasdec Automative Technologies (Pty) Ltd (PAT) and Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) in the establishment of a RM58.5 million plant producing automotive wiring harnesses in Lobatse, Botswana, is on schedule.

The JV between the two is proposed after PAT decided to relocate it’s business from Brits, South Africa – where it’s two plants were located and operated since 1969; to the town of Lobatse.    

The relocation exercise was said to be made due to Botswana Government’s determined mission to grow it’s economy through industrialization, and, the many attractive incentives that were offered.

  

“PAT’s new assembly plant in Lobatse, Botswana is in the final stages of construction and refitting, and when complete, will be 20,000m² in size. This will make it one of Botswana’s largest manufacturing facilities and will provide employment to more than 430 people, all of whom will be sourced locally.

“Recruitment has already begun and the first 120 employees are undergoing intensive training,” according to a press statement released at the Signing Ceremony of Ordinary Share Subscription Agreement and Shareholders Agreement between PAT and BDC here, on Friday morning, December 11.

AT THE MAIN TABLE... 

SUPPLYING COMPONENTS TO WORLD’S FAMOUR CAR PRODUCERS

Pahang Menteri Besar Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan Yaakob was present to witness the event. Also in attendance were Pahang State’s Legal Adviser, Dato’ Shamsulbahri Ibrahim; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pahang State Development Corporation (PKNP), Dato’ Abdul Rahim Mohd Ali;

CEO of BDC, Encik Bashi Gaetsaloe; and his Chief Operating Officer (COO), Encik Bafana Molomo; CEO of Pasdec Holdings Bhd, Dato’ Khairuddin Abdul Manan; Chairman of Pasdec Resources South Africa Ltd, Dato’ Kamaruddin Mohamed; and, CEO of PAT, Dato’ Kevin Pather.

The statement also stated that PAT is currently supplying automotive wiring harnesses to the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of some world’s famous car producers such as Nissan, Renault and Volkswagen (VW).

Under the new contract that it has recently obtained from VW, PAT will get to supply the said component worth about RM390 million over a 7-year period; and the contract from Nissan, it will get to provide the same component worth about RM546 million over a 10-year period.

In his 7-minute off-the-cuff speech at the same function, Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan has among others touched about the relocation of PAT’s plant from Brits to Lobatse by saying that;

“I consider the shifting of our plant from South Africa to Botswana is a very important effort. Leaving South Africa was with a pinch of sadness; and we are very happy to be in Botswana”.  – Khabar

Lagi perbincangan bagi atasi gejala bauksit.

… melibatkan sekali lagi, Menteri Besar dengan Menteri Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar.

 

PERJUMPAAN PETANG JUMAAT... Sebaik-baik selepas sesi bergambar untuk jurufoto tempatan inilah, berlangsung perjumpaan dan perbincangan serius demi mengambil beberapa lagi keputusan ke arah mengatasi gejala bauksit di daerah Kuantan ini khususnya. 

 

BILIK MESYUARAT, TINGKAT 6, KOMPLEKS YAYASAN PAHANG, TANJUNG LUMPUR, KUANTAN – Menteri Besar Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan Yaakob dan Menteri Sumebr Asli dan Alam Sekitar, Dato’ Sri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar sekali lagi berjumpa bagi membincangkan lanjut tentang usaha menangani dan mengatasi gejala akibat daripada industri bauksit di Kuantan.

Dato’ Sri Wan Junaidi tiba kira-kira 2.30 petang Jumaat ini, 4 Disember di sini, bersama-sama pegawai-pegawai tertinggi Kementeriannya, disambut oleh Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan yang turut disertai oleh Ahli-ahli Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan (MMK) Negeri.

Perbincangan dalam Bilik Mesyuarat ini berlangsung lebih sejam, sebelum tamat dengan minum petang.

Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan kemudian kelihatan mengiringi Dato’ Sri Wan Junaidi ke tingkat bawah, sebelum menuju ke helikopter yang sedang menunggu di kawasan lapang depan bangunan ini.

Adalah difahamkan, Dato’ Sri Wan Junaidi perlu segera berlepas untuk ke Lapangan terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur (KLIA), Sepang, bagi menghadiri majlis rasmi melepaskan pemergian seekor tapir ke Jepun sebagai pinjaman tanda persahabatan dengan Kerajaan negara itu.

Menerusi perbincangan kali ini, adalah diharapkan, beberapa keputusan yang lebih berkesan dapat dicapai untuk akhirnya mengatasi gejala yang dibawa oleh bahan mineral kemerah-merahan ini. 

KERETA CELUP BAUKSIT... Inilah bahananya bauksit. Bagaimanapun, penulis lebih percaya, ini bukanlah hasil akibat sehari tetapi mungkin sudah dua-tiga hari pemilik kereta ini tidak mencuci, mungkin kerana sudah terlalu bosan untuk melakukannya. 

Akibat kesan sebeginilah, bauksit sudah semakin menjadi bahan ketawa orangramai termasuk oleh seorang ustaz mirip-hala pembangkang, yang sering sebut jalan sebagai 'jalang-jalang'. Dan kita, tentunya terkesan juga dengan 'jokes' sebegini dan mengharapkan usaha yang lebih berkesan dapat diambil untuk mengatasinya.    

KATA-KATA KESAT TERHADAP INDUSTRI BAUKSIT... Lazimnya, penulis tidak gemar atau biasa untuk menggunakan kata-kata kesat sebegini tetapi dalam isu bauksit, rasa-rasanya, inilah perkataan tepat yang boleh digunakan - bukan sekadar merujuk kepada pemandu lori malah punca dan rantaiannya sekali. 

Persoalannya; takkanlah demi mengaut keuntungan demi apapun juga agenda mereka - pengusaha bahan mineral ini, masih lagi terus bersikap tidak peduli terhadap sentimen dan pernyataan-pernyataan serta 'signal-signal' bantahan terhadap gejala yang diakibatkan oleh mereka? 

Foto ini penulis rakamkan ketika dalam perjalanan ke Kawasan Perindustrian Gebeng pada lewat petang Jumaat, 4 Disember ini. 

 

DAMAINYA, PAGI DI BRINCHANG... Foto ini penulis rakamkan, pada pagi Khamis, 3 Disember di Brinchang, Cameron Highlands. Lihatlah damainya berada di kawasan tanahtinggi ini. 

Sepatutnya pada musim-musim cuti sekolah ini, laluan ini akan menjadi sendat dengan kenderaan akibat kunjungan orangramai tetapi kali ini tidak sebegitu. 

Analisis singkat penulis menerusi perbualan dengan beberapa penduduk tempatan -  kekurangan pelancong ketika ini bukan disebabkan oleh laporan-laporan berita mengenai kejadian-kejadian tanah runtuh yang lepas-lepas, tetapi lebih diakibatkan oleh fenomena nasional; 

Bahawa, penduduk kita sedang terhimpit dengan masalah kos kehidupan yang tinggi yang dengan itu kurang mempunyai wang lebihan untuk melancong termasuklah ke kawasan tanahtinggi ini. – Khabar