Menteri Besar Inc. (MBI): "gravy train" for state elites and politicians?

Murray Hunter

MALAYSIA Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB) case is just one of a network of secret companies controlled by state chief ministers in all states. These quasi-state GLCs escape scrutiny from government auditors and look after state elites and politicians

Murray Hunter The Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB) case where Selangor MB Amirudin Shari is a director in what apparently is a joint venture with Berjaya corporation is a part of a secret network of state financed companies, with individuals (acting as proxies?) act as directors and shareholders.

In almost every state in the peninsula, a unit under the MB’s office called Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI) develops and operates businesses through proxy shareholders, rather than the state as the equity holder. This way these companies are not subject to the state auditors, or to the state parliament, even though they utilize state funds as capital.

Every state has their own State Economic Development Authorities (SEDCs) which gather investment for the state and undertake development, construction, and other business projects. However, MBIs are clandestine and can operate with impunity.

These MBIs set up companies can take the cream of business opportunities within their respective states, taking business opportunities away from private businesses.

MBI companies usually have connected businesspeople, or even retired politicians as directors and shareholders, who are meant to be proxies for the state government, usually with no written agreements.

Very few people are aware of the business arrangements, salaries, allowances, and/or benefits these ex-politicians and cronies receive. The Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB) case has uncovered to the public the dark and murky world of patronage operating at the state level.

Politics and business is a toxic mix, where these companies are favoured over other private companies. These people were elected to serve in parliament, not run businesses.

MBIs are potential cesspools of corruption, hidden away from the MACC’s eyes. MBI companies in their respective states have always been considered “hands off entities” with special privileges.

They are the epitome of nepotism and the public know little or nothing about them. Its time for all states to make public a register of all these corporations, name shareholders and directors for public scrutiny.

This was posted earlier on Hussein Hamid Steadyaku47 earlier today: “Is it appropriate for Selangor MB, state EXCO members to sit as Sdn Bhd directors?” · By Abdul Razak Ismail · 3 hours ago · in Mainstream, Top

PARTI Hijau Malaysia (PHM) wonders whether the Selangor MB and his Exco members are directors of a joint venture company of a wholly owned subsidiary of the Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI), namely Landasan Lumayan Sdn Bhd (LLSB). For the record, LLSB together with Berjaya Land Bhd (BLand), a subsidiary of Berjaya Corp Bhd, are in a direct negotiation for a mega project known as the Selangor Maritime Gateway where the work of deepening and widening the Klang River for 56 km is estimated to cost RM700 mil starting from Mid Valley in Kuala Lumpur to Port Klang, Selangor. The joint venture company is known as Landasan Lumayan Berjaya Sdn Bhd (LLB) where BLand owns a 55% equity while LLSB holds 45%. A check with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) shows that Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amiruddin Shari and EXCO member, Izham Hashim, are the directors of LLB alongside Tan Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun who is the non-independent non-executive chairman of Berjaya Corp.

Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amiruddin ShariDo we think that both Amirudin and Izham will get benefits, allowances, bonuses and facilities as company directors and that this is this not a conflict of interests because they are civil servants who are members of the Selangor State Executive Council (EXCO)?

Can we expect Tan Sri Vincent Tan to chair the company’s (LLB) meeting while Amiruddin and Izham will just listen as the company directors because LLSB only has a 45% shareholding in the company?

What is interesting is that BLand was given a land swap in return for the deepening and widening of the Klang River by getting the right to develop the lands on both sides of the 56km long river for various housing projects with a projected gross development value (GDV) of RM10 bil.

Therefore, Parti Hijau Malaysia (PHM) urges Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who is also the PKR president to examine all direct negotiation projects in Selangor as PHM can sense the occurrence of numerous mismanagement, conflicts of interests and absence of transparency in project transactions by the state government or by its subsidiaries. Among the projects include:

• The demolishment and re-construction of the Shah Alam Stadium Complex (price has yet to be determined);

• Construction of water treatment plant in Sungai Rasau in Tanjung Duabelas, Kuala Langat worth RM2 bil;

• Construction two incinerators in Jeram, Kuala Selangor which is reported to be worth RM600 mil each; and

• ·Approval of 27 quarries in the Bukit Lagong Forest Reserve and various housing projects and commercial centres in the Bukit Cherakah Forest Reserve. · PHM began to suspect why these projects were approved in an “Express” manner in the past two years as if there is the intention to complete these projects before the Selangor State Election which is expected in July or August. – Feb 28, 2023 Abdul Razak Ismail is the secretary (sponsor) of Parti Hijau Malays