Kumpulan Semesta chairman defends company pay-out

By Shahrim Tamrin
http://www.mmail.com.my/content/38621-kumpulan-semesta-chairman-defends-company-payout

SHAH ALAM: Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB) non-executive chairman Abdul Shukor Nagor today defended the company's decision to give two months bonus in 2008 and four months bonus end of last year as due reward for hard work and the "threats" they had to endure.

"We took into consideration that our staff have been working diligently despite the work hazard, stress and threats received while performing their duties," he told the Select Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat) inquiry this morning.

Abdul Shukor said 45 KSSB personnel had received RM503,613.59 for financial year June 2009, and RM137,500 at the end of 2008, which included top management as well as the directors.

But Selangor State Assembly Speaker Teng Chang Kim, who is the inquiry's chief panellist, was not impressed with Abdul Shukor's answer that the bonuses were given because of work hazard and threats.

"Did you receive the four months bonus?" Teng asked. Abdul Shukor replied, "Yes."

Abdul Shukor admitted he received a bonus of RM48,000 while KSSB executive director Ramli Abdul Majid received RM82,000 for the duration from September 2008 to June 2009, respectively.

But when Teng asked Abdul Shukor if he himself had received any threats while working, the latter replied "no".

Teng also requested for Abdul Shukor to justify why the board of directors and three senior managers received four months' bonus payout while the rest of the KSSB frontliner staff were only given one-and-a-half month bonus.

"You mentioned yesterday that sand-mining industry is difficult, shouldn't bigger bonuses be given to frontliner staff?" asked Teng. To this, Abdul Shukor kept mum.

The chairman later said KSSB officers have been working hard and able to contribute dividends of RM5.7 million and RM10.1 million in profit to the state government via the Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI) after KSSB generated RM31 million in revenue for 2009.

"We were able to increase the operations year after year. In 2002, it was only at 446 tonnes (of sand) per day, then in 2009 it was 4,922 tonnes daily," said Abdul Shukor.

"This year, we recorded per day at 8,417 tonnes in January; 12,508 tonnes in February; 19,677 tonnes in March, and 18,912 tonnes in April."

Abdul Shukor also reiterated that there is no monopoly in the sand-mining industry in Selangor.

Responding to a question from Hulu Kelang assemblyman Saari Sungib, if KSSB had exclusive control on sand-mining operations in Selangor, Abdul Shukor said: "I strongly disagree with your question and the people's perception. Please bear in mind, we were not the ones issuing the permits, controlling the transport sector and setting the market price for sand."

Abdul Shukor is the third witness to speak before the Selcat inquiry. Yesterday, State chairman for Agriculture, Natural Resources and Entrepreneurial Development Yaakob Sapari, as well as KSSB director Ramli Abdul Majid, took centre stage.

Aside from Teng and Saari, other panellists in the Selcat inquiry are Haniza Talha (PKR-Taman Merdan), Azmin Ali (PKR-Bukit Antarabangsa), Edward Lee Poh Lin (DAP-Bukit Gasing), Ismail Sani (BN-Dusun Tua) and Sulaiman Abdul Razak (BN-Permatang).

KSSB staff given bonuses after only 4 months in operation

Azreen Hani

http://www.mmail.com.my/content/38408-kssb-staff-given-bonuses-after-only-4-months-operation

SHAH ALAM: The staff and directors of Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB), a subsidiary of the Selangor government and a sand-mining concession holder, were given two months' bonus in December 2008, four months after it started its operation, an inquiry here heard today.

The company's non-executive chairman Abdul Shukor Nahor, who testified before an inquiry conducted by Selcat, said they also received an additional four months' bonus between January and June last year.

There was nothing wrong with giving bonuses to the staff, he said, because the company made profits.

"Sand-mining is a difficult industry and our employees work very hard despite receiving threats regularly," Abdul Shukor, the third witness to testify in the inquiry, said.

Selcat or the Selangor Select Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency, is probing into the allegations by Kapar Member of Parliament S. Manikavasagam that there were corrupt activities involving senior officials of KSSB.

The three-day inquiry started today.

Selcat has seven members namely Selangor State Assembly Speaker Teng Chang Kim, who is the chairman, Haniza Talha (PKR-Taman Merdan), Azmin Ali (PKR-Bukit Antarabangsa), Saari Sungib (PAS-Hulu Kelang), Edward Lee Poh Lin (DAP-Bukit Gasing), Ismail Sani (BN-Dusun Tua) and Sulaiman Abdul Razak (BN-Permatang).

Teng questioned the move by KSSB in rewarding its staff with six months' bonus altogether, saying the company had just been formed in July 2008.

"How come KSSB can reward its staff with this hefty sum when the company only operated two mining areas at that time?" he added.

Abdul Shukor also said that 40 police reports had been lodged by KSSB staff over the threats they received since the time the company started its operation.

He also said that KSSB did not have sand-mining monopoly in the state.

Selcat hearing starts with Yaakob Sapari as first witness

SHAH ALAM: This morning’s public hearing by Selcat saw State chairman for Agriculture, Natural Resources and Entrepreneurial Development, Yaakob Sapari, as the first witness for the probe into Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB).

Yaakob, who is also Kota Anggerik State assemblyman, appeared calm when questioned by the panel headed by Selangor State Assembly Speaker Teng Chang Kim.

Among the issues raised were the involvement and authority of KSSB towards sand-mining activity in Selangor and the progress that has been made by the company which was set up in June 2008.

Yaakob said as a wholly-owned state subsidiary, KSSB only had jurisdiction over state-owned land and the rivers in the state.

"KSSB had not issued permits for sand-mining activities in privately-owned land and as such, did not have the power to do anything when private land was encroached into," Yaakob told the panel.

In one of the sessions, Dusun Tua assemblyman Ismail Sani questioned the credentials of four people from the KSSB board of directors which led them to be appointed in the state-owned subsidiary company.

“They are all professionals. Ramli Abdul Majid, for example, was among the first degree holders in mining engineering in the country,” Yaakob replied.

Ismail then asked if it was true that one of the directors was related to Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, to which Yaakob immediately replied that the question was malicious.

Yaakob also told the panel that the selection of the directors was made and agreed in the Selangor State Exco meeting.

He said as such, the appointment of Abdul Shukor Nahor as the company's non-executive chairman, and Wong Su Kok and Mohamad Khairuddin Othman as the director and executive director respectively, was made by the state government based on their experience and qualifications.

Teng also asked if Yaakob was aware of how bonus payments were made in KSSB, to which he said "no".

“Do you agree that you should monitor this to ensure the efficiency of the company and the State governance in the matter?” asked Teng. Yaakob said he agreed.

Teng then elaborated by saying such activities needed to be monitored as not to risk the State government from being doubted and criticised at.

Landslide on hill temple

By Meena L. Ramadas
http://www.thesundaily.com/article.cfm?id=47478

PETALING JAYA (June 1, 2010): A landslide at the Sri Maha Kaliamman temple in Bukit Gasing last night startled some 20 devotees who were in the midst of prayers, but fortunately did not cause any injuries.


Sri Maha Kaliamman worker S. Aridharan, 28, shows the area where
the landslide occured. The store room's zink roof and wall backed
by the hill was destroyed by the landslide. Sunpix: Sharil Amin.


Sri Maha Kaliamman temple two workers clean up the debris
caused by the landslide. Sunpix: Sharil Amin.

The landslide, which occurred at 9pm, damaged the back portion of the temple, resulting in the temple committee deciding to close the house of worship until further notice.

A temple worker S. Aridharan, 25, told theSun devotees who were sitting on the floor in the main prayer hall when the landslide occurred. A fridge nearby toppled over, narrowly missing the devotees.

Temple chairman P. Puharasan, 29, said the landslide affected the newly extended section of the temple and damaged the store room.

"We spent more than RM200,000 to on the extension and it was supposed to be opened this year," said Puharasan, who was clearly disheartened by the incident.

He said this is the third time a landslide has occurred at the temple in recent years. The temple is backed by a small hill. The first two landslides occurred in 2006 at the old section of the temple.

"That is why we extended the temple to make it more safe for the devotees," he said.

"And now, the landslide has occurred at the new section."

He said between 300 and 500 devotees pray at the temple weekly and feared for their safety if more landslides occurred.

Puharasan said the temple should be relocated in view of the landslides.

"We are appealing to the state government to offer any sort of assistance," he added.

He said he had made several requests to the state government on it, but has not received a reply.

When contacted, Bukit Gasing assemblyman Edward Lee said the temple committee has agreed to identify a suitable location for relocation and pledged to assist them. -- theSun