MASSIVE RM114M LOSSES BY EX-CM

Massive RM114m losses by ex-CM

Kota Kinabalu: Warisan Harta Sabah has recovered from a disastrous share swap deal executed during the chairmanship of a former Chief Minister in December 1997, said Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Haji Rahman Ghani.

He said the share swap was carried out despite a Director, representing the State Finance Ministry, expressing strong reservations.

As a result of the transaction, Warisan Harta Sabah suffered substantial losses. During its financial year of 2000, Warisan Harta Sabah estimated its losses amounted to RM114 million mainly as a result of this transaction.

Speaking at its annual general meeting (AGM) here, Monday, Rahman said Warisan Harta, the State Government's investment arm, was hurt in the share swap of its very strong blue chip counter, MISC shares, in exchange for the shares of North Borneo Timber Corporation (NBT), a trading company and the shares of Sugarbun Corporation Berhad (Sugarbun), a fast-food company.

The deal involved 32 million MISC shares - disposed of at RM5.70 per share valued at RM182.4 million in exchange for 3 million NBT shares transacted at RM32 per share valued at RM96 million and 4.76 million Sugarbun shares transacted at RM7.60 per share valued at RM36.176 million.

He said NBT was de-listed when it was trading at 19 sen per share and Sugarbun (now changed to Borneo Oil) is trading at 14.5 sen.

The huge losses were and continued to be a big blow to Warisan Harta Sabah's financial position and it was estimated that Warisan Harta Sabah had registered unrealised losses exceeding RM200 million not including profits derived from any bonus issue, rights issue of shares, price appreciation and dividends declared by MISC.

He said Warisan Harta Sabah had taken legal action against Suniwang Holdings Sdn Bhd for breaching a condition of the Sale of Shares Agreement, in particular, the "Put Option" that was emplaced to protect Warisan Harta Sabah's interest.

However, in November 2001, a winding up order was issued against Suniwang and subsequently Warisan Harta Sabah submitted its claims against the company through the Official Assignee.

Nonetheless, Rahman said under the present State leadership, Warisan Harta managed to chalk a net profit of RM26.3 million compared to RM9.8 million in 2008.

At group level, Warisan Harta Sabah recorded a net profit of RM65.9 million compared to RM28 million in 2008.

In addition to this, the shareholders of Warisan Harta Sabah also approved a final dividend of RM12 million to be distributed to the State Government of Sabah for the financial year ended 31 December 2009.

Until now, Warisan Harta Sabah had declared a total dividend amounting to RM97.1 million to the State Government as the sole shareholder of Warisan Harta Sabah, he said.

"Since 2000, Warisan Harta Sabah had recovered its losses following the share swap transaction É the remarkable recovery has been made possible with the guidance and foresight of the present leadership including the backing and cooperation by the State Government."

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GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE ACTION IN NBT-WH CASE

“WHY DON’T YOU PUT THE TOWER IN YOUR HOUSE IF IT IS SAFE?”

Reporter loses it at conference on telco towers

GEORGE TOWN, October 6, 2009: A press conference on telecommunication transmission towers on Tuesday turned hostile when a reporter lost his cool with a state executive councillor.
A Chinese press reporter hit the table angrily in the midst of a press conference by state Local Government and Traffic Management Committee chairman Chow Kon Yeow, accusing the latter of being “no better” than his predecessor Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan.
The reporter, an environmentalist and active member in non-governmental organisations, became agitated when Chow was briefing the media on the state’s stand on the towers.
Answering the reporter’s question, Chow said such towers were allowed if they were erected 30m away from residential areas as this was in accordance with Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission guidelines.
He then hit out at Chow and the government for not caring about the people, saying, “You all are no better than the previous administration. We voted you in for change but you are doing the same things.”
“Why don’t you put the tower in your house if it is safe?” he shouted.
A surprised Chow kept his cool and continued briefing the press but said he would lodge a formal complaint against the reporter with his company.
“At last week’s state exco meeting, we decided to give telecommunication companies until June 30 next year to obtain the necessary licences for operating the towers.
“About 65% out of more than 840 telecommunications in the state currently do not have the necessary permits for their towers. We are giving them time to make the necessary applications for the structures.
“Those that do not meet the local council and Commission guidelines will have to take down the towers,” he said, adding that PDC Telecommunications Services Sdn Bhd -- a subsidiary of the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) -- would assist the companies with their applications.
“So far, 32 sites on state land have been identified for telecommunication companies whose existing towers do not comply with the guidelines to apply and use the sites there,” he said.
Chow noted that the state was still finalising the guidelines for such structures as it was important to strike a balance between the impact of electro-magnetic fields and consumer demands for better telecommunication coverage.



Anxious over telco towers

WARISAN HARTA PAYS RM12 MILLION DIVIDEND TO GOVT

KOTA KINABALU, September 03, 2009: The Warisan Harta Sdn Bhd (WHSB) has paid its final dividend of RM12 million to the government.

WHSB chairman Datuk Ramli Maharban presented a mock cheque for the amount to the Finance Ministry’s permanent secretary Datuk Yussof Kassim, who represented the government.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, who is also the Finance Minister, witnessed the ceremony held in his office at Wisma Innoprise yesterday.

The state-owned WHSB has since its incorporation in 1995, made 10 dividend payments to the government totalling RM85,130,454.28.

WHSB recorded a group net profit of RM28 million last year and a RM9.8 million net profit at company level.

Also present were State Secretary Datuk Sukarti Wakiman, WHSB chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Rahman Ghani and the WHSB management team.

MENARA TELEKOMUNIKASI TUMBANG

 MENARA telekomunikasi yang baru dibina setahun tumbang dan meranapkan sebahagian bumbung Pusat Khidmat Masyarakat DUN Hulu Besut, Ahad lalu.

KUALA TERENGGANU, Jumaat, 07 Ogos 2009: Menara telekomunikasi jalur lebar di Kampung Chagar Batang, dekat Pasir Akar, Besut, tumbang menghempap dan meranapkan sebahagian bangunan Pusat Khidmat Masyarakat Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Hulu Besut, Ahad lalu.

Menara setinggi 35 meter itu baru siap akhir tahun lalu tumbang jam 6.30 petang ketika angin kencang dan hujan lebat, tetapi tiada kemalangan jiwa dilaporkan.

Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Hulu Besut, Nawi Mohamad, berkata ketika kejadian pejabat DUN berkenaan sudah ditutup dan kerugian dianggarkan bernilai RM50,000.

"Petang itu angin agak kencang, tetapi kami tidak menyangka menara yang sepatutnya berdiri kukuh itu tumbang, sedangkan atap rumah penduduk di kawasan berhampiran pun tidak ada yang terbang atau tercabut seperti yang biasa berlaku ketika ribut.

"Saya mengesyaki menara itu tumbang berikutan pembinaannya tidak kukuh. Kita kesal kerana ia baru siap akhir tahun lalu dan tidak sampai setahun ia sudah tumbang," katanya ketika dihubungi, di sini, semalam.

Sementara itu, Menteri Besar, Datuk Ahmad Said, berkata, beliau sudah mengarahkan Unit Pengurusan Maklumat Negeri (UPMN) menyiasat punca runtuhan menara yang dibina kontraktor tempatan.

PENDEDAHAN TERLALU KERAP DENGAN RADIASI MUNGKIN AKAN MENGGANGGU PERTUMBUHAN SEL OTAK DAN TUBUH BADAN KANAK-KANAK

MBI, PBT Pertama Periksa Kadar Radiasi Stesen Pemancar

IPOH, 9 Julai (Bernama) -- Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh (MBI) akan menjadi Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan (PBT) pertama di negara ini yang mengambil inisiatif untuk memeriksa kadar radiasi stesen pemancar telekomunikasi yang dipasang di sekolah di Bandaraya Ipoh.

Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kesihatan, Kerajaan Tempatan, Alam Sekitar, Hal Ehwal Pengguna, Pengangkutan Awam dan Hal Ehwal Bukan Islam Negeri, Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon berkata kerajaan negeri telah mengarahkan MBI melakukan pemeriksaan tersebut dengan kerjasama Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia (SKMM).

"Kita sedar ada sekolah di Ipoh mempunyai stesen pemancar sistem telekomunikasi, sedangkan kadar radiasi secara berlebihan mampu membahayakan kesihatan.

"Oleh itu setiap stesen pemancar tersebut akan diperiksa MBI dengan kerjasama SKMM. Jika tidak menepati spefikasi dan jumlah kadar radiasi yang ditetapkan, ia akan dirobohkan," katanya selepas merasmikan Forum Menilai Kesan Radiasi Radio-Frekunsi (RF) Sistem Telekomunikasi anjuran MBI dan SKMM, di sini Khamis.

Seramai tiga orang pakar turut membentangakan kertas kerja dalam forum berkenaan iaitu Pengarah SKMM Wilayah Utara, Mohd Hussin Ali, Pengarah Bahagian Keselamatan dan Kesihatan Sinaran, Agensi Nuklear Malaysia, Mohd Yusof Mohd Ali dan Ketua Penolong Pengarah Cawangan Keselamatan Sinaran Bahagian Perkhidmatan Kejuruteraan Kementerian Kesihatan, Dr M Prunthavany.

Dr Mah berkata antara spefikasi yang mesti dipatuhi ialah stesen pemancar perlu berada antara 15 dengan 40 meter dari aras bumi dan had kadar radiasi tidak melebihi 1,800 megahertz.

Beliau berkata sekiranya terbukti merbahaya, selain stesen pemancar itu akan dirobohkan, syarikat telekomunikasi terlibat boleh dikenakan tindakan lain seperti dikompaun dan disenarai hitam.

Dalam kertas kerja yang bertajuk "Telefon Bimbit, Menara Pemancar dan Isu Berkaitan Kesihatan", Dr Prunthavany berkata walaupun sehingga kini tiada bukti kukuh bahawa radiasi telefon bimbit boleh menjejaskan kesihatan, namun kanak-kanak di bawah 15 tahun tidak digalakkan terdedah dengan radiasi dalam kuantiti tinggi.

Beliau berkata laporan Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia juga mengatakan pendedahan terlalu kerap dengan radiasi mungkin akan mengganggu pertumbuhan sel otak dan tubuh badan kanak-kanak.

Seorang peserta forum turut mendedahkan sebahagian sekolah di bandar raya ini dipasang dengan stesen pemancar sistem telekomunikasi dan beliau meminta MBI menyiasatnya.

DASAR KESELAMATAN NUKLEAR NEGARA BELUM MANTAP

Keselamatan Perlu Diutamakan Dalam Dasar Nuklear

PETALING JAYA, 8 Julai (Bernama) -- Kerajaan perlu memberi keutamaan kepada isu keselamatan apabila membuat satu draf dasar nuklear bagi negara ini, kata Setiausaha Agung Persatuan Pengguna Tenaga dan Air Malaysia (WECAM) S. Piarapakaran.

Perkara itu tidak boleh dibuat secara tergesa-gesa dan memerlukan satu kajian mendalam dan berbincang dengan semua pemegang saham, katanya.

Beliau mengulas pengumuman Menteri Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili bahawa draf dasar tenaga alternatif yang termasuk penggunaan tenaga nuklear kini berada di peringkat akhir dan akan disiapkan menjelang tiga bulan akan datang.

Piarapakaran memberitahu Bernama hari ini kebocoran pada reaktor nuklear adalah bahaya dan perlu ditangani kerana ia bukan sahaja memudaratkan manusia tetapi juga kepada alam sekitar.

Kesan daripada pencemaran nuklear juga memakan masa yang lama seperti yang dapat dilihat di Hiroshima dan Nagasaki," katanya.

Katanya negara yang maju dalam nuklear seperti Perancis juga berdepan dengan masalah untuk mengurangkan kebocoran.

"Terdapat 115 kebocoran pada loji nuklear dilaporkan tahun lepas di negara itu," katanya.

Untuk keselamatan "sistem pelupusan bahan buangan yang tidak boleh dipertikaikan perlu diadakan jika Malaysia tidak mahu terdedah kepada sasaran pengganas yang mencari produk nuklear kerana dengan hanya 5kg sisa nuklear sudah mencukupi untuk membuat senjata nuklear yang boleh membawa kemusnahan.

Piarapakaran berkata Malaysia perlu melatih sekumpulan pakar tenaga nuklear terlebih dahulu "sebelum memulakan perjalanan untuk menggunakan tenaga nuklear bagi tujuan pembangunan.

'STOP THE CONSTRUCTION OF TELCO TOWER' PLEA BY FOLKS

Penampang, July 04, 2009: Disgruntled residents of Taman Tanaki are appealing to the State Government to stop the construction of a telecommunications tower next to their homes here.

They claimed it was against the Government's people first policy and pointed out there are still vast tracts of land in the area to erect such a tower.

The project undertaken by a government-owned company, Common Tower Technologies Sdn Bhd (CTTSB), appears to be continuing despite objections they raised during a dialogue two weeks ago.

The residents also claimed they were not convinced by the explanation and reassurance on the effects of the tower by the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission representative during the dialogue.

A 60m tower is being built adjacent to a newly-completed housing estate and its residents have protested, claiming it is unsafe.

The tower's presence would also devalue their homes, which they started moving into in February before the tower project started in May.

A resident claimed in the dialogue, which was also attended by Moyog Assemblyman Donald Mojuntin, that they were told the matter would be brought to the higher authorities.

"But when I saw a report in the newspaper stating that we have been 'reassured of the ill effects', that is wrong because we were not convinced at all," said the resident who declined to be named.

"We have also measured the distance from the tower to the nearest home and its 25.8m not over 30m as claimed by the company so how can it be in compliance with all the technical requirements?"

"The Government talks about its people first policy but here they put the tower first before consulting us or even the district council who told us they did not know anything about it," the resident said.

Another resident, Aaron Young said, because of the distance between the house and the tower the company would likely still need to dismantle the tower. "If that is the case, then they might as well move it to a different location because it would incur the same amount in costs anyway," he said.

A houseowner who has yet to move because of the tower said there was still a lot of land which was less populated compared to where their homes are.

"Why must the company pick this area, next to a newly-completed housing estate? I am sure there are a lot of people willing to lease their land in other areas.

CTTSB Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Haji Rahman Ghani, had said that the construction of the telecommunications tower was done with the blessing of the State Government through a fast track approval procedure.

CTTSB, a State-backed company, is a subsidiary jointly owned by Warisan Harta Sabah Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned investment holding company of the State Government and KKIPC Sdn Bhd.

TELCO TOWER IS FOR CELLULAR COVERAGE - DATUK HAJI RAHMAN GHANI

Kota Kinabalu, July 01, 2009: The construction of the telecommunication tower near Taman Tanaki in Penampang is part of a nationwide cellular coverage improvement programme carried out with the State Government's blessing through a fast track approval procedure.

The project is subject to compliance with all technical requirements, said Common Tower Technologies Sdn Bhd (CTTSB) Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Haji Rahman Ghani.

CTTSB is a subsidiary jointly owned by Warisan Harta Sabah Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned investment holding company of the State Government and KKIPC Sdn Bhd.

The construction of the tower is under a programme referred to as TIME 2 Project initiated by the Federal Government through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) with full support from the State Government under the Private Funding Initiative (PFI).

In accordance with the Federal Government's directive, the State Government had in 2005 appointed CTTSB to construct, own and lease telecommunication towers to the three major cellular companies (Celcos).

The TIME 2 Project aims to promote common use of facility and infrastructure by the telecommunication companies and concurrently assist them to provide and expand cellular telecommunication coverage to areas with high population, along major roads, tourist destinations and industries.

In this respect, Rahman said the management of CTTSB had also submitted the relevant plans and technical approvals to the local authority for approval through the One-Stop Agency for Sabah on May 7 this year.

The submission of technical documents was made after ensuring compliance and obtaining the necessary approvals from various technical agencies following the guideline issued by the Local Government and Housing Ministry on Feb 8, 2006 to facilitate the TIME 2 Project in Sabah.

"CTTSB wishes to emphasise to all parties concerned that such towers are temporary structures only and shall be dismantled when no longer required by the Celcos," he said.

He said issues raised by the residents of the housing estates as published in the Daily Express report on June 25 had been explained during a dialogue on June 19 in the presence of Moyog Assemblyman, Donald Mojuntin, Penampang District Officer, District Council personnel together with CTTSB.

On the concerns of Radio Frequency (RF) radiation raised by the residents, he said the MCMC had explained and re-assured them that any ill-effects claims are baseless due to the non-harmful nature of the RF radiation.

On the issue of safety, Rahman said the structural design by qualified Civil and Structural Engineers and integrity of towers built under the TIME 2 Project were of heavy duty specifications as agreed by the Celcos and CTTSB.

"In order to ensure highest quality, towers can only be sourced from several reputable tower fabricators nationwide, which were approved following a pre-qualification process by Celcos. The approved tower fabricators are also required to provide warranty for their product," he said.

As for the minimum distance of the structure to the nearest residential building, MCMC had certified that this had been met in compliance with the guidelines issued by the Housing and Local Government Ministry 2002.

Specified towers exceeding 45m tall must be situated 30m away from the nearest residential building.

Rahman said based on the State Government's commitment and directive to all relevant authorities to ensure the speedy and successful implementation of the TIME 2 Project for the benefit of the people and Celcos in Sabah.

"CTTSB, being a state-backed company wishes to express its gratitude to all State and Federal Government agencies and departments in Sabah that has given their full co-operation and support in order to ensure the project is implemented smoothly," he said.

It was reported that the residents were dismayed when seeing the tower being built near their houses.