No sand smuggling in Johor: Mentri Besar

Farik Zolkelpli The Star 21 Jul 10;

NUSAJAYA: There is no proof that sand is being smuggled out of Johor, unless the detractors can provide evidence to back their claims.

At the state assembly here yesterday, Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman challenged Ong Kow Meng (DAP – Senai) to hand over evidence of sand smuggling to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) if he had any.

Abdul Ghani said reports by the MACC showed there was no such activity in the state but Ong, or even a local daily, were welcome to come forward if they had proof.

He said the state Land and Mines Department as well as the state Customs Department had continuously nabbed those who tried to smuggle sand to Singapore.

“The law clearly prohibits the export of sand except silica and filtered sand,” he said during his adjournment speech.

“The state enforcement agencies have recorded 32 cases of suspected sand smuggling this year; of which 12 cases are currently on trial, 15 still being investigated and five have been charged.”

Abdul Ghani added that sand mining in Sungai Johor and Teluk Ramunia was only permitted for domestic use.

The usage of sand, meanwhile, was permitted for projects in Danga Bay and for the construction of a bypass at the Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex.

On July 7, during the state assembly sitting, Ong held up a copy of The Star’s front page of June 24 and said the state government needed to look into the illegal sand mining and smuggling activities.

He alleged it was embarrassing to deny the matter when the MACC had arrested and charged many people, including government officials, for bribery and sand smuggling.

On the alleged RM798mil water debt owed to the Federal Government, Abdul Ghani said the actual amount over the years was RM1.2bil, but most of it had been settled through privatisation of water management and assets by SAJH and, the latest by Pengurusan Aset Air Bhd (PAAB).

“As part of the privatisation agreements, the companies involved are required to settle the debt owed by the state government.

“After the latest deal between SAJH and PAAB was concluded, the state government’s water debt stands at RM150mil, which is the lowest in the country,” he said.

Abdul Ghani also took Ong to task for questioning the state’s finances.

“I recently explained in this assembly that the state government is not facing bankruptcy based on earnings that were not stated in the Auditor-General’s report 2008.

“If the assemblyman (Ong) continues to question my statement as if to imply that I am lying, then I feel it is too much,” he said, alluding to the state’s annual financial statement.