DAP calls for bloc vote on Cabinet’s RM100m housing approval for Najib, HSR cancellation

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 ― DAP today proposed that Pakatan Harapan (PH) MPs call for bloc voting in Parliament against the Prime Minister’s Department. 

This, according to the party’s secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, is to protest against the Cabinet’s decision to grant RM100 million worth of government property to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and restore the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) project. 

“Even though Najib has withdrawn his application for political purposes so as not to affect the voting sentiments in the Melaka state election, there is no guarantee that he will not renew his application later. 

“Whether Najib decides to apply again later for the RM100 million property, the original decision of the Cabinet to grant approval is wrong and must be reversed,” said Lim in a statement today. 

On November 18, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz revealed in Parliament that the Cabinet had approved Najib’s application for the property in recognition of his services. 

“The Cabinet’s decision to grant the RM100 million property to Najib is clearly wrong and caused mounting public anger against Ismail Sabri’s government. 

“This decision makes a complete mockery of his Keluarga Malaysia concept as only benefiting their immediate political family and not all Malaysians,” said Lim. 

He added that the Prime Minister’s Department should also be opposed for its inadequate and unfair allocations, on a needs basis regardless of race, religion and background, particularly for Sabah, Sarawak and all Malaysians. 

“Additional allocations on top of the RM332 billion Budget 2022 that is prudent will not materially affect the debt or deficit situation but may be critical in saving lives and livelihood.

“Furthermore, the bloc voting is to object to the Prime Minister’s Department refusing to continue the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) project,” he said.  

Instead, Lim said the present government would only allow the HSR to stop in Johor Baru and redesignate it as the Kuala Lumpur-Johor Baru HSR.

“This is both impractical and financially not viable because it would deprive the states of Melaka, Johor, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan the material economic benefits of the HSR stopping at Singapore. 

“The KL-Singapore HSR was cancelled not by PH but by the PN and BN governments. 

“The need for the KL-Singapore HSR was one of the issues raised in the Melaka state elections where the rakyat wanted the KL-Singapore HSR restored,” he added. 

On November 18, the finance minister had also in Parliament acknowledged that Najib’s request had been discussed by the Cabinet and is awaiting a final decision.