I was disturbed no end to read that the Executive Director of Grand Saga is none other than a former Dang Wangi police chief (incidentally a station I know about than I wish I did).
I’ve experienced enough to know that networks between former and present cops run pretty deep, and strongly suspect a person like Zainal Abidin can exert a lot of undue influence within the force.
That would certainly account for such excessive use of force in attempting to pursue corporate interests in Bandar Makhota Cheras.
I wish I was still doing the kind of analysis I used to do in the Kg Berembang case – I’m sure there are more worms to investigate in this distressing saga.
Anyone out there willing to take up the mantle? Checking out their company reports is a great place to start unravelling what all the connections are.
Hi ,
former cop behind fiasco no wonder they have swung into action so swiftly. Rakyat be the judge of this…………
Yes, there seems to be inadequate transparency in this case. So far I have not read any reason why the Government sems to be supporting Grand Saga. Why the need to hold a community to ransom without any alternative toll free road? Greed for money and power being displayed here, with non Malays again as the cow to be milked again?
Why doesn’t Malaysiakini interview Grand Saga and make that story front page?
The original concessionaire of Grand Saga, the late Dato Lim Ah Bak (whose eldest son Lim Chee Ming has since took over Taliworks and Grand Saga) was the business partner of the former Perlis Mentri Besar, Tan Sri Dr Abdul Hamid Pawanteh.
The duo has worked together since mid 90s. One of their most visible corporate manuever was the failed attempt to inject their assets, including Grand Saga and TTPC (the IPP in Perlis) into the then cash rich Malaysian Tobacoo Company (with ~RM 750 Mn cash, and no core business) in 2000. However, they lost out to Ananda, and Measat was injected into MTC.
http://www.klse.com.my/website/bm/listed_companies/company_announcements/announcements/historical.jsp
The Selangor State govt, thru PKNS only owns ~ 15 -20% of Taliworks, and Taliworks is still majority controlled (~ 50%) by the Lim’s family.
SEASAF, a infra fund jointly set up by CIMB and Standard Bank acquired a 35% of Grand Saga in July 2007, as part of the sell-out of the Lim’s family’s plan to restructure their infrastructure assets.
The remaining 20% of Grans Saga, I believe, is very likely still to be in the hands of Lim’s family.
There’s Shareholder Agreement among SEASAF, Lim’s family, and Taliworks when Grand Saga was sold out last year.
Hence although PKNS is a shareholder of Taliworks, and an indirect shareholder of Grand Saga, it is very unlikley they could control the operation/ management of Grand Saga unless consent is granted by the rest of the shareholders, SEASAF & Lim’s family.
Interestingly, the valuation of Grand Saga when Lim attempted to inject it into MTC in 2000 is circa 400 Mn; and Taliworks only paid 55 Mn for the 55% stake of Grand Saga last year, i.e at an implied valuation of 100 Mn.
Before we make any unjustified speculations, probably someone should get this properly checked out already. It is true, somebody should interview Grand Saga. The people (especilly in Selangor) wants answers.
What is wrong with the people of Malaysia???? Here is a crooked toll concessionaire led by a crooked cop and they overcome the will of the people…..you know what happens to these guys in Afghanistan, Pakistan Africa or even India…….the toll gates would have been torned down by now….and their owners hunted down……the Malaysian people are weak….they should get up earlier for only ten days and use alternative routes to go to work…leaving the highway completely deserted….can citizens do that??? NOOOOOOO……too much trouble…..when you do not know how to correct an injustice…..that injustice will become an everyday accepted fact of life……
What qualifications does this Zainal has to be the executive Director???????
very often bid companies who need a favour often recruit these retired juggernuts to have more power and links to get things done faster……..corruption??
It stinks !!!!
Frankly, I don’t give two hoots about the company ownership circus network, but if this stupid UMNO government sees fit to lecture the public about law and order, then in this case the law states that that piece of property in question does not belong to Grand Saga and therefore they have no right to build a wall there. It is also the time for PKR govt. of Selangor to put their money where their mouth is and just tell those idiots in Grand Saga to lay off and not behave as if they own the land.
It is also another eye opener as to how the stupid UMNO govt. has been cheating and milking the rakyat poor all those years.
Honestly this country is a @#%*ing joke !!
Who is behind Grand Saga here: http://mylivingwall.com/v3/index.php/Wall-of-News/Voices/Bandar-Mahkota-Cheras-unwanted-toll-Who-is-behind-Grand-Saga
It’s a result of the NEP Nat …
Without the NEP, former cops become chief security guards, but now they have the opportunity to head corporations like Grand Saga.
Pasal tu lah Anwar dan Pakatan Rakyat menakutkan!
And pasal tu lah, after the flirtation, the love affair and the sex, Melayu yang sokong and undi untuk PR akan kembali ke pangkalan yang asal, ia itu Umno.
A bit like an old geezer, having his fun with sweet young things in karaoke lounges, but still in the end comes back to his wife lah Nat …
hahahahaha
:-)
Check out Taliworks,
http://www.taliworks.com.my/corporate_info.htm
Kumpulan Perancang
http://www.kps.com.my/index.php?p=about-bod
ALL these COMPANIES are inter-related with grand saga, and the best joke is they are helmed by cronies of umno
Grand Saga, a simple solution to you:
1. Remove the barricade at BMC
2. Remove the toll plaza at Sg. Long and maintain only only one toll plaza at Bt.9 (you save a lot)
3. Meantime go to FED govt. and ask for concession extension upto 2050 (surely you will get it)
4. Wait till new year (2009) and raise the toll charges to RM2
5. You get BMC and also BTH residents to pay at Bt.9
You will be minting more millions.
By the way BMC residents only want the barricade removed so that their travelling time is reduced and they are NOT objecting to paying higher toll charges.
Finally be prepared to handle BTH resident’s anger, and also BMC’s.
Problem solved period.
Worse still, according to a report on Merdeka Review (in Chinese), the residents there suspected Grand Saga employing Malay gangster members to protect the re-erection of the barricade. See my rough translation below:
“… although there is no police and FRU presence, (Grand Saga) appears to have hired some Malay gangster members from outside to ensure no demolition of barricade by the residents … some Malay residents told us that they could recognise those gangster members from the nearing Malay kampung, and those gangster members even confided receiving RM100 each from Grand Saga…”
It’s also reported that the residents suspect Grand Saga is trying to play a racial card this round, hence the extreme restrain shown by the BCM residents not to fall into the trap.
In the era of spiraling petrol prices (coming to Malaysians soon) and environmental concerns, the residents numbering in thousands are made to drive an extra 6km daily and enrich the Grand Saga by 90 cents.
Main beneficiaries: Grand Saga and Petroleum companies
At the cost of: More pollution and poorer rakyat
Does it make sense? Nope. Why does it still happen? I love Malaysia.
[...] Former cop behind Grand Saga violence-mongering? [...]
Grand Saga, Satu Lagi Grand Shameless Project of Barisan Nasional!
Rakyat eagerly waiting for DSAI to take over the Federal, sooner better and send those Tong Sampah Negara to you-know-where!
Grand Saga = BN = Day Light Robbers
Those responsible for this scandalous debacle will be well rewarded with fantastic karma for their family and children – sial for 7 generations to come!
This is the reason why we , the rakyat , need to vote opposition to put an end to these crony sweetheart deals which unfairly rob and tax the already burdened, poor rakyat.
[...] I wouldn’t mind seeing more. And I’ve still got very suspcious eyes on that Zainal guy. (Read comments for links to info about Grand [...]
Selangor state government should demand and command it’s investment arm to withraw all it’s shares from the Grand Saga links, take the money and invest in some place else for the benefits of its own and the the citizens of cheras. Why want to get yourselves entangled in such saga where the rakyat will loose confidence in you? Just do it without fear and favour.