the blogging syed shahir

http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=15050

Maria J.Dass, Wed, 09 Aug 2006

PETALING JAYA: Something stinks in the way two local authorities are handling a 20-year fumigation concession worth millions of ringgit.

The Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) and Sepang Municipal Council (MPS) have deemed it fit to award the concession to a total of 10 companies which are not licensed to operate a fumigation business.

Replying to queries from theSun, an official of the Pesticides Board confirmed that the 10 companies do not have pest control operator licences
as required under the Pesticides Act 1974 - and have not applied for it.

And yet, all business premises under the jurisdiction of these two councils are forced to appoint these companies under the council’s two panels - at a standard cost of RM600 - to fumigate their premises before they can renew their business licences annually.

The MPSJ’s panel comprises Consortium SJ Pest Control Sdn Bhd which lists six companies under it, namely Koswasta Asia Pest Control Sdn Bhd, Damai Pest Control Sdn Bhd, Vetga (M) Sdn Bhd, Denma Enterprise Sdn Bhd, Inspirasi Asia Sdn Bhd and Suria Sakti Resources.

They were given a 20-year concession.

The MPS’ panel comprises Koswasta Asia Pest Control Sdn Bhd and three other companies - Salak Pest Control Sdn Bhd, Wismanis Sdn Bhd and Lembah Dahlia Sdn Bhd.

It is noted that some of these companies have only a RM2 paid-up capital and were set up recently.

To justify its selection, the MPSJ had said in a statement last Friday (Aug 4, 2006) that the companies in their panel have pesticide applicator
licences.

To this, the board official said having a pesticides applicator licence does not mean one can run a pesticide or fumigation business.

To do that, he said, one needs a pesticide operator licence. However, one can get this, one needs a sales and storage licence for one’s premises, and
a premise licence from the local authority.

A pesticide aplicator can only be licensed once he has passed the Pesticides Board annual examination.

Operating an unlicensed pesticide business is an offence under the Pesticides Act 1974 (amended in 2004), said the official.

If found guilty, the offender can be jailed up to six months or fined RM1,000 or both for the first offence, or one year jail or RM2,000 fine or
both for the second offence.

The official said in this case, the parties liable are the companies under the consortium and not the MPSJ and MPS.

There are 125 licensed pest control operators and 300 pesticide applicators in the country. The former are listed on www.doa.gov.my/pco

When contacted for comments, a Consortium SJ Pest Control official asked theSun to contact the MPSJ for clarification.

MPSJ president Datuk Mohd Arif Ab. Rahman, when told of this revelation, expressed surprise and said he would check on it.

The Pest Control Association, which has done a search on the 10 companies’ background, is baffled how the councils could give a 20-year concession to companies which have just been set up and which do not have proper qualifications.

Association secretary S. Gnanasambanthan said: “It is the duty and obligation of the local authorities to check on the legality of companies
before awarding a concession to them.

Association president Ang Tan Loong added: “Pest control companies operating with many years of experience and vast expertise, now have to allow these newly set up companies to fumigate their premises. How ironic is that?”

By STUART MICHAEL Tuesday August 22, 2006

THE Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) must reconsider its ruling that compels business operators to obtain pest control certificates from a
consortium that it has appointed.

Kelana Jaya MP Loh Seng Kok said the council’s decision denied other pest control companies that had been in operation for years from conducting their businesses.

He said a check with the Agriculture and Agro-based Ministry also had revealed that the six companies that made up the consortium were not even
qualified to eradicate pest. “They do not posses proper pest control licences,'’ he added.

Loh said business operators in Subang Jaya had claimed that the six companies had a contract to spray pesticides at premises that did not deal
with food, but they don’t have a licence to this either.

Loh said these after meeting about 40 business operators who sought his help over the pest control certificate issue at his service centre in Lagoon
Perdana on Saturday.

Loh said he had written to MPSJ on Aug 15, urging the council to reconsider its decision. “But, there was no reply.'’

He said the business operators should have the right to choose who they wanted to rid their premises of the pests, not one favoured by the council.

“The pest control requirement for food outlets is a good move, but let the business operators decide who they want to employ,'’ he added.

SS15 Business Operators Pro Tem Committee chairman Samson David Maman said he agreed with MPSJ to have pest control measures for food operators, but displeased with the way the council wanted this implemented.

“The other pest control companies will have to move to Shah Alam, Petaling Jaya or Klang if the council sticks by its decision,'’ he said. “The
business operators will lodge a police report if MPSJ remained adamant.'’

Tommy Teh, who has a business in Subang Jaya, said the pest control charges imposed by the consortium was higher than the fees that the other companies charged. “Now that the consortium has a monopoly over the issue, they are charging fees at their whims and fancies,'’ he said. Another business operator, Andrew Tiong said the move to award the consortium a 20-year concession to handle pest control was unfair.

“They are not even qualified to carry out the job,'’ he said. “How can one expect them to know the right amount of pesticide to be sprayed? The council is putting people’s lives at a risk.'’

Tiong said if the issue was not resolved, the business operators had no choice but to refer the matter to the Anti-Corruption Agency. “We want to
know the motive behind why MPSJ is persistent in wanting this matter handled the way it wants.'’

MB asks for reports from councils
KHIR WANTS TO KNOW VETTING PROCESS FOR AWARD OF FUMIGATION CONCESSIONS

by Maria J. Dass

From The Sun
24 August 2006

SHAH ALAM: Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo has instructed the Subang Jaya and Sepang Municipal Councils to submit reports to him
on the vetting procedure for the award of fumigation concessions to two consortiums.

He said yesterday he is waiting for the reports and if the vetting process is legally wrong, action can be taken.

Mohd Khir said if there is any corruption, a report should be made to the AntiCorruption Agency.

“We cannot take action on assumptions, we must have solid evidence,”he said.

theSun had reported earlier that all the 10 companies in the two consortiums appointed to serve companies in the two municipalities do not have operators licences as required by law.

The MPSJ has stated that the concession agreement gave the companies six months to get the licences ­ which opened the process to
controversy.

The award of such a concession has roused the ire of other licensed pest control operators.

Under the new licensing requirement, businesses in the two municipalities have to engage a panel operator from their respective consortium for pest control services before their business licences are be renewed.

Yesterday, the Agriculture Ministry said in a statement the Pesticide Board has informed the MPSJ that the consortium companies do not have
valid licences to operate pest control services.

The board is investigating the matter and will take the necessary action.

At his press conference yesterday, Mohd Khir also announced that Roslan Sakiman will be the new mayor of the Petaling Jaya City Council
from next week. Roslan is the Hulu Langat district officer.

He said the names of the new Subang Jaya Municipal Council president and state financial officer will be announced soon.

Replying to questions on the award of a 15-year contract to Bernam Kiara Sdn Bhd for exclusive billboard advertising rights in Selangor,
Mohd Khir said the state officers who signed the agreement had done so because they had misinterpreted the decision.

He said he could not act against the officers because “technically, it’s okay, but only that they misinterpreted the decision”.

He was asked if the action by the officers indicated that information was being kept from him since Mohd Khir found out about the error only
a year later.

“When the special committee looked into the issue, they said technically there is nothing wrong, but morally it is not right,” he
said.

Mohd Khir said every decision pertaining to the state goes through the local authority and the legal advisers, and the local authority
department certified that everything was all right technically.

“But morally, we cannot, because we don’t want to allow a monopoly in the industry,” he said, adding that that was why the privatisation was
stopped.

The agreement was signed by then state secretary Ramlan Othman, who is now the Shah Alam mayor, and witnessed by then deputy state secretary
(development) Datuk Dr Abdul Munit Kasmin, now the Work Ministry’s deputy secretarygeneral (development).

http://www.sun2surf.com

By: Maria J.Dass (Aug 10, 2006)

PETALING JAYA: If the companies appointed by the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) to carry out pest control activities in the municipality are not recognised by the pesticides board then, it should not be given the contract to do the job.

MPSJ councillor Datuk Lee Hwa Beng said during last month’s finance committee meeting it was decided that only companies recognised by the Pesticides Board would be appointed.

“However, if the council has been misinformed of the qualifications of these companies appointed to carry out pest control operations in the municipality, then it is only right that this is put on hold,” he said.

Lee was commenting on theSun’s front page story today (Aug 10, 2006) where the Pesticides Board confirmed that Konsortium SJ Pest Control Sdn Bhd and six companies under it- Koswasta Asia Pest Control Sdn Bhd, Damai Pest Control Sdn Bhd, Vetga (M) Sdn Bhd, Denma Enterprise Sdn Bhd, Inspirasi Asia Sdn Bhd and Suria Sakti Resources did not have pest control operators’ licences.

“The service of more qualified companies should be sought to do the job,” he added.

Lee said he had questioned the appointment of the seven companies, and said that he was against a monopoly.

“I feel that the services of any company recognised by the Pesticides Board can be sought to do the job,” he added.

Lee also said fees collected from businesses which have already engaged the services of these companies should be refunded.

“If the company is not recognised by the pesticides board, this can be very dangerous because it involves poisons, which if not handled properly can kill,” he added.

Syed Shahir Mohamud (Ketua Bahagian KeADILan Kelana Jaya) bersama barisan pimpinan Bahagian akan membuat laporan kepada Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR) terhadap Majlis Perbandaran petaling Jaya (MPSJ) dan Ahli Majlisnya, YB Lee Hwa Beng,

KeADILan mendesak supaya BPR menyiasat MPSJ dan Lee Hwa Beng atas pemberian tender kepada enam syarikat kawalan serangga perosak.

Laporan Kepada Badan Pencegah Rasuah (BPR) Terhadap:

Majlis Perbandaran Subang Jaya (MPSJ)
YB Lee Hwa Beng, Ahli Majlis MPSJ

Parti Keadilan Rakyat Bahagian Kelana Jaya akan membuat laporan kepada BPR seperti berikut:

Tarikh : 22hb Ogos 2006

Masa : 11 am

Tempat : Pejabt BPR Selangor, Tingkat 3, Kompleks PKNS, Shah Alam.

Laporan berhubung dengan permohonan Parti Keadilan Rakyat untuk menyiasat tindakan MPSJ dan Ahli Majlis MPSJ, YB Lee Hwa Beng dalam mewajibkan para peniaga di Subang Jaya untuk mendapatkan perkhidmatan kawalan makhluk perosak kepada enam syarikat yang mencurigakan.

Sebarang pertanyaan, sila hubungi Setiausaha Bahagian, Faisal Mustaffa di talian 019-2232002 atau e-mel kepada bhg_kjaya@ahoo.com