Friday October 19, 2012

Not a single sen spent by Govt on AES, says minister

By MARTIN CARVALHO, FLORENCE A. SAMY and RAHIMY RAHIM

THE Transport Ministry has stood up against accusations over the cost of the recently-implemented Auto-mated Enforcement System (AES), saying the Government is not forking out a single sen for it.

Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said all the cost was borne by the concessionaires.

Responding to claims by the Opposition that investments by the two local concessionaires amounted to RM717mil although the two overseas suppliers’ contract value totalled less than RM350mil, he said:

“The Government is not paying a single sen. It (the cost) has nothing to do with the Government. They are plucking this (argument) out of thin air.

“The companies have to implement and manage the system on their own. After the end of the concession, which is about five years, they have to hand over the whole system and equipment to the Government for free,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby here yesterday.

The system, he said, would not be postponed as it had been introduced to help reduce the high number of accidents and death rates, adding that it had proven successful in many countries.

“It is a system that saves lives,” said Kong.

On claims that cameras were installed in areas with a 30km per hour speed limit, Kong said it was a proposal for the ministry to consider.

“Not a single camera has been installed at 30kph areas. Those are proposed locations based on black spots identified by police.”

Kong also brushed aside the RM10 motion to deduct his salary, stating that it was merely a political ploy.

Earlier, Datuk Mahfuz Omar (PAS - Pokok Sena) filed a motion to deduct RM10 from Kong’s salary over the AES because of the minister’s “stubborness” in not postponing the system despite mounting complaints.

News

Friday October 19, 2012

Not a single sen spent by Govt on AES, says minister

By MARTIN CARVALHO, FLORENCE A. SAMY and RAHIMY RAHIM