Terengganu MB must apologise for his ‘Antartica lie’, says PAS lawmaker
Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said has been told to apologise to the state royalty for falsely claiming that his upcoming Antartica trip is sponsored by the Yayasan Diraja Sultan Mizan (YDSM).
Batu Burok assemblyman Syed Azman Ahmad Nawawi (pic) said the MB should apologise immediately to the YDSM and also to the Terengganu's Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin for using his name.
"We demand that he (Ahmad) apologise to YDSM and reveal who is actually the organiser or his trip and how much it is costing us," Dr Syed Azman said.
Yesterday, YDSM shot down Ahmad's claims and denied that it had organised the trip.
"The trip was not organised by us and has nothing to do with the foundation's programmes," said its working secretary, Mohd Azrul Ismail, in a statement.
On January 16, the MB's office announced the Antartica trip claiming that it was organised by the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry through the initiative of YDSM.
It said the working visit was aimed at paving the way to assisting the government to set up a research station there for joint research with the Instituto Antarctico Chileno.
"The visit is initiated to enable Malaysia to contribute to research on climate change which has become increasingly unpredictable.
"This scientific exploration visit is a follow-up to the visit by the Sultan of Terengganu to Antarctica in October 2011, in wanting to see more local universities involved in research in the ice-covered region," the MB’s office said in a statement.
Opposition leaders were outraged at the MB's trip, calling it "blatant extravagance" after the rising cost of living had caused the people to tighten their belts.
"Why should we be spending any taxpayers’ money at all to 'research' an area in which we have no competitive advantage?" DAP's Tony Pua had asked.
Azman had previously called on the MB to cancel his trip and focus on helping the poor in the state.
Terengganu deputy PAS commissioner Yahaya Ali said the issue of who is the organiser is not important but the the trip should be cancelled as it did not bring any benefit.
"At a time when we are asking the people to tighten their belts, the MB is seen as wanting to spend money without any good.
"What will the people of Terengganu get from his trip to the Antartica? It's not like we have snow here. What we have are floods," he told The Malaysian Insider.
Azman said not only was the Antartica trip shocking but the YDSM's denial of being involved was even more surprising.
"It was a blatant lie to the people," he told The Malaysian Insider.
He said he was confident that the people of Terengganu will not sit back and let the MB's lie just slide.
"I am sure the people, without looking at political affiliations, will not let this go just like that," Azman, who is also in the PAS central committee said.
Ahmad Said's position had not been stable since he was elected as Menteri Besar after the 2008 general election.
This was because the Umno leadership had initially chosen Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh to take the position but the suggestion was shot down by the palace.
Said was finally installed as the MB after several negotiations with the palace.
When Tuanku Sultan Mizan was appointed as King, a Dewan Pangkuan DiRaja Terengganu (DPDRT) was formed to replace him in the state as his son was too young to be acting Sultan.
Following that, Said was accountable not only to one ruler but nine members of the DPDRT in the state administration.
This had created the perception that many projects, timber and mining areas "escaped" from the people's hands to certain parties.
After the 2013 general election, Ahmad Said's position became even weaker as the state opposition only had two less seats than the ruling Barisan Nasional.
Pakatan Rakyat obtained 15 seats while BN got 17 seats. – January 28, 2014.
