Who is guilty - Hasidah or Fadillah? Or both?

by Sebanaku Sarawak

KUCHING: Since the completion of the multipurpose hall about two years ago, it has been a talking point among the villagers. 

They just can’t fathom the rationale of having a RM200,000-worth multipurpose hall but it could not be used due to no electricity and water. And the workmanship is generally bad. 

And they also wondering whether the multipurpose hall is really worth RM200,000 or actually only RM100,000 or less. 

The reason is, there is nothing special about the multipurpose hall that can justify its cost of RM200,000. 

It is due to their strong support to Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) that causes them not to bring this matter to the attention of the oppositions. 

They just don’t want to ‘buka pekung di dada’ (to show a skeleton in the closet) for all to see. 

However, within the party the hall has become a hot issue among members especially between Penghulu and Kampung Astana Lot PBB sub-branch chairman, in one group, and Ketua Kaum Kampung Astana Lot, in the other group. 

The multipurpose hall project was awarded to a company linked to the Penghulu / PBB leader group. 

And when it failed to complete as expected, the Penghulu / PBB leader group wanted to wash their hands by putting the blame on Jawatankuasa Keselamatan dan Kemajuan Kampung (JKKK) of Kampung Astana Lot which is headed by Ketua Kaum. 

Ketua Kaum was pissed off with the group because when the project was implemented, it was not made through the committee. 

In fact the committee was being sidelined. And now when the group is having problem, it wants to put the blame on Ketua Kaum and JKKK. 

By now, the Semariang assemblywoman YB Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali might has regretted to agree to present a mock cheque amounting RM20,000 to the JKKK Kampung Astana Lot on last Saturday because she is now being dragged into the issue (read her statement in Utusan Borneo dated August 01, 2010 embedded below). 

It is said that the fund for the hall came from the federal fund which was arranged by the Petra Jaya Member of Parliament YB Fadillah Yusuf who is also the Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation. 

Thus, YB Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali is basically had no say in project. 

However, she is guilty for condoning the act of cheating by those involved in the project. 

She is aware that there is still no electricity and water at the multipurpose hall although she has given out the RM20,000 cheque for that purpose few months ago. 

But she still continued to agree for a publicity stunt by handing over the mock cheque to JKKK. 

Is she stupid enough being used to cover up other people’s asses OR she is actually part of it? 

YB Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali should be smart enough to know that the RM200,000 doled out by the federal government for the project should be sufficient to cover any expenses involving the water and electricity supply.

But why is she giving another RM20,000 for the project?

Only Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali herself could answer this question.

UTUSAN BORNEO OGOS 01, 2010