News by Sangeetha Amarthalingam

Following the Umech land sale controversy, the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) board, chaired by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, has instructed the management to prepare a paper to review the sale of land for projects that would be implemented on PDC land in the Batu Kawan Industrial Park 2 (BKIP2).

Even though the RM646.02 million land deal between Penang Development Corp (PDC) and Umech Land Sdn Bhd — a 70%-owned subsidiary of Sunway Bhd — has been cancelled, the state needs to explain how the controversial agreement came to be signed, the Penang Chinese Chamber of Commerce (PCCC) insisted on Wednesday.

Ramasamy said exposure of the controversial land sale is akin to opening “Pandora's box”, and that the more Chow attempts to defend the sale, the more it becomes “indefensible”.

Datuk Seri Sundarajoo Somu, who is making his election debut in the upcoming Aug 12 state polls, is so passionate and excited by the chance to stand as a candidate that the former deputy president and deputy CEO of Eco World Development Group Bhd said he would not be able to sleep — could not die peacefully even — if he had passed on the chance.

Its group managing director Datuk Seri Amrin Awaluddin said the recognition proves its commitment over the years to sustainability by embedding such practices in it business value chain.

According to an article by author Richard Johnson in online portal Page Six yesterday, US federal prosecutors have said Kardashian might have to give the car up, as it was allegedly bought with money “stolen from the people of Malaysia”.

This may have serious impact on Malaysia’s economy, warns chamber.

However, that is the court’s decision, says the prime minister.

Although the procurement system has improved with the opening up of data and making processes transparent with the e-procurement system, that is not enough, she said.

The government is also stopping the award of directly negotiated private partnership projects (PPPs) to companies, he said at a seminar on 'Procurement as part of good governance in new Malaysia: Challenges & Recommendations', organised by the Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4).