The Penang State Government Will Be Seeking A Meeting With 1MDB For Full Accountability Of Its Plans For 234 Acres Land In Air Itam Purchased For RM1.38 Billion As Well As The RM 41.9 Billion Loans Incurred That Increased Its Financing Costs To RM 2.4 Billion From RM 1.6 Billion That Caused Losses Of RM 665.3 Million For The Financial Year 31 March 2014. (En/Cn)

Press Statement By Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng In Komtar, George Town On 18.11.2014.

The Penang State Government Will Be Seeking A Meeting With 1MDB For Full Accountability Of Its Plans For 234 Acres Land In Air Itam Purchased For RM1.38 Billion As Well As The RM 41.9 Billion Loans Incurred That Increased Its Financing Costs To RM 2.4 Billion From RM 1.6 Billion That Caused Losses Of RM 665.3 Million For The Financial Year 31 March 2014.

The Penang state government will be seeking a meeting with 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) for full accountability of its plans for 234 acres land in Air Itam purchased for RM 1.38 billion as well as the RM 41.9 billion loans incurred that increased its financing costs to RM 2.4 billion from RM 1.6 billion that caused losses of RM 665.3 million for the financial year 31 March 2014. Even though 1MDB chairman Tan Sri Lodin Wok Kamaruddin had a media briefing session yesterday, he left questions unanswered on the extent of Federal government liability, including the letter of support given by the Federal government for a US$ 3 billion loan issue, and also for other loans taken by 1MDB.

1MDB’s asset base increased to RM 51.4 billion, compared with RM 44.6 billion in FY2013, with borrowings rose from RM 36.2 billion to RM 41.9 billion. Its total revenue increased by 50%, from RM 2.6 billion last year to RM 4.3 billion this year. This caused 1MDB to suffer a loss of RM 665.3 million in the financial year ending March 31, 2014, mainly due to finance costs of RM 2.4 billion, compared with RM 1.6 billion for the previous financial year.

Whether 1 MDB possesses the funds to repay its loans and interest and remain solvent when its assets include public assets of the highest priority given in trust for national economic development and public interest, is the critical question of national importance. One of the investments by 1MDB is its purchase for RM 1.38 billion of 234 acres of land in Air Itam, that include thousands of squatters that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak promised to build 9,999 of public housing and affordable housing during the 2013 general elections.

During the last Penang State Assembly meeting, I had offered to form a delegation comprising of the Penang Opposition Leader Jahara Hamid to meet 1MDB, on this Penang issue after Jahara had also expressed unhappiness at 1MDB investing in Air Itam. With losses from this Air Itam project estimated at RM1.3 billion, 1MDB had indicated that it intended to recoup its losses by developing other profit-making projects on the land. This is contrary to the earlier assurances that the land is solely utilised for building public and affordable housing.

LIM GUAN ENG

— Cn version —

槟州首席部长林冠英于2014年11月18日在光大乔治市发表声明:

槟州政府希望能与一马发展有限公司(1MDB)会谈,要求后者交代在亚依谈以13亿8000万令吉购买234英亩土地的计划,另外,截至财政年2014年3月31日,由于它负债419亿令吉,导致1MDB集团的融资成本从16亿令吉增加至24亿令吉,亏损掉6亿6530万令吉!

槟州政府希望能与一马发展有限公司(1MDB)会谈,要求后者交代在亚依谈以13亿8000万令吉购买234英亩土地的计划,另外,截至财政年2014年3月31日,由于它负债419亿令吉,导致1MDB集团的融资成本从16亿令吉增加至24亿令吉,亏损掉6亿6530万令吉!虽然1MDB主席丹斯里罗丁沃昨天举办了媒体说明会,但是,他还是没有回答有关联邦政府的负债问题,包括联邦政府针对一笔30亿美元贷款的支持信,以及其它1MDB的贷款。

1MDB的资产比起2013年财政年的446亿令吉,已经增加至514亿令吉,而其贷款也从362亿令吉增加至419亿令吉。其总收入从去年26亿令吉,增加50%至今年43亿令吉。导致1MDB在2014年3月31日亏损6亿6530万令吉的主因是融资成本增加,从上一个财政年度的16亿令吉,增加至24亿令吉。

由于1MDB的资产涵盖了基于国家经济发展及公众利益而托付它优先管理的公共资产,因此,无论1MDB是利用资金偿还债务及利息、持有偿债能力,都 是关乎国家利益的重要课题。1MDB的其中一项投资是就以13亿8000万令吉在亚依谈收购了面积达234英亩的土地,影响几千户非法住屋的居民,首相拿督斯里纳吉曾在2013年大选承诺在该土地上兴建9999个廉价屋及可负担房屋单位。

在上一届槟州议会,我提议组织一个代表团,连同槟州反对党领袖查哈拉针对这件事与1MDB见面,因为就连查哈拉也不满1MDB投资在亚依谈。随着他们在亚依谈的计划损失了13亿令吉,1MDB已经表明它有意在上述地段兴建有利可图的发展计划,以弥补它的损失。这有违他们收购土地的原意,即兴建公共用途的建筑及可负担房屋。

林冠英