It is agreeable that some of the projects mentioned were a necessity within their own rights. However, it is their execution and the ballooning of cost which made them become 'mega' which is very much questioned. There were never any transparency on the total costs nor on the conractors that vied for the projects.
Perhaps, what should be reminded foremost is that the coffers used for any projects by any government belongs to the people of the country which the government is a trustee for the people it governs, by the people that elects it.
From: Raja Petra Kamarudin [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Dr Mahathir unsure of 'bad' decision during his tenure
(Bernama) -- Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he was still figuring out whether he had made a bad decision by implementing mega projects in the country during his premiership.
He said he still did not find the right answer to the decision.
He said had been accused of spending government money by building and approving mega projects such as the Twin Towers, Putrajaya and Penang Bridge.
He was replying to a question from the floor after delivering a lecture titled 'Leadership in Crisis Management' at the inaugural 'Uniten Tun Dr Mahathir Lecture Series' organised by Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten), here Monday.
Asked for an example of a bad decision he thought he made during his tenure, Dr Mahathir in jest said: "They say some of my decisions were bad, but I try to figure out which of my decisions are bad."
"The tendency is that if you must speak of yourself, surely you must come out with an answer that they all are good," said Dr Mahathir.
In a cynical tone, Dr Mahathir said if there was no commuter train, then the people did not have to travel and if there was no North-South Highway, the people did not have to go back for `Raya' and there would be less people killed in road accidents.
On a serious note, he said mega projects spinned off money and jobs in the country and the government would be able to get back the money through taxes.
"The revenue of the government has been increasing due to the economic activities. More economic activities, means more revenue for the government.
"Even if the government spends the money, it will come back to the government by way of taxes," he said.
Dr Mahathir said he made the decision to give bonus to government staff because when they spend the money, it would eventually go back to the government in the form of taxes.
--
Posted by Raja Petra Kamarudin to MT-news at 12/13/2005 08:54:27 AM
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