Minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Abdul Rahman Dahlan takes a pot shot against business tycoon Francis Yeoh in praising another billionaire.
In a Twitter posting, he said: "At least, Vincent Tan was thankful that Malaysia has given him so much. He did not do what another tycoon did recently. Cheers!"
This was an obvious reference to Yeoh, whocourted criticism over his "crony capitalism" remarks at a forum when he attempted to dispel the perception that he benefitted from former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s patronage.
He later claimed that his remarks were misrepresented.
As for Tan, the issue concerned his remarks regarding the Kuala Lumpur incinerator project.
The Berjaya Corporation founder denied a Malaysian Insiderreport, which he said suggested that Rahman had sought to exert pressure on him and the Bukit Tagar landfill management to refrain from making statements on the incinerator project.
'Malaysia has been good to me'
Tan also said that under Mahathir, many Malaysian business organisations were given numerous opportunities to grow and many have built successful businesses which are today the envy of even the more developed countries.
"Over the last 30 years, I and my Berjaya Group of Companies have received our share of opportunities from the government which has helped us grow to become the diversified conglomerate that is Berjaya Corporation today.
"I am forever grateful to Dr Mahathir and the government of Malaysia for the opportunities which I have received," he said.
Tan also noted that the present government under the leadership of Najib Abdul Razak continues to support this policy of growth and innovation which augurs well for the future development of corporate Malaysia.
"Malaysia has been good to me and my family and I wish to give back some of my good fortune to help our less privileged Malaysians.
"We have and will continue to give back to the community through my own Better Malaysia Foundation and the Berjaya Cares Foundation," he added in a statement published in The Sun Daily.
Incinerator project 'a mistake'
However, Tan maintained that the government should reassess its plan for the Kuala Lumpur incinerator project, which he described would be a "mistake".
This is because the existing waste disposal facilities including the Bukit Tagar sanitary landfill, which has been in operation since 2005, is effectively managing the disposal of Kuala Lumpur's and Selangor's waste.
Yesterday, Tan said the government should not waste RM1 billion on implementing the Kuala Lumpur incinerator project as the sanitary landfill facility at Bukit Tagar has the capacity to cater for waste disposal for at least 60 more years.
He said the Bukit Tagar sanitary landfill (BTSL), which has a 120 million-tonne capacity, can easily manage about 5,000 tonnes of daily waste from both Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.
He added that at the current level of usage, managing only Kuala Lumpur's 2,500 tonnes of waste per day, BTSL can be used for the next 130 years.
'He loves football. But Cardiff City?'
Tan, who owns the English club Cardiff City, said the money could be spent on developing the nation's standard of football instead, such as building football academies.
He said for example, football academies should be built to raise the level of football in Malaysia which at the international level has been on the decline for many years.
Meanwhile, Rahman, in a series of Twitter postings, thanked the billionaire for clearing up the air on the impression that he pressured Tan and jokingly mocked the latter’s football team.
"Thank you for vouching I never met or spoke to him or Berjaya to pressure them not to comment on incinerator as suggested.
"He loves football. That's why he said incinerator budget better be spent to develop Malaysian football. Hmmm... But Cardiff City? :-)" he said.
Rahman also promised to respond to Tan's comments on the Kuala Lumpur incinerator with facts and figures.
"While I appreciate his frank views, I must point out that some of the assumptions and premise in his article are rather inaccurate," he said.
Later on, the minister tweeted that he wished to clarify one major point in Tan's article.
"The government is not spending any money to build the incinerator.
"The proposed project will be on PFI (Private Financing Initiative) basis. Construction cost will be borne by the successful tenderer. Government only pays tipping fee per tonne," he added.
In a Twitter posting, he said: "At least, Vincent Tan was thankful that Malaysia has given him so much. He did not do what another tycoon did recently. Cheers!"
This was an obvious reference to Yeoh, whocourted criticism over his "crony capitalism" remarks at a forum when he attempted to dispel the perception that he benefitted from former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s patronage.He later claimed that his remarks were misrepresented.
As for Tan, the issue concerned his remarks regarding the Kuala Lumpur incinerator project.
The Berjaya Corporation founder denied a Malaysian Insiderreport, which he said suggested that Rahman had sought to exert pressure on him and the Bukit Tagar landfill management to refrain from making statements on the incinerator project.
'Malaysia has been good to me'
Tan also said that under Mahathir, many Malaysian business organisations were given numerous opportunities to grow and many have built successful businesses which are today the envy of even the more developed countries.
"Over the last 30 years, I and my Berjaya Group of Companies have received our share of opportunities from the government which has helped us grow to become the diversified conglomerate that is Berjaya Corporation today.
"I am forever grateful to Dr Mahathir and the government of Malaysia for the opportunities which I have received," he said.Tan also noted that the present government under the leadership of Najib Abdul Razak continues to support this policy of growth and innovation which augurs well for the future development of corporate Malaysia.
"Malaysia has been good to me and my family and I wish to give back some of my good fortune to help our less privileged Malaysians.
"We have and will continue to give back to the community through my own Better Malaysia Foundation and the Berjaya Cares Foundation," he added in a statement published in The Sun Daily.
Incinerator project 'a mistake'
However, Tan maintained that the government should reassess its plan for the Kuala Lumpur incinerator project, which he described would be a "mistake".
This is because the existing waste disposal facilities including the Bukit Tagar sanitary landfill, which has been in operation since 2005, is effectively managing the disposal of Kuala Lumpur's and Selangor's waste.
Yesterday, Tan said the government should not waste RM1 billion on implementing the Kuala Lumpur incinerator project as the sanitary landfill facility at Bukit Tagar has the capacity to cater for waste disposal for at least 60 more years.
He said the Bukit Tagar sanitary landfill (BTSL), which has a 120 million-tonne capacity, can easily manage about 5,000 tonnes of daily waste from both Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.
He added that at the current level of usage, managing only Kuala Lumpur's 2,500 tonnes of waste per day, BTSL can be used for the next 130 years.
'He loves football. But Cardiff City?'
Tan, who owns the English club Cardiff City, said the money could be spent on developing the nation's standard of football instead, such as building football academies.
He said for example, football academies should be built to raise the level of football in Malaysia which at the international level has been on the decline for many years.
Meanwhile, Rahman, in a series of Twitter postings, thanked the billionaire for clearing up the air on the impression that he pressured Tan and jokingly mocked the latter’s football team."Thank you for vouching I never met or spoke to him or Berjaya to pressure them not to comment on incinerator as suggested.
"He loves football. That's why he said incinerator budget better be spent to develop Malaysian football. Hmmm... But Cardiff City? :-)" he said.
Rahman also promised to respond to Tan's comments on the Kuala Lumpur incinerator with facts and figures.
"While I appreciate his frank views, I must point out that some of the assumptions and premise in his article are rather inaccurate," he said.
Later on, the minister tweeted that he wished to clarify one major point in Tan's article.
"The government is not spending any money to build the incinerator.
"The proposed project will be on PFI (Private Financing Initiative) basis. Construction cost will be borne by the successful tenderer. Government only pays tipping fee per tonne," he added.
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