In my last article titled 'Is there an abuse of power in the award of contract', I did not expect to receive so much of comments from my readers. I note too that the article had generated so much of interest that some of my readers were refuting each others comments. I certainly learnt a lot from this, and where examples or references were made, I know exactly to whom they were referring to.
I am pleased that Maurice, who happens to be a dedicated reader of my blog, had mentioned the late Brig Gen Jimmy Yussof. He was the first 6 Brigade Commander based in Sg. Petani, Kedah, and I had fond memories of him; having to serve him as his first Staff Captain 'Q', or presently designated as Staff Officer Grade 3 (Logistics).
Maurice is absolutely right in saying that Brig Gen Jimmy Yussof was the only senior officer to have made it good as a businessman. No other generals have achieved such fame in business as Brig Gen Jimmy Yussof. For those officer that had served him, would say that he is a lovable General, who treats all his officers as friends. What had made Brig Gen Jimmy Yussof so successful in business, I suppose is his approach and dealings with people. Generosity is another trait that is inherent in the General.
Having read all the comments over my latest article, I now believe that there is a serious awareness among those outside the military service of the 'sad happenings' in the armed forces. It was only a few hours ago that I received a call from an ex-serviceman, who openly claimed that he is ashamed at what he hears happening to some senior army officers today............corrupt to the core.
I do believe that there are subordinate officers who are well aware of the extend of corruption in the armed forces, and the persons involved, but are too afraid to come forward. To them, I would like to say this..............if you honestly claim to love dearly your military uniform, you ought not to remain silent and a coward. Expose the 'demons' in your midst; otherwise I will say that you are in connivance with the 'demon' yourself, and you don't deserve to wear the uniform.
Let us hope that the 'demon' will finally be arrested by the law, and god willing, that day will be coming soon.
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
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14 comments:
Gentlemen,
What Dato Arshad meant I think is for you to report any suspicion of corruption that you observe taking place in your midst to the MACC.
I believe the MACC will investigate all reports that they received.Let the MACC deal with it.
I remember a few years ago a BPR officer saying no requirements to reveal your identity either, when making the report.
Dear maurice and Dato' Arshad,
Let me put it right about exposing a corruption case and this is real. The case has been EXPOSED in a proper manner and procedures as required by government from good citizen. But the surprising thing was that, by going through proper way, the BPR, Mindef, MOF and KSN were all covering up among each other, and the DPM and PM themselves were tight-lipped about it.
The thing is that, there are brave rakyat who dare to go extra mile in reporting corruption and holding the government by the ball only to see that the government itself cowering to protect their interests than taking appropriate action against their spoilt child.
Now how else can you urge us to be brave when the government is hypocrite about fighting corruption.
DIG DIG DIG SOME MORE, PLEASE DON'T SPARE THE ROD AND PUT THE COUNTRY INTO THE DRAINS!
Anyone who talks on idea of fighting against corruption in the army or a crusade, will have to take my experience and other people's experience who had fought corruption, as a case study first and address our questions before he can qualify his call for a war on corruption, otherwise it is very uncalled for to call for a crusade but let it be hanged for all to start an effort on our own.
And before we can start fighting a crusade, first thing first, the government must not be a hypocrite by just putting a slogan into the people's mouth and let it rot there in the people's mind for ages since Mahathir's era and up to now with no sign of eradication, but yet getting even worse.
A crusade against corruption will have to go down to deal with the root cause of corruption, not just the annihilation of the corruptors and the corrupted, otherwise a corrupt general may go but may be replaced by another corrupt general.
Dear FMZam,
I think we all realize it would be impossible for Dato Arshad and his followers to achieve the desired results overnight.
To start with, I am happy to see MIND NO EVIL is fulfilling a useful function whereby people are able to express their concern about corruption activities in the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces.
Although, there is a general feeling that the drive against corruption in the Armed Forces by the Government is less than desirable, it is an issue which cannot be easily deflected.It will continue to haunt the Minister of Defence if nothing concrete is done about it.I can safely say people at large wants greater results from the government on this issue.
However, there are things that the military leadership can do without waiting to be told by the Defence Minister on ways how to fight corruption.To start with, the military leadership could implement policies designed to cut-off its officers from been exposed to businessmen during and after office hours.Of course you need a courageous and clean Commander to implement such policy!
We have no choice but to go on with it.MIND NO EVIL,a small voice in the wilderness may be, but who knows it could be the beginning of a bigger thing.
Mind you Maurice, this not my first time blogging, i've been blogging elsewhere long ago and i've seen the same reflects from bloggers when responding to me on corruption they are as passive as you. My point is why call for a crusade in the first place, such a big word like that must not lose steam in actions, must not be just mere words because you never know that somewhere in this world there are serious people who take what you are trying to champion seriuosly. Lets be serious about this.
And please, i note that there's something wrong with this blog's clock. Why was my recent posting i posted at around 2000 hours just now but was recorded as being posted at 5.08 am?
This blog's clock is driving me mad. Thank you.
Dear FMZam,
A crusade has to start from somewhere.
MIND NO EVIL is a small starting point of the crusade to get rid of the evil of corruption in the MAF.
It should not be equated to the historic crusade.This crusade is a war against corruption by one man who believe in the triumph of good over evil.
It is a constructive crusade, not a destructive crusade.
Only one or two greedy sheep which have gone strayed out of the track that need to be dealt with.
You don't burn the whole mosquito net just bacause you found one or two mosquitoes inside it!
I guess YB DS Zahid Hamidi have now realized the evil of corruption does exist in the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces.
I think there are not many options left for him but to take the bull by the horns as the next election is just 3 years away.
He has to show to the enlightened rakyat that he is capable of tackling the problem in order to be seriuosly considered as a potential candidate to be the future leader of this country.
I would like to share some ideas on how he could start the ball rolling.
He could start by articulating his views and requirements on the need to eliminate corruption in his monthly address to officers and staff of Mindef which is normally held at Mindef Parade Ground every month.
This should be followed with clear written ministerial directive to KSU, PAT, PTD, PTL and PTU.The directive should clearly outline his vision and requirements on the subject matter.
The Minister should select a date for HARI ANTI RASUAH for Mindef and the MAF.On this day, seminars and talks should be organized at all levels of civilian and military command to educate on the scourge of corruption to all.
YB DS Zahid Hamidi has to review the present procurement and tender system in order to make it more transparent and acountable to the public.It should be more independent and less prone to outside influences.For example, in the UK they have seperate procurement organization which is not part and parcel of British MOD.
As a political leader he must set good example, free from any corrupt activity, for all to follow and emulate.
Lastly he should develop an effective Monitoring and Enforcement Mechanism within the Ministry of Defence and MAF.
Dear Maurice, looks like we both are chatting in this blog, OK lah let me put it this way, I don't expect big thing from this crusade simply because I've done it and I know how it was to fight alone against a corrupt establishment and here you are talking to me who have the tall experience of going through the hecticness of reporting corruption to BPR, to the respective KSU of government ministries, and up to Ketua Setiausaha Negara (KSN) himself.
I need not elaborate here because my fight is still not over and is still ONGOING! But then here I see this blog is calling for crusade for which this call is falling far behind me in my advance to the objective. I mean before you call for one to be brave, I have been brave, before you call for one to fight corruption, I have been fighting, before you call this crusade a one man crusade, I have been crusading alone. So what else you want to call for one to do that I have not done it? You have already a man who has done what you call others to do. What are you going to do with me?
Maurice, about this new Defence Minister, I hate to think he is just another new broom sweeps clean while he is still new, because we have had many new defence ministers before and we know what they had turned into.
For me, Zahid Hamidi is worth it when I see he takes action on corruption reports, not with another lip service, but with deeds that speak louder than words.
Sorry Maurice I am not an apple polisher because I don't like apples.
Dear FNZam,
I have to agree with you that the record of past Defence Ministers are not really outstanding.
With the exception of their success in exercising political control over the Armed Forces, past Defence Ministers have not really been able to exert their influence on how the MAF should be organized to defend the country.This is actually their core function since the Defence Minsiter is answerable to the Parliament on the effectiveness of the MAF to carry out their responsibility should the need arises.
I would like to put a case, the MAF's structure and modus operandi today is ideally suited to fight the kind of low instensity operations that they excelled at against the CPM but not fast-faced wars that the world has witnessed over several decades in the Middle East.
YB DS Zahid Hamidi should seize the opportunity to leave his mark now that he is the new Defence Minister.
Most disgusting to hear what FMZam has revealed to us about his effort in reporting corrupt cases to respective ministry, departments and very top government officers including KSN, yet nothing happened! The covering up network must be so strong and it appears we are getting nowhere.
I salute FMZam for your effort and why is the government turning deaf ear to FMZam's report? What's happening?
Do our political leaders have balls to take positive steps to land the corrupt officers in jail?
or, there is NO political will on the part of our government to reduce corruptions!
FMZam, I am a civilian with some exposures to Mindef, the military and government departments. I share your frustrations of seeing "sick and corrupt" practices happening right infront of your eyes. Crusade or no crusade, I hope you continue with your struggle together with Dato' Arshad and other supporters to reuduce corruptions, especially in the military.
I guess you were part of the system before and you know best what the generals should and should not do. We want only clean and deserving generals to be driven in the black staff cars with the stars and flags flying.
I will give my support to you guys and my prayer for you all not to be like one very senior police officer who ended up in the police station for trying to be a whistle blower.
If that happens ( I pray not) I will find ways to bail you out and we will get the nation's best lawyers.....of course not necessarily Karpal Singh.
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