TRENGGANU – FAILED CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

With four failed construction projects up the sleeves of the Trengganu government, now a fifth failed construction project only confirms the utter failure of the state government to closely monitor all projects carried out by the state government's assigned contractors and monitoring agencies.

If one has forgotten what these failed construction projects were, let me list them out in no order of significance:

1.The collapse of the roof of Sultan Mizan stadium.
2.The collapse of the roof of Sekolah Menengah Ajil.
3.The collapse of the roof of Kampung Puteh mosque.
4.The leakage of the Batu Buruk swimming pool that was constructed for SUKMA.

The latest (as reported on TV 3 news last night) is the collapse of the roof of the ongoing construction of a bus stop at Kuala Berang.

What does all these construction failures indicate? If one were to say that corruption is the root cause of all the failures, many I believe would echo the same. And if others were to say that the award of contracts were given to cronies of politicians, then I believe that many others too would echo the same.

Obviously, the failure I believe is also attributed to inexperienced contractors who are only out to make as much profits as possible. And in order to achieve this, they begin to 'cut corners' and in all probability, had used sub-standard construction materials. I am quite sure too that the monitoring agencies were not to be seen at the work sites.

The Trengganu state government obviously has not learned their lessons, and I personally view these failures as a curse that befalls on states whose government and leaders are irresponsible and corrupt. I do not think the leaders of the state have ever felt any shame or guilt for having seen failures upon failures while under their charge.

My only hope is that the crystal mosque that the Trengganu government has built as a mere showpiece for tourist, does not sink into the sea.


CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION

UMNO TRENGGANU WILL FALL IF DISSATISFACTION AMONG ITS ASSEMBLYMEN PERSIST

If the Selangor PR government is feeling the pressure over the recent unsavoury happenings in the state; the Trengganu BN state government is also facing its worse caused by the infighting among the BN/UMNO state assemblymen. This political infighting does not seem to ebb despite the recent intervention by DPM Muhyiddin, and after an unsuccessful attempt by the appointed UMNO state information chief Hishamuddin Hussein to placate the contentious parties.

The squabbling among some UMNO's assemblymen that is close to former MB Idris Jusoh on the one hand, and MB Ahmad Said on the other, arose out of former dissatisfaction over the appointment of the latter as the MB, coupled with the 'unfair treatment' they get from MB Ahmad Said. It was reported that the Trengganu palace had a hand in the appointment of the Ahmad Said soon after BN won the March 8, 2008 General Elections. One could still remember that former PM Tun Abdullah who initially announce his support for Idris Jusoh to another term as the MB, had failed to convince the palace that Idris Jusoh should be the rightful MB.

Speculations are rife that Idris Jusoh was not reappointment as the MB because he had caused the wrath of the palace over some matters affecting his running of the state. The same can also be said of the Perlis state where the incumbent MB Shahidan Kassim was not favoured to retain his post, purportedly by the palace too. These are precedences that could happen to any of the Malay state that clearly challenges the rights of the PM to name its choice of the MB.

The rift among the Trengganu UMNO state assemblymen should not be allowed to go unabated as it can seriously affect the state's administration, which in turn is likely to affect the people who had the voted them to power. This is where the assemblymen have failed to understand that being elected by the people would mean that the electorates interest comes first; not their personal interest. I believe it is the latter that is the primary cause of the rift, where loyalty to the party is being thrown out of the window.

Many that I have talked to believe that in politics, loyalty to a leader is linked to the pecuniary rewards, such as contracts, benefits and privilages that one will obtain by being loyal. I would term such show of loyalty as 'false loyalty'. Politics is also about wanting to remain in power for as long as can be; hence the 'power grab' in Perak and the 'hook or by crook' utterance by PM Najib to Selangor BN.

Such is Malaysian politics that despite 52 years of Independence, the maturity level of most of our politicians have not got any better. It is time for our politicians from both the political divide to set aside their political differences and to start thinking of harnessing together the best brains from among them (regardless of ones political affiliation) to truly serve the nation and its people.

I am also now offering the above solution first to UMNO Trengganu assemblymen to test if they have the maturity to be level headed politicians, and to set aside their differences for the sake of the party, people and state. If they still are not able to set aside their difference, let me be honest to say that the party will be doomed come the next General Election.


CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION