Finally, it is the Agriculture Minister Noh Omar (not the former Agriculture Minister Muhyiddin Yassin) that was asked to answer to the failed National Feedlot Centre (NFC) run by the husband and family members of an UNMO lady minister that was government funded by a RM73 million soft loan. Noh Omar said that the NFC has met its target for producing 8,000 cattle by 2010, against only 5,742 cattle that was reported by the Auditor General (AG) in its recently released report.
Now, who is lying and who is not. Can the AG lie? Or is the minister telling the truth? If you were to ask me for an opinion, I would definitely say that the AG wouldn’t lie. But at the same time, I would also expect that the honourable minister shouldn’t be lying too.
The onus to prove who is lying and who isn’t, I believe lies with the minister. I say this because, the AG report is comprehensive enough, and I believe every detail of the NFC’s business transaction is provided in the report. The AG therefore does not have to make any further clarification with regards to its findings. This should be well understood by all.
Noh Omar in making his ‘defence’ of the NFC was merely stating a figure without any explicit explanation or argument. He has to be clear as to the source of his answers and to detail out explicitly how he had derived at such figures. That’s the major difference between the findings of the AG, and that of the minister. What we need is substantiated figures; not mere numbers plucked from the sky……so they say.
I am certainly not convinced with Noh Omar’s explanation and all tax payers’ wants to know the truth. Please remember that the GE is near and the people cannot be fooled anymore by unsubstantiated and doubtful answers. And there are many more issues arising from the AG report that need answers and if these issues are not handled well, it will become ‘fodder’ for the opposition during the upcoming GE that will leave the BN defenseless.
Just wonder where is Muhyiddin? He certainly wasn’t helping Noh Omar with the answers.
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
Monday, October 31, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
NG YEN YEN – YOU ARE SO WRONG IN MOST ASPECTS OF DECISION MAKING
Didn’t I tell you that Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Ng Yen Yen has all the justification and reason for the excessive spending and other financial woes of her ministry, as published in the Auditor General‘s report revealed recently? She claimed that by going for the Direct Negotiation, the ministry had saved millions of ringgit, and this is quite the contrary to the AG’s report.
All along, it was argued that Direct Negotiation for the award of tenders has been the subject of abuse; hence the government preferred the Open Tender where it was normal that the lowest bidder usually wins the tender. If the Open Tender system is the preferred policy for tender bidding by the ministries/departments, then who is Yen Yen to set her own rule and to ignore a government ruling? You see, if a minister herself cannot even abide by its own government ruling, how then would you expect others in the ministry to abide by such a ruling?
Yen Yen is reported to have said that she has had the approval of the Finance Ministry to proceed with the Direct Negotiation, which I am not easily convinced. Having known the workings of the Finance Ministry, it is not as easy as one thinks, to convince the ministry to renege on a policy or ruling that the ministry itself has formulated. The effect of this is that if a particular ministry is allowed to breach or is allowed the option to elect a policy, then other ministries can also do the same. If this be the case, then the Finance Ministry might as well not have such a policy, or any other policies. Let it be a ‘free for all’ or ‘do as you wish’ policy.
In any tender exercise, cost, performance, experience and ability of the bidder are some of the most important criteria in deciding the winning bidder. It is argued that a winning bidder can best be determined only through the Open Tender system. Of course the Open Tender system too can have its flaws when the Tender Board Members are themselves a dishonest and corrupt lot.
In the case of Direct Negotiation, it can just be decided by a stroke of a pen where awarding the tender sometimes does not even require the bidder to meet all the criteria required of a bidder. This is where tenders can easily be awarded to friends, family members and cronies as is usually the case. Costs will be decided between the approving authority and the bidder and this is where inflating the costs takes place i.e. the costlier, the better. We have seen far too many of such cases and it is still happening today. It is for this reason that I cannot agree to the argument put forth by Yen Yen when she says that the Direct Negotiation system is costs saving for her ministry, unless she can prove otherwise.
I can only say this to Yen Yen that the Finance Ministry when formulating and deciding upon a policy must have gone through a series of discussion and meetings, and once a policy has been decided, the policy cannot be wrong. Exception to a policy being formulated and decided upon, I think is not normal.
I also believe the AG cannot be wrong in its findings because of the serious repercussion it will bear upon the AG, if the findings are incorrect; worse still if it is false. Auditing a ministry/department is not something as easy as ABC. It requires meticulous work and the auditors are people of the highest integrity. And I know for one that the AG Tan Sri Ambrin Buang has all the traits of a man that possess the highest integrity, hard working, professional and most of all, he is thoroughly an honest person.
Now, based on the above reasoning and argument, I think Yen Yen is wrong in every aspect of her decision making and argument, and it is because of this that her ministry is now being placed under public scrutiny. And can someone tell me, how was Tourism Ministry able to save RM28 million via the Direct Negotiation as she had claimed? If what she claim is true, Yen Yen ought to be awarded the Pingat Selamatkan Wang Negara (PSWN),created solely for her.
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
All along, it was argued that Direct Negotiation for the award of tenders has been the subject of abuse; hence the government preferred the Open Tender where it was normal that the lowest bidder usually wins the tender. If the Open Tender system is the preferred policy for tender bidding by the ministries/departments, then who is Yen Yen to set her own rule and to ignore a government ruling? You see, if a minister herself cannot even abide by its own government ruling, how then would you expect others in the ministry to abide by such a ruling?
Yen Yen is reported to have said that she has had the approval of the Finance Ministry to proceed with the Direct Negotiation, which I am not easily convinced. Having known the workings of the Finance Ministry, it is not as easy as one thinks, to convince the ministry to renege on a policy or ruling that the ministry itself has formulated. The effect of this is that if a particular ministry is allowed to breach or is allowed the option to elect a policy, then other ministries can also do the same. If this be the case, then the Finance Ministry might as well not have such a policy, or any other policies. Let it be a ‘free for all’ or ‘do as you wish’ policy.
In any tender exercise, cost, performance, experience and ability of the bidder are some of the most important criteria in deciding the winning bidder. It is argued that a winning bidder can best be determined only through the Open Tender system. Of course the Open Tender system too can have its flaws when the Tender Board Members are themselves a dishonest and corrupt lot.
In the case of Direct Negotiation, it can just be decided by a stroke of a pen where awarding the tender sometimes does not even require the bidder to meet all the criteria required of a bidder. This is where tenders can easily be awarded to friends, family members and cronies as is usually the case. Costs will be decided between the approving authority and the bidder and this is where inflating the costs takes place i.e. the costlier, the better. We have seen far too many of such cases and it is still happening today. It is for this reason that I cannot agree to the argument put forth by Yen Yen when she says that the Direct Negotiation system is costs saving for her ministry, unless she can prove otherwise.
I can only say this to Yen Yen that the Finance Ministry when formulating and deciding upon a policy must have gone through a series of discussion and meetings, and once a policy has been decided, the policy cannot be wrong. Exception to a policy being formulated and decided upon, I think is not normal.
I also believe the AG cannot be wrong in its findings because of the serious repercussion it will bear upon the AG, if the findings are incorrect; worse still if it is false. Auditing a ministry/department is not something as easy as ABC. It requires meticulous work and the auditors are people of the highest integrity. And I know for one that the AG Tan Sri Ambrin Buang has all the traits of a man that possess the highest integrity, hard working, professional and most of all, he is thoroughly an honest person.
Now, based on the above reasoning and argument, I think Yen Yen is wrong in every aspect of her decision making and argument, and it is because of this that her ministry is now being placed under public scrutiny. And can someone tell me, how was Tourism Ministry able to save RM28 million via the Direct Negotiation as she had claimed? If what she claim is true, Yen Yen ought to be awarded the Pingat Selamatkan Wang Negara (PSWN),created solely for her.
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
MUHYIDDIN – PLEASE BE MORE RESPONSIBLE!
DPM Muhyiddin Yassin sure has a lot to answer regarding the failure of the National Feedlot Centre to meet its target of breeding 8,000 cows after more than two years of operations, and after having received a soft loan (why soft loan?) from the government of RM250 million (that’s a lot of people’s money you know?). The failure of the National Feedlot Centre was one of the more pronounced failures exposed in the recently released Auditor General’s report.
Muhyiddin who was the Agriculture Minister then, has reportedly thrown the buck to current Agriculture Minister Noh Omar to answer questions for the failure. You know, Noh Omar is already finding it hard to seek answers to the RM110 million incentives promised to 73,000 odd farmers to increase the national rice output that has yet to be disbursed to the farmers. Besides that, Noh Omar is struggling with his popularity status in Selangor and if he does not perform, I see little hope that he can be categorized as a ‘winnable candidate’ for the upcoming GE, and obviously the ‘exit door’ policy will be forced upon him by the party. There is already so much of talk in Selangor that there is a popularity struggle between Noh Omar and Ezam Nor as to who should lead the state during the next GE, and a win for BN will see either one becoming the MB.
I think, Muhyiddin’s descision of throwing the buck at Noh Omar is an irresponsible act at its worse. Mind you, Muhyiddin was the minister then, and I believe he had a hand in the approval of the soft loan and of all people; to the husband of a lady UMNO minister. Does he not know that it would be quite improper; unethical to say the least (though not legally wrong, but morally incorrect) to approve such an enormous sum of money to the husband of a minister? Does he not know that this act will be subjected to public scrutiny? If my memory hasn’t faded, I think the loan was approved prior to the 2008 GE. And if indeed it was approved prior to the 2008 GE, do you not smell something sinister here? And who was the lady minister then? Wasn’t she the head of the Wanita UMNO wing where women votes really counts.
Now, Muhyiddin has the audacity to say that, “There is nothing unusual or wrong. The audit found weakness which will be explained”. What kind of a lame statement is this, coming from a senior minister who is the PM designate, as most would say? How can a stupid person like me accept that there is nothing ‘unusual and wrong’ when RM250 million of public money has already been spent without the project achieving its target after more than two years?
The question remains - who is going to explain the failure? Surely it is not going to be Noh Omar for reasons I have describe above? And why has Muhyiddin avoided answering a failure of his own doing? If this is the sort of leaders that this country continue's to have, than I can only say that this country is going to the dogs. I now begin to wonder too; how much of the soft loan (or was it an outright grant)given to the lady minister’s husband has been recovered. Was this reflected in the Auditor General’s report?
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
Muhyiddin who was the Agriculture Minister then, has reportedly thrown the buck to current Agriculture Minister Noh Omar to answer questions for the failure. You know, Noh Omar is already finding it hard to seek answers to the RM110 million incentives promised to 73,000 odd farmers to increase the national rice output that has yet to be disbursed to the farmers. Besides that, Noh Omar is struggling with his popularity status in Selangor and if he does not perform, I see little hope that he can be categorized as a ‘winnable candidate’ for the upcoming GE, and obviously the ‘exit door’ policy will be forced upon him by the party. There is already so much of talk in Selangor that there is a popularity struggle between Noh Omar and Ezam Nor as to who should lead the state during the next GE, and a win for BN will see either one becoming the MB.
I think, Muhyiddin’s descision of throwing the buck at Noh Omar is an irresponsible act at its worse. Mind you, Muhyiddin was the minister then, and I believe he had a hand in the approval of the soft loan and of all people; to the husband of a lady UMNO minister. Does he not know that it would be quite improper; unethical to say the least (though not legally wrong, but morally incorrect) to approve such an enormous sum of money to the husband of a minister? Does he not know that this act will be subjected to public scrutiny? If my memory hasn’t faded, I think the loan was approved prior to the 2008 GE. And if indeed it was approved prior to the 2008 GE, do you not smell something sinister here? And who was the lady minister then? Wasn’t she the head of the Wanita UMNO wing where women votes really counts.
Now, Muhyiddin has the audacity to say that, “There is nothing unusual or wrong. The audit found weakness which will be explained”. What kind of a lame statement is this, coming from a senior minister who is the PM designate, as most would say? How can a stupid person like me accept that there is nothing ‘unusual and wrong’ when RM250 million of public money has already been spent without the project achieving its target after more than two years?
The question remains - who is going to explain the failure? Surely it is not going to be Noh Omar for reasons I have describe above? And why has Muhyiddin avoided answering a failure of his own doing? If this is the sort of leaders that this country continue's to have, than I can only say that this country is going to the dogs. I now begin to wonder too; how much of the soft loan (or was it an outright grant)given to the lady minister’s husband has been recovered. Was this reflected in the Auditor General’s report?
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
Thursday, October 27, 2011
DATUK MAT ZAIN IBRAHIM – THE NATION LAUDS YOUR PERSISTENCE
We are yet to hear former senior police officer Datuk Mat Zain Ibrahim throwing in the towel over his endless lone crusade to bring to the fore the malpractices and abuses of the AG Gani Patail and former IGP Musa Hassan in their handling of the Anuar Ibrahim’s sodomy case of 1998. Letter upon letters have been send to the relevant authorities and the same had also been posted in various blogs and the new media. The authorities chose to remained mute, deaf and dumb, and even the accused i.e. Gani Patial and Musa Hassan dare not act, let alone open their gap. I now believe that what has been written and exposed by Mat Zain is the truth, and the eerie silence of the authorities, Gani Patail and Musa Hassan proves more of their guilt than innocence.
I have known Mat Zain back in the early 80’s when he was the OCPD at Kangar, Perlis when I was then the Commanding Officer of 9th Battalion, Royal Malay Regiment based at Kepala Batas, Alor Setar, Kedah. We met on several occasions at dinner sessions and for him to have risen to become the senior investigating officer in the Anuar Ibrahim’s black eye incident is no surprise to me. I believe, he was chosen for his honesty and integrity in investigating high profile cases, without fear or favour; the hallmark of a thrust worthy and sincere police officer. I have tried to contact him on several occasions to renew old acquaintance, but I haven’t had the opportunity.
Now, Mat Zain is back with renewed rage at what he sees the ineptness and lethargy of our political master to not lift a finger to view the alleged abuse of power, corruption and fabrication of evidence by Gani Patail that had exposed the judiciary to odium. Mat Zain had also accused Gani Patail of ‘screening criminal wrongdoing, abuse of power and corrupt practices linked to VVIPs, prominent corporate figures and senior government officials, involving property and cash to the tune of several hundred of millions of ringgit, traceable to the early 90’s’. These are serious accusations that resemble cases involving high profile figures and activities of the Mafia’s in some South American states and even in Russia. Now, are already we a nation that resembles these states or worse?
What fascinates me too is the silence of our PM himself whom Mat Zain claims to have full knowledge of the abuses perpetrated by the nation’s most senior lawyer. I suppose the present top police hierarchy knows too, but why the silence? If Mat Zain isn’t telling the truth, why not charge him. And despite repeated and persistent accusations by Mat Zain, the government finds it fit to just close all cases against Gani Patail who is now seen to be untouchable by the law. Even our national leader’s hands are tight when it involves the AG. You and I know that the AG is another human being, just like anyone else and don’t tell me he is different. Having gone to the holy land Mecca thus absolves him of all worldly sins?
I sense that the government has a lot to lose if Gani Patail is being investigated and brought to justice. For all you know, bringing Gani Patail to justice can have dire consequences upon the government, and of which the government can ill afford at the moment. Gani Patail may have lots up his sleeves and his revelation in court can be disastrous for some important personalities.
I may be wrong in assuming this, but Mat Zain too cannot be wrong in making all the accusations? Mat Zain has proven himself to have stood by what he says, but the government’s response is one that shows a lack of will and commitment to act on all that Mat Zain had revealed, for some unknown reason.
So the accusations are not likely to cease and to Mat Zain, he will only have to wait awhile when justice eventually catches on the people that he wants prosecuted. His persistence will surely be rewarded – God willing.
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
I have known Mat Zain back in the early 80’s when he was the OCPD at Kangar, Perlis when I was then the Commanding Officer of 9th Battalion, Royal Malay Regiment based at Kepala Batas, Alor Setar, Kedah. We met on several occasions at dinner sessions and for him to have risen to become the senior investigating officer in the Anuar Ibrahim’s black eye incident is no surprise to me. I believe, he was chosen for his honesty and integrity in investigating high profile cases, without fear or favour; the hallmark of a thrust worthy and sincere police officer. I have tried to contact him on several occasions to renew old acquaintance, but I haven’t had the opportunity.
Now, Mat Zain is back with renewed rage at what he sees the ineptness and lethargy of our political master to not lift a finger to view the alleged abuse of power, corruption and fabrication of evidence by Gani Patail that had exposed the judiciary to odium. Mat Zain had also accused Gani Patail of ‘screening criminal wrongdoing, abuse of power and corrupt practices linked to VVIPs, prominent corporate figures and senior government officials, involving property and cash to the tune of several hundred of millions of ringgit, traceable to the early 90’s’. These are serious accusations that resemble cases involving high profile figures and activities of the Mafia’s in some South American states and even in Russia. Now, are already we a nation that resembles these states or worse?
What fascinates me too is the silence of our PM himself whom Mat Zain claims to have full knowledge of the abuses perpetrated by the nation’s most senior lawyer. I suppose the present top police hierarchy knows too, but why the silence? If Mat Zain isn’t telling the truth, why not charge him. And despite repeated and persistent accusations by Mat Zain, the government finds it fit to just close all cases against Gani Patail who is now seen to be untouchable by the law. Even our national leader’s hands are tight when it involves the AG. You and I know that the AG is another human being, just like anyone else and don’t tell me he is different. Having gone to the holy land Mecca thus absolves him of all worldly sins?
I sense that the government has a lot to lose if Gani Patail is being investigated and brought to justice. For all you know, bringing Gani Patail to justice can have dire consequences upon the government, and of which the government can ill afford at the moment. Gani Patail may have lots up his sleeves and his revelation in court can be disastrous for some important personalities.
I may be wrong in assuming this, but Mat Zain too cannot be wrong in making all the accusations? Mat Zain has proven himself to have stood by what he says, but the government’s response is one that shows a lack of will and commitment to act on all that Mat Zain had revealed, for some unknown reason.
So the accusations are not likely to cease and to Mat Zain, he will only have to wait awhile when justice eventually catches on the people that he wants prosecuted. His persistence will surely be rewarded – God willing.
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
RAHIM NOR – A PALE OF WHAT HE WAS BEFORE
I see a pathetic face in the person of the former IGP Tan Sri Rahim Nor who has foolishly associated himself with Perkasa and was honoured with the ‘selempang merah’ (red sash). I have the slightest idea the significance of wearing the ‘selempang merah’. Does it mean that TS Rahim Nor is acknowledged a Malay warrior? Or does the sash entitle him to an honorific title of ‘Perwira Melayu Terbilang (PMT)’ or some other titles that supersedes the title of Tan Sri?
TS Rahim Nor was an honoured guest at the 2nd Perkasa General Assembly held recently. Another notable character at the assembly was Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah of the ‘Tiga Datuk’ fame. You see, TS Rahim Nor and Datuk Shazryl Eskay both have something in common i.e. have appeared before the court and sentenced; the former was ordered to spent time in prison (though brief) for punching Anuar Ibrahim, and the latter fined for being involved in the screening of the alleged sex video of Anuar Ibrahim. You see the common association both had with Anuar Ibrahim that caused them to be sentenced. I am surprised that the other two Datuk’s were not honoured by Perkasa.
During a speech, TS Rahim Nor said that he likened the rise of the human rights movement in Malaysia to communism. He went further to say that “Every century has its wave and we cannot avoid being hit by this wave. Now, it’s the human rights wave. Before that it was the wave of Maxism, Socialism”.
Honestly, I cannot see the logic of likening human rights with communism for the two are markedly opposed in its philosophy, meaning and purpose. Human rights, as I know it is a universally acceptable requirement and demand; whereas I would described communism as some conceited idea of a ‘mad man’. And have we not seen the disaster communism has done to the human race? On the contrary, has human rights been associated with violence, murders, corruption, abuses and the many other worldly woes? And did we not fight communism in this country to defend our rights i.e. human rights? I suggest TS Rahim Nor should do a bit of reading on the subject before he makes such a comparison, and coming from someone who was once a powerful national figure and saying something that is out of context, is laughable.
My advice to TS Rahim Nor is to disassociate himself from Perkasa, for there is nothing left in him to champion the cause of Perkasa. I know TS Rahim Nor is a Malay and like all Malays, he holds dearly to his roots, but not the manner in which Perkasa seems to be propagating the Malay cause. I think TS Rahim Nor could do better justice if he involves himself with the Persatuan Persara Polis Diraja Malaysia, or any other association aimed at improving the police force in its fight against corruption from among members of the force, and to help rebuild the trust and confidence of the public towards the force.
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
TS Rahim Nor was an honoured guest at the 2nd Perkasa General Assembly held recently. Another notable character at the assembly was Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah of the ‘Tiga Datuk’ fame. You see, TS Rahim Nor and Datuk Shazryl Eskay both have something in common i.e. have appeared before the court and sentenced; the former was ordered to spent time in prison (though brief) for punching Anuar Ibrahim, and the latter fined for being involved in the screening of the alleged sex video of Anuar Ibrahim. You see the common association both had with Anuar Ibrahim that caused them to be sentenced. I am surprised that the other two Datuk’s were not honoured by Perkasa.
During a speech, TS Rahim Nor said that he likened the rise of the human rights movement in Malaysia to communism. He went further to say that “Every century has its wave and we cannot avoid being hit by this wave. Now, it’s the human rights wave. Before that it was the wave of Maxism, Socialism”.
Honestly, I cannot see the logic of likening human rights with communism for the two are markedly opposed in its philosophy, meaning and purpose. Human rights, as I know it is a universally acceptable requirement and demand; whereas I would described communism as some conceited idea of a ‘mad man’. And have we not seen the disaster communism has done to the human race? On the contrary, has human rights been associated with violence, murders, corruption, abuses and the many other worldly woes? And did we not fight communism in this country to defend our rights i.e. human rights? I suggest TS Rahim Nor should do a bit of reading on the subject before he makes such a comparison, and coming from someone who was once a powerful national figure and saying something that is out of context, is laughable.
My advice to TS Rahim Nor is to disassociate himself from Perkasa, for there is nothing left in him to champion the cause of Perkasa. I know TS Rahim Nor is a Malay and like all Malays, he holds dearly to his roots, but not the manner in which Perkasa seems to be propagating the Malay cause. I think TS Rahim Nor could do better justice if he involves himself with the Persatuan Persara Polis Diraja Malaysia, or any other association aimed at improving the police force in its fight against corruption from among members of the force, and to help rebuild the trust and confidence of the public towards the force.
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
WHAT NEXT ON PROF ABDUL AZIZ BARI?
Prof Abdul Aziz Bari may have his suspension repealed by the university authorities, but the pressure placed upon him by other investigation authorities is yet to be over. They say that the police have completed taking statements from the professor, but what is laughable is the manner the police had conducted the investigation. Besides the statements taken, the police reportedly had conveniently taken away the professor’s computer (laptop I suppose) and even taken photographs of his house.
Now what stupidity is this? Are they trying to see if the professor had downloaded pornography onto his computer like one airline pilot did i.e reportedly the son of a former senior government official? And what about taking snap shots of the house? Are the authorities trying to nail the professor for corruption for building a house beyond his means? Have they not looked into the professor’s bed room to search if he had kept excessive cash under the mattress or anywhere inside the house, like one personal officer of a minister who was idiot enough to have kept excessive cash in his room? I think the police were merely trying to intimidate the professor, and I know the professor is not a weakling to be easily intimidated. Let us all wish and pray for the professor’s safety and wellbeing.
Now, if the police were looking for corruption, they need not look at academicians like Professor Abdul Aziz Bari. Academicians only collect books, read, teach and undertake research work. They do not deal with contractors or businessmen. Go and have a look at the houses of some of our ministers, politicians, Menteri Besars and even some senior government officials? You can surely find that the houses they built are beyond their means. Why don’t they take pictures of the houses owned by the Sarawak CM for instant? Do I need to say more? I know of a retired professor who does nothing else but reading, writing books; coiled up in his room and know next to nothing about doing business. This is unlike some senior retired government officials who are appointed Chairman or directorship in companies that they once had dealings with, when they were in the service. Do I need to name some of them?
The police have done their job, and who next will home onto Professor Abdul Aziz Bari? The MACC, Immigration, Custom, EC, JKR, JPJ and the religious departments? I hope not, but if the police cannot find sufficient evidences to nail the professor, they might as well have others to do their job too? If this were too happen, I say that we have all have gone crazy (including me) and Malaysians will no longer find this country a peaceful and likeable place to live and retire.
Let’s hope the authorities are sensible enough to do the right thing, at least in the case of this innocent professor.
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
Now what stupidity is this? Are they trying to see if the professor had downloaded pornography onto his computer like one airline pilot did i.e reportedly the son of a former senior government official? And what about taking snap shots of the house? Are the authorities trying to nail the professor for corruption for building a house beyond his means? Have they not looked into the professor’s bed room to search if he had kept excessive cash under the mattress or anywhere inside the house, like one personal officer of a minister who was idiot enough to have kept excessive cash in his room? I think the police were merely trying to intimidate the professor, and I know the professor is not a weakling to be easily intimidated. Let us all wish and pray for the professor’s safety and wellbeing.
Now, if the police were looking for corruption, they need not look at academicians like Professor Abdul Aziz Bari. Academicians only collect books, read, teach and undertake research work. They do not deal with contractors or businessmen. Go and have a look at the houses of some of our ministers, politicians, Menteri Besars and even some senior government officials? You can surely find that the houses they built are beyond their means. Why don’t they take pictures of the houses owned by the Sarawak CM for instant? Do I need to say more? I know of a retired professor who does nothing else but reading, writing books; coiled up in his room and know next to nothing about doing business. This is unlike some senior retired government officials who are appointed Chairman or directorship in companies that they once had dealings with, when they were in the service. Do I need to name some of them?
The police have done their job, and who next will home onto Professor Abdul Aziz Bari? The MACC, Immigration, Custom, EC, JKR, JPJ and the religious departments? I hope not, but if the police cannot find sufficient evidences to nail the professor, they might as well have others to do their job too? If this were too happen, I say that we have all have gone crazy (including me) and Malaysians will no longer find this country a peaceful and likeable place to live and retire.
Let’s hope the authorities are sensible enough to do the right thing, at least in the case of this innocent professor.
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
AUDITOR GENERAL’S REPORT – NO END TO FINANCIAL ABUSE
Malaysians ought to be thankful to the Auditor General (AG) Tan Sri Ambrin Buang for having been meticulous in auditing the government’s spending and to come out with a report that I believe is unbiased, truthful and reflects the factual state of the ministries/government agencies financial management. I have been reading some of his previous reports and I sense that the AG seems a highly principled person that does his work with passion, honest, forthright and without fear or favor.
What has been revealed in his latest report (though late) that appeared in the media thus far can be frightening to say the least? Frightening, because if nothing serious is done to check the manner in which government manages it’s spending, this country is destined towards financial and economic mayhem. If that were to happen, then we are in the same league with Greece and with some other EU countries. Who suffers? Certainly not for the rich and famous, but it is the ordinary people that suffers.
National debt rose by 12% to over RM407 billion last year, and billions more in external debt making us I think, one of the worse debtor nation in the world. I wonder how the government could be spending so freely, and disbursing money to ‘any dick, tom and harry’ as though the government assumes itself to be a huge mobile ATM machine. That is what our DPM and PM has been doing; doling cash (they call it financial aid) as if the money belongs to them at every ‘meet-the-people session’; the latest being the announcement made by the PM of a RM1 million education grant for children of former policemen, from the 1 Malaysia Development Berhad. This has been the talk of the town, and do they not know this? I just wonder how many retired policemen still has school going children, when they retire at the age of 58 or is it 60 now?. Or is the PM thinking of the grandchildren or great grandchildren of our policemen that were killed in the Bukit Kepong tragedy?
From what I read, nine government ministries have overspent to the tune of RM3.73 billion that includes the Home Ministry and Education Ministry. This means that the ministries were either weak in their financial management or were at the outset poor at working out a budget. I have so often heard people say that finishing off the allocation early show good financial management, and asking for more allocation means that the ministry is working hard to ensure a better performance. No one talks about prudent spending and a saving would mean that future allocation will be slashed.
What caught my eye is the over payment by the Tourism Ministry of nearly RM270 million for advertisement that was not carried via the open tender. And does the minister not know that direct negotiated tender or selective tender system is subject to abuse? This ministry has somewhat been setting records for spending public money all for the wrong reasons, and the minister seems to have all the answers and justifications for such spending. And can someone tell me how much will it costs to purchase 1000 racks for hold tourism brochures? The ministry spends RM1.95 million for that purpose and would you believe that? And having spent that much of money, they could not account for 149 racks that had gone missing. I suppose someone must have taken it home or resold it for scrap metal or had eaten it up. This is the state of our Tourism Ministry where wastage is not their concern since it is not their money, and who really cares.
I do not wish to list all other abuses in the financial management of ministries/agencies detailed out in the AG report, because it is obvious in public domain. But what I would like to say is the manner in which the KSN responded to these abuses i.e. that “we will ensure that such abuses do not occur again” or words to the effect. I get sick when I hear such words because I know it doesn’t mean anything and there is no will to ensure that such abuses will not be repeated, unless he proves otherwise.
I have also read that the Public Account Committee (PAC) will investigate seven ministries and agencies for weak financial management. I hope at the end of the investigation, and if it is found that there was a deliberate breach at financial mismanagement; then someone must be made responsible, accountable and appropriate action taken, regardless of the status of the official responsible. My question then will be - does PAC have the will and morale courage to recommend appropriate action upon those responsible for the financial mismanagement? My answer is a flat NO. I just wonder whether ministers or KSU’s will be called up to face the PAC. This, we will have to wait and see.
This AG Report is certainly a bad Deepavali gift, not only to Malaysian Indians but to all Malaysians.
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
What has been revealed in his latest report (though late) that appeared in the media thus far can be frightening to say the least? Frightening, because if nothing serious is done to check the manner in which government manages it’s spending, this country is destined towards financial and economic mayhem. If that were to happen, then we are in the same league with Greece and with some other EU countries. Who suffers? Certainly not for the rich and famous, but it is the ordinary people that suffers.
National debt rose by 12% to over RM407 billion last year, and billions more in external debt making us I think, one of the worse debtor nation in the world. I wonder how the government could be spending so freely, and disbursing money to ‘any dick, tom and harry’ as though the government assumes itself to be a huge mobile ATM machine. That is what our DPM and PM has been doing; doling cash (they call it financial aid) as if the money belongs to them at every ‘meet-the-people session’; the latest being the announcement made by the PM of a RM1 million education grant for children of former policemen, from the 1 Malaysia Development Berhad. This has been the talk of the town, and do they not know this? I just wonder how many retired policemen still has school going children, when they retire at the age of 58 or is it 60 now?. Or is the PM thinking of the grandchildren or great grandchildren of our policemen that were killed in the Bukit Kepong tragedy?
From what I read, nine government ministries have overspent to the tune of RM3.73 billion that includes the Home Ministry and Education Ministry. This means that the ministries were either weak in their financial management or were at the outset poor at working out a budget. I have so often heard people say that finishing off the allocation early show good financial management, and asking for more allocation means that the ministry is working hard to ensure a better performance. No one talks about prudent spending and a saving would mean that future allocation will be slashed.
What caught my eye is the over payment by the Tourism Ministry of nearly RM270 million for advertisement that was not carried via the open tender. And does the minister not know that direct negotiated tender or selective tender system is subject to abuse? This ministry has somewhat been setting records for spending public money all for the wrong reasons, and the minister seems to have all the answers and justifications for such spending. And can someone tell me how much will it costs to purchase 1000 racks for hold tourism brochures? The ministry spends RM1.95 million for that purpose and would you believe that? And having spent that much of money, they could not account for 149 racks that had gone missing. I suppose someone must have taken it home or resold it for scrap metal or had eaten it up. This is the state of our Tourism Ministry where wastage is not their concern since it is not their money, and who really cares.
I do not wish to list all other abuses in the financial management of ministries/agencies detailed out in the AG report, because it is obvious in public domain. But what I would like to say is the manner in which the KSN responded to these abuses i.e. that “we will ensure that such abuses do not occur again” or words to the effect. I get sick when I hear such words because I know it doesn’t mean anything and there is no will to ensure that such abuses will not be repeated, unless he proves otherwise.
I have also read that the Public Account Committee (PAC) will investigate seven ministries and agencies for weak financial management. I hope at the end of the investigation, and if it is found that there was a deliberate breach at financial mismanagement; then someone must be made responsible, accountable and appropriate action taken, regardless of the status of the official responsible. My question then will be - does PAC have the will and morale courage to recommend appropriate action upon those responsible for the financial mismanagement? My answer is a flat NO. I just wonder whether ministers or KSU’s will be called up to face the PAC. This, we will have to wait and see.
This AG Report is certainly a bad Deepavali gift, not only to Malaysian Indians but to all Malaysians.
CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION
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