Two Saturdays ago on 2nd June 2007, New Straits Times carried a Bernama report quoting the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as disclosing that a new government delivery system would be implemented in 13 days’ time, i.e. Thursday June 14, 2007.
Addressing Kuala Lumpur City Hall officials during a one-day tour of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur on Friday, 1st June, 2007, Abdullah said he had instructed the National Physical Planning Committee attended by all Mentris Besar, Chief Ministers and several Ministers in Putrajaya two days earlier “to ensure that the government machinery is prepared to implement the new government delivery system in 13 days”.
The Prime Minister said:
“I hope the ministers will follow up on this matter. This is important as we only have 13 days to go. We want them to monitor the state of preparedness to carry out the new government delivery system.
“We want them to call up department heads to make sure that everything is in place for the implementation.”
Abdullah said that it was necessary to ensure there were no glitches that could frustrate the people who harboured high hopes following the government’s announcement two months ago that the delivery system would be improved.
With less than 48 hours to go, what is this new public service delivery system which Abdullah had promised 11 days ago?
It is most disconcerting that there are absolutely no signs that any new government delivery system will be launched on Thursday, as all the publicity build-up which would precede any major government initiative have been completely absent.
Have Abdullah’s promise of a new public service delivery system been drowned by the Kuala Lumpur floods on Sunday, which made a total mockery of the RM1.9 billion SMART Tunnel, or has it been buried under the debris of the litany of public building mishaps with ceilings collapsing, walls cracking and internal floodings from burst water and sewerage pipes?
Or has the Prime Minister been misled and misinformed by his officials about the launching of a new public service delivery system on Thursday, when no such major government initiative had ever been planned or even existed?
I was very surprised to read of yesterday’s Bernama report, entitled “Call For Re-evaluation Of Current Practices To Upgrade Delivery System”, which quoted the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili calling for a re-evaluation of current practices to upgrade the public service delivery system.
Addressing the monthly assembly and “meet-the-clients” day of 25 government departments at the Sabah Federal Government Administrative Complex in Kota Kinabalu, Maximus said the re-evaluation should include re-assessing existing work systems and procedures, laws and regulations, equipment as well as the expertise of personnel.
He said: “An efficient service delivery system is important to ensure smooth and effective implementation of national development policies and strategies.”
He said civil servants must be committed and discharge the task entrusted to them so that they could deliver excellent service to the people.
Maximus is very right — but at the expense of proving the Prime Minister very wrong in announcing two Fridays ago that a new public service delivery system will be launched in 13 days’ time.
How could there be any new public service delivery system when the re-evaluation of current practices to upgrade the public service delivery system has still to be carried out?
The Prime Minister should clarify whether there is going to be any launching of a new public service delivery system in 48 hours’ time on Thursday, as the faux pax either by him or by Maximus does not inspire public confidence that Malaysia is heading towards the restoration of a world-class civil service, despite a RM8 billion salary revision for public employees.
#1 by Godfather on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 12:16 pm
A world-class civil service ? No amount of salary revision is going to get us there. More like a world-class revulsion.
#2 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 12:19 pm
Every so often, we go back through the same rubrics:
A flood occurs in the federal capital or one of the state capitals.
The PM (or MB) comes out for a photo-opportunity. He says something silly, a trifle like ‘I want this speeded up’. Same thing year after year after year! Some highly paid civil servants says, ‘No problem, it will be done.’ Millions, even billions have gone done the drains along with the floodwaters.
Two years later. Same thing happens. And Malaysia learns that the same rubrics works each time!
Vote for BN and be damned by the floods.
#3 by Taikotai on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 12:44 pm
SMART? More like STUPID. Their system failed and they have only 3 days left to sort out a solution. Good luck!
#4 by HJ Angus on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 12:45 pm
The basic reason for the frequent flooding in KL is the construction of the LRT station across the river at Masjid Jamek and this has effectively reduced the flow capacity of the river by an estimated 30%.
Because of this fundamental error, the SMART tunnel was foisted on taxpayers at RM1.8billion plus an extra RM5billion for extra ponds, deepening of river and building higher bunds.
The error should have been rectified and would have needed perhaps RM500m to do desilting works.
KL residents please do a tour of the LRT station and send pictures of the station blocking at least 3 meters of the river.
http://malaysiawatch2.blogspot.com/2007/06/class-action-suit-against-dbkl.html
#5 by sheriff singh on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 12:50 pm
Floods? What floods?
It was a good wedding, wasn’t it?
#6 by wtf2 on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 1:10 pm
Badawi is not a functional manager. Basically his underlings are ignoring him until something severe or some crisis come up.
He is merely a loudspeaker with no effective audience to back him up with concrete action plans. Real sad case.
He will need to have someone to carry out his orders and can be trusted.
And he will need to flex his muscles soon if he still wants to remain PM of the country. If he dares to discipline some of the jokers in the government perhaps beginning with those under corruption probe he may gain some credence.
Later maybe Sammy….
#7 by ContractorclassA on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 1:46 pm
Does it make any difference now,,,,,,I will either be crushed and hempap-ed teruk teruk to death like a hamburger when I step into a government-owned building built by a AKauAli contractor or be drowned in murky muddy water (full of youknowhat!) when I step into the KL roads next to the Klang river,,,,,,,either way, I will not have to bother about what Badawi or the rest of his gangs do,,,,
#8 by sotong on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 1:47 pm
With many incompetent, incapable and irresponsible politicians and bureaurats running the government departments, one should not expect significant changes.
The top people in government know what they have to achieve…..the middle people ( the bulk ) know but not interested or motivated……the bottom people know but don’t give a shit.
#9 by ContractorclassA on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 1:49 pm
What was the order that PM gave to his people? Speed up the flood mitigation projects!!!!!! Your guess what he will say when the project is completed? ::: Why did these things happen – the mis-haps or misshapps, ??? Why didn’t you do things properly???? Sack the contractors!!!!! Blacklist them!!!
By then, money gone, and millionaires made. Period.
#10 by TalkisCheap on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 1:57 pm
We are all SUCKERS!!!
All the taxpayer money gone down the SMART drain.
All taxpayer money spend on SMART Delivery System.
All taxpayer money spend patching holes ang ceiling.
You think they the Gomen care…
Talk is Cheap. Vote them OUT the next GE.
#11 by ContractorclassA on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 2:10 pm
Ya loh,,,,,
Amy vellu points to main con
main con points to sub con
sub con points further to sub sub con
sub sub con points to sub sub sub con
sub sub sub con is no where to be seen or heard,,,,
meanwhile, parliament leaks (oops),,,
aiyoooo,, ini gua punya gomen tak kisah loh,,,,
semua olang sudah buat duit dan lali loh,,,,,
#12 by Toyol on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 2:17 pm
The pay hike for civil servants is vote buying, nothing more. There will be no delivery system unless, our leaders wake up from their slumber and take stock of the decline of our country compared with our neighbours. After 50 years of independence, we are still where we started or even gone backwards. Its no use having great infrastructure when we have mediocere civil servants to run them.
Who’s going to compensate the poor folks who keep losing their property? The floods mean only one thing…that the powers to be have another reason to siphon off monies by awarding lucrative non-beneficial contracts to cronies.
#13 by RadicalScope on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 2:21 pm
yup, we’re suckers alright (hold on a minute, i’ve never voted in the first place. so i’m not, right?) for voting based on parties rather than the capable individual. if you read my latest post in response of the warm comments i got, there’s one part i mentioned about a professionally managed government. if we select leaders who are willing to carry out such system, where the incompetent gets the axe for good, a significant change can be assured. rather than complaining to the wrong places, why not each of us write an article or something and have the words spread out. it’s not like we’re starting a coup d’etat; it’s just us citizen exercising our rights.
#14 by RadicalScope on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 2:40 pm
we’re suckers, alright, for letting those incompetent keep their seats by voting the party instead of the person’s ability. do we have to wait until the country is being put under military rule like thailand? why not all of us write a candidate review on those who participate on the GE, so that we and the general public have a good idea who to choose, and who shall lose (hey, it rhymes!).
#15 by smeagroo on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 2:52 pm
In his heart a man plans his course but God determines his steps. NO matter how high and lofty one may get sooner or alter he will come tumbling down.
#16 by Jeffrey on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 3:04 pm
“…//….Have Abdullah’s promise of a new public service delivery system been drowned by the Kuala Lumpur floods on Sunday, which made a total mockery of the RM1.9 billion SMART Tunnel?….//….†YB Kit
Earlier in a blog thread on 8th May, Kit had also asked, “With all these defects, the question uppermost in the minds of Malaysians is whether Samy Vellu can give an iron-clad guarantee that the RM1.9 billion SMART Tunnel will be completely trouble-free when it is open to traffic next Monday?â€Â
Samy Vellu has learned to be very clever and non committal. I don’t think he has given any guarantee for the Storm Tunnel. He didn’t even give a guarantee for a reasonable toll “because it cost a lot of money to build the tunnel” (in his words).
In the wake of Sunday night’s floods of the various parts of KL, they have come out with excuses, never told before the floods.
According to SMART operations general manager Mohd Fuad Kamal Ariffin , the SMART flood tunnel was not designed to handle and prevent all floods but only storm floods caused by overflowing river waters in the city centre at the Sungai Klang and Sungai Ampang confluence; that the floods that occurred on Sunday were flash floods caused by inadequate and/or clogged drainage and were not storm floods caused by overflowing river watersâ€Â.
This was somewhat contradicted by Drainage and Irrigation Department deputy director Ahmad Fuad who said that the floods on Sunday night around Dataran Merdeka and Masid Jamek were caused by Sungai Kelang and Sungai Gombak bursting their banks at the confluence.
It was storm floods as well.
All these sound lame excuses. The main objective of the SMART Storm tunnel built at the cost of RM1.9 billion of tax payers monies ought to solve the recurrent and periodic flooding, whether flash flood or storm flood – more often its combination of both – in the capital city at great economic costs.
This distinction between flash flood caused by inadequate and/or clogged drainage and storm floods caused by overflowing river waters is mind boggling.
Eventually all drainage leads to the rivers : and when the water levels of river rose and broke banks (as was admitted in Sungai Kelang and Sungai Gombak) on Sunday night, without being drained away by the SMART Storm tunnel, why blame inadequate and/or clogged drainage in the city?
Then comes another excuse : although SMART’s road tunnel portion has been opened to traffic, its flood diversion component will only be operational next month, when 200 dams and two retention ponds, now being built, are ready.
Why were the dams and retention ponds not built earlier or at least sequentially along with the tunnel? It appears that the rush was to finish the tunnel for opening first so that toll may be collected (no tolls for dams and retention ponds!)
#17 by ihavesomethingtosay on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 3:13 pm
to borrow from : ContractorclassA
Amy vellu points to main con
main con points to sub con
sub con points further to sub sub con
meanwhile,
the public kena CON,
big time,
by the group of AnaCon-das
Semi, you’re a big snake.
#18 by ihavesomethingtosay on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 3:33 pm
the many ill omens of bodohman.
before, corruption, oil for food scandal
before marriage, bocor
after marriage, banjir
what next?
lose election to opposition.
#19 by TalkisCheap on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 3:38 pm
I like RadicalScope’s idea of setting up a blog that review all the current canditate- Dewan Negara and Dewan Rakyat. And all chip in to do a chronical of events during their term.
And let all Malaysian knows what they have achieved, promised and allegation.
#20 by aawilliam on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 4:05 pm
YB Lim,do visit this site for the latest shame that happened this morning in Perak,www.sitiawan2u.com….TQ
#21 by ContractorclassA on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 4:51 pm
Wah, thanks aawilliam,,,,,,this gives me the idea to also do the same when time comes for tax payment next year,,,,,,
#22 by ContractorclassA on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 4:53 pm
you are right sheriff,,,,it was a good wedding and excellent car washing Sunday,,,,,
#23 by rukunegara on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 4:56 pm
Why would one jump the gun? Like one mentioned, there are about 48 hours more to go before the launch of the new public service delivery system as announced, so, why would one make such self-detrimental statements?
Why be a sour grape? How contructive are such remarks?
#24 by RadicalScope on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 5:53 pm
rukunegara, if the winds are not blowing, the trees will not stir.
talkischeap: i got the idea from mybloglog. there’s a gay activist going around spilling the beans about gay parliament members. i just take his cue, and suggest that we bare the parliament candidates for all to see. on the name of democracy/demo crazy.
#25 by hermes on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 7:22 pm
Now that AAB has given orders to speed up the work to prevent future floods. He considers his work done and he can go back to sleep. That is all AAB has ever done. He just tell his civil servants to get on with the job. See, I have acted as PM I have given the orders.
No one ever listens to him. Jobs are still undone. No follow up action is ever taken. No punishment is ever meted out to thow out whoever fails to do the job!
Take for example AAB himself. He has failed to do the job on the Police Independent Panel. Does he take the attorney to task and replace him for not bringing the relevant legislation out quickly? After all, the Police Commission even prepared the draft law in their report. Why is the Aottorney general taking so long. Is he deliberately falling down on his job. If so, get rid of him and get some who can do the job.
There is a general malaise in the country and that tenor and culture is encouraged by the PM.
#26 by undergrad2 on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 7:25 pm
“Vote for BN and be damned by the floods.”
Hey, we have floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, land slips and other slips in the U.S. too. What sets Malaysia apart is issues like ‘global warming’ and issues relating to the environment take a back seat to everything.
Floods don’t come with bad weather but with human indifference.
#27 by hermes on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 7:28 pm
Quick delivery service? You get the government you deserve. You put them there and you should sleep with them.
So, do not cry because of your own actions. How many of the paricipants of the numerous blogs voted for UMNO and now CRY, CRY that they made a mistake and will not vote for them in the next election. First, are they and their registered to vote?
#28 by hermes on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 7:30 pm
Drown your tears! Drown your sorrows in the floods. Come election time all will be forgotten for a few crumbs passed out by UMNO and Barisan. The voters will only remember with consistent pain and loss before they will remember the sins of UMNO at election time.
#29 by undergrad2 on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 7:33 pm
Hermes is completely right about the guy. He thinks that his job is done once he looks into a problem, discusses it with his Cabinet Ministers, give his instruction. If something does not get done, he says let me look into it. He gives his instruction like any head of department does, and he does not want to know anymore until the problem comes up again for his attention. Then he’d say I have looked into and have asked my Ministers to deal with the problem and report to him. I don’t know. Let me look into it and come back to you.
You call this ‘leadership’??
#30 by undergrad2 on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 7:36 pm
“get the government you deserve. You put them there and you should sleep with them.”
No. We may have put them in power but who says we should sleep with them.
Sleeping with Samy Vellu?? Urghhh….
#31 by sheriff singh on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 7:52 pm
The PM visited about HALF the FT of KL just about a week ago, leaving out the Opposition consitutencies. Maybe it is an omen of what was to come later, the big banjir.
Maybe City Hall was shortsighted in their planning for BN areas only, so it was a ‘stengah’ half-past-six plan.
When you have have half-a-plan you are bound to fail and blame Samy Vellu of course, the poor punch-bag boy.
Was your house flooded Sammy-boy?
#32 by Alvin on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 10:11 pm
the idea of having a log for our cabinet ministers to track thier boo-boos sounds great,
tag them with the impact it has on tax payers,
then we can have a monthly review to see who is the champion for the month.
after 12 months, we ALL have the opportunity confer the Grand Champion who is the hero who FLushes away the highest of tax payers money.
#33 by RadicalScope on Tuesday, 12 June 2007 - 10:37 pm
now now, if we all put our focus on pak letihLAH, he will definitely keep the seat (law of attraction). i would like to at least once in my lifetime see a PM that treats both his party members and opposition on an equal basis. if there is any such person living here in malaysia, you have my vote.
#34 by dawsheng on Wednesday, 13 June 2007 - 1:13 am
“Why would one jump the gun? Like one mentioned, there are about 48 hours more to go before the launch of the new public service delivery system as announced, so, why would one make such self-detrimental statements?
Why be a sour grape? How contructive are such remarks?” rukunegara
System is easy, you can buy it off the shelf nowaday. Cheap system cheap price, good system higher price. It is not the system but the work ethics and integrity of Public Servants that made us all in doubt of the new public delivery system which is suppose to be launch in less than 48 hours. Sour grapes? Lets hope the pay increase of Public Servants announced earlier will wipe out decades of decadence in the next 48 hours. You asked why jump the gun? I suggest you might as well shoot your own feet as nothing more than the usual will happened, you may not even notice a thing forgetting that Abdullah has promised you a new public deleivery system.
#35 by k1980 on Wednesday, 13 June 2007 - 7:57 am
The new public delivery system is very simple: Instead of ministers proclaiming “The Buck Stops Here”, now “It is an Act of God”
#36 by justiciary on Wednesday, 13 June 2007 - 9:04 am
Public delivery system may turn out to be another nato.Just wait n see.I think corruption and mismanagement besides lack of accountablity are the causes of the spate of ugly incidents that involve the public projects lately including the Smart project.
#37 by rayden on Wednesday, 13 June 2007 - 12:06 pm
“Why RM2, because the cost for construction is expensive”
Uncle Samy, do u really think the SMART construction really worth 1.9 billion?
[deleted]
#38 by i_love_malaysia on Wednesday, 13 June 2007 - 2:59 pm
I can be Minister in the half past six Cabinet too!!! especially as the Minister of works!! why? because I dont have to resign or say sorry for all the problems caused by me. I just have to give the following standard answers and I will be around for another 30 years!!
For flood, the answer is to deepen and widen the rivers. If the river could not be widen or deepen, then just build more tunnels like SMART tunnels!!
For building with problems, the answer is I am not in the position to decide which contractors to get the contracts!! all the contractors are class AAA bumi contractors!! I am just following the government policies. I should be rewarded for being a faithfull servant as I carry out all the policies without fail!!!
#39 by i_love_malaysia on Wednesday, 13 June 2007 - 3:15 pm
As the Chinese saying goes “The paper cannot hold the fire inside” i.e. sooner or later, the wrong that one done will be discovered. This is very true expecially in the case of flood in KL. Why? because the flood is a symptom indicating of a deeper problem within the system, right from the top to the bottom. Just imagine, these are the issues that every one can see and yet they are not resolved, what more about things or issues that not every one can see!!! we can put the whole Cabinet to run DBKL and I believe the same problem will recur as they dont know how to solve problem!!
#40 by i_love_malaysia on Wednesday, 13 June 2007 - 3:26 pm
I believe it is an act of God! just ask all the insurance companies around!!
I believe God wanted to punish all the people especially those who are in the position to make the change, for they have kept silence for all the injustices that had happened in Malaysia, for they dont stand up for the poor and hungry. For they failed to voice out what they believe to be true and right. Time to change and it should be quick and fast!! else something much serious will come to us very soon!!
#41 by i_love_malaysia on Wednesday, 13 June 2007 - 3:31 pm
SMART Tunnel – Who do you think is SMARTER, the users or the tunnel operator ?? of course it is the SMART Tunnel Operator!!
#42 by i_love_malaysia on Wednesday, 13 June 2007 - 3:59 pm
As the Chinese saying goes “Changing the soup without changing the herbs” i.e. it wont help by changing the soup alone when you are using the same herbs to boil new soup again!!! new delivery system will only work when you are using different herbs to boil new soup which will cure the ailment!! what are the herbs that need to be changed in the case of delivery system?? 3M (Man, Machine, Materials) and the environment etc. We need to put the right human resource i.e. right people to run the delivery system, we need to use the right tools e.g. networks, computers etc. , we need to use the right materials and have the right environment to work in e.g. airconditioning working environment without any one smoking inside etc. .
Time to change!!!
#43 by Jimm on Wednesday, 13 June 2007 - 4:35 pm
We are in for the grand finale of BN show before the coming GE.
Nothing will change here.
All things are well planned.
BN are only facing some ‘technical’ problems in each execution of their plan. Anyway, they will cover up or prolong the storyline until Malaysian gets bored wit hit and move on…
Malaysia Boleh !!
#44 by undergrad2 on Wednesday, 13 June 2007 - 6:32 pm
The launching of a new delivery system?? Is it like launching the Atlantis into outer space?
#45 by dawsheng on Thursday, 14 June 2007 - 12:38 am
If Abdullah is serious about the new public delivery system he should sent a clear message to the public by sacking some servants first, head must roll to indicate that laziness, ignorance and corrupted servants will not be tolerated, simply because Malaysia’s reputation is at stake. Basic manners must be restore, the Public are the govt biggest customers, without us all the servants will lose their jobs, so we deserves to be serves well because we pay the bills that pays their salaries, not the other way round, please make sure they also know who is the boss and remember never bites the hands that feed them. I am saying this for your own good Abdullah.
#46 by undergrad2 on Thursday, 14 June 2007 - 5:31 am
Talking about delivery system and all that nonsense, here is something for you to ponder. Early this morning in LA, a woman came to hospital screaming for help and was in excruciating pain for what was later known to be due to perforated bowel. Nurses and doctors merely looked on at her, not doing anything! She was vomiting blood and the husband who was with her has had to call 911 and was told to get off the line since the operator said it was “not an emergency”!
The difference between a country like the U.S. is that it rarely happens, and in the case of Malaysia it is routine.
#47 by rukunegara on Thursday, 14 June 2007 - 11:34 am
Radicalscope & Talkischeap,
I have always wanted a blog to track all issues to closures and properly index all issues. Unfortunately blog formats like this is not suitable.
However, a forum format should do it. One can be notified of replies for topics one subscribed to without losing track. Quoting, Polls, graphics etc can be easily handled.
How about joining us at rukunegara.com and together we shall build a forum that logs all important issues for tracking and discussion?
#48 by shortie kiasu on Thursday, 14 June 2007 - 4:36 pm
What is this so-called “new delivery system” mentioned so much by Abdullah, the PM of Malaysia? Where is it now?
No body seems to know except may be Abdullah and his cronies, just another case of “wayang kulit” (shadow play).
#49 by spy trojan on Sunday, 17 June 2007 - 2:19 pm
Government must stop being rhetoric and deliver. Otherwise, it’s time to kick them out !!! Enough is enough !!!
#50 by spy trojan on Sunday, 17 June 2007 - 3:02 pm
When will our gomen ever learn ? Hordes of civil servants sent for
overseas stint, study tours and even heaped with unjustified pay hike !!!
But where is the quality of the job one ??? Have conscience and give your best to bring up the country !
Malaysia Boleh does not mean Asal Boleh, Apa-apa pun boleh atau Under table guarantee boleh !!!