Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad’s description of the PAC as having “No bite but we can chase the truth” will not be agreed by many.
In an interview with New Sunday Times, Shahrir had responded in a Q & A as follows:
Q: Some have described the PAC as a toothless tiger.
A: We cannot bite because we are not an enforcement agency.
But we can exert enough pressure and provide the relevant agencies, like the ACA, enough evidence.
The ACA works closely with us.
We are also free to revisit any case at any time we want if we are not happy with the follow-up action.
We have the power to order a review of the case, like what we did with the Middle Ring Road 2.
For us, a case is never closed.
Shahrir’s answer begs two questions:
Firstly, how many cases can the PAC claim credit as having provided the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) with enough evidence to prosecute, let alone convict, corrupt or errant public officials. As far as I know, the PAC score on this is zero. I am prepared to be proven wrong by Shahrir.
Secondly, can the PAC really pursue a case to the highest reaches of responsibility to get to the very bottom of every instance of mismanagement of public funds?
Considering the make-up of the PAC, where 10 out of its 14 members are Barisan Nasional MPs (with the Chairman also from the BN), the onus is on the PAC to prove that it dares to summon serving Ministers to appear before the PAC to account for the corruption and mismanagement of public funds under its stewardship.
The 2006 Auditor-General’s Reports concerning mismanagement of millions, tens of millions and even billions of ringgit of public funds are a case in point.
For instance, the stewardship of public funds by the UMNO Youth leader, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein when he was Minister for Youth and Sports from 1999 to 2004 is under public scrutiny — with the slew of cases of public fund mismanagement like the payment of RM224 for a RM32 set of screwdrivers, paying RM1,146 for a set of pens costing RM 160, paying RM5,700 for a car jack worth RM50, etc.
The Auditor-General reported that the ministry’s secretary-general, only authorized to approve contracts which did not exceed RM5 million, had approved contracts violating this rule to the tune of RM449.42 million.
In the Treasury memorandum on the 2006 Auditor-General’s Report which was also tabled in Parliament on Sept. 7, the Treasury stated that the Youth and Sports Minister gave a letter of authority to the secretary-general to sign the contracts which exceeded RM5 million each.
As the ball has been kicked from the then youth and sports ministry secretary-general to the then Minister, is the PAC prepared to summon Hishammuddin to appear before it to answer for all the instances of mismanagement of public funds in the youth and sports ministry as highlighted in the 2006 Auditor-General’s Report?
Hishammuddin should save the PAC from the dilemma of whether to summon him to appear before it to account for his stewardship of public funds when he was Youth and Sports Minister.
Hishammuddin and all other Ministers whose Ministries, whether past or present, are implicated in the 2006 Auditor-General’s Report for mismanagement of funds should volunteer to appear before Public Accounts Committee instead of putting the PAC in an invidious position of whether to summon them or not.
Hishammuddin should set a good example for all other Cabinet Ministers to emulate, especially as he had publicly said that he had nothing to hide and that all claims on the misuse of funds by the youth and sports ministry under his stewardship should be investigated thoroughly.
#1 by Jeffrey on Sunday, 16 September 2007 - 2:12 pm
You should also mention about the article of 12/09/07 (title : “Najib must bear brunt of the RM6.75 billion naval scandalâ€Â) written by freelance writer-cum- PKR member, Kim Quek, relating to what he described as “the RM6.75 billion patrol vessel scandal†revealed in the 2006 Auditor General’s Report. See link to RPK’s Malaysia Today in which it’s published : –
http://malaysia-today.net/blog2006/corridors.php?itemid=8117
#2 by Uncle JJ on Sunday, 16 September 2007 - 2:28 pm
As they say they can’t bite but work closely with ACA, then who can bite. The longer it takes for investigation to pursue the more opportunity for them to cover up from red to black, eg. private negotiation, pressure from higher level and finally the answer will still be No case to pursue, case close.
Whatever effort YB you may be trying, where, who and when will the actual authority that have teeth can bite those responsible
#3 by Jamesy on Sunday, 16 September 2007 - 2:35 pm
Hishammuddin definitely is in big trouble, considering he has the aspiration to be future PM, well I guess he will be waving his keris to whosoever trying to investigate and implicate him of corruption.
#4 by waterman on Sunday, 16 September 2007 - 3:18 pm
Every key position that may lead to justice is filled by “YES” man, when will we see day light in my country?
God help Malaysia!
#5 by k1980 on Sunday, 16 September 2007 - 3:47 pm
Bury e-Kesihatan and replace it with e-Pecat, where corrupt civil servants can be immediately dumped
http://the-malaysian.blogspot.com/2007/09/more-objections-to-e-kesihatan.html
This is what can be expected to happen if the authorities, without giving a thought to the welfare of poor citizens, start implementing money-making schemes which have the sole intention of enriching a few well-connected bastards.
#6 by boh-liao on Sunday, 16 September 2007 - 3:56 pm
Remember, in the Animal Farm, the pigs are supreme and exempted from accountability. Pigs do carry keris too.
#7 by wtf2 on Sunday, 16 September 2007 - 5:48 pm
job creation – PAC is bascially repeating what the AG should be doing.
It’s not an enforcement agency – does that mean that anybody can disregard it’s requests for info or interview?
Looking at the explanation from PAC about the AG’s report it looks like they are just going to say that the millions lost is due to inexperienced Treasury staff…
The patrol boat issue is already a foregone conclusion unless ofcourse DPM is ready to get the flak
#8 by Justicewanted on Sunday, 16 September 2007 - 5:53 pm
Hishammuddin should set a good example??????
———————————————–
Does he has the guts??? Of course a BIG NO….
What he can do is only waving a KRIS????
#9 by devilmaster on Sunday, 16 September 2007 - 6:07 pm
All UMNO/BN Ministers always use the phrase – i have nothing to hide.
Why are they always using this phrase? It is because you need to prove someone is wrong first before charging him. In order to prove a powerful figure that he is in the wrong, and especially if he’s in a country where corruption is deeply-rooted like Bolehland, you need an independent body like ICAC(sorry, i dont want to mention ACA because they don’t correlate with indepenndent).
#10 by badak on Sunday, 16 September 2007 - 7:44 pm
I,m from a small town,There is a custom officer ,Whose salary is not even RM3OOO, yet he has 4 cars and a big bike.Are the powers that be are so blind not to see ,Or are they waiting for someone to complain.
The ACA is just like PAC all bark and no bite.
#11 by badak on Sunday, 16 September 2007 - 7:51 pm
Hishammudin ,like the rest of the coruppted MPs, Will say “” Semua ok boss”” The ACA can investicate my people they are all as clean as i,Let me give them a new phrase to use
GOD MADE ME DO IT.
#12 by 4th_wife on Sunday, 16 September 2007 - 9:00 pm
Hishammuddin is a shame to his family especially his father and grandfather. He bring shame to his race and his religion. Did his father or grandfather carry a keris and shout like him? What is the difference between a Mat Rempit and a Mat Keris? He bring shame to his wife and his children.
#13 by bystander on Sunday, 16 September 2007 - 10:45 pm
[deleted]
#14 by smeagroo on Sunday, 16 September 2007 - 11:47 pm
HOw can u expect His-shame-highness to set example when he as an Edu Minister can wield keris like a mad man and show the younger generation what it’s like to be the leader of Msia’s education.
Ministers past and present will have the face thickened these few days that whatever shame highlighted will have no bearing on their lives.
Semuanya OK!
PAc can close shop la. Waste taxpayers’ money. Same goes for ACA-aje and other enforcement agencies.
#15 by art-upon-mu on Sunday, 16 September 2007 - 11:49 pm
50 years from now, when future generations of Malaysians look back at who and what made Malaysia a third or fourth world country in 2050, they will curse and swear at the myopic, self-enriching, and non-accountable Umnoputras and their non-Umnoputra lapdogs, and piss on their graves.
#16 by Godfather on Monday, 17 September 2007 - 12:18 am
Why should he appear before the PAC ? Nobody else in the den of thieves has been asked to appear before the PAC or any other investigating body. Let’s be consistent here. As Badawi said, “we are fair to everybody”.
#17 by undergrad2 on Monday, 17 September 2007 - 12:21 am
Be fair. It is not the role of the PAC to prosecute. So calling the PAC a paper tiger misses the point.
It is for ACA and the AG – but as we all know the ACA has power to investigate and the AG has the power to prosecute but both will not investigate and prosecute unless the ‘sleepy one’ wakes up and tell them to do so – and that’s not going to happen anytime soon!
#18 by Godfather on Monday, 17 September 2007 - 12:28 am
There is fairness amongst thieves.
#19 by Jeffrey on Monday, 17 September 2007 - 8:21 am
“There is fairness amongst thieves†– Godfather. Of course, honour as well, and there should be. It is bad to be thieves, but in a given situation where majority, as a class, is implicated (though not admitted), there must, at minimum, a tacit understanding amongst the group not to snitch or adopt an holier than thou attitude to destroy one another’s rice bowl!
To be sure, corruption is as universal as greed and the desire to obtain unfair advantage over others is human.
Corruption involves two aspects : one, political corruption of ruling elites and two, bureaucratic corruption amongst public/civil servants, this group taking the cue and leadership by example from their political bosses.
Corrupt politicians will tolerate a degree of exposure and token action to tackle bureaucratic corruption (as exposed by Auditor General) in order to appease public outrage but if it leads to one of their own within the higher level of political corruption, there is an obvious lack of political will to investigate expose and punish for that which constitutes the raison de etre of why they banded together in the first place.
So in terms of priority political corruption at highest level should be first tackled.
Again to understand political corruption, one may subdivide it into two processes.
The first involves accumulation and extraction of wealth from political position and power via politically facilitated rent seeking ventures/opportunities and creation of cornered markets benefiting businesses owned by cronies in exchange for bribe/commissions from private sector cronies (justifying such activities under “privatization†and its much touted efficiency or the need to raise campaign funding for state and general elections), off-budget transfers of moneys from State controlled enterprises.
And the second involves undemocratic power preservation and perpetuation which includes gerrymandering and electoral fraud, buying voters and votes, controlling parliament, judiciary, control, media and oversight bodies (by appointment, dismissal and punishment of those who don’t tow the line and rewarding them with protection, patronage and favouritism if they do, all the time financing these operations from public money or those raised from earlier stated accumulation and extraction of wealth.
An endemic and systemic corrupt system is hard to cleanse : the whole group has to be booted out but this is almost impossible by ordinary electoral process because the incumbent has already accumulated vast resources of power preservation and perpetuation earlier described to entrench their position, not to mention the divisions and disparateness of ideologies amongst the Opposition parties.
Unless something happens, a cataclysmic event – it is hard to preempt what – that causes widespread public outrage and a sea change of antagonism against the ruling parties.
Until then, the way to ameliorate and mitigate (which is very different from eliminating altogether) political corruption is a slow/snail pace process of evolution of ‘check and balance’ institutions – eg watch dog media, oversight bodies like IPCMC and Human Rights Commission (given bite), a spread of NGOs and civil society, Judicial Commission to ensure independent judiciary, an independent Attorney General appointed at recommendation of the Judicial Commission or the Bar, both AG as well as judge office of tenure that cannot be ended by the Executive, and of course a vigilant and fearless Opposition etc
For this evolution to quicken the people must be educated and pressure for reforms to establish such “check and balance†institutions.
We’re making some progress (snail pace) in this direction but the biggest obstacle is the multiracial, multi cultural and multi religious character of the nation in which race, religion and creed are keenly felt and fanned by political elites to keep everyone divided and distracted from demanding financial probity from them (politicians) and from working towards the entrenchment of check and balance institutions beneficial to all.
That is, in short, the challenge Malaysia is facing today. :)
#20 by Jimm on Monday, 17 September 2007 - 8:56 am
Ha ! Juast got back from a gathering yesterday evening with some BIG BOYS in town and shared some good vision over the country wealth. There some point of valid reason to this extend where government are busy creating Bumis millionaires to close gap with other communities both local and internationally.
When asked about all these scandals over price hikes and award of tenders, this friend of mine responded with a very funny answer, CHINA is doing the same now !!!. I was dumbed silent and ponder over his remarks.
Well, it’s the only way for government to keep more Malaysian rich enough to stay in par with the changes around the world.. that’s it.
So, with so many events taking place worldwide, back at home, government are also making waves to provide enough opportunities for any Malaysian that dare enough to become rich.
How to get to that door ?
You must be with one of them for a start and seen activitely with their movement , just enough to gain their trust and attention.
So, don’t wait here and compliant everyday ..
Go and make enough opportunities to create a way to become the next millionaire of Malaysia.
No offence … just a sharing
#21 by sotong on Monday, 17 September 2007 - 9:42 am
We do not hear any BN politicians screaming to defend the country and her ordinary people ” If you are not irresponsible, unaccountable and incompetent with taxpayers money, leave the offfice and the country!! “.
There is a serious and widespread breach of trust of people holding a public office with power and influence.
#22 by TheWrathOfGrapes on Monday, 17 September 2007 - 9:44 am
‘No bite but we can chase the truth’
Toothless tiger? More like a docile kitten chasing after leaves fluttering on the ground…
#23 by helpless on Monday, 17 September 2007 - 10:50 am
Datuk Shahrir…. God bless you irrespective you -> get disturb by MINISTERs or -> GUILTY feeling as to prove to your fellow COMRADE that you are not the same.
Anyway, I guess all Malaysian will bless you for your heathiness for just report the CRAZINESS of the ministers….
#24 by Toyol on Monday, 17 September 2007 - 11:22 am
Corruption is part of Malaysian culture. Large sums of monies are taken out via mark – up prices, negotiated tenders etc. Anybody who has gone to the PKFZ can do some simple maths and know that the project does not cost anywhere close to RM4.6 billion. Has anybody actually done an independent exercise on the cost of the bridge? Over the years, Malaysian are made to pay for exhorbitant prices for everything, from petrol to infrastructure projects. Where are all the monies going to? Our taxes may be one of the lowest but we pay in other taxes…corruption taxes!
Malaysia is indeed a very expensive country. Anyone who has traveled overseas can do the comparison. Our leaders cleverly twist the figures to make it seem cheap but in truth it is not. As usual, twisting the facts is BN way of information to the masses.
#25 by Godfather on Monday, 17 September 2007 - 6:27 pm
Sotong, you really mean the reverse, don’t you ? I mean, they have always said that those who are responsible, accountable and competent should leave the country so that the irresponsible and incompetent can continue to rule.
#26 by AntiRacialDiscrimination on Tuesday, 18 September 2007 - 2:00 pm
He already set an example as terrorist-styled Education Minister. If other Ministers follow his style, the BN government should be renamed as Taliban government.
#27 by alphoti on Tuesday, 18 September 2007 - 10:08 pm
Jamesy, perhaps this time is not ‘waving keris’, but ‘stabbing’ anyone to comes near enough. When he waved & get away with it, I’m not surprise if he stabs & also get away with it. What do you think?
#28 by helpless on Wednesday, 19 September 2007 - 9:37 am
Every now and then, we heard BN said Malaysian shall discuss to solve problem…. but who is actually discussing except a few joker when there is no forum for public check/bal mechanisme …. except rely on our dear opposition party.
I guess the internet is definitely help….hopefully it is not ban….when corrupted ministers out of idea to handle the questions.. and there shall be consistency to stop the concept of ” NO ISSUE,CASE CLOSE “, ” I DON”T KNOW”, ” OSA “, ” THIS IS RACIST ISSUE “
#29 by kerishamuddinitis on Thursday, 8 November 2007 - 10:31 am
Kerishamuddin,
Kiss my keris. By the way, it’s my left keris and it’s been up my sheath…you will love the stink because you are full of crap anyway. You are the Education Minister but you spew racist rubbish, and now you underscore that by being patronizing – ‘…under the protection of Keris Melayu…?’ Only an complete and utter idiot like you will expect us to believe and swallow you ‘desensitisation’ rubbish when in the first instance, the keris was unsheathed as a symbolic threat to non-Malays, and now, 1 year later you follow this up with yet another veiled threat that is the usual tactic used by gangsters – ‘under protection’ – which at least when used by them, is expressed as a ‘friendly business advice.’ But you wave yet again the keris, this time with the ominous message, ‘…under the protection of the ‘my warning to you last year’’
Fool me once, shame on you
Fool me twice shame on me
I have only ONE VOTE and this one vote will ensure the shame is NOT ON ME.
#30 by kerishamuddinitis on Thursday, 8 November 2007 - 10:43 am
Kerishamuddin,
Olive branch, my soft, baby-white behind! You can use your olive branch to wipe your own soiled backside. You want to make the keris a symbol of what? First you unsheath it as a warning to the rest of us non-Malays so that you can bloody impress your machai. Now you unsheath it again to tell us you want to protect us! First, we do not need your protection. Second, in this day and age, the keris is good only for back-scratching. So, go use it to scratch the backs of all the non-Malays idoits who are propping you up financially. And third, even guns will not intimidate a people resolved to stop tyranny.
So stop waving the keris! It has become a symbol of oppression to non-Malays in more ways than your little racist brain can understand.