I visited the public display of the various laboratories of the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) at Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre, Petaling Jaya today.
I was pleasantly surprised that some of the concepts and objectives which I had espoused both in and out of Parliament have found their way into the initiatives proposed – which is a different matter about their implementation.
The laboratory on “Battling Corruption” referred to “zero tolerance for corruption” while the laboratory on “Fighting Crime” referred to battling the people’s “fear of crime”.
When I had advocated the former, it had elicited indifferent response while in the latter, there was negative reaction in the form of righteous denial there was ever the problem of the “fear of crime” among Malaysians in the country.
When visiting the various Key Performance Index (KPI) and National Key Results Area (NKRA) laboratories, the foremost question is whether there had been a real change of heart by the Barisan Nasional government, followed quickly by a flurry of other questions, such as:
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Why nobody in government starting from the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has ever talked about “zero tolerance for corruption” to demonstrate their seriousness and commitment in battling corruption?
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Is talk about “zero tolerance for corruption”, removal of the people’s “fear of crime” and other laudable objectives confined only to the KPI and NKRA laboratories, without any impact on the Cabinet Ministers or national policy-making?
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Most seriously of all, why is 1Malaysia, the bedrock of Najib’s KPI/NKRA policy, pulled out of the GTP Open Lab Day, as its absence has overshadowed all the six NKRAs of crime reduction, anti-corruption, better access to affordable and quality education, poverty, better rural infrastructure and improved public transport placed on display.
The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department and Pemandu chief executive officer Datuk Seri Idris Jala was kind enough to show me around the laboratories and to explain the ideas behind the various NKRA initiatives.
But as I told Idris, the most critical question is whether there is the political will to implement the various NKRA initiatives, particularly in combating corruption and fighting crime, and most important of all, in the 1Malaysia concept.
The record of the Najib administration for almost nine months does not inspire public and international confidence that there is the political will to translate sweet-sounding slogans into concrete policy and action.
#1 by voice2009 on Friday, 18 December 2009 - 8:22 pm
because nearly all of them are corrupted.
#2 by mycuntree on Friday, 18 December 2009 - 9:20 pm
Unc Lim, how in the world can he talk about “O tolerance for Corruption” when he is at the very top of the heap of corruption?
You and I know for a fact that all these KPI and NKRA things are nothing but political talk and empty promises to hoodwink some poor ignorant and gullible Malaysians.It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last.
Nowadays, in so far as the Malaysian government promises as concerned, nothing is true until it is a FACT.
#3 by rubini on Friday, 18 December 2009 - 10:09 pm
All KPI/NKRA are all spin doctors works. Laws, policies, rules, regulation & procedures have not changed, so what gives!
Last time i calculated 1+1 is still 2. 1 rule for them 1 rule for everyone else.
How long the LID on PKFZ was kept, until it burst on its own, this was way back in 2006. The whole PKFZ was manipulated by 3 persons only ;((. An EX-DG had 47.3 million in assets. The Toyol builds a RM 24million mansion & still nothing comes out of it.
All the EYEWASH cannot make the truth go away. BN is corrupted to the core.
Jala is just being a good civil servant!
#4 by Dipoh Bous on Friday, 18 December 2009 - 10:19 pm
… perhaps what are shown on tv (RTM & TV3) daily ( the songs and the pictures of the vvip waving the jalur gemilang) is actually what NR meant by 1malaysia ?
“1sandiwara” is more appropriate, I guess.
#5 by cseng on Friday, 18 December 2009 - 11:57 pm
The last thing I heard somebody from TI Malaysia hinted corruption has became our way of live. If corruption is our way of live, then it is our culture, our ‘budaya’, then how to get rid of this we have been living alongside with corruption for way too long.
How about political survival? without corruption and racism, at this political environment, the current regime could not even survive. ‘Zero tolerance for corruption’ robabaly will end as a vision statement that no BN leader dare to stare at, not to expect the same statement coming from their big mouth. The 1 Malaysia has put them in so much conflict, zero tolerance for corruption will make them kill each other. Having say that, why they still voted in as government? Still can-not be fully understood, except we accept the reasoning that majority of Malaysian has highest order of stupidity.
#6 by Loh on Saturday, 19 December 2009 - 1:30 am
The laws allow people in position to make money legally cannot be said to be involved in corruption. For example, when somebody knew that the government needed a piece of land measuring 500 hectares or more for a project such as the PKFZ, and got the state government to alienate a piece of land situated at a place most suitable for the project, and subsequently sold it to another party who in turn fetched a much higher price, even if requisitioned for the project by the government. These actions are all legal, if the persons who had the prescience that the land would be useful for government project acquired it in advance for profit. However there might be a law that prohibit persons from leaking information that a project had been approved until it is announced by the appropriate authority.
The laws authorise the appropriate authority to requisition land which serve public interest, and the court would decide the appropriate compensation should there be a dispute. But PKFZ chose to pay a negotiated price which allows the vendor to make a profit twenty times the price which the vendor paid acquiring the land two years ago. Is it corruption when the laws allow the court to decide the appropriate price of the land needed for the project when the authority took it on its own to deny the court’s involvement?
PKFZ inflated cost started with the project paying a highly inflated price for the land, coupled with the high interest rate charged for mortgage payments. Surely with the large sum of money involved, and payments are handled through the banking system, MACC should have no problem tracing transactions undertaken by PKFZ on its land purchase, including the appropriate authorisations by the designated authorities. It is the land purchase which initiated the cost overrun of PKFZ project. The persons involved should not be allowed to keep their ill gotten gains when the citizens have to pay goods and service tax for 12 years just to cover the cost overrun of PKFZ projects.
#7 by Jeffrey on Saturday, 19 December 2009 - 1:54 am
“Why nobody in government starting from Najib has ever talked about “zero tolerance for corruption” to demonstrate their seriousness about battling corruption?” – Kit
The reason is that they are learning to be sincere!
#8 by boh-liao on Saturday, 19 December 2009 - 2:23 am
R U saying that BN is guilty of plagiarism – gasak your ideas n concepts
No shame ah, KTK
Ah doi, how 2 talk abt zero tolerance 4 corruption when ministers n officers r widely known as Mr or Ms this% n that% n wear pants with huge side pockets
A 1Malaysia quiz: WHO is Mr 10%? Siapa, ka mei tua sia kong lah
#9 by frankyapp on Saturday, 19 December 2009 - 2:30 am
What’s there to talk about when all of them are corrupted. What’s KPI/NKRA ? it’s nothing but a decoy to cheat people.
#10 by ekompute on Saturday, 19 December 2009 - 2:46 am
“Why nobody in government starting from Najib has ever talked about “zero tolerance for corruption” to demonstrate their seriousness about battling corruption?”
Well, zero tolerance for corruption would mean that politicians and civil servants who make millions, what more billions, will need to be investigated. How can people who do charity service or public service ever become millionaires?
Mahathir is a great man. He institutionalized corruption and made it legal. Let’s see what God will say to him once he meets his Maker. By the looks of it, he doesn’t seem to believe that God can touch him.
#11 by monsterball on Saturday, 19 December 2009 - 5:25 am
The day UMNO fights corruptions sincerely will be the day…many big fishes are ready to confess their crimes….pleading for lighter sentences in court..under a new government.
It will make many lawyers very rich to defend them as well as possible.
That day is totally impossible as long as UMNO governs.
But they must appear and seen … fighting corruptions.. with slogans and with laboratories hanging out titles..focusing on fighting corruptions for public to view …..that UMNO is seriously…fighting corruptions.
They must be seen and heard fighting corruptions to win votes.
What are discussed at closed doors…or open forums are never on corruptions.
We can learn two things from LKS message.
It is as clear as daylight..UMNO encourages corruptions to win votes. It is also clear UMNO is saying they will fight corruptions..to win votes too. UMNO is not sincere.
They feel…once the are exposed…by anyone checking up details like what LKS is doing……so what?..win some loose some and they feel they can keep fooling Malaysians with much more better results than loosing those who know who they already know their con jobs..
UMNO is concern about the masses ..not LKS..who can read all like a book.
And so are many thousands..can read UMNO crooks …..like a book.
Again what is the percentage against those that can be fooled?
That is their only hope to win 13th GE…with empty slogans and fooling Malaysians with one sided news..day in day out….that surely all who read….will automatically be programmed to believe….sooner or later.
That’s the power of advertising…they hold in their hands.
UMNO have never been so low ..immoral and unethical…since Najib took over…playing the low class acting game…to fool others.
Yes winning the 13th GE is a must for UMNO..or else..all big fishes need to migrate…hide or run like hell..and some stand still…to accept God’s will. It will be a field day to catch big fishes….once PR takes over.
Will that ever happen?
Najib and Mahathir know this too well……..and Mahathir is chipping in to save his son.
With ex MACC chief saying Teoh’s death is small matter…with Najib responding to Bala’s accusations with one word…”FRIVOLOUS”….with 4 small fry arrested and said by UMNO stooges as big fishes caught….with Lingam declared not guilty…and the list goes on and on.
The whole matter lies wit the 2 million young voters….how many will really register to vote for country and people…and the People’s Power…intelligence.
To me…the signs are overwhelmingly clear…Malaysians want change of government.
More that 54 years under UMNO…is simply too long.
Reasons to vote UMNO out..are very long too.
That is enough commonsense to understand by young voters…if ever the value their future and make sure…any government respect their votes…exactly like Britain and USA.
#12 by lkt-56 on Saturday, 19 December 2009 - 9:25 am
Why nobody in government starting from the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has ever talked about “zero tolerance for corruption” to demonstrate their seriousness and commitment in battling corruption?
Kit, I guess you know the answer but just wanted to tickle the minds of people. The answer lies in the will to end the politics of patronage and you know the current crop of political leaders in government are far from being ready for zero tolerance for corruption.
Before we speak of zero tolerance for corruption let us declare zero tolerance for “politics of patronage.” Make this the top priority for PR and I am sure the battle against corruption will be half won. Those still stay on in the unpleasant arena of party politics after knowing that they will not have personal benefits but are there to serve are likely to be sincere that they are there to serve and not for any selfish purposes.
To cut it short. The government should absolutely stay clear of any commercial interests. We should educate Malaysian to expect their prime minister to be “SPOTLESSLY CLEAN”
#13 by lkt-56 on Saturday, 19 December 2009 - 9:29 am
correction:
Those still stay on in the unpleasant arena of party politics after knowing that they will not have personal benefits but are there to serve are likely to be sincere that they are there to serve and not for any selfish purposes.
supposed to read:
Those still stay on in the unpleasant arena of party politics after knowing that they will are likely to be sincere that they are there to serve and not for any selfish purposes.
#14 by lkt-56 on Saturday, 19 December 2009 - 9:30 am
sorry introduced another mistake. anyway i know you can figure it out
#15 by Dap man on Saturday, 19 December 2009 - 9:48 am
Will you believe if a cat tells you that it doesn’t eat fish or a lion, that it doesn’t eat meat.
This is my simple answer to Najib and UMNO’s hot air.
#16 by k1980 on Saturday, 19 December 2009 - 10:09 am
A few years ago, there was the “Inflasi Sifar” campaign to combat inflation. Then it died a natural death.
So now it is the turn of “zero tolerance for corruption”?
#17 by Bigjoe on Saturday, 19 December 2009 - 10:36 am
At the crux of the matter is, can those who have been involved in corruption reform themselves?
We are not talking about self-reform. An organisation can self-reform, by changing the very people who runs it. We are talking about those who have been corrupted get rid of corruption. In other words, can UMNO/BN get rid of corruption without gettig rid of its leaders?
The answer: Only a very very small probability.
The issue is no different than can a drug addict kick his habit on his own? Can an alcoholic quit drinking? Can a compulsive gambler quit gambling? Corruption is the same addiction. Its not impossible but the number of people that quit an addiction is very small and the number that quit it on their own without intervention and external force is very very small.
That is not the only problem. Since when have UMNO/BN have been successful doing something that has a small chance of success? The fact of the matter is that UMNO/BN have never had the will to do anything that has a small chance of success. Its entire ideology of Ketuanan Melayu and NEP is based on unwillingness to play even with a fair chance of success. They are only capable of working with overwhelming odds in their favour.
Like the drug addict who promise he will not go back to drugs if he is not sent to prison, the most optimistic scenario one can hope for under Najib is a respite from the runaway corruption. There is no promise of cure. In fact, its guaranteed to fail eventually and we are back again to the way things were and maybe even worst because we would not be in as good a shape as we were before with oil and other assets/advantages diminished.
The most unforgivable thing about Najib is that he is selling an illusion to those that are not so critical. Its really political angel dust. Those who buy it will find that when the crash comes again, it will be even harder and painful.
#18 by HJ Angus on Saturday, 19 December 2009 - 11:37 am
I like the analogy to drug addiction.
Maybe a dose of cold turkey will work – they will reform if we vote them into opposition but the withdrawal symptoms will be very severe.
Like hard-core drug addicts some will be prepared to commit serious crime before they are put under cold turkey.
Speaking of turkey, I wish you all a Blessed Christmas and a Happier 2010!
#19 by frankyapp on Saturday, 19 December 2009 - 1:06 pm
If the tree does not bear fruits,chop it,replant it with a new one. Don’t waste time anymore watering and pruning it.A fruitless tree is a useless tree.
#20 by Godfather on Saturday, 19 December 2009 - 3:47 pm
Who would ever want to join BN parties if there’s zero corruption?
#21 by ekompute on Saturday, 19 December 2009 - 4:59 pm
Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy, with the sultans and their royal families asking for special favours all the time. Any Menteri Besar who dares to say no loses his royal patronage that may lead him to lose his position. Given this, it seems like it is going to be very difficult to root out corruption. In the process of acceding to royal requests, one may be very tempted to justify taking some for himself too, after all, there is no accounting and no accountability.
#22 by Godfather on Saturday, 19 December 2009 - 6:42 pm
When OC Phang and two others were first charged under the PKFZ scandal, the AG made the promise that it was just the beginning and that there will be further arrests to come. Then they charged the lowly project engineer, and that appeared to be it. I guess we are all waiting for the AG to charge the office boy or tea lady for conspiracy to defraud KPA for hundreds of millions.
#23 by son of perpaduan on Saturday, 19 December 2009 - 6:59 pm
No one seems to buy Umno show, the begining till now, all plans from so called goverment plans are solely and only defend umno. Others component party busy mending individual internal damages. Why now only taking about 1malaysia? It is their only resort to save their ass.
#24 by ekompute on Saturday, 19 December 2009 - 7:56 pm
Well, we are a very democratic country. No one can be charged without his consent. I wonder how much they pay the 3 guys to agree to be charged, i.e. to take the rap on behalf of someone else, LOL.
#25 by limkamput on Sunday, 20 December 2009 - 10:19 am
Who would ever want to join BN parties if there’s zero corruption? //gpdfather
I must say your discerning ability is boundless. Good, sometimes one liner is better than long stories.
#26 by Godfather on Sunday, 20 December 2009 - 10:59 am
Thank you, master Limkamput. We are not worthy.
#27 by Cinapek on Sunday, 20 December 2009 - 12:41 pm
1Malaysia, GTP, NKRA, KPI blah, blah, blah. To me all these are just sloganeering and all form and no substance. I see all these crap about increasing the police manpower and making the senior officers patrol the streets to increase the police presence. The increase in policemanpower was mooted several years back during “Doozy’s” reign when they talked about inceasing the force by 60,000. What happened to this? Then a year back they talked about asking the senior PDRM officers to patrol the streets. What happened and why waste time repeating this now if it is not sincere? Only recently, our Home Minister proudly proclaimed he will go “all out” to wipe out the Ah Longs. Well, from the increased proliferation of banners in my taman I can only say he has gone “all out” – right outside.
They have set up a new PDRM beat base in my taman. But it just means an additional air conditioned place for the police to relax. Because I have not seen any increase in patrol and not only that, another attempt was made to break into my house two nights ago. My neighbour to my left suffered two break ins while the neighbour at the back had one break-in . All these happened even in broad daylight or early evening. How much more blatant can you get? You would have thought the PDRM would be patrolling the streets after all this. Wong Chun Wai said we are not safe in the streets. Well I have news for him. We are not safe even in our own homes!!! So cut out all the GTP crap and your backsides and just do it!!!
#28 by k1980 on Sunday, 20 December 2009 - 1:13 pm
Then it was “Is Hadari”
When asked if he was marrying Jean, Doozy replied, “No lah, all rumours lah”
Now it is “1Malaysia, GTP, NKRA, KPI…”
When asked if he was marrying Zizzy, Bung Bocor replied, “No lah, all rumours lah”
See da difference?
#29 by k1980 on Sunday, 20 December 2009 - 1:32 pm
When faced with thieves/robbers/kidnappers and the like, all you have to do is to thump your chest as hard as possible like KingKong and yell out “1MALAYSIA GTP, NKRA, KPI”! as many times as possible.
This will move the thieves/robbers/kidnappers so much so that they burst into tears, hug you, repent and let you go.
That’s why the police are having such a relaxing life nowadays
#30 by undertaker888 on Sunday, 20 December 2009 - 2:19 pm
if a 50million military jet engine can be lost and not only that, sold to another country thru customs and checkpoints, there is no need to pretend anymore on nkra and other cr@p.
This govt under bn is corrupted to the core. And no amount of detergent however strong can washed it clean. It simply needs to be thrown away and burnt.
#31 by limkamput on Sunday, 20 December 2009 - 4:17 pm
This Ham Chee Pen fellow now wants to be chairman of BN for Penang. Under his watch, a navy ship, while docked during peace time caught fire and was burnt beyond repair. I can’t imagine that ship is at war in the high sea. Now a fighter jet engine has gone missing. Hey, Idris, do you have any NRA or KPI for ministers that should be sacked each year. Sometimes I wonder why a capable person like you is wasting your talent doing all these nonsensical things.
Idris, you mentioned about how you came to know about railcars not maintained and therefore not operational as if it is a great discovery. Hey, what nonsense is this? Do we not have managers and CEOs with big fat salaries that are supposed to take of things like this? So they need you to tell them huh, those railcars need to be repaired, and if there is no budget, they have to get the budget. Look, Idris, it is that simple; if they really think you are good and capable, why appoint you KPI minister? Why not appoint you minister of Home Affair or Transport Minister or Finance Minister. Let’s not be humble about it. I always think I can be a very good Finance Minster so you should good enough to be any of the above.
#32 by waterfrontcoolie on Sunday, 20 December 2009 - 7:36 pm
I was informed by a Singaporean that the revenue from GST actually balloned to 3 times the projected figure! Now their Gomen is trying to ‘return’ some of it to the bottom quarter of the population! That would be hoping for a purple cow in our Bolehland!
By the way, I came across the write-up by the Mathais lawyer fellow; I wonder who gave the notion that our Neighbour is going bankrupt! based on some hutang against GDP. His MASTER, you know WHO, must have taught him his economic theory!! While we still have to cough out narly rm$2.50 for their $S!!
#33 by Yee Siew Wah on Sunday, 20 December 2009 - 8:52 pm
What do u expect Bro Lim? From the very top down to the very bottom in most government ministries are seem to be corrupted. Just look at the many scandals like PKFZ, Ipoh-Rawang rail, Shah Alam hospital, Pendatang KT great mansion etc…lists goes on….Billions and billions $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ of RAKYAT hard earned money are involved.
Till todate none of the great white sharks are caught and charged except of course some small ikan bilis. They too will be well rewarded when things cool down.
Stop press!! Holy cow, even an engine and mind you a military engine that big can be missing under the very eyes of eveyone. What type of clowns we have running an important ministry like this. This can only happen in BOLEHLAND.
#34 by Ramesh Laxman on Sunday, 20 December 2009 - 9:05 pm
Dear YB Lim,
A leading constitutional law expert MR. Abdul Aziz Bari laments the the state lawlessness among those who govern Malaysia and asserts that Malaysia is Zimbabwe by another name. (Headline Malaysiakini) Perhaps your blog should carry this article . And by the way, first we had Zero inflation policy, followed by Zero sum game, culminating in Zero Budget costing. Now you want Zero tolerance. Becareful what you wish for. Like everything it will be turned on its head and may affect you personally.
#35 by boh-liao on Sunday, 20 December 2009 - 9:14 pm
Malaysia truly boleh!
When we see all our fighter jets, tanks, navy ships on display at respective places
Can we b sure that they hv engines n in working condition?
#36 by jamalmalikslumdog on Monday, 21 December 2009 - 6:56 am
Najib Razak was the Defence Minister in 2007 when the F5E fighter jet engine went missing. A whole aircraft engine walked out of a Malaysian military base, flown out of the country during his watch.
This man can’t even keep his eye on an aircraft engine. And he expects to run a country ?
Good luck Malaysia ? You certainly need it.
#37 by boh-liao on Monday, 21 December 2009 - 5:31 pm
His eyes were on a certain beauty fr d north
Where got eye left 2 see engines lah