Today is International Anti-Corruption Day – a day designated by the United Nations General Assembly on 31st October 2003 when it adopted the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.
When Datuk Seri Najib Razak became Prime Minister in April 2009 and announced the first of his 1Malaysia Transformation Plans – the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) – top priority was given to the war against corruption, which was listed as one of the seven NKRAs (National Key Result Areas).
What has Malaysia got to show on the anti-corruption front on the 8th International Anti-Corruption Day, bearing in mind Najib’s assurance that GTP is aimed at delivering big results fast in the public service that were most important to the people.
What are the “big results” on the anti-corruption NKRA that had been delivered in the past 32 months of the Najib administration?
“Big results” have indeed been delivered by the anti-corruption NKRA in the past 32 months but they are all negative, viz:
• The worst Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI) ranking and score for Malaysia in 17 years, placed No 60 out of 183 countries with a score of 4.3 out of 10.
• Utter failure of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which replaced the former Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) in 2009, and purported to be modelled to be another Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) of Hong Kong – despite being given huge annual budgets of over RM200 million;
• Related to two deaths at MACC premises – Teoh Beng Hock in July 2009 and Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed on April 6, 2011.
• The grand total of four politicians arrested for corruption in 2010 as compared to 23 in 2009.
On the occasion of the International Anti-Corruption Day, Malaysians are entitled to ask whether MACC which took over from ACA in 2009 is an utter waste of public funds.
What has happened to the five-year National Integrity Plan launched in 2004 targetting Malaysia to be ranked at least No. 30th in TI CPI with a score of 6.5 by the year 2008?
Parliament approved a RM202.2 million budget for MACC for 2011 and all it has to show is the country’s lowest CPI ranking of No. 60 and lowest-ever score of 4.3.
In 1996, Parliament approved a budget of RM29.4 million for the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) and that was the year when Malaysia was ranked No. 26 and achieved the highest CPI score of 5.32 in the past 17 years.
Malaysians are entitled to compare the budgets given to ACA in 1996 and to MACC in 2011, and the TI CPI of Malaysia in these two years, and to ask why MACC which has been given a budget almost seven times given to ACA in 1996 and with greatly increased staff and resources, had brought Malaysia’s TI CPI in 2011 to the lowest ranking of 60 and score of 4.3 when in 1996 we could be ranked No. 26 with a score of 5.32?
It would appear that the bigger the budget and more staffing and resources given to MACC, the more corrupt Malaysia has become. Where have the increased RM172.8 million in the anti-corruption budgets between 1996 and 2011 gone to?
The annual budgets allocated to ACA till 2008 and MACC from 2009 (below) are not puny sums but they have not achieved their objective of fighting corruption in Malaysia, giving proper cause for a full and special audit by the Auditor-General to find the reasons why:
Year Annual Budget (RM)
1994 28.6 million
1995 29.9 million
1996 29.5 million
1997 32.4 million
1998 32.2 million
1999 38.2 million
2000 41.8 million
2002 63.8 million
2003 67.7 million
2004 70.4 million
2005 76.4 million
2006 99.1 million
2007 148.1 million
2008 146.7 million
2009 162.1 million
2010 156.8 million
2011 202.2 million
2012 211.2 million
Can Najib explain this strange phenomenon, resulting in his administration perceived as the most corrupt, whether in CPI ranking or score, as compared to the five-year premiership of Tun Abdullah or 22-year premiership of Tun Mahathir?
Can the Prime Minister continue to be silent on Malaysia’s lowest-ever CPI ranking and score? If Malaysia’s 2011 CPI had achieved an incremental increase say of 4.6, Najib would not be so mum but would be the first to crow and claim credit with full fanfare on television, radio and the printed media.
All the more why Malaysians want the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the MACC to explain why despite given record budgets approved for MACC (RM211.2 million for 2002), there is not only so little to show in anti-corruption but the country had gone backwards and overtaken by other countries not only in the Asia-Pacific but by other OIC and African countries.
#1 by Dipoh Bous on Friday, 9 December 2011 - 1:10 pm
More man-power means more people need to be ‘oiled’ aka ‘you help me I help you’, thus more corruption.
For a two-man road block, a below RM100 would suffice to get through. More than that number, more amount is needed.
#2 by Godfather on Friday, 9 December 2011 - 1:37 pm
Aiya Kit, this is what they will tell the grassroots:
In 2009, we netted 23 corrupt politicians. In 2010, we netted 4. This shows a marked improvement in that the number of corrupt politicians have dwindled substantially. For 2011, we expect to net ZERO corrupt politicians because we have been successful at weeding out corruption. Can you folks imagine it – ZERO corrupt politicians.
These DAP people – they complain when we net too many, and they complain when there’s nothing left to catch.
#3 by Godfather on Friday, 9 December 2011 - 1:46 pm
Idris Jala said we must move towards a high income economy. So we decided to increase salaries. That’s a successful NKRA.
#4 by pwcheng on Friday, 9 December 2011 - 1:53 pm
There is little doubt that Corruption is still free flowing in the country. Take for instance, the immigration. I do not think corruption had anyway abated. It is just as horrendous as before. Approvals are given without proper documents, esp for maids and workers, all for a fee for inside job. Normally such approvals are at lightning speed as compared to other legitimate approvals. Even professional and expat permits without proper documents are available. Only constraint is the hefty fee one has to pay. JP visa on normal application which will be turned down can be approved at hefty backdoor price. These are only the bottom and middle line-level of corruption. What about the upper line and super upper line where businessmen called these as cables or super cables.
Many procedures and guide lines are intentionally made cumbersome and complicating and when infested with all types of bureaucracy, the frustration becomes intolerable and inevitably you will have to look for cables and worst still such constraints which are made under the guise of efficiency and strict adherence to regulations are actually made for corruption to thrive.
#5 by k1980 on Friday, 9 December 2011 - 2:06 pm
// record budgets approved for MACC (RM211.2 million for 2002) //
But that mamak cowgal got an even bigger budget of RM250,000,000 to rear 3,000 cows!
#6 by dagen on Friday, 9 December 2011 - 3:19 pm
Guuus got 250m and anti corruption got less – only 211m. That’s it. Anti corruption is less important. But why on earth did jibby the jib include anti-corruption in his key areas thingy, then? Well maybe anti-corruption is not unimportant. You see the real reason is here. The day when ACA transformed into MACC, umno declared the new outfit a major success. Those idiots even got some ICAC people from HK to testify that the new body was already a great success even before any real work has started. So there people. That is the real reason. As it is often quoted, once you reached the peak you must descend. MACC peaked during launch-time. That sort of explains why our index in TI corruption chart keeps sliding downwards. After the peak MACC must come down. So that is natural. Normal. Biasalah. Nothing surprising.
#7 by Cinapek on Friday, 9 December 2011 - 3:40 pm
Methinks the additional founding for extra manpower and resources are for snooping on the PR people.
They also need more manpower to help cover up those “accidents” that happens in the MACC offices, deleting incriminating CCTV footages, torturing witnesses all through the night, fabricating evidences to frame PR politicians, going after as many small fishes as possible to divert attention away from the sharks etc.
#8 by yhsiew on Friday, 9 December 2011 - 4:04 pm
If the head is corrupt, how can the subordinates be upright and honest?
#9 by ENDANGERED HORNBILL on Friday, 9 December 2011 - 4:21 pm
DAP moots end to politics-business nexus.
Now this is what we call common sense.
With BN it’s always been cow-sense, cow-dung, cow-condos and the cowherd mentality….
Moooooo…………………..
#10 by Loh on Friday, 9 December 2011 - 5:06 pm
///The annual budgets allocated to ACA till 2008 and MACC from 2009 (below) are not puny sums but they have not achieved their objective of fighting corruption in Malaysia, giving proper cause for a full and special audit by the Auditor-General to find the reasons why:///–Kit
It is natural for us and every reasonable citizen to assume that the objective of MACC is to fight corruption in Malaysia, which was the reason why MACC was established. But MACC does not fight corruption per se. MACC only uses the excuse of fighting corruption to serve UMNO interest to frustrate opposition parties and their members to achieve the political objectives of UMNO.
The RCI on the death of TBH case concluded that a few MACC officers have to answer charges. But MACC claimed that it took no action because there was no police report. It is like a cock that crows in the morning only after it is told to do so. But is MACC that useless? They did not sit on their behind to collect pay; if they did, then there would not be investigation on a 2,400 ringgit procurement with TBH ended up being called as a witness and he lose his life in the process of giving evidence. While 2,400 ringgit procurement was reason enough for MACC to cause a loss of life, the PKFZ case which is a million time higher did not attract similar enthusiasm from MACC. It shows that MACC is not professional in handling corrupt cases. Thus, the objective of MACC is not what is written on the official paper. They are only an extension arm of UMNO.
#11 by Loh on Friday, 9 December 2011 - 5:34 pm
/// Lee who served in Singapore’s Cabinet as PM senior minister and minister mentor for 52 years before retiring in May said in the book that Muslims in Singapore were socially “distinct and separate” and should “be less strict on Islamic observances” to aid integration and the city-state’s nation-building process It caused an uproar in Malay and Muslims groups on both sides of the Causeway with his old rival and former Malaysian PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad accusing Lee of having no respect for religion Dr Mahathir added today that “different people have different opinions Different Muslims have got different ideas about things that affect the Muslims ”.
KUALA LUMPUR Dec 9 — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today Lee Kuan Yew can “say what he likes” despite federal religious authorities placing a book of interviews with Singapore’s founding father on a list of books considered haram The former prime minister said if his old rival wants “to say that you can say that If I like I can say something else about him ” Dr Mahathir said today “Let Lee say what he likes It doesn’t mean anything ” — file pic “But I feel it is not worthwhile Let him say what he likes It doesn’t mean anything ”.///–MalaysianInsider, http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/dr-m-dismisses-impact-of-lky-book-on-muslims/
Lee Kuan Yew spoke to Singaporeans on matter that concerns Singapore. It a an internal matter of Singapore. ASEAN countries always declare that they would not interfere with the internal matter of another ASEAN member. Najib did not comment on the matter, and it was right of him not to do so.
Mamakthir is a nobody, so he is free to say what he likes and it means nothing. Mamakthir said that he could say something else about Lee. Let us wait and see what he can say, and whether he would be sued if he said the wrong thing.
Jakim has every right to suggest what the government should do, and it is for the government to decide whether or not to ban the book. Banning the book would reveal how the government views the limit and level of mental capacity of its citizens for discussing religious issues.
#12 by Loh on Friday, 9 December 2011 - 6:00 pm
///(Bernama) – Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has urged the people to appreciate the history of Umno’s struggle so that they would acknowledge its capability in helming the Barisan Nasional (BN) government.
The prime minister said by looking back at history, the people would realise the immensity of Umno’s struggle all these years.
By appreciating history, the Malays would realise that they had no reason to forsake Umno, he said when opening Wisma Umno Langkawi in Kuah, here, today.///–http://www.malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/newscommentaries/45631-najib-appreciate-history-of-umnos-struggle
What was left unsaid was that Malays should support the corrupt practices of UMNOputras since their ancestors had contributed to the strength of UMNO in ruling for 54 years, and all these years the leaders made Malays proud. The descendants of the past UMNO leaders are entitled to excesses, and UMNO Malays owe their living to them; they should not complain about corruption, after all non-Malays suffer at corruptions too.
Tunku worked with leaders of the Chinese and Indian communities to gain independence for Malaya and later Malaysia. It has been plain sailing in ruling the country since Independence. May 13 was a creation of UMNO leaders, and they were safe and sound during the riots.
Since NEP, UMNO had not have to fight on the streets to get non-Malays subjected to discrimination. Non-Malays just left the country on their own. The results was economic disaster for the country but Muhyiddin said that contrary to detractors’ view there was economic growth . Perhaps Muhyiddin was only concern with wealth-growth among UMNOputras, and he was certainly right in that regard.
Najib reminds Malays in UMNO of the immensity of UMNO struggle all these years, in telling MCA and MIC to shut up. Malays outside UMNO cannot be fooled, and they are going to convince Najib of their knowledge and intelligence come the next general election. Najib is trying to delay GE 13; he wishes that there are 48 hours a day till the election.
#13 by Loh on Friday, 9 December 2011 - 7:39 pm
///The former premier (Mamakthir) said the embattled Wanita Umno chief should follow his example and not wait till she gets chased out of the party.///–Malaysiakini
The common issue is that both Mamakthir and Shahrizat are not wanted by the people in the position they hold. It is the question of how long people could tolerate each of them. If they are really what they claim to be representing the people and working for the interest of the nation and hence the people, why should they not be loved by the people? Why should people wait for them to leave their post? Mamakthir knew that he overstayed his welcome and left. Would Shahrizat know? Malays in UMNO might be able to tolerate true Malays who were wrong and brought bad name to UMNO. Would they tolerate NEWMalay tarnishing their name?
#14 by Bigjoe on Friday, 9 December 2011 - 8:11 pm
THIS should not surprise anyone. Given today’s call by Mahathir for her to step down, its clear Najib has lost control and its Mahathir that is calling the shot – Mahathir is back running the country as he always dreamed like LKY did in Singapore – Mahathirism is alive and well with its crony capitalism in full force.
#15 by Loh on Friday, 9 December 2011 - 8:44 pm
Shahrizat’s position is strengthened with Mamakthir calling for her to resign. A weak Shahrizat is useful to the President just like Mamakthir was surrounded by people who were weak to take over, AAB being the nearest to him was the weakest. With Shahrizat as the buffer other Wanita leaders cannot demand similar “Cattlegate” projects, and Shahrizat prays now to remain where she is and asks only to be left alone. Najib would say that Wanita position is an elective office, and only the members could decide; the next election is 18 months away. As a senator Shahrizat does not have to face voters, and she would now not demand to be candidate. Besides Cattlegate has effectively diverted attention of opposition parties and the people to Shahrizat. She would be useful to be the UMNO as the target, which saves others from being attacked. Shahrizat would stay on until a new scandal overtakes her.
#16 by Loh on Friday, 9 December 2011 - 8:53 pm
/// “The Indonesian SEA Games has given satisfaction and pleasure to all Malaysians ” Najib picture said today in his speech here “More importantly our athletes’ success has shown we can all unite despite different religions races or colour Even ‘black metallic’ is included ” he added taking a swipe at a recent remark by an opposition leader prompting laughter from the crowd.///–MalaysianInsider
The term ‘black metallic’ is now recognized as a description for Mamak who qualifies. Some Mamaks are not black metallic. By using the term, Najib shows that the term ‘black metallic’ is neutral in tone and is an apt description of Mamak.
If the term is derogatory then Najib as the Prime Minister should not have said it on an official occasion facing international audience. Nga should now withdraw the apology and he should file for copyright on the term.
#17 by k1980 on Saturday, 10 December 2011 - 8:05 am
I would like to patent the usage of the following terms to describe certain malaysians—
1. death metallic (eg jibbi)
2. heavy metallic (eg zamberi)
3. thrash metallic (eg mamaktui)
4. light metallic ( eg ah koon)
5. sampah metallic (eg chua sl)
#18 by k1980 on Saturday, 10 December 2011 - 8:16 am
botak metallic (eg nazli)
korrupt metallic (eg shahrizzot)
fat metallic (eg loh see mah)
racist metallic (eg mmoo)
anal metallic (eg saifool)
bocor metallic (eg bung)
bonga-bonga metallic (eg jibb)
#19 by Loh on Saturday, 10 December 2011 - 1:32 pm
///KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 – Perak DAP secretary Nga Kor Ming’s “metallic black” slur shows up the opposition party’s true colours, Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir said today.
“This is the character of (DAP) leaders who supposedly oppose cruelty, speak of equality in terms of skin colour, religion.
“But look, this is what they’re like inside,” he told reporters after opening the Najib Razak Seminar at International Islamic University Malaysia (UIA) here.///–MalaysianInsider
Najib used the same term, black metallic, or metallic black. What has Zambry said about Najib? Is it a matter of the singer and not the song?