Archive for category Good Governance
Instant rejection of proposal for Parliamentary Select Committee on 1Malaysia GTP – cannot withstand public and parliamentary scrutiny?
Posted by Kit in Good Governance, nation building, Public policy on Saturday, 30 January 2010
I am very disappointed that my proposal yesterday for the establishment of an opposition-headed Parliamentary Select Committee on 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme was given the immediate short shrift by the second KPI Minister, Datuk Idris Jala who rejected the proposal out of hand.(Sin Chew)
I find this very revealing but ominous as the instant rejection of the proposal for a Parliamentary Select Committee on 1Malaysia GTP shows that the two KPI Ministers Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon and Idris have no confidence that the GTP Roadmap can go very far out of the laboratory stage to withstand public and parliamentary scrutiny.
They are probably right and it will be most tragic if all the interests of GTP is focused at the laboratory stage more as “academic exercises” than in translating them into actual policies and programmes subject to public and parliamentary scrutiny.
The virtually total absence of public interest in the 1Malaysia GTP Roadmap Launch exhibition at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre yesterday, to the extent that I felt very embarrassed both for myself and for the KPI Ministers when I paid it a visit with DAP MPs Fong Kui Lun (Bukit Bintang) and Tony Pua (PJ Utara), is proof that despite 10 months and tens of millions of ringgit of publicity about the “1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now” concept, Najib’s Government Transformation Programme has failed to catch fire and is in danger of failing like a damp squib. Read the rest of this entry »
Establish opposition-headed Parliamentary Select Committee on 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme Roadmap to exercise parliamentary oversight if Najib, Tsu Koon and Idris are serious about major government reforms
Posted by Kit in Good Governance, Najib Razak, nation building on Friday, 29 January 2010
I embarrassed Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, the KPI Minister and Chairman of Pemudah and Datuk Idris Jala, the Second KPI Minister and CEO of Pemudah when together with DAP MP for PJ Utara Tony Pua and MP for Bukit Bintang Fong Kui Lun, I visited the 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme (GTP) Roadmap exhibition just after noon.
Apart from Idris, the GTP Roadmap exhibition staff and the media, there was hardly a soul from the public. Reporters said that the venue was as empty yesterday except for the official launching ceremony of the GTP Roadmap by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
It is almost ten months since Najib became Prime Minister, and apart from his dazzling “1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now” slogan and concept, Malaysians have not felt and could not perceive that there is any meaningful change in their daily lives.
The 261-page “1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme” would make an impressive thesis on nation-building and government transformation but the national challenge today is not who can produce the best-sounding thesis but have the political will to implement meaningful changes in all aspects of national life.
In fact, there could not be a worse time for the launching of the 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme when for the past month, the Malaysian image of a united, harmonious and progressive nation had suffered prolonged battering in the international media because of the failure of find a quick solution to the “Allah” controversy.
Read the rest of this entry »
The DAP Ipoh Resolution
Posted by Kit in Constitution, Corruption, Crime, DAP, Economics, Education, environment, Finance, Good Governance, nation building on Monday, 18 January 2010
The DAP Ipoh Resolution:
MUAFAKAT TRANSFORMASI MALAYSIA
(adopted by the DAP National Conference 2010 in Ipoh on Sunday, 17th January 2010)
PREAMBLE
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That the nation is waiting for a profound change is beyond doubt and that it is now a fact that the government-of-the-day is incapable of changing the intolerably arbitrary, self-serving, unjust, cruel and corrupt system of governance;
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That the world does not stand still to wait for Malaysia, and we risk watching Asia changing and its economy growing not as an active participant but as bystander if we do not catch up fast;
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That to save Malaysian governance from further deterioration, the economy from further plunder, and the people from further injustices is a shared imperative;
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That the Democratic Action Party (DAP) therefore, in partnership with other Pakatan Rakyat parties and in cooperation with civil society, is determined to transform Malaysia through a new muafakat (consensus)
- by reversing distortions and corruptions of the Constitution, the rule of law and the system of governance,
- by restoring mutual respect amongst Malaysia’s multiethnic, multicultural and multi-religious peoples,
- by renewing trust in public institutions and in the security services,
- by rejuvenating the economy
- by conserving the environment,
- by revamping the education system, and
- by re-establishing hope in our future as a nation;
Pakatan Rakyat Policy
Posted by Kit in Good Governance, Letters, Pakatan Rakyat on Thursday, 24 December 2009
By Vincent Lee
I do not know whether this feedback can reach you YB but i hope it will.
I have read the details of the policy of Pakatan Rakyat and it sounds very impressive. It seems like its the opposite of BN policy.
As a voter, especially a loyal supporter of Pakatan Rakyat, I wish to suggest a few feedback. No matter how good is a policy, its implementation is even more important. And what is even more importance is to setup a team of watchdog to oversee the implementation.
For example when you mention to reform the EPF. Who will implement them? The board member of EPF I suppose? I’m a guy from the corporate sector and I don’t think the members of the board which get used to BN regime for decades can reform itself. Of course I’m not suggesting that the board members been replace as it may trigger a lot of misunderstanding that PR are power crazy. May I suggest that the senior member of Labour Unions be the watchdog for the implementation. At least 3 of them from 3 different unions. This is of course based on the logic, the best person that take care of the labour’s money is the labour himself. This way is even more effective if you can rotate the members within the watchdog panel every 2 or 3 years to avoid any abuse.
Read the rest of this entry »
Open Tender for all government procurements – most effective way to prevent corruption and ensure efficiency
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Dr. Chen Man Hin, Good Governance, Najib Razak on Friday, 27 November 2009
by Dr. Chen Man Hin
Last year on August 5th the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was quoted as saying that open tender would be implemented for government procurements. This was a very encouraging statement and gave the impression that he really intended to institute reforms to bring about better governance. Was this the signal that things are changing?
Later, when he was anointed prime minister, he announced further reforms to launch off his “1 Malaysia, People First, Performance Now” concept. This was even more promising.
Unfortunately, the euphoria engendered so far has now vanished by the announcement in Parliament on Wednesday that MATRADE expo – the biggest and most comprehensive exhibition center – would be awarded to a private contractor NAZA TTDI through private negotiated deal. The government procurement was NOT given out by OPEN TENDER.
This is a shocking development and has unravelled all the attempts by Najib to initiate a series of reforms for better governance in a “1 Malaysia”. Read the rest of this entry »
Matrade gets expo centre for ‘free’, says Mustapa
Posted by Kit in DAP, Good Governance, Parliament on Wednesday, 25 November 2009
The Malaysian Insider
Wednesday November 25, 2009
By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 — International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed today defended the proposed expo centre in Jalan Duta from controversy after the RM628 million project was given to Naza TTDI, saying the government was getting it for free.
Mustapa explained that building-for-land deal is good value for the Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade).
“The valuation of the land in 2007 is RM197 million and we are getting RM628 million’s worth building so we are getting value for money for us. We need a big centre,” he told reporters in parliament here.
The mammoth expo centre being built on a 13.1-acre site in Jalan Duta here is to be developed by Naza TTDI, a unit of the Naza Group, in exchange for 62.5 acres of state land at RM226 per square foot although the market value of the land could reach RM1.5 billion. The entire project will have a gross development value of RM15 billion.
The Matrade centre is estimated to be 90,000-sq-m and set to be completed in 2013.
Mustapa noted that the currently available exhibition centres in the Klang Valley were too small to lure major investors. Read the rest of this entry »
Government of Malaysia Inc
Posted by Kit in Good Governance on Tuesday, 22 September 2009
KJ John
Malaysiakini
Sep 22, 09
I cannot agree with bloggers Art Harun and Lim Kit Siang more. Both have basically argued a similar concern; why is the government acting as if they privately own the country.
Yes, to their minds the chief secretary to the government and chief justice are both CEO appointments – one for the executive branch of the public services, and the other for the judicial services. Both are accused of “doing things as they like”, as if they are in a private corporation and answerable to no one outside of the “cabinet” as their board of directors.
Allow me to repeat their arguments for those who did not follow them. Read the rest of this entry »
Joining Formula 1 is glamorous but will not help to make Malaysia a high income developed country
Posted by Kit in Dr. Chen Man Hin, Good Governance on Saturday, 19 September 2009
By Dr Chen Man Hin, DAP life adviser
The other day PM Najib’s kitchen cabinet announced plans to make Malaysia a high income developed country. Two days later he announced Malaysia will become a F1 racing country to bring glory and prestige as a renowned automobile producer of world standards.
Proton is sucking up millions every year of taxpayers’ money to support the automobile industry, and now F1 will require spending a billion or more annually. It will increase the financial burden of the people.
Tun Mahathir supports the F1 initiative because it will bring publicity worth millions for Malaysia, as F1 races are splashed across the media. He forgets that it will also focus on the sorry state of the automobile industry headed by Proton.
Read the rest of this entry »
Vrroooom….vrrooom
Posted by Kit in Good Governance, Hussein Hamid on Friday, 18 September 2009
By Hussein Hamid
It would seem that Malaysia is once again, in the words of our Prime Minister Najib, raising its “profile on the world stage” by having it’s own team in Formula One next year. The first thought that hit me was this – if BMW has decided to wind down its Formula One Team after just four seasons in order to focus the resources that had been expended on the company’s F1 program to the “development of new drive technologies and projects in the field of sustainability” why oh why must this fool rush in where angels fear to tread?
Here are the other headlines news that is relevant to this issue – relevant because it only serves to complicate matters and again confirm that the usual suspects are involved – Politics, ‘big business’ well known personalities and taking money from the Rakyat:
“This is where the cars will be designed, manufactured and tested. It will be ‘Made-in-Malaysia, by Malaysians’ and of course, the pit-stops will be run by Malaysians,” he said. Najib.
Read the rest of this entry »
Best Hari Raya present Najib can give country is to declassify all Cabinet minutes and documents relating to PKFZ scandal
Posted by Kit in Good Governance, Najib Razak, PKFZ on Thursday, 17 September 2009
In the past five-and-a-half months of his premiership, Datuk Seri Najib Razak had made valiant attempts to project his administration’s commitment to reform, accountability, integrity and good governance as exemplified by his slogan of “1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now”, his website, walkabouts and his emphasis on KPIs with the appointment of two KPI Ministers.
But all these efforts by Najib had failed to convince the Malaysian public that the Prime Minister is committed or capable of fundamental change in government.
One important reason is the long drawn-out farce of the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal – resulting in the public fallout between the MCA President and Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat and the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club (BNBBC) Chairman Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing who is also the CEO of the PKFZ turnkey contractor Kuala Dimensi Sdn. Bhd and other political skirmishes in MCA, Umno and Barisan Nasional.
Read the rest of this entry »
Another RM2 billion loss?
Posted by Kit in Financial Scandals, Good Governance, Hussein Hamid on Wednesday, 9 September 2009
By Hussein Hamid
Tell me who would be stupid enough to go and buy a bank in Indonesia? You tell me who would do that? Then if that was not enough you go and take a running jump into Pakistan and buy another bank there. But wait there is more! While they are doing that why not pick up a bank in Vietnam. In all they spent an incredible RM10.8 billion to acquire these three banks. Who would be stupid enough to do this when Maybank has been advise AGAINST making the purchase? Maybank belongs to the Government and so they will take instructions from the Government. Taking instructions from a Government run by idiots who thinks that Maybank is also Maybank. So in essence it is the Barisan Government that is stupid enough to go and buy three Banks in Indonesia, Pakistan and Vietnam for RM10.8 billion.
Now Malayan Banking has confirmed that it lost RM2 billion in this escapade. Now which UMNO guy made a few hundred million in commission from these purchases? Who are the usual suspects? Najib as the Minister of Finance has to be suspect number one – but if MACC does the questioning they will say that he is just ‘helping with inquires’. But Najib must beware that even helping with inquiries can be dangerous if Muhyiddin has anything to do about it.
Read the rest of this entry »
RCI to conduct no-holds-barred probe into RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal to unearth all abuses of power and cbt even at Cabinet level
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Good Governance, Najib Razak on Sunday, 6 September 2009
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the Cabinet will discuss the ramifications of the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal on Wednesday and decide on the next course of action on the PKFZ “mother of all scandals”.
Yesterday, Najib was briefed by the Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, the PKFZ Task Force headed by its chairman, lawyer Vinayak Pradhan and the police on the PKFZ scandal.
Firstly, why was the police at the briefing. Secondly, why wasn’t the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) involved in the briefing, although various reports of financial improprieties had been lodged as far back three years ago if the Najib administration is serious about wanting to uphold integrity and good governance?
Although there is now finally admission that the PKFZ scandal is not only a “can of worms” but a “swamp of crocodiles”, the whole story of the “mother of all scandals” have yet to be unearthed. Read the rest of this entry »
Arresting the Slide in Our Public Institutions
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Crime, Farish Noor, Good Governance on Wednesday, 22 July 2009
By Farish A. Noor
The term ‘Asubhabhavana’ is familiar with many historians of Buddhist theology by now, for it refers to a meditative mode of introspection that has become ritual practice over the centuries. In layman’s terms, Asubhabhavana refers to the simple process of self-reflection and mental back-tracking where one contemplates the manifold paths, steps and mis-steps that were taken to get us to where we are today; prompting the simple yet direct question: “Why have I become what I am today, and what were the mistakes that I made that continue to hurt me now?”
As it is with individual subjectivities, so is it with states, governments and institutions. For when we look at the process of historical development and decline of so many post-colonial societies we also need to ask what were the steps and mis-steps that were taken to get them to their present state of degeneration and decline?
A case in point is the recent one in Malaysia, where a young political assistant to the DAP opposition party was found dead under the most suspicious of circumstances. The young man had been summoned by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to its offices in order to answer some questions related to allegations of corrupt political practice. The next time anyone sees him, he is found lying dead on the rooftop of the building next door. Needless to say the fact that the young man may have died while under MACC custody begs the immediate and obvious questions: How did he die, and why? This is the burning question that has brought Malaysians of all walks of life, across the political divide, together. Already the same question is being asked even by the component parties of the BN ruling coalition, and prominent BN leaders have likewise called for an enquiry into what happened that day at the MACC office.
Read the rest of this entry »
A sobering thought
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Good Governance, Hussein Hamid on Saturday, 18 July 2009
by Hussein Hamid
At what stage in his tenure as Prime Minister did Mahathir decided that the end justifies the means? When he did that he threw away accountability and responsibility of his actions to the people. It is one thing for a businessman to take chances in making his business decisions because the consequences of his actions, good or bad, will be for him and him alone to bear – and another when the consequences of your actions affects the nation. There must have come a time when Mahathir had some self doubts as to the rightness of his decision making process – he was wrong with Musa, with Anwar, with Pak Lah. He was wrong with Eric Cheah, Abdullah Ang, Tajuddin Ramli. He was wrong about Privatization…or if you want to be tedious – the implementation of it was flawed. But what I would want to pin him to is that he was the one who brought the culture of materialism into the UMNO physce and in so doing, into the Malay consciousness – and by default, into the minds of the people. When you decide that the acquisition of material wealth is the path you want to take in your life, then whatever you do from then on, will reflect the importance of that choice in your life…and that my friend has been the undoing of UMNO and the many other things that is now wrong with our country. No longer will decency, family values, religion, honour, duty to country and all those values that hold together the fabric of society be considered important. Look at Khir Toyo – what need is there for him to acquire and flaunt such trappings of wealth with his new found wealth (while he was MB) with such haste. Did it ever occur to him that there would be questions asked or has the actions of other leaders that went before him precluded the need to hide his ill gotten gains? Greed is good? Yes Proton, KLCC, KLIA, the many many Highways that were built, and so many mega projects etc etc all these are Mahathir’s legacies… Read the rest of this entry »
PPSMI – Are the shoes of an Education Minister in Malaysia too big for Muhyiddin?
Posted by Kit in Education, Good Governance on Tuesday, 7 July 2009
Umno Youth Leader, Khairy Jamaluddin admitted in an interview with Sin Chew Jit Poh yesterday that Malaysia should be a A+ country but it could only manage a C!
This is because of decades of Barisan Nasional bad governance and misguided policies which fail to fully exploit the human and natural resources of the country for the national good so as to be able to continuously upgrade our international competitiveness to better position the country to face the challenges of globalization, liberalization and information and communications technology.
A good illustration is the disastrous PPSMI (Teaching Science and Mathematics in English) decision making guinea pigs of some four million Malaysian pupils whether in the national, Chinese or Tamil primary schools in the past six years for “a cure which is worse than the disease”!
Have we got in Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin a new Education Minister who has the political will and professional competence to undo the six-year damage from these unprofessional educational experiments to lead the Malaysian education system to a new era of professionalism, excellence and global status?
Read the rest of this entry »
Integrity: What option for Malaysia?
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Good Governance, Tunku Abdul Aziz on Monday, 6 July 2009
By Tunku Abdul Aziz
THE UPSURGE of interest in integrity and ethics is not without a good reason. People all over the world have realized that human progress is unlikely to be sustainable without all of us adopting and embracing universal human values – values that transcend cultural, religious and political barriers.
In Malaysia we have the best legal framework, rules, regulations and procedures, but corrupt practices continue unchecked because those entrusted to serve the community are themselves morally and ethically deficient and devoid of ethical values and high standards of personal and public behaviour.
If we lose our competitive position because we are corrupt and lack integrity, we are putting our future as a nation at risk. Corruption kills competition, breeds inefficiency, distorts our decision making processes and promotes social and political instability in the long run. I believe that in societies where integrity is firmly entrenched, corruption can be kept firmly under control.
We have to refocus our vision and reshape our views and ideas on what can be done to fight unethical public behaviour, not only on our own turf, but equally important, on the international front because cross-border corruption represents a major source of social, economic and political instability and distortion, if not dealt with decisively.
Read the rest of this entry »
Call for public inquiry on how the half-a-trillion ringgit contributed by Petronas to government past 33 years and the RM15.2 billion ringgit royalty to Terengganu from 2000-2009 have been properly spent and accounted for
Posted by Kit in Good Governance, Oil on Saturday, 4 July 2009
Former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir has raised a very pertinent question – where have the close to half-a-trillion ringgit, to be exact RM426.6 billion, of petro-ringgit from Petronas to the government in the past 33 years since 1976 gone?
Since 1976, payments by Petronas to the Federal Government are as follows:
| FY | Payment (in billion) |
| 1976 | 0.3 |
| 1977 | 0.7 |
| 1978 | 0.7 |
| 1979 | 0.7 |
Procurement: A call for transparency
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Good Governance, Tunku Abdul Aziz on Friday, 3 July 2009
By Tunku Abdul Aziz
JULY 2 — Public procurement is the single most important source of corruption in any country, including ours. This crucial process remains a great mystery to the public at large because it is shrouded in secrecy.
The mystery is heightened by the Official Secrets Act (OSA). The OSA has become a permanent fixture in many jurisdictions, and the Malaysian government is not about to toss it out of the window any time soon. The OSA hides a multitude of sins and it is an impediment to transparency.
The government finds comfort and safety by hiding all of its more questionable and corrupt actions that cannot stand close scrutiny behind the OSA. As we know, without transparency, there is no accountability.
Unethical public officials, including senior politicians whose numbers are growing according to independent surveys, stand to gain from a corrupt procurement system. They are not slow to create the entirely spurious impression that Malaysia operates a fair system, as good as any in the world, and they say that it should be left alone. Why, they point out, change a winning formula? But, is it really? In theory, yes, but the practice is an entirely different matter. The procurement system in Malaysia is more honoured in the breach than in the observance.
Read the rest of this entry »
Is OTK prepared to convene a emergency MCA general assembly to secure endorsement for his handling of the RM12.5 billion PKFZ scandal as it is going to be Ong and MCA’s Achilles heel in next general election?
Posted by Kit in Good Governance, PKFZ on Wednesday, 1 July 2009
My three questions (No.97 to No. 99) on the 33rd day in the current series to Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat on the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal today are:
Question No. 1: I welcome the announcement by the Port Klang Authority (PKA) Chairman Datuk Lee Hwa Beng on the withholding of RM660 million in the next drawdown of the government’s soft loan of RM4.6 billion to pay the PKFZ turnkey developer Kuala Dimensi Sdn. Bhd. (KDSB) for the PKFZ land and construction.
Only yesterday, I had asked whether Ong would order a halt to all payments to KDSB until a full inquiry and parliamentary accountability on the PKFZ scandal is completed.
A week ago, I had publicly called on the Cabinet to stop making further payments for the troubled PKFZ until all issues related to the accountability and integrity of the project are resolved.
This was reported in the Edge on June 24 under the report: “Kit Siang: Govt should consider stop making payments on PKFZ”, which states:
The project to develop a transhipment hub hogged the limelight for the wrong reasons after its cost escalated from an initial estimate of RM1.96 billion to about RM4.5 billion. The owner of PKFZ — Port Klang Authority (PKA) — is unable to meet its debt obligations on bonds raised to finance the development, prompting the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to provide a RM4.6 billion soft loan to ensure PKA meet the obligations.
The next drawdown of the MoF soft loan is scheduled next week.
On this, Lim said the cabinet should meet to decide whether to stop payment or consider other available options. Read the rest of this entry »
Did the Cabinet discuss the scandalous million-ringgit fee to Jean Todt as Malaysia’s tourism ambassador or are the Cabinet Ministers deaf to the nation-wide howls of outrage when this news came out
Posted by Kit in Good Governance, MCA, Parliament, Tourism on Friday, 26 June 2009
Did the Cabinet which met this morning discuss the scandalous million-ringgit fee to former Ferrari Formula One owner Jean Todt as Malaysia’s tourism ambassador or are the Cabinet Ministers totally cut off from the ground and deaf to the nation-wide howls of outrage when this news came out?
Did the Cabinet review the need and efficacy of the million-ringgit payment to Todt and whole concept of appointing million-ringgit tourism ambassadors?
Parti Keadilan Rakyat MP for Gombak, Azmin Ali has said that the RM1 million fee to Todt, which has been confirmed by the Tourism Minister, Datuk Seri Ng Yen Yen, included an annual fee of RM593,000 and another RM388,000 to pay for Todt’s holidays in Malaysia.
How many tourist ambassadors ala-Todt have been appointed by the Tourism Ministry to date, and have they all been given million-ringgit fees? Who is actually the first tourism ambassador appointed by the Tourism Ministry?
Read the rest of this entry »
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