New govt delivery system – make sure it is not “3rd-world Infrastructure, 4th-rate Mentality, 9th-rate Maintenance”
Posted by Kit in Education, Good Governance, OSA on Monday, 4 June 2007, 11:42 am
The new government delivery system the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is to unveil in ten days’ time must send out the blunt message that Malaysia under his watch will not degenerate from “First-World Infrastructure, Third-World Mentality” to “Third-World Infrastructure, Fourth-rate Mentality, Ninth-class Maintenance”.
When Abdullah became Prime Minister on October 31, 2003, he promised Malaysians one fundamental change — to eradicate the “First-World Infrastructure, Third-World Mentality” malaise and propel the country to “First-World Infrastructure, First-World Mentality” status.
After being Prime Minister for 47 months, there are not only no signs of any significant breakthrough for Malaysia make the transition from a “First-World Infrastructure, Third-World Mentality” malaise to a “First-World Infrastructure, First-World Mentality” status, there are more and more disturbing evidence of serious and rapid deterioration of the national condition towards a stage which is best described as “Third-World Infrastructure, Fourth-rate Mentality, Ninth-class Maintenance”!
Never before in the 50-year history of the nation has the public service been seen as more inept and incompetent — with the unending list of “crack-ups” of new government buildings and public construction projects, whether the brand-new administrative capital of Putrajaya, the RM270 million world’s second largest court complex in Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur, the Parliament Building after RM100 million renovation and the latest, the safety of the 15-storey Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry in Precinct 4, Putrajaya. Read the rest of this entry »
Qualifying exams for new docs
QUALIFYING EXAMS FOR NEW DOCS
by AZK
“You don’t have to blow out anybody else’s candles…
to make yours shine brighter…”
I read with interest the Health Minister’s proposal to have common qualifying examinations for all foreign-qualified doctors. The Health Minister appears to have discovered that all these frequent visits to assess and continually evaluate new medical schools are a costly affair.
In fact, in the age of the internet, it is nothing more then a scam by our free-loading MMC council members to claim allowances and fly business class to various, sometimes exotic destinations just to see if these schools produce bona-fide doctors, all courtesy of the tax-payer when much of the information can be gathered via the net.
More importantly though, now that Chua has proposed a qualifying examination in line possibly similar to Britain’s PLAB (Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board) or the USA’s USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) it boggles the mind if our lot of council members are really up to it in conducting examinations of this complexity.
Needless to say the current Unscheduled Universities Examination under Section 12(1) (aa), Medical Act 1971 is so hopelessly biased especially in the clinical sections, that, like the legal profession’s CLP where there is an incredibly high failure rate, it gives rise to suspicions that the examination is yet another tool to discriminate and meet political agendas to right racial imbalances in the profession.
More alarming is its selective application on foreign graduates but not on local graduates who today are mainly responsible for our notorious healthcare deliver systems.
Chua’s frustration could be real. The Malaysian Medical Council is a discredited body. Among others, it currently consists of a member who graduated after 40 years of age, another who is being sued [deleted], yet another who chairs meetings and doesn’t operate anymore [deleted].
Many are involved in businesses such as housing development, private medical schools, nursing schools, etc therefore bringing to the body a conflict of interest that will eventually skew any decision they try to make.
A significant number of these members are downright academically uninclined including deans with dubious qualifications. Read the rest of this entry »
RM530 million Transmile accounting fraud – how Liong Sik is to assume responsibility as Chairman?
Posted by Kit in Corruption on Saturday, 2 June 2007, 4:23 pm
Former MCA President and Cabinet Minister, Tun Dr. Ling Liong Sik was quite active in the past month, as a search with The Star archives would produce eight news items featuring him, including one today at the ceremony at the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) campus in Kampar yesterday planting a Blue Pine tree.
But he has been very reticent on what has been described as the biggest accounting and corporate scandal in recent times in Malaysia, even likened to the accounting fiasco of Enron and Woldcom, although Ling is the Chairman of Transmile Group Bhd — the company which had overstated its revenue by RM530 million.
According to a special audit carried out by Moores Rowland Risk Management Sdn. Bhd, Transmile made pre-tax losses of RM126 million and RM77 million for FY 2006 and FY 2005 , respectively, instead of pre-tax profits of RM207 million and RM120 million as originally reported.
This means that Transmile had overstated its revenue by RM197 million in 2005 and by RM333 million in 2006 — a total of RM530 million. Read the rest of this entry »
Miracle of revolution of public service delivery system in 12 days’ time on June 14?
Posted by Kit in Good Governance on Saturday, 2 June 2007, 4:12 pm
Malaysians are very surprised by the revelation by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday that the government will be implementing a new public delivery system in 13 days. (New Straits Times).
Addressing Kuala Lumpur City Hall senior officials during a one-day tour of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Abdullah said he wants all state leaders and ministers to ensure that the government machinery is prepared to implement the new government delivery system in 13 days.
He said he gave the instruction at the National Physical Planning Committee meeting attended by all menteris besar, chief ministers and several ministers in Putrajaya on Wednesday.
Abdullah said: “I hope the ministers will follow up on the 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.”
This is a most extraordinary and cavalier manner to launch a new and major policy initiative like a new government delivery system — with the bulk of the civil service from all levels still in the dark and the 26 million Malaysian completely ignorant about the so-called new public delivery system, while mentris besar and chief ministers and “several ministers” were given the alert only on Wednesday!
Is the government capable of performing a miracle in 12 days time by June 14 to revolutionize the public delivery system which has been getting from bad to worse in the past four years? Read the rest of this entry »
Lina Joy case “biggest P.R disaster for Malaysia” – 400 adverse world media reports in past 48 hours
Posted by Kit in Constitution, Religion on Saturday, 2 June 2007, 4:01 pm
Information Minister, Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin would do greater good as Information Minister to inform himself to understand the deep well-springs of disappointment and frustration among Malaysians with the Federal Court 2-1 decision on the Lina Joy case instead of just demonizing the foreign media as is his wont.
Yesterday, Zainuddin accused the western media for taking advantage of the court decision in the Lina Joy case to run down Malaysia as an Islamic country that practises injustice.
He cited the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) for using the “screaming headline”, “Malaysia Rejects Christian Appeal”, and The Times for saying that the court decision is “a slap in the face for religious freedom in Malaysia”.
The BBC, the Times and the Western media should be perfectly capable of defending themselves against the attacks by Zainuddin that they “will use any opportunity for ‘Islamic bashing’ without regard for any country as long as it practises Islamic law”.
The pertinent question is whether Zainuddin understands the widespread and deep-seated anxieties and fears by thoughtful Malaysians whose only concern is to preserve and uphold the Merdeka “Social Contract” entered into by the forefathers of the major communities build a nation founded on the constitutional principles of freedom of religion, the Constitution as the supreme law of the land and Malaysia as a secular nation with Islam as the official religion but not an Islamic state; but who see these principles being relentlessly eroded particularly in the past decade.
Zainuddin, the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and even the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi have come out publicly in support of the Federal Court’s 2-1 decision in rejecting the Lina Joy appeal. Read the rest of this entry »
Abdullah should give 3 mth’s notice for Parliament dissolution – to allow PSCs to wind up and submit their reports to Parliament
Posted by Kit in Election, Parliament on Saturday, 2 June 2007, 3:43 pm
Speculation on when is the next general election is coming think and fast.
Although conventional wisdom is that the 12th general election would be before next April so that Anwar Ibrahim would not have fully regained his civil rights including standing for elective office, the preponderant opinion points to an end-of-the year timing, with Nov. 25 pinpointed as the polling date by some quarters.
In recent days, however, there are more and more vibrations coming from Barisan Nasional component parties that the next polls could be even earlier and might be in August or even July. I for one lean towards the end-of-the-year timetable.
Whatever the date, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should respect Parliament and give at least three months’ notice before dissolution of Parliament for general election to allow three Parliamentary Select Committees adequate time to submit final reports which could be debated in Parliament. Read the rest of this entry »
Hishammuddin – stop being “childish” and set an early date to meet up with Dong Jiao Zong
Posted by Kit in Education, Mother Tongue on Friday, 1 June 2007, 10:28 am
The tantrums of the Education Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein in the past few days, accusing the Chinese educational bodies Dong Jiao Zong of being “not sincere” and declaring that “it’s not the end of the world” if he did not meet the Dong Jiao Zong leaders or that the government will not protect Chinese education have rightly been criticized by many as manifestation of his “arrogance of power”.
But these tantrums also show his “puerile” dimension. It is time Hishammuddin stop being “childish”, be conscious that he is charge of one of the most important ministries in government and begin to conduct himself as Education Minister for all Malaysians and all streams of education by setting an early date for a meeting with Dong Jiao Zong in keeping with the Prime Minister’s injunction to all Ministers to “hear the truth” from the people and all sectors of Malaysian society.
I still wonder why Hishammuddin “blew his top” on Tuesday, openly accusing Dong Jiao Zong of being “not sincere” for laying down conditions for a meeting with him, which has been proven to be untrue by Dong Jiao Zong.
Was Hishammuddin misled by Chinese newspaper reports that day on the ten resolutions of the Jiao Zong 2007 Annual General meeting calling, among other things, for:
- Revision of the National Education Blueprint 2006-2010 to make it compatible with Malaysia’s multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-lingual characteristics;
- Repeal of the “final objective” of the national education policy to have only one language as medium of instruction at all levels of the education system.
- Review of the use of English to teach mathematics and science from Primary One;
- Re-opening of Damansara Chinese Primary School; and
- Adequate trained teachers and fair allocation of funding for Chinese primary schools.
As Hishammuddin does not read the Chinese newspapers, was the Education Minister who is also Umno Youth leader misled in “blowing his top” at Dong Jiao Zong on Tuesday. If so, who was responsible for misleading Hishammuddin? To the Malaysian public, if it is not Gerakan, then it must be MCA. Read the rest of this entry »
After Lina Joy case – Malaysia, Quo Vadis!
Posted by Kit in Constitution, Human Rights, Religion on Thursday, 31 May 2007, 4:04 pm
The Federal Court 2-1 majority decision rejecting Lina Joy’s appeal marks a tectonic shift of Malaysia in moving further and further away from the Merdeka “Social Contract” founding principles of nation-building agreed by the forefathers of the major communities on the attainment of independent nationhood.
It casts a larger shadow over the national horizon with the country entering the second half-century of nationhood, with increasing doubts among Malaysians about the meaning, permanence, sustainability and viability of constitutional guarantees, civil liberties and fundamental rights.
This is because the Lina Joy case has shattered confidence in the constitutional guarantees on freedom of religion, the Constitution as the supreme law of the land and above all, the sacred Merdeka “Social Contract” underlying the Constitution that Malaysia is a secular nation with Islam as the official religion but not an Islamic state.
Malaysians alarmed at the abandonment of the “Social Contract” principles are fully justified in their concerns, especially when one compares as to what would have happened to a Lina Joy case in the first quarter-century of the nation’s history as compared to today when the nation stands on its 50th year of nationhood! Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia No. 9 ranking in perceived judicial corruption – so groundless/untrue that judiciary/govt. dare not claim credit
Posted by Kit in Corruption on Thursday, 31 May 2007, 12:09 pm
Since last Friday, I had been baffled and mystified by news reports that Malaysia is ranked ninth out of 62 countries in a global survey by Transparency International (TI) on perceived judicial corruption — which is so groundless and untrue that the judiciary and government are too embarrassed to come forward to claim credit.
At the launching of the TI Global Corruption Report 2007 on “Corruption in Judicial Systems” marked by a panel discussion participated by the Bar Council and the Malaysia Integrity Institute, Transparency International Malaysia President Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam said he was “pleasantly surprised” with the TI survey on perceived judicial corruption for Malaysia.
If it is true that Malaysia is ranked as the ninth least corrupt nation in the world in perceived judicial corruption, then it is a fantastic feather in the cap on the occasion of Malaysia’s 50th Merdeka Anniversary celebrations and should be trumpeted all over the country and the world as Malaysians have the right to take pride at such an achievement.
But mystery of mysteries, there had been total silence from the judiciary and the government on the claim that Malaysia is ranked No. 9 among the world’s cleanest judiciary in the whole of the past week — when the government had never been shy in exploiting such good news to the hilt.
For instance, when Malaysia’s world competitiveness ranking improved by five places and was ranked 16th as compared to 21st position in 2003 in the Swiss-based International Institute of Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) 2004, the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi immediately quoted it as authority in his keynote address at the Malaysia-China Business Dialogue in Beijing on 28th May 2004 during his first official visit to China as premier as testimonial why Malaysia was a good place to do business.
However, when Malaysia’s world competitiveness ranking plunged 12 places from 16th to 28th position in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2005 in May 2005, it was met with a six-month stony silence by Ministers and government leaders as if the report never existed.
Why is the judiciary and government behaving so strangely as if they are more embarrassed than elated by the TI’s global survey reportedly placing Malaysia in the world’s top 10 countries on judicial integrity and honesty.
Could it be that the judiciary and government do not believe it themselves and are too shy to claim credit for what they know is patently groundless and untrue? Read the rest of this entry »
Why 5-month paralysis in appointment of Chief Judge, Malaya?
The Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim announced at the close of the Asia-Pacific Judicial Reform Forum yesterday that a study would be conducted on judicial systems in the region to determine if a judicial commission on the appointment and promotion of judges would ensure the independence of the judiciary.
He said judicial experts will be looking at how judges are appointed and promoted, then look at which system would be best for the independence of the judiciary — and the preferred system will be recommended for countries in the region to adopt.
Justice Kenneth Madison Hayne of the High Court of Australia said six weeks would be set aside to collate the information and present it in a usable format.
He said: “Factual information will definitely be published, but we would be circumspect about publishing opinions expressed in the survey”.
Fairuz’ announcement is a disappointment for three reasons:
Firstly, while it is commendable that the Asia-Pacific Judicial Roundtable Forum wants to make a regional study whether a judicial commission on the appointment and promotion of judges would ensure the independence of the judiciary, it is most presumptuous for the judges at the Judicial Roundtable Forum to assume that only members of the judiciary are most qualified to decide on the question, excluding other equally if not more important stakeholders such as lawyers and laypersons of the civil society.
In fact, it is a very pertinent question whether judges are the most suitable and capable persons to solely decide on the question of the independence of the judiciary, which affect not only judges but the larger societies which they serve.
The history of mankind has proved again and again that the principle of the independence of the judiciary had often to be salvaged and established not only in the face of opposition of reactionary power-holders but in many cases in the teeth of opposition of serving judges as well. Read the rest of this entry »
Collective resignation of Ministers to give Abdullah free hand to end farce of “half-past six” Cabinet
Posted by Kit in culture, Good Governance on Tuesday, 29 May 2007, 5:06 pm
Yesterday’s New Straits Times journalist Fauzlah Ismail wrote a report on the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s visit to Japan last week which should be compulsory reading and critical discussion by all Cabinet Ministers for their weekly meeting tomorrow to lift them out of their “half-past six” malaise.
Entitled “Broaden horizons during trips abroad, says Abdullah”, Fauzlah started with the observation: “Trips abroad, be it official or working visits, are not just about the fixed itinerary. It is about observing the culture of the countries visited and finding those that can be emulated back home.”
Fauzlah said that Abdullah used his fourth visit to Japan since taking office in 2003 to observe what the Japanese do best and what examples he could bring home for Malaysians to emulate.
Clearly what struck the Prime Minister most was the culture of maintenance in Japan, causing him to ask newsmen covering his five-day visit last week:
“Did you check their toilets? Did you notice how clean the city is?”
He was impressed with the Japanese culture of maintenance, especially of public buildings and places.
Fauzlah wrote:
“Indeed, the toilets, especially at the Narita International Airport where millions of local and foreign passengers go through, and the city were impeccably clean.”
Another part of Japanese culture which struck Abdullah was queuing. Fauzlah quoted the Prime Minister: “Do you see people or cars jumping queue? The queue may be long but they still wait their turn.”
There was a third thing about the Japanese which impressed Abdullah – when the Prime Minister was reminded of the Malaysian habit of passing the buck to others.
“This has to stop. The departments and agencies concerned must take responsibility. Whoever is responsible must know what he is responsible for and take action without being told to do so.” Read the rest of this entry »
Will Cabinet adopt “RM22,500 fines for selling Milo at RM1.80” rule to fight corruption?
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Law & Order on Tuesday, 29 May 2007, 12:57 pm
The Cabinet tomorrow should decide whether it is prepared to endorse and adopt the “RM22,500 fines for selling Milo at RM1.80” rule as the yardstick to punish the corrupt among the high and mighty to restore integrity and good governance in public life in Malaysia.
This follows the very high-handed action of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry enforcement officers penalizing a mamak restaurant in Kuala Terengganu, Restoran Nasi Kandar Tanjung, issuing compound fines of RM22,500 for charging RM1.80 for a glass of iced Milo.
The Ministry enforcement officers also seized food and drinks worth about RM750 and they also tore down the shop’s signboard.
Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh was full of praise for the high-handed enforcement action, which had been criticized as overzealous and unwarranted, saying that it was high time such severe action be a lesson to all food outlet operators who flouted the law.
Are the RM22,500 fines for charging RM1.80 for a glass of iced Milo defensible? Absolutely not, as they are not only high-handed, overzealous, unwarranted but gross abuses of power.
I fully endorse actions by enforcement officers against food operators or traders for indiscriminate price increases, but one power abuse cannot justify another even more heinous power abuse.
I am all for the deterrent principle, as contained in the Chinese saying “to kill a fowl to frighten the moneys”, to curb exorbitant profiteering but this cannot justify gross abuses of power which undermines public confidence in good governance in the country. Read the rest of this entry »
Michael Backman – most wasteful projects in Malaysia
Posted by Kit in nation building on Tuesday, 29 May 2007, 7:33 am
Exclusive Interview with Michael Backman
1. What was the initial thought that prompted you to write about your “Boleh or Bodoh column”? What was and has been your intention in writing the article?
Malaysia has good people, good resources and a legal system that ought to function. It depresses me that Malaysia hasn’t been more successful than it has and that it is still fighting the old fights of the 1960s.
Malaysia ‘s Chinese have accepted the NEP and its successor policies. They define themselves as Malaysians first and foremost and are among the proudest Malaysians. They have learned Malay. Essentially, they have done everything that has been required of them and yet still there is this endless preoccupation with race in Malaysia.
Meanwhile the rest of the world is just so unbelievably dynamic now. Malaysia is looking more and more like a sleepy backwater relative to what’s going on elsewhere in the world.
Many Malaysians don’t seem to understand this. Many like to travel overseas – but when they do, too many look but they don’t see. They don’t see how things in Malaysia could be improved. They don’t want to learn from anywhere else. They think Malaysia is a special case. They should be bringing back new ideas to Malaysia. Instead they just want to bring back duty free.
2. Have you ever considered the impact the column might have upon your relationship with Malaysian government and its people? We understand Rafidah Aziz, Malaysia’s Minister for Trade and Industry, criticised your column by saying you probably know nothing about Malaysia. Has there been any (positive or negative) impact/response from publishing the column? Read the rest of this entry »
Forum on civil service excellence
Posted by Kit in Announcement on Monday, 28 May 2007, 6:50 pm
English Forum: Civil Service Excellence: Quality vs Quantity
“The Government must hence take the painful but very important step of trimming the civil service sector into a leaner and more efficient “machine”. The increase in pay will be a waste of public funds, if the move is not accompanied by a corresponding increase in civil service productivity.” – Tony Pua
“Pergerakan Pemuda UMNO mendesak Pua dan DAP mengambil langkah memperbetulkan kata-kata mereka yang langsung tidak bertimbang rasa dan begitu menghina sekali.”
“Pua’s negative comments about the civil service can cause considerable damage to the morale and image of the public sector.” – Khairy Jamaluddin
Speakers:
Lim Kit Siang, Parliamentary Opposition Leader
Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary-General
Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, PKR Secretary-General
A. H. Ponniah, former Secretary of Public Service International (Asia-Pacific Region)
Nurul Izzah Anwar, Special Assistant to Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim
Tony Pua, Economic Advisor to DAP Secretary-General
Open invitation to Khairy Jamaluddin, UMNO Deputy Youth Chief
Venue: KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall
Date: 30th May 2007 (Wednesday)
Time: 8.00 pm
Admission is Free
Can of worms – new govt buildings without CFs in last 20 years
Posted by Kit in Good Governance on Monday, 28 May 2007, 12:25 pm
The press today reports of the “crack-up” of another spanking new government building – the ceiling collapse of the RM450 million Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital in Sungai Petani which fell in two separate areas yesterday and on Saturday.
The New Straits Times story, “Hospital’s ceiling collapses” reported:
“In both the incidents, 28 ceiling panels came crashing down but no one was injured.
“On Saturday, 12 pieces collapsed at the men’s ward, about 1.45pm.
“Fortunately, the panels did not hit the four patients in the ward, recovering from post-surgery.
“The same day, eight panels fell at the lobby.
“At noon yesterday, eight panels fell into the pantry of the children’s nursery and intensive care unit.
“The pantry was vacant when the incident happened.”
It was clearly a fantastic run of luck that nobody was injured in the rain of ceiling panels — but no one should bank on such luck in future misadventures.
The Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital “crack-up” is the latest in a lengthening list of “crack-ups” of new government buildings, led by mammoth structures in the brand-new administrative capital of Putrajaya, followed by mishaps in Parliament after RM100 million renovation and the RM270 million world’s second largest court complex in Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur.
It was only a week ago that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced a RM8 billion hike in civil service salaries and allowances — but it now seemed so distant, overwhelmed by one government mishap after another, that Malaysians are asking whether it is turning out to be a RM8 billion grand cover-up of government scandals and foul-ups of the public service delivery system. Read the rest of this entry »
Hishammuddin’s directive barring transfer of SK pupils to SJKT/SJKC unlawful & unconstitutional
The Cabinet on Wednesday should strike out the Education Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein’s directive under Section 8 of 1996 Education Act in unlawfully and unconstitutionally barring national primary school pupils from transferring to Tamil or Chinese primary schools although a revers transfer is allowed.
As pointed out by DAP MP for Ipoh Barat, M. Kulasegaran last week, many parents have complained that they have not been able to transfer their children from national primary schools to Tamil or Chinese primary schools, as the policy of the Education Ministry is to allow only a one-way transfer – from Tamil or Chinese primary schools to national primary schools but not vice versa.
Kulasegaran cited the case of a 37-year-old woman who had sent two appeals to the Education Ministry to transfer her eight-year-old son from national primary school to a Tamil primary school, but was rejected on both occasions on the policy ground of “racial integration”. Read the rest of this entry »
Chua Soi Lek should resign or retract his statement
by Richard Teo
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek Should resign or retract what he said when he suggested that “Medical graduates who studied overseas may have to sit for a unified medical examination and,whether their university is recognised or not, a pass in the examination would allow them to practise in Malaysia”.
Almost all medical students who opted to obtain their medical degrees overseas are force by circumstances and not by choice.
Dr. Chua should be aware that majority of STPM students who attained excellent grades were deprieved of an opportunity to do medicine at a local university because most of the places were filled by Matriculation students reserved for bumiputras.
The dilemma faced by students who aspire to become doctors were either to do their course in a private medical instituition or venture overseas if they can afford the astronomical costs.
For those who can afford and opted to do their course overseas the news of Dr. Chua’s statement that they have to undergo a medical exam in order to practice in Malaysia must be a body blow. Read the rest of this entry »
Dewan Rakyat House Committee – 5 BN MPs not fit and should resign
Posted by Kit in Parliament on Sunday, 27 May 2007, 11:37 am
Before I left Kuala Lumpur last Sunday for Tokyo for an international conference at the Japan Diet, I had issued a media statement calling on the Dewan Rakyat House Committee under the chairmanship of the Speaker to come out of its hibernation and hold an emergency meeting to take ownership of the many deplorable problems of Parliament House — roof leaking and even fire risks from short circuit despite a RM100 million renovation two years ago — and to resolve them once and for all.
The sole Opposition MP on the House Committee, Tan Kok Wai (DAP — Cheras) wrote to the Speaker, Tan Sri Ramli Ngah as Chairman of the House Committee on Monday asking for a House Committee meeting to discuss matters concerning Parliament’s leaky roofs, wiring, details of the building’s renovation and upgrading, its progress and the contractor’s inefficiency.
I just checked with Kok Wai and he told me that no meeting of the House Committee has been convened.
The other members of the House Committee apart from the Speaker and Kok Wai are all from the Barisan Nasional: the Chairman of Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club, Dato Raja Ahmad Zainudin bin Raja Omar (BN — Larut); P. Komala Dewi (Kapar), Datuk Goh Siow Huat (BN – Rasah), Datuk Wan Junaidi bin Tuanku Jaafar (Santubong) and Datuk Suhaili bin Abdul Rahman (Labuan).
Malaysians are seeing a disgraceful aspect of Parliament – MPs of the Dewan Rakyat House Committee who are not in the least bothered about the scandals of leaking roof and fire hazards in Parliament despite RM100 million renovation. Read the rest of this entry »
Sukhoi fighter jet deal – something fishy
Posted by Kit in Defence, Good Governance on Sunday, 27 May 2007, 9:35 am
by T GOPAL
Kota Damansara
I just surfed the web and found three different news related to purchasing of Sukhoi fighter jet from Russia by Vietnamese, Indian and Malaysian governments. Go through the news and I will tell you why I smell something fishy here. Read the rest of this entry »
Don’t interfere in doctor transfers
by J Martin
I read with interest in the mainstream media regarding Lee Kah Choon’s reply in parliament and appeal to politicians from interfering with doctor’s transfers.
This, of course, is a long standing problem in not only the Health Ministry but almost every ministry in the country, especially when it involves the transfer of senior officers.
However the Health Minister should also look into other areas where politicians have been known to be a nuisance.
Politicians should further:
1. Not interfere where hospitals are to be built. We have frequently multi-million ringgit hospitals in constituencies where there are actually more cattle than people just because the ruling party candidate there wants a leg-up to win the election.
This is an absolute waste of health resources. Even recently the MOH suddenly allocated RM16 million for a “health clinic” for Ijok which has a total population of less then 15,000.
2. Not interfere with who gets the equipment contract to supply the MOH.
3. Not push their own favored, frequently incompetent contractors, to build hospitals.
4. Not interfere with who gets to supply pharmaceuticals and consumables.
5. Wives or husbands of politicians should not be promoted for positions when there are other more loyal and dedicated employees who have been waiting for ages to be promoted. Read the rest of this entry »
