Of leakages & CREATIVE STUPIDITY - Same Old Wasteful Spending, Year After Year (AG's Report)

[SM Muthu]

CORRUPTION has nothing to do with RACE or RELIGION; but in Malaysia there are cunning foxes who use R & R to get away with almost everything ... this is because - when Race or Religion comes into any picture - REASON goes out of the rationality of many even intellectual men ... Mu2

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Of leakages and creative stupidity

The latest report of Malaysia’s Auditor-General reveals that lots of taxpayers’ money have been immensely wasted by the ‘ignorance’ and ‘stupidity’ of certain civil servants by buying, for example, a laptop many times the regular price of one unit.

Such wasteful spending has resulted in excessive financial leakages and a big hole in the national coffers. Actually, this very ‘ignorance’ and ‘stupidity’ is a re-run of similar misdemenour of the past.

As if this isn’t enough to incur the wrath of the taxpayers, the MACC chief contends that nothing can be done against such financial mismanagement because there ain’t no law that could be applied against such stupidity in the civil service. This has led Ravinder Singh to sarcastically declare that it pays to be stupid!

In the name of God

Many things, mostly bad, have been done in the name of God as if to put a finishing touch to it. Or worse, to put that much-needed divine endorsement to something that the Almighty would not even dare to touch with a ten-foot pole.

And so we were told that it was because his conscience was being pricked that Home Minister Zahid Hamidi was compelled to push through the amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act (PCA) recently. Zahid insists that he had to be tough with criminals because he is accountable to Allah come Judgement Day.

This is the very Judgement Day, according to the Islamic faith, where all evidence pertaining to an individual would be laid bare before a judgement is made by the All-Knowing – which incidentally runs counter to the principle of detention without trial that is associated with the amended PCA.

That is why Malaysians who are concerned with justice are very much appalled by the hurried passing of the amendments to the PCA recently.

 

Racism made in Malaysia

 Traces of racism were also found in the so-called clarion call to stamp on rising crime using heavy-handed means. Not that racism in Malaysia is only confined to the world of crime. It is alleged that a certain ethnic group has fallen victim to criminal acts committed by members of another ethnic group, and therefore it justifies a shoot-first modus operandi from the police against those criminals.

 

 In fact, racism patently rears its ugly head prior to the Umno Baru general assembly. For instance, former Melaka Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam, in his desperate attempt to be the saviour of the Malay community, claimed that the ethnic Chinese became successful because they would do all the illegal things good Malays would never venture into. Predictably, this callous and divisive statement has caused disquiet among many concerned Malaysians.

 

But ex-premier Mahathir Mohamad has a different take on racism in Malaysia. To him, those minority non-Malays who are not willing to make a ‘little sacrifice’ for their Malay brethren are deemed racist. This is in relation to a so-called Bumiputra economic empowerment agenda unveiled by PM Najib Razak recently under which more opportunities would be provided to assist Bumiputeras in business, education and other important areas of life. It is, to be sure, exclusive state assistance that is strictly confined to helping Bumiputras, not all Malaysians.

 

Election courts and injustice

The outcome of the recent 13th general election has not only evoked much interest among Malaysians but also generated discontent as well. This is linked to the various allegations of electoral fraud, vote-buying etc. P. Ramakrishnan is deeply disappointed as he feels that the election courts have not been able to address electoral issues and grievances.

 

It’s a dog’s life

 

There’ll be a charity gig that held on 19 October 2013 at Soundmaker Studio, along Weld Quay, in George Town, Penang. People are encouraged to attend the gig and at the same time make a donation to raise funds for Pak Mie and wife and their animal shelter, where they take good care of animals, particularly dogs and cats.

 

 Salam perjuangan.

 

Mustafa K Anuar

 Co-editor,

 Aliran e-newsletter

[calvinlo]

When an ordinary citizen voices objection  to what he or she views as offensive the person is either ignored (if the case doesn't affect those in the corridors of power) or threatened with detention under excuse of making a seditious statement (if the case does affect those in power).   When those in power say something, which is deemed offensive to large segments of the population, he doesn't have to apologize nor does he have to face a court summon.  Surely we must look at what is meant by the word sedition in order not allow it to be abused by those in power.  All too often I have heard of pro govt. politicians threatening those in the opposition with detention for making seditious statements.   I think those in the law profession should be more pro active on this to make govt. officials more accountable.

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CORRUPTION is a HEINOUS CRIME - for it's a crime against the POOR, the DISABLED and the WEAKEST members of society and a crime AGAINST FUTURE GENERATIONS.
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