Posted on

Shame and dishonour the culmination of 22 yrs as Works Minister – will Samy resign?

MIC President Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu confessed yesterday that he is too ashamed to meet people, attend meetings or go overseas as he would be asked about the deplorable state of construction highlighted by the series of government building or public construction mishaps and defects, like collapsing ceilings, cracked walls and internal flooding from burst water or sewerage pipes.

Samy Vellu does not seem to realize that he is not the only victim of the recent spate of construction mishaps and defects as they have also brought shame, infamy and dishonour to the government, 26 million Malaysians and the nation with Malaysia becoming the laughing stock in the world as a country which boasts of having the world’s tallest twin towers but yet incapable of building or maintaining safe structures like ceilings, walls, water and sewerage piping.

It is sad and pathetic that the culmination of Samy Vellu’s 22 years as Works Minister (his first stint from 1979 to 1989 and second stint from 1995 till now with six years as Minister for Energy, Telecommunications and Posts from 1989 to 1995, totaling close to 28 years as Cabinet Minister) is so shameful and dishonourable, not only for him but also for the government, people and nation.

Shouldn’t Samy Vellu step down from the Cabinet to set an example of culture of responsibility for such a dishonourable culmination of his 22 years as Works Minister — failing which, shouldn’t the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dismiss Samy Vellu as Works Minister to allow Malaysia to turn over a new page? Continue reading “Shame and dishonour the culmination of 22 yrs as Works Minister – will Samy resign?”

Posted on

New govt delivery system drowned by KL floods or buried by debris of public building mishaps?

Two Saturdays ago on 2nd June 2007, New Straits Times carried a Bernama report quoting the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as disclosing that a new government delivery system would be implemented in 13 days’ time, i.e. Thursday June 14, 2007.

Addressing Kuala Lumpur City Hall officials during a one-day tour of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur on Friday, 1st June, 2007, Abdullah said he had instructed the National Physical Planning Committee attended by all Mentris Besar, Chief Ministers and several Ministers in Putrajaya two days earlier “to ensure that the government machinery is prepared to implement the new government delivery system in 13 days”.

The Prime Minister said:

“I hope the ministers will follow up on this 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.

“We want them to call up department heads to make sure that everything is in place for the implementation.”

Abdullah said that it was necessary to ensure there were no glitches that could frustrate the people who harboured high hopes following the government’s announcement two months ago that the delivery system would be improved.

With less than 48 hours to go, what is this new public service delivery system which Abdullah had promised 11 days ago?

It is most disconcerting that there are absolutely no signs that any new government delivery system will be launched on Thursday, as all the publicity build-up which would precede any major government initiative have been completely absent.

Have Abdullah’s promise of a new public service delivery system been drowned by the Kuala Lumpur floods on Sunday, which made a total mockery of the RM1.9 billion SMART Tunnel, or has it been buried under the debris of the litany of public building mishaps with ceilings collapsing, walls cracking and internal floodings from burst water and sewerage pipes? Continue reading “New govt delivery system drowned by KL floods or buried by debris of public building mishaps?”

Posted on

PSC on International Affairs to support Rais’ candidature as Commonwealth SG

An all-party Parliamentary Select Committee on International Affairs should be formed when Parliament meets next week which should have as its first task the lobby for support of other Commonwealth Parliaments for the appointment of Datuk Dr. Rais Yatim as the next Commonwealth Secretary-General.

At the April meeting of Parliament, I had first raised the issue of a Malaysian candidate for the post for Commonwealth Secretary-General to replace the incumbent Donald C. McKinnon, whose term ends in March next year.

Although two contenders have been announced before Malaysia declared its candidacy, namely Maltese Foreign Minister Michael Frendo and Indian diplomat Kamlesh Sharma, it will basically be a two-horse race for the leadership of the 53-nation organization in view of the general understanding that it’s Asia’s turn to hold the post.

The previous Commonwealth secretary-generals have come from other regions, viz:

1. Arnold Smith (Canada) 1965 — 1975. (10 yrs)
2. Shridath Ramphal (Guyana) 1975 — 1990. (15 yrs)
3. Chief Emeka Anyaoku (Nigeria) 1990 — 1999. (9 yrs)
4. Don McKinnon (New Zealand) 1999 — 2007. (9 years)

The appointment of Rais as Commonwealth Secretary-General will not only be an international credit for Malaysia, but will be good for the country’s future as a full player on the global stage, whether on the great issues of war and peace, democracy, human rights, inter-civilisational and inter-religious dialogue, development or environment. Continue reading “PSC on International Affairs to support Rais’ candidature as Commonwealth SG”