The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi should not continue to defer a major shake-up of the public service delivery system as it has become a drag on the nation’s productivity and competitiveness because of its lack of efficiency and transparency.
More than three weeks ago on 1st June 2007, Abdullah had announced that he would be launching a new government delivery system on 14th June, 2007, and although he had instructed Ministers, Mentris Besar and Chief Ministers “to ensure that the government machinery is prepared to implement the new government delivery system”, two weeks have passed without any news about the launching of the much-awaited new public delivery system.
Has the launching fo the new government delivery system been postponed, and if so, why is there such a long postponement, or has the new public delivery system been aborted altogether?
In his controversial and critical speech to the EUMCCI (European Union — Malaysian Chamber of Commerce and Industry) last Thursday, “the capability of the administration to really be a public service delivery system, efficient, responsive, transparent and accountable” was cited by the European Commission Ambassador to Malaysia Thierry Rommel as one of the six factors undermining Malaysia’s productivity and competitiveness.
Was Rommel wrong and malicious in defaming Malaysia?
Not at all. Rommel was saying nothing new as patriotic Malaysians have been identifying these causes of Malaysia’s poor productivity and declining competitiveness. Malaysians do not need Rommel or any foreigner to tell them things that they do not know, but when Rommel or other foreigners make bona fide comments and criticisms of the country, there is no need for government leaders to fly off the handle, over-react or resort to crude and irrational responses.
Let us thank Rommel for reminding Malaysians what we all know every well as our own national weaknesses in international competitiveness, rather than pretending that Rommel is disclosing something which is totally unknown or unheard of previously.
Lack of efficiency and transparency of the public delivery system must be priority concerns of Malaysians, particularly when the Abdullah administration is embarking on a mega-project spree, with eleven mega projects carrying an astronomical RM90 billion tag — led by the RM25 billion Trans-peninsular oil pipeline, the RM10 billion JB-Padang Besar double-tracking, RM10 billion extension of existing LRT lines and the RM9 billion Bakun undersea cable.
However, almost everyday, Malaysians are reminded of one scandal after another of the lack of efficieincy or transparency of the public service delivery system. In the last few days alone, we have the following scandals:
1. Another “sick” new hospital – after a four-year delay, the RM90 million Pekan Hospital has been finally completed but with defects in the new building, especially leaking pipes. The Pekan Hospital was initially scheduled for completion in 2003 at a cost of RM80 million.
2. The RM2.1 billion SMART Tunnel which is not so smart after all. The people of Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia are now told by Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the Drainage and Irrigation Department director-general Datuk Keizrul Abdullah that the Smart Tunnel is only capable of diverting 45% of floodwater from the city while the Smart Tunnel operations general manager Mohd Fuad Kamal Ariffin has claimed that the Smart tunnel is only designed for storm floods but not flash floods.
However, the people of Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia were never told of these qualifications and conditions when the RM2.1 billion Smart Tunnel was first approved in 2003 as illustrated by the following newspaper headline “No more floods in city centre by 2006” >(NST 20.6.2003) which was never denied or corrected!
3. The mystery, secrecy and unaccountability which continue to surround the proposed RM490 million Sports Training Centre at Tun Abdul Razak Rubber Research Centre (TARRC) in Brickendonbury outside London.
Sun journalist, R. Nadeswaran, who recently visited TARRC has come back with a scathing exclusive yesterday entitled “All talk, no action! — PROMISES MADE, RM800,000 SPENT, BUT NOTHING TO SHOW FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE TRAINING CENTRE”.
Nadeswaran’s report giving point-by-point indictment of the high-performance training centre in Brickendonbury as “a catalogue of half-truths, contradictions and questionable expenditure of taxpayers’ money” would have caused the resignation of the Sports Minister in countries where there is a culture of responsibility rather than the culture of impunity.
Is Nadeswaran’s expose going to be tabled in the Cabinet meeting tomorrow and full public accounting given after the Cabinet meeting?
Uncle Lim
Patient……
The national escape plan would be announce soon……
Sabar…….lah
WRT the SMART tunnel, this is what happens when projects are approved without any debate or proper justification.
If you look at what they did to the rivers, it seems that the SMART tunnel was launched to cover up grave mistakes by the DID.
It should be interesting to observe in KL what happens when the Gombak river gets a massive downpour and the water backs up the Klang river.
You can see how close the LRT station is to the confluence, near Jalan Tun Perak.
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/international/images/KL_Office_Map.jpg
I expect there will be some spillover once the water level from Sg. Gombak gets too high and that is why they are now building more retention ponds.
http://malaysiawatch2.blogspot.com/2007/06/kl-flooding-wrong-about-30-obstruction.html
Welcome to globalisation, Malaysia! You may coerce locals into keeping silent about rank inefficiency in government, but you can’t shut the big mouths of the Mat Sallehs. Its in their culture to speak frankly and boldly. Ours is to show too much reverence to our leaders; we bend backwards to please them. We do not let the emperor know that he is not wearing any clothes. Mat Sallehs, however, are like the little boy: “Mamma, why isn’t the emperor wearing any clothes?”
Who will bear the ultimate responsibility if the RM25 billion Trans-peninsular oil pipeline was built and then Thailand launched its Kra Canal a few miles to the north?
Little Boy: “Mamma, why isn’t the emperor wearing any clothes?â€Â
Mamma: “He’s still on honeymoon, dear”
Actually Rommel should not interfere with Malaysia’s sensitive issues which are not meant for discussions. He wants to start another riot or what? We are already in a bad situation. So don’t make it worse for us. Malaysia is a sovereign country and we know how to deal with our internal problems. So stay out of our internal affairs. Malysia has failed to sign the Free Trade Agreement with US. So what? We still survive. If this is not a problem to Malaysians, then be it. Don’t meddle with Malaysia internal affair. Just like others should not meddle with Iraq, Palestinians or Israelis affairs.
///Actually Rommel should not interfere with Malaysia’s sensitive issues which are not meant for discussions///
The term ‘sensitive issue’ is a convenient cover for the government of the day to keep the issues away from discussion. The BN government has a big stick ready to hit anybody other than UMNO members who are allowed to use the sensitive issue to cause fear among the voters so that UMNO can continue its ketuanan melayu policy.
When the government cannot defend its policies based on the merits of them, it conveniently blames the voters for not being capable of understanding, and yet the government claims that it has been duly elected as though the votes it received were the outcome of considered opinion. How strange?
After the Asians Financial Crisis in 1997, not allowing IMF to help with our country problems is a huge mistake.
Our country had lost 10 years to properly and quickly introduce and implement sound financial and administrative policies and fundamentals to minimise its huge impact, in particular on the ordinary people.
A clear case of bad leadership and gross mismanagement……and the country and her ordinary people are the ultimate victims.
Many who believed in the dreams are greatly dissapointed and shattered………rampant corruption and abused of power are signs of lost of confident in the leadership with every man/woman for himself/herself.
//Who will bear the ultimate responsibility if the RM25 billion Trans-peninsular oil pipeline was built and then Thailand launched its Kra Canal a few miles to the north?//
Good question !
We will probably get the answer…
“Huh…I am not aware…”
Our world is at the verge of construction, a conclusion of all created effects of humanity, our misconceptions and continuous desire to maintain and achieve furthur although by now we should understand our incomplete or false interpretation. Denial and ignorant is acceptable? How much time we have left? How many people must suffer for our selfishness? Why separation occur when actually all of us are One?
//Who will bear the ultimate responsibility if the RM25 billion Trans-peninsular oil pipeline was built and then Thailand launched its Kra Canal a few miles to the north?//
Then Syed Hamid Albar will issue protests and speak against development of the Kra Isthmus short-cut, and condemn Thailand for their failed policies in Southern Thailand which cause hardship to their citizens in the south.
Now, what Syed Hamid may do if it materialises as above, wouldn’t that be the same which they accuse Theirry Rommel of doing in speaking against Malaysia’s shaky policies and affirmative action favouring the majority? Why shouldn’t Theirry Rommel speak the truth and facts about Malaysian government’s failed implementation of the NEP? In over-reacting to Theirry Rommel’s remarks, it only confirms to the international community that there is reality in his speech. The more the government disputes the speech without furnishing facts to disprove what was said, the deeper hole the government digs for itself. And the eventual losers will be the country and ALL citizens of Malaysia, the industrous ones as well as the less capable and the crutched ones.
It is obvious the Government expects Ketuanan Melayu to apply to the whole world who want to do business or maintain relations with Malaysia. And to extend the Ketuanan supremacy to cow foreigners as well, in this case, an international diplomat of the EU, in the same way they silence already very, very many unhappy Malaysians through various oppressive legislations, not-official-but-actually-practised non-transparent government service delivery, and of course served by a very compliant and subservient police force.
We need a Saviour.
“Was Rommel wrong and malicious in defaming Malaysia? Not at all. Rommel was saying nothing new,… Malaysians do not need Rommel or any foreigner to tell them things that they do not know..” KIT
Correction.
Malaysians do need people including ‘red devils’ (not the name of any football team) to tell them what they don’t know! But we do not need them to tell us what we already know.
“Actually Rommel should not interfere with Malaysia’s sensitive issues which are not meant for discussions.” MY VIEW
Where would you draw the line between the free expression made within the context of one’s duties and interference in the domestic affairs of a host country?
There is no line. The line is imaginary. It is manipulated as and when it suits the order of the day.
That’s why such comments about the existing policy or policies can be taken as constructive or as interference. Unfortunately, our leaders lack the maturity in such situations and their retort is open for all to see. They also underestimate the power of the world wide web in ensuring the spread of information today is faster than anything they have ever known when they were in their early years.
Since this entry concerns the workings of the SMART tunnel, all motorists who are going to use the tunnel should read this article and act accordingly.
http://malaysiawatch2.blogspot.com/2007/06/warnings-for-smart-tunnel.html
what Rommel say actually is nt a kind of accusation instead is something inside the mind of every malaysian EXCEPT some who irrationally ignore about it….
economically malaysia is nt move very far since the 90s, base on the economy data we can see the main contributor for GDP is just a few sectors and yet those sectors are highly volatile(Electric, electronic and plantation) part of the reason is that not many foreign company want to invest in new sector in malaysia( they nt have full control) and the so call investment incentive is no more competetive.and yet badawi have a nonsense dream (so call vision 2057)–how a country can prosper and advance if the fundamental of the economy is stagnant??/
in terms of equity in economy the UMNO plp should nt pretend that they dont know that actually nt every chinese is rich, they also need government help.out of ten richest man in malaysia 8 of them is chinese but this doesnt mean every chinese is billionaire!!!!the fact is that the economy gap among chinese is much more serious than Bumis…..
on the issues of the rising of public sector salary, for me the intention is no more than an old old old trick by the government to “buy” the vote. and if the rise is nessesary for government to rise the living standard of public servant it should only involve those who are in the lower range of income in public sector and not involve ALL public servant!!!!!the rise also should base on performance, take the example KTM Komuter service, everyday in every scheduled KTM trip there some late, and it make alot of plp late for work and can you imagine the amount of loses to the economy????and yet and the other side they get rise in salary……
Instead of criticising Malaysia, Rommel should have proposed a WNEP ( World New Economic Policy ) to help countries which have NEP in place. This would have been helpful.
To Undergrad2, please read the passage as a whole. Do not single out any sentence, or else it will be out of context, Thanks.
Instead of criticising Malaysia, Rommel should have proposed a WNEP ( World New Economic Policy ) to help countries which have NEP in place. This would be helpful to Malaysians who need NEP.
k1980 Says: and echoed by twistedmind
//Who will bear the ultimate responsibility if the RM25 billion Trans-peninsular oil pipeline was built and then Thailand launched its Kra Canal a few miles to the north?//
Since when have you ever known there is someone who takes responsibility in boleh-land?
To Undergrad2 – Agree with you above.
Instead of criticising Malaysia, Rommel should have proposed a WNEP ( World New Economic Policy ) to help countries which have NEP in place, like Malaysia.
Mr Michael Backman with his latest article on Bolehland
http://www.michaelbackman.com/NewColumn.html
WNEP ( World New Economic Policy ), bumi quota 30.00% again ah?
Yes. Michael the black man is back!
This is what he says: “The model was shot twice and her body blown up by hand grenades or explosives, presumably in an
attempt to destroy evidence. ”
There was speculation that she was blown to bits and then shot in the head twice.
A mat salleh telling us how wrong our system is. Where are our learned citizens of the country who have been exposed to a first world education and a first world government ? You do not need a new government delivery system. You need people who know how to work. There is no point in looking professional when the heart does not know the real meaning of fairness, of delegation, of empowerment…There is no point having all the head knowledge of professionalism when professionalism is not shown in how the work is being carried out. I do not believe that professionalism is only about grooming oneself, how one talks, how one acts which a lot of people seem to think so. Professionalism is also about how you work.
SYABAS, Dr. Lim Teck Ghee for being a wonderful sounding board. Now, Najib/Hishamuddin – apo nak di kato – make some right sound?
Rebut Rommel point-by-point
Dr Lim Teck Ghee
Jun 25, 07 6:32pm:
The speech by the European Commission ambassador on the NEP has raised a predictable firestorm of protest from the Malaysian authorities based on its ‘political incorrectness’ as well as its alleged lack of factual content. The deputy prime minister stated that ‘what was raised can certainly be disputed factually’.
I am sure Malaysians will welcome a detailed a point-by-point rebuttal by our leaders of the speech by ambassador Thierry Rommel. The issues raised by him are serious and warrant an open and objective discussion by all Malaysians, especially by our country’s business leaders and policy-makers whom, I hope, will not be mute on this issue.
According to Rommel, the government is using the NEP as an excuse to practice ‘significant protectionism of its own market’ including the automotive sector, steel, consumer goods, agricultural products, services and government contracts. Malaysia claims these are ‘infant’ industries that need to be protected but ‘in reality … it is the Malay-centered bumiputera policy that drives protectionist policies,’ Rommel is reported to have said.
In the same report, the director of a Belgium-based forwarding company which has a 51 percent bumiputera partner, and is required to work with local companies on government-related projects, has said that the (NEP) limitations have eroded his profit margin. ‘We cannot be as flexible as we want to be and chances that corruption comes into play is higher. It is an interruption to the free market’.
Perhaps Rommel’s concerns that an inefficient public service, corruption and questionable practices of Malay preference which have dampened the business environment and economy of the country and discouraged foreign investment could have been communicated differently.
But they are certainly not factually disputable as the deputy prime minister and the foreign minister have described them; neither are these concerns new, irrelevant, tangential or irresponsible. They are the same issues that are being raised by concerned Malaysians all the time over the freer web media and in closed-door business meetings. To continue to be in a state of denial over these issues will only compound the pain and dislocation when these concerns are finally addressed.
I would like to suggest, too, that the Barisan Nasional Youth leaders who have spoken out on the issue not hide behind the wall of political protocol. Instead of issuing veiled threats, they should use the opportunity to refute or rebut these concerns with reasoned and empirically supported data, including feedback from the business community and other major stakeholders in this debate.
It is noticeable that it is Umno leaders who have spoken out so far. Other Barisan Nasional leaders need to find their voices on this important issue which is not going to go away any times soon.
Finally, Rommel deserves a vote of thanks from Malaysians for his warning on how Malaysia is marginalising itself though archaic racial protectionist policies and the consequences on our competitive edge.
Pak LAh, Malaysian Finance Minister #1, should ask why Malaysia isn’t a party to this Bilateral Currency Tie between Brunei & S’pore. After all, Brunei is a ‘brother Muslim country’ and S’pore is a good neighbour. The short answer is Malaysian government ‘tak boleh pakai-lah’, tak boleh harap-lah, tak boleh percaya-lah.
From Straits Times Online, S’pore:
“S’pore, Brunei to mark 40 years of currency ties
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will launch two commemorative $20 notes – from Singapore and Brunei – at a ceremony with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. — NEOH KEE LENG NICKSON
PRIME Minister Lee Hsien Loong arrived in Brunei on Tuesday for celebrations to mark 40 years of an agreement for the currencies of Singapore and Brunei to be interchangeable.
Mr Lee and his host, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, will jointly launch two commemorative $20 notes – one from each country – at a ceremony on Wednesday.
The launch of the new polymer notes honours the Currency Interchangeability Agreement that took effect on June 12, 1967.”
How come there is no thread devoted to the discussion of the verdict in the Eric Chia trial??
Eric Chia is known to be corrupt. He managed Perwaja after it had accumulated massive debts, the man who received the full confidence of the then PM Mahathir.
What did he know? We know Perwaja was a cash cow for Mahathir and his cronies. Why did the cow owner send Eric Chia to stop further milking of the cow when the cow has run out of milk??
Maybe Sheriff the Singh knows something we do not?? Got milk? I have ginger.
Malaysia under umno can best be described as “Katak dibawah tempurung”
Please don’t insult the frog! What happens when you kiss the frog??
Malaysian brands making it big internationally:-
Badawi
The power of day dreams
Samy Vellu
Finger-pointing good
Bung & Said
It’s a sony. not a sorry
Nazri
Driven by stupidity
UMNO assembly
Ask for more
Malaysian police
Don’t leave home. We are without it
Malaysian votes
Just buy it
“In the same report, the director of a Belgium-based forwarding company which has a 51 percent bumiputera partner, and is required to work with local companies on government-related projects, has said that the (NEP) limitations have eroded his profit margin.”
This is nothing new.
The majority bumiputera equity participation was limited to industries which depend on the domestic market and are not export oriented. I spoke to Japanese investors and they confided privately that they could understand and could identify with the requirements of such a policy. But they only agreed because it gave them the opportunity to work with the politically connected UMNOputras who could get them the necessary approvals and lucrative contracts and the financing.
But the European investors I came across found this method of doing business ‘less acceptable’ than their Japanese counterparts presumably because the way the latter do business is different.
To export and sell anything in Japan you would need to do so through their sogososhas. You cannot get direct access to their market. They’d tell us that the many regulations which need to be complied are too difficult to comply otherwise. I suspect it is their way of discouraging our exports.
But for the export oriented industries, local equity participation which could mean bumiputera participation, is not as high – and in some cases could be 100%.
THE STORY OF FOOLS BEING FOOLED BY TRUSTING A BIGGER FOOL
http://aisehman.org/?p=156
“Our man played the part to the hilt, to perfection, and then he called for elections. We gave him our vote. And the rest, like you and I, is history. Years from now, people will read about how such fools we were, thinking that a New Malaysia was on the horizon….”
In times like now when investments and trades are not bound by physical borders, where competition defines the level and grade of survival of businesses, surely what Rommel said has all the truth in it and to deny such fact is clear stupidity in the eyes of the world. Why need to deny? No one is perfect. Let’s admit up to this and do something about it to move on. Uncle Kit, we urge you to press on for more debates on this topic in the august house.
Kit,
I suggest you send a thank you email to Rommel on behalf of all us here.
He has shamed the devil and made MCA dumb.
http://malaysia-today.net/blog2006/beritankom.php?itemid=5809
Happy 50th blood-day Malaysia.
My heart bleeds for YOU!
‘HAPPY’ 50 Years Of Independence,
Lead Us To NOWHERE!!
Racial Discrimination And Protectionism,
Lead Malaysia to Its DOOM’s Day!!
IF The Government Treassures Its PEOPLES,
Discard The UNFAIR Walking Stick Policy (WSP/NEP);
IF The Government Dislikes Its PEOPLES,
Then Chase All Its PEOPLES OUT of THE BODOHLand!!!
A more streamlined delivery system to steal from the taxpayers. This is clearly evident from the Klang FTZ fiasco, the new palace fiasco, the CIQ fiasco in JB.
AAB is now presiding over the biggest money grab in Malaysian history – now on a similar scale with the practices of the former regime in Indonesia.
more will be dished out and approved b4 the PM calls for GE. When everyone is ahppy and pocket full, only will they support.
I have to digress a bit.Lately,DPM awed by the excellent bahasa proficiency of Chinese students studying in a Beijing university,he then said the Malays back home should emulate the Chinese and be well versed in the Chinese language so that they can go to China to do business there.In fact our Malay friends have ample opportunities to take up Chinese here.After all,for the last 50 years many non Malays have become proficient in the Malay language besides learning English and their mother tongues.But there are only a few Malays who can speak and write Chinese.I think with the emergence of China as a world and economic power and also for the sake of unity and integration,Malays should make it a point to know Chinese .If they really want to learn Chinese,they can do it here given our multiism background.The important thing is if they have the political will to do it.Btw,there are already 60000 Malays studying in SRJK(C) nationwide.
agree with Libra2. I think Uncle Kit should send a thank you note to Mr Thierry Rommel for speaking out against an apartheid-like policy in Malaysia and send a compliment message to European Union for having a gifted envoy.
Thank you notes are polite way of showing people you value and appreciate them.
Mr Thierry Rommel should publish books based on his views and observations on the NEP so that people throughout the world can get to know that PW Bortha’s racist policies and Adolf Hitler’s master/pivotal race live on in this part of southeast asia.
“He was the devil personified at the same level that Hitler was, and should be treated as a pariah by peace-loving people…”It is fitting that both him and his time has come to an end. Good riddance.”
http://www.southafrica.to/history/Apartheid/PW_Botha/PW_Botha.htm
Listen. Before you go around kicking these guys’ asses, let me tell you they have no interest in you or your country. Rommel is just doing his job as Head of the European Delegation and his comments were made in the context of discussions on free trade and access to the U.S. markets.
ooops! kissing not kicking.
“More than three weeks ago on 1st June 2007, Abdullah had announced that he would be launching a new government delivery system on 14th June, 2007”:- Abdullah is hookwinking the whole nation of people. This is not the first time, Abdullah had been saying many things, many times in the past, for the sake of saying at that moment, to deflect the public attention and public pressure on his administration.
It is expected of him and his colleagues in the cabinet! Malaysian people are used to this antics of his and his cabinet ministers.
No big deal, and do not expect anything arising from what they said “in earnets”. They are just lumps of bulls***!
We should salute Mr Thierry Rommel for having the welfare of Malaysia at his heart by providing such indepth, candid & enlightening views on the state of affair of the country in the eyes of the world. He has nothing to gain, and we do not think he has had any hidden agenda for giving his view & analysis, except for the good of the future of the people at large of this country.
How long can UMNO persist in pursuing this “NEP”, a policy, as some proclaimed, to be the same as PW Bortha’s apathy in South Africa for All-Whites.
50 years down the road, people can see and feel the debilitating effects of the Policy on the country and its people. There may be false sense of security of the protected, those who are protected from cradle to graves.
They will soon be left behind when the crutches they are carrying become a burden and liability.
Praise what Rommels comment, if the government really summons you? Do not worry, malaysia is just a small fly, I think no one keen & interested to invest in a non transparency country. Hope the Free Trade Agreement will fail unless things are change.