Honour requires Hasan to resign as PAC Chairman for his obnoxious “cari makan” remark or he should be referred to the Committee of Privileges to determine whether his “cari makan” remark had brought shame, disrepute and dishonour to PAC and Parliament

Honour requires Datuk Hasan Arifin to resign as Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman for his obnoxious “cari makan” remark or he should be referred to the Committee of Privileges to determine whether his “cari makan” remark had brought shame, disrepute and dishonour to PAC and Parliament, and therefore a gross breach of parliamentary privilege.

Compounding his egregious breach of parliamentary privilege, Hasan has added insult to injury by resorting to the final ruse of a desperate and dishonest politician – blaming the media for reporting what he had actually said.

Hasan messed up a very bad situation with his subsequent clarification attempting to do the impossible – to deny and to admit with qualification, one at the same time, which is an impossible job of trying to square the circle!

On the one hand, Hasan denied the quip when he claimed that he literally meant ‘looking for food’ when he uttered, ‘Saya pun cari makan’.

But in the same breath, he admitted the quip but tried to excuse himself with extenuating circumstances, blaming the reporters as unethical in undermining his reputation as PAC Chairman and a politician in publishing his quip as he had informed the media that it should not be reported as it was “just a joke”.

Further admitting that he had actually made the offensive remark, Hasan said it was off the record as it was made in jest with the intention to be friendly with the media, for whom he provided lunch. Continue reading “Honour requires Hasan to resign as PAC Chairman for his obnoxious “cari makan” remark or he should be referred to the Committee of Privileges to determine whether his “cari makan” remark had brought shame, disrepute and dishonour to PAC and Parliament”

If PAC probe into 1MDB grinds to a halt, it will be best proof that the overriding objective of the Cabinet reshuffle yesterday was to block, frustrate, sabotage or drag out investigations into biggest financial scandal in nation’s history

Any attempt to halt the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) investigations into the 1MDB scandal will be the best proof that the overriding objective of the Cabinet reshuffle, which saw the sacking of the Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Education Minister and the Minister for Rural and Regional Development (one UMNO Deputy President and the other UMNO Vice President) for asking questions about 1MDB which all thinking Malaysians are asking, is to block, frustrate, sabotage or drag out investigations into the biggest financial scandal in the nation’s history.

I am surprised at Datuk Nur Jazlan’s acceptance of the appointment as Deputy Home Minister, for it was only ten days ago that he said publicly that he would rather finish his task as PAC Chairman in the PAC investigations on 1MDB first before accepting any Cabinet appointment.

He even said that this was the first time the chair of the PAC is held by a chartered professional accountant and he wanted to use his experience in politics, accountancy and corporations to steer the PAC especially in the 1MDB issue.

I do not know what made Nur Jazlan change his mind and renege on his public undertaking, especially as he was only offered a Deputy Ministership and not a full Ministerial appointment, but he is guilty of conflict-of-interest when he said yesterday that the PAC probe into the 1MDB is now on hold until the next Parliamentary meeting which is not scheduled to meet until Oct. 19. Continue reading “If PAC probe into 1MDB grinds to a halt, it will be best proof that the overriding objective of the Cabinet reshuffle yesterday was to block, frustrate, sabotage or drag out investigations into biggest financial scandal in nation’s history”

Is it the Prime Minister’s idea to direct the Auditor-General to audit the 1MDB accounts accompanied by a secret directive to the AG not to make the interim report public?

Is it the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s idea to direct the Auditor-General to audit the debt-laden 1MDB accounts, accompanied by a secret directive to the Auditor-General not to make the report public?

Such an arrangement defeats the very purpose and principles of an open, accountable and transparent governance which have “Nothing2Hide” as far the controversial 1MDB’s affairs are concerned as well as destroys the original rationale of asking the Auditor-General to vet 1MDB’s finances to demonstrate that the Prime Minister and his Government are prepared to withstand the most intense scrutiny.

Earlier Auditor General, Tan Sri Ambrin Buang has said that the interim report of the audit of the 1MDB would be ready in June.

This is 1st July and the interim report of the Auditor-General on the 1MDB is still being awaited.

The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee Chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamad has said that the Auditor-General’s interim report on the 1MDB would not be made public, but only to be distributed to the PAC members.

This is unsatisfactory and unacceptable. Continue reading “Is it the Prime Minister’s idea to direct the Auditor-General to audit the 1MDB accounts accompanied by a secret directive to the AG not to make the interim report public?”

Auditor-General’s assurance of professional audit of 1MDB most welcome although public confidence have not been helped by contradictory or uncharacteristic statements by MACC and Police

I welcome the promise by the Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang that his department will call up any individual necessary even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in completing an independent audit on strategic fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

The Auditor-General’s assurance of professional audit of 1MDB and not to be swayed by extraneous considerations is most welcome, although public confidence that the various authorities would adopt a professional, accountable and responsible approach in the handling of the 1MDB scandal had not been helped by contradictory or uncharacteristic statements by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Police.

Suddenly, there seems to be a competition among the various departments to show courage and eagerness to investigate the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak himself – as not only Ambrin does not rule out such possibility, even the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar pointedly said that Najib would be one of the targets of investigation by a three-agency task force to probe the 1MDB scandal.

In fact, the IGP’s announcement has detracted the credibility of the Auditor-General’s statement that his department’s audit would not exclude an investigation into the Prime Minister, for who would believe the IGP’s claim when he had been guilty of kid-glove treatment to BN Ministers and leaders, letting off the Minister of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Datuk Ismail Sabri for the most racist and seditious incitement in calling on Malay consumers to boycott Chinese businessmen and allowing the former Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Mashitah Ibrahim to enjoy impunity and immunity for spouting heinous lies to incite religious hatred, conflict and tension in plural Malaysia. Continue reading “Auditor-General’s assurance of professional audit of 1MDB most welcome although public confidence have not been helped by contradictory or uncharacteristic statements by MACC and Police”

AG’s report: Charge the culprits for CBT

— Ravinder Singh
The Malay Mail Online
November 10, 2013

NOV 10 — To tackle the problem of “stupid” people in the public service who have been enriching certain people with their not so stupid purchases of laptops for RM40,000.00 a piece and wall clocks for RM3,800.00 a piece, the MACC has proposed that Integrity Management Units be set up in each ministry to help the MACC prevent corruption. Is it not the duty of each and every head of department to ensure their own integrity and that of all others below them?

Sorry to say so, but this whole idea looks stupid. The best way to deal with stupid people is to educate them using the most effective means of doing so. In this case, the educational process has to take the form of ENFORCEMENT. If stupid people begin to be charged for CBT, you will see how fast they change without the need for any Integrity Management Units.

The Auditor General has already done most of the job. He has identified the stupid things that were done. The MACC and the commercial crime police should take it to the next stage of tying up any loose ends and filing appropriate court cases. For the MACC to declare that stupidity is not a crime and no action can be taken against anyone for being stupid, itself looks stupid. Civil servants in charge of government procurement are bound by rules and regulations. Continue reading “AG’s report: Charge the culprits for CBT”

Police Reputation Going Down the Toilet?

By Kee Thuan Chye
Yahoo! News
24.10.2013

Hahahaha! So the story now is that some policemen lost their guns while they were taking a pee, izzit? And this was revealed in Parliament by the guy who has just been elected Umno vice-president!

Did the guns drop into the toilet bowl and got flushed down?

Well, Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi did not provide the gory details when he was giving his written answer in Parliament to a question raised by Opposition MP Tian Chua about the Auditor-General’s having reported that the police lost 44 loaded firearms between 2010 and 2012.

However, Zahid did also reveal that some guns were lost when cops got mugged. Woh! Cops getting mugged? Imagine that! If cops can get mugged, what hope is there for ordinary people?

Cops are crime-busters. They are supposed to apprehend muggers. How do they get mugged instead? Are they not fit to be cops? How did they get hired in the first place? Is that why crime is on the rise? Continue reading “Police Reputation Going Down the Toilet?”

PAC’s first job is to submit an immediate report to Parliament to amend Standing Orders so that PAC can hold public hearings into its examination of 2012 Auditor-General’s Report as is now the practice in most legislatures in the world

The Communications and Multimedia Minister, Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek wants live television coverage of his appearance before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to prove himself right and the Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang wrong over the expenses of the K-Pop concert last year.

Shabery had challenged the 2012 Auditor-General’s Report that the K-Pop concert, which was part of the mammoth 2012 Hari Belia celebrations, had cost the government RM1.6 million, claiming that the auditor-general was “culas” (not diligent) in the audit and did not take into account the RM20 million in sponsorship raised.

Strangely, the current Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin also said the government paid for the concert, but was forced to do so because sponsorship pledges fell through.

Shabery should be given the opportunity of live telecast of his testimony before the PAC on the Auditor-General’s 2012 Report on the government expenditure of RM1.6 million for the K-Pop concert, when the Ministry had claimed right from the beginning that the cost of bringing in the three K-Pop groups – U-Kiss, Teen-Topo and Dal*shabet – was borne through sponsorship. Continue reading “PAC’s first job is to submit an immediate report to Parliament to amend Standing Orders so that PAC can hold public hearings into its examination of 2012 Auditor-General’s Report as is now the practice in most legislatures in the world”

IGP Khalid should be hauled before the Chief Secretary’s Special Committee on 2012 Auditor-General’s Report for the missing firearms and police assets instead being represented on the committee

More and more questions are being asked about the high-level Chief Secretary’s Special Committee to study and scrutinise the 2012 Auditor-General’s Report announced by the Chief Secretary Tan Sri Dr. Ali Hamsa on Saturday.

According to Ali, who will chair the Special Committee, other members are the Public Services director-general, attorney-general as well as representatives from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Finance Ministry and the Royal Malaysian Police.

The first question is whether the Najib government is serious to ensure the highest standards of integrity and accountability in the public service and that the Chief Secretary’s Special Committee on the 2012 Auditor-General’s Report is not just a “public relations” exercise to circumvent and distract attention from the avalanche of adverse publicity following the publication of the 2012 Auditor-General’s Report!

Has the first meeting of the Chief Secretary’s Special Committee on the 2012 Auditor-General’s Report been held, and will Najib, as the Prime Minister-cum-Finance Minister be able to present a White Paper when Dewan Rakyat reconvenes on October 21 reporting on the initial actions and decisions of the Special Committee? Continue reading “IGP Khalid should be hauled before the Chief Secretary’s Special Committee on 2012 Auditor-General’s Report for the missing firearms and police assets instead being represented on the committee”

Let Najib’s White Paper on 2012 Auditor-General’s Report tell Malaysians what has happened to the loss of RM1.33 million worth of police assets, including 44 firearms

After a week of intense adverse publicity, including ludicrous pronouncements by the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar and the Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi about missing guns “falling into the sea”, Malaysians are no nearer to finding out what has happened to the loss of RMRM1.55 million worth of police assets, including 44 firearms, 156 handcuffs and 29 vehicles, between 2010 and 2012 as revealed by the 2012 Auditor-General’s Report – whether and how many of such police assets have really “fallen into the sea”!

Yesterday, the Malaysian Insider in its report “One down, 43 to go. One of my men reported his gun was stolen, says police task force director” quoted the Federal Special Task Force (Operations and Counter-Terrorism) director Datuk Seri Mohamad Fuzi Harun as saying that one of the 44 missing guns was stolen from a policeman by a snatch thief.

Although this would account for one of the 44 missing guns, the immediate question that arises is why the policeman had taken more than a year to report that his gun was stolen by a snatch thief!
Continue reading “Let Najib’s White Paper on 2012 Auditor-General’s Report tell Malaysians what has happened to the loss of RM1.33 million worth of police assets, including 44 firearms”

I work hard so my government can afford RM4,000 clocks

– CL Tang
The Malaysian Insider
October 06, 2013

Monday blues again. I dragged myself out of bed, for yet another day of traffic jams, mundane work and greasy lunches. As I arrived at my office barely on time, I noticed it is just the first week of the month. Yet another 3 weeks to go before that next paycheck.

It is an important day today – the company is due to sign a huge contract with the government. The company chairman will get to buy a new Rolls Royce, and I may get a promotion with a big pay rise. I buzzed my assistant to bring in the contract that we have spent the last month putting together.

She walked in, looking rather perplexed, and muttered,” Sorry boss, I lost my briefcase that contains the contract, including my laptop and the back-up disk”. I sank into my chair. “What?! How can you lose such an important document?” I yelled. She blinked her thick eyelashes and whimpered,” Boss, if the police can lose 44 guns and their boss is not even cross with them, why are you so harsh with me?” I did not know how to respond to that as she stormed out, lips pouting. Continue reading “I work hard so my government can afford RM4,000 clocks”

Najib should present White Paper to Dewan Rakyat when it reconvenes in a fortnight on the initial decisions and actions taken by Special Committee on Auditor-General’s 2012 Report

The Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak should present a White Paper to the Dewan Rakyat when it reconvenes in a fortnight’s time on Oct. 21 on the initial actions and decisions taken by the Special Committee set up to scrutinize the 2012 Auditor-General’s Report.

The Special Committee was announced yesterday by the Chief Secretary Tan Sri Dr. Ali Hamsa, who will chair the special committee which will comprise the director-general of the Public Service, the Attorney-General as well as representatives from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Finance Ministry and Royal Malaysian Police.

There is widespread skepticism that the Special Committee will be able to make any difference to end the annual tale of horrors in the Auditor-General’s Reports about rampant corruption, wastage of public funds and abuses of power in the public service.

If the government is serious about wanting to stamp out corruption, waste, extravagance and abuses of power running into billions of ringgit of public funds every year, such a high-level government committee should have been formed immediately after the Auditor-General, Tan Sri Ambrin Buang submitted the 2012 Report to the government in July, and not now – only after the spate of adverse publicity in the past week following the tabling of the 2012 Auditor-General’s Report in Parliament on Oct. 1. Continue reading “Najib should present White Paper to Dewan Rakyat when it reconvenes in a fortnight on the initial decisions and actions taken by Special Committee on Auditor-General’s 2012 Report”

Lost guns: IGP’s and Zahid’s cocky “explanation”

– Ravinder Singh
The Malaysian Insider
October 05, 2013

One told Malaysians that the guns might have fallen into the sea and the other confirmed it. This type of ‘explanation’ is what is termed in the Malay language as an attempt to “memperbodohkan” the public, to make fools of the public.

Even a bullet lost by a member of the police force is supposed to be reported, what more when weapons are lost. Thus there must be a report by each of the persons who lost their weapons and ammunition. Or has this practice been long discarded?

Losing weapons is a very serious matter. But to the Inspector General of Police and to Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, it is child’s play, as if the guns lost were mere toy guns. They are arrogantly telling the public “to mind your own business” and that asking the police about the lost weapons is none of their business.

This cockiness stems from the fact that they are the ones in power and whatever they do or say must be meekly accepted as the truth which is final and binding. In other words, do not question those in authority. This is the culture of “ketuanan”, the master must not be questioned. But isn’t the public the master as the public elects the politicians into office and civil servants are the servants of civil society? So by the theory of “ketuanan”, the public are the tuans of the politicians and the civil servants. So why can’t the public question the politicians and public servants? Continue reading “Lost guns: IGP’s and Zahid’s cocky “explanation””

A-G Spot-on, IGP All at Sea

By Kee Thuan Chye
Yahoo! News
5th October 2013

The Auditor-General’s report for 2012 is alarming. And this is so not only because it exposed huge wastage committed by government departments last year, but also because nothing seems to have changed all these many years.

Year after year, the A-G tells us of cases of improper payment; of purchases made at astronomical prices; of unreasonable project delays; of poor asset management; of non-adherence to procedures, etc, etc. But year after year, nothing is done to address the shortcomings.

It seems as if our civil service just continues to plod on, continues to waste, continues to be inefficient, continues to make corrupt transactions. And the overriding controller – i.e. the Government – just lets it be.

The Government knows from the A-G’s reports that corruption is rife in the civil service, but it probably realises it doesn’t have the moral standing to haul in the culprits. After all, the civil servants are following the example of the country’s leadership. And since the Government has also not shown itself to be accountable for a lot of things, how can we stop the rot? Continue reading “A-G Spot-on, IGP All at Sea”

Former sports minister denies Khairy’s statement, says concert fee came from sponsors

Auditor-General’s 2012 Report (18)
The Malaysian Insider
October 03, 2013

A day after Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin admitted that his ministry had paid RM1.6 million to bring three K-pop groups to Malaysia for a youth concert last year, his predecessor is insisting that the money did come from sponsors.

Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek, in direct contradiction to Khairy’s statement, claimed the ministry had received RM20 million from domestic and foreign corporate sponsors for the event.

He said the money was banked into the National Sports Council’s account by the sponsors, which the auditor-general’s department had failed to take into account.

“The auditors only looked at the amount that came out of the ministry’s account,” he reportedly wrote in his Facebook posting, and called the department “culas” (not diligent).

“It was not taxpayers’ money that was wasted as alleged by the opposition based on the summary contained in the auditor-general’s report,” Ahmad Shabery added. Continue reading “Former sports minister denies Khairy’s statement, says concert fee came from sponsors”

The truth? Ministry did pay RM1.6 million for K-pop concert

Auditor-General’s 2012 Report (17)
by Rita Jong
The Malaysian Insider
October 2, 2013

The Youth and Sports Ministry spent RM1.6 million to bring in three South Korean pop groups for the National Youth Day celebrations last year, in contrast to the claim that the cost had been covered by sponsors.

The Auditor-General’s Report revealed yesterday that the money came from the government’s coffers.

The three K-pop groups – U-Kiss, Teen-Top and Dal Shabet – were brought in by Stadium First Sdn Bhd.

A ministry official had reportedly said then that the bill was paid by sponsors.

The report also found the ministry overspending RM1.11 million on promotion and publicity for the event. Continue reading “The truth? Ministry did pay RM1.6 million for K-pop concert”

Audit finds Registrar of Societies failing in duties

Auditor-General’s 2012 Report (16)
by Koh Jun Lin
Malaysiakini
Oct 2, 2013

AUDIT REPORT In contrast with the crackdown on DAP by the Registrar of Societies’ (ROS), the Auditor-General’s Report 2012 has found that enforcement by the ROS lacking.

Among others, a check on its files kept in its Putrajaya, Penang, Johor and Pahang has shown that 90 societies have not submitted any report to the ROS, but no notice was issued against them.

This includes files of 17 of the 31 political parties included in the Putrajaya audit, and that of 150 non-political organisations from the three states. Continue reading “Audit finds Registrar of Societies failing in duties”

599 potholes = bumpy landing at KK airport

Auditor-General’s 2012 Report (15)
by Aidila Razak
Malaysiakini
Oct 2, 2013

AUDIT REPORT Malaysian motorists are not the ones who have to dodge potholes on a daily basis.

Pilots landing aircraft at Kota Kinabalu International Airport, the auditor-general has found, had to deal with 599 potholes in the runway and taxiway, until these were fixed.

Worse, a pilot quoted in the Auditor-General’s Report 2012 complained of difficulty in landing in poor weather, “especially in haze”, as the Instruments Landing System (ILS) has yet to be installed after being bought in June 2008.

The unnamed pilot, who flies with national carrier Malaysia Airlines, told the audit team that the ILS is required for all commercial airlines, and that its absence endangers passenger safety.

The Transport Ministry has countered that the ILS “does not affect the safety of aircraft operations” and that many airports in the world do not have such a system. Continue reading “599 potholes = bumpy landing at KK airport”

Ministry spends RM320,000 on FB and Twitter

Auditor-General’s 2012 Report (14)
Malaysiakini
Oct 1, 2013

AUDIT REPORT The auditor-general has questioned the Health Ministry’s payment of RM320,000 to two companies to enhance its social media presence by developing two Facebook and Twitter accounts.

The expenditure, during Liow Tiong Lai’s tenure as minister, comprises payment of RM199,068 to Eficaz Media Sdn to develop the first Facebook page for the anti-smoking ‘Tak Nak merokok’ campaign.

The second Facebook page and the Twitter account were developed by Astonish View Sdn Bhd for the ‘Kempen intervensi penyakit tidak berjangkit’ (intervention campaign for non-contagious diseases), costing RM120,500.

The 2012 Audit Report comments that the scope of the two jobs were almost identical and questioned why Astonish View was given RM120,500 to develop Facebook and Twitter, while Eficaz Media was allocated a higher sum to develop one Facebook page. Continue reading “Ministry spends RM320,000 on FB and Twitter”

Stressed, starved livestock die in Sarawak

Auditor-General’s 2012 Report (13)
by Aidila Razak
Malaysiakini
Oct 2, 2013

Being a goat, sheep or a cow in the care of the Sarawak Agriculture Department can be a tenuous thing if the death rates at some special rearing stations are anything to go by.

Livestock deaths – due to stressed or starvation – at the department’s special rearing stations were as high as 74 percent, when the acceptable rate is between 5 to 10 percent, the Auditor-General’s Report 2012 states.

While only 26 percent of its goats survived in 2010, the Karabungan rearing station saw more than half of its cattle die the following year. The cattle survival rates improved remarkable the next year with only 12 of its 182 cows dead.

In Karabungan, the animals died from “falling into feeding troughs, weakness or stress, parasites, liver fluke (and) getting stuck in mud”. Continue reading “Stressed, starved livestock die in Sarawak”

Auditor-general raises stink over crappy toilet design

Auditor-General’s 2012 Report (12)
by Nigel Aw
Malaysiakini
Oct 2, 2013

AUDIT REPORT If you suffer from unpleasant bowel movements and an uncontrollable urge to ease yourself at the Kota Setar district land office complex, then you would be in for a rude shock.

The 2012 Auditor-General’s report, which was released yesterday, revealed the difficulty a person desperate need to answer nature’s call would encounter.

One of the squat toilets in the building was oddly aligned to one side of the cubicle, leaving barely enough foot space.

From one side of the wall, there was merely a margin of 16cm to the toilet but it was 36cm from the other side of the wall.

In response to the auditors, the Kedah state secretariat explained that the toilet design could not be helped due to an error in the initial phase of laying underground pipes.

“Changes could not be made to avoid any leakages,” it said.

RS Iscon Corporation Sdn Bhd was appointed as the main contractor through open tender for the RM15.31 million complex commissioned by the state economic planning unit (Upen) of the Kedah state government.

The building was completed under the then Pakatan Rakyat-led state government though the project itself began under BN’s rule. Continue reading “Auditor-general raises stink over crappy toilet design”