This is an interesting article by R.Nadeswaran in his weekly column Citizen Nades,titled "At the beck and call of politicians(theSun,Mon Sept 14 '09) Read on..........
If you want to hear tales from the unknown, says a journalist, you must sit-in at the hearings of the Selangor Select Committee on Competency, Transparency and Accountability (Selcat). "This is where you get to see and hear how our civil servants have politicised themselves and even confessed to being cronies of their political masters."
The Selcat inquiry gave Malaysians a peek into the lifestyles of the rich and famous, their expensive tastes and their fetish for everything Disney. Not that they paid for these with their hard-earned money, but from our money – yours and mine. State-owned companies dished out the goodies which included first-class travel, five-star comfort and chauffeur-driven limousines. Everything was made to ensure that the lawatan sambil belajar met the high standards of the rombongan. Even an advance party was sent to make all ground arrangements to ensure there was a separate itinerary for the Datins and the ordinary Puans. Yet again, the hearings have highlighted the might and power of some ordinary state assemblymen who seek office on the premise of serving the rakyat. They can order the civil servants around with impunity and their demands are met by a subservient civil service.
Last week, Malaysians were given a first-hand lesson on how our civil servants operate. They supposedly have to remain apolitical and independent but the hearings paint a different picture. Their confessions and admissions show that some of them did not care about rules and regulations as long as they pleased their political masters.
Sepang assistant district officer (ADO) Tahir Bujang, who had worked in a similar capacity in Gombak last year, summed up how the administration of these offices had operated in the past. He admitted that it took him just one minute to clear a mountain of applications for funds from assemblymen which landed on his table before the dissolution of Parliament on Feb 13, 2008.
These included:
* 90 applications for RM496,509 from the Batu Caves assemblyman
* 103 applications for RM393,342 from the Gombak Setia assemblyman
* 225 applications for RM500,700 from the Hulu Kelang assemblyman
* 149 applications for RM496,500 from the Kuang assemblyman
* 86 applications for RM500,000 from the Taman Templer assemblyman and
* 235 applications for RM603,198 from the Rawang assemblyman.
It means that he closed his eyes and approved everything that was put on his table and was not aware of what he approved. But beyond the rubber stamp and the customary "Saya yang menurut perintah", he never moved a finger to ensure accountability and transparency. Did he ensure that cheques are made out in the name of the contractor and not individuals? Did he ensure that the projects were carried out?
When Gombak District Officer Huzaini Samsi was asked why state funds were used to pay for political party-organised activities and for rental of a service centre run by politicians, he admitted this should not have happened. But Tahir had an indefensible defence: The guidelines do not prohibit state lawmakers from channelling state funds to political parties. Really? So, instead of using funds to build a bridge, the funds can be used to buy a commercial building for a political party!
But more astonishing was the admission of Kuala Selangor Land Office clerk Norafzati Jantera that she and her colleagues did a gotong-royong to finish processing payments for the assemblymen. One day before the dissolution of the state assembly, she and another clerk, Nordiana Mokhtar processed 85 payments amounting to RM449,500. That must be a record of sorts, and deserves honourable mention in that book of records. District Officer Mohd Misri Idris, who joined the Kuala Selangor Land Office in April 2008, had earlier said that his office "normally" processed 25-30 applications for allocations each day and this means the two clerks did three times the volume in one day. It just goes to prove that where there’s a will there’s a way, only IF there’s a politician lurking in the background asking for money.
But what was frightening was the statement by the Kuala Selangor ADO Izahar Rashidi who said payments for projects promised by assemblymen to their constituents were made after the assembly was dissolved and for a good measure, he brought in the Almighty to support his cause. He’s reasoning gives the impression that he’s got another role – the political aide to the assemblyman. Who’s he to decide on promises made during the campaign for votes?
It is crystal clear that the actions of some of the officers were wrong. Instead of thoroughly checking each application and verifying their authenticity, they chose to take instructions from politicians. The rule books went out the window and a set of laws promulgated by themselves was being enforced. What is going to happen next? Will these officers who had admitted breaching procedures be hauled up like so many other civil servants for dereliction of duty or are they going to be given a tap on the knuckle and be quietly congratulated for supporting the politicians?
The chief secretary to the government has always maintained that civil servants must stand up and say "no" to politicians when they are directed to breach procedures. In these cases, they just kau-taued to their political masters. If he does not act against these officers, what message does the chief secretary intend to convey to the civil servants?
source:theSun
No wonder our roads and bridges are broken down just 6 months after completion. Over to you MACC.
Will the MACC haul up those politicians and civil servants who were involved in this scam...........
Read here.
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