UNABLE TO HANDLE THE SUGAR WOES THE MINISTRY DOES THE OBVIOUS - IMPORT!

(Original posted on 29 August 2006  10:26pm)

This is just what you expect from those who do not know their jobs and go for the ‘quick fix’ method!

So the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry is looking at buying sugar from Brazil, the world’s top sugar producer, to alleviate the sugar shortage the country is currently facing.

Its minister, Datuk Mohd Shafie Apdal now states that a ministry delegation headed by Secretary-General Datuk Seri Talaat Husain had visited Brazil last week for the purpose.

He has the audacity to say:

“We are looking at all options available to ensure sugar shortages are no longer become an issue,”

He said a team had gone to New Zealand earlier for the same purpose and that similar trips would also be made to Australia, China and Fiji.

The sugar to be imported would be the type required by small and medium industries and the ministry would act as the agent for sourcing it, he added.

So some ministry officials are really having a great time making international trips - on the account of rate payers and the sugar shortage!

It can only happen in Malaysia!

JG LAUDS DATUK SERI NAJIB FOR THE GOOD NEWS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT!

(Original posted on 29 August 2006  9:50pm)

Yes - Malaysia has announced multi billion-dollar plans to solve Kuala Lumpur’s chronic traffic problems by upgrading public transport in and around the capital.

Deputy Premier, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Hj. Razak has stated that a new light rail transit line would be built, and other rail networks extended, under the RM10 billion (US$2.72 billion) project which will run through to 2010.

Bus services in the Klang Valley, which includes the congested capital, will also be boosted with 1,130 new buses and upgrades of 600 already in service!

As far as I am concerned this is brillant news!

DS Najib stated that they hope to establish an efficient and cost-effective public transport system so that people will opt for it rather than use their own cars to move about!

JG fully agrees!

The deputy premier also noted that only about 11 percent of people in the Klang Valley use public transport, and said he hoped the improvements would raise that to levels of 40-50 percent seen in other world cities.

It is a fact that Kuala Lumpur is constantly beset by horror traffic jams, thanks to a lack of public transport facilities which forces most people to drive their own cars, combined with a sprawling city geography and frequent peak-hour rain storms and …..flash flood!

But this news and development will bring about a holistic change in bringing about a comprehensive and holistic transport system that is people friendly!

Operative words being …….’people friendly!’

Faham?

APPLE POLISHING - BANGLADESH DOES IT BEST!

(Original posted on 29 August 2006  8:31pm)

JG comments on the goings on and from the sidelines of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) - Anti Corruption and Enhancing Integrity Forum!

I nearly fell off my seat when I read the statement and speech from a participant from Bangladesh that they want Malaysia to be their ‘role model’ in fighting corruption and is optimistic that both countries can work very well in sharing information, expertise and knowledge in that area.

Yes - Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission of Bangladesh, Justice Sultan Hossain Khan, had stated he was also confident that the cooperation between the two countries would be a stepping stone in eradicating corruption more effectively in Bangladesh.

Just note his statement:

“As far as we are concerned, both countries are bonded with similarities in religion, historical experience and culture. This would be a plus point to us…we want Malaysia to be our role model.

“Malaysia’s experience in combating corruption would benefit us in various ways, where Bangladesh would be able learn the strategies, methods and specialisation in crippling corruption,”

Really this chap claimed and stated that - it was proven that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency’s (ACA) mechanism in the minimising corruption rate in Malaysia had worked well and without a doubt would benefit his country.

Proven what yaar?

For the record - Transparency International (TI) survey last year indicated Bangladesh as the most corrupt country where it was ranked at 158th, the last position, in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) with 1.7 points.

Perhaps, my learned friend should ask the rather pertinent question as where Malaysia was on the same evaluation index?

For the record - the CPI score ranges from 10 (squeaky clean) to zero (highly corrupt), and a score of five is considered by TI as borderline, distinguishing countries that do and do not have serious corruption problem.

When he was asked on the form of cooperation he had in mind, he said he would like to send Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission officers to train at the recently-established Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy (Maca).

“Maca, which caters as a training centre for Asia Pacific, has become a centre for international experts in graft prevention and integrity enhancement. So if we send our officers to this academy, I’m very sure there will be a brain-drainage between us…hope Malaysia will assist us,” he is to have said.

I just rest my case!

Apart from Apple Polishing - His speech was a nightmare and a bad reflection of the Malaysian reality!

By the way he did say that Bangladesh, had recently initiated a bold step by making the Anti-Corruption Commission an independent body to ensure that more pro-active methods were taken in combating corruption.

“Previously, our anti-corruption body was under the Prime Minister’s office and we had limited power in our decision making. This prevented us from shining as an effective entity.

“Now we are truly independent and we have the power to prosecute without any barrier. Previously, if a minister is caught taking bribe, we will get an order to release him but now no one is above the law,” he added.

If this is true - then my learned friend, we in Malaysia should be learning from Bangladesh not the other way around, yaar?

UNDP MOVE ON SHAME LIST LAUDABLE!

(Original posted on 29 August 2006  8:17pm)

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) administration has stated that it had been issuing annual “mail of shame” lists of its staff who had been dismissed for non-compliance with the ethical and professional standards.

Its Regional Centre for Asia and Pacific adviser, Patrick Keuleers has stated that the move which had been made against UNDP staff regardless of their position within the organisation, as well as compulsory declaration of assets and liabilities, were one of the deterring measures in preventing mismanagement and corruption from taking roots.

He stated - QUOTE:

“Accountability, transparency and integrity in our own projects and programmes is the best manifestation of credibility in engaging national partners in fighting corruption,” he said in his paper on “Ensuring Transparency in Managing International Aid” at the 1st Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Anti-Corruption and Enhancing Integrity Forum 2006 here today.

He added that UNDP would continue to enhance its internal control mechanism to strengthen accountability and aid efficiency, fostering a culture of integrity that aimed to prevent, detect and rapidly investigate allegations of fraud and corruption involving their staff, consultants and other parties having business relationship with them.

He said a hotline with toll-free numbers had also been established to facilitate whistle-blowers to channel any information to them.

He added:

“Recent developments such as the UN Oil for Food scandal, the corruption levels in the post-conflict reconstruction projects in Iraq and Afghanistan and other revelations of misuse of aid funds have again emphasised the need for more vigilance and increased transparency and accountability in aid management,”

In monitoring aids that had been channelled to nations in need, he cited that an Aid Watch initiative was launched in Sri Lanka and was linked to media networks and Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission, while an E-Aceh web-based aid information management systems was put in place in Indonesia.

“Development assistance databases have also been developed for the governments of India, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand,” he added.

Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency adviser Dr Kevin Evans has stated that the basic strategy towards eradicating corruption was through an integrated effort of prevention, education and enforcement.

He said the prevention effort would have to take into account the systems and procedures that guided government activities and their engagement internally and externally.

Dr Evans said educating people about corruption represented a critical factor in the success of any anti-corruption programme that a society wished to conduct and should begin at the earliest possible age.

He said the nature of punishment should be one of the issues that needed to be considered in order to establish an effective anti-corruption enforcement regime.

“In applying the three components (prevention, education and enforcement), it is well to note that each are equally important. Like a three-legged chair, it will not be balanced when one leg is either longer or shorter than the others. It will also not work unless the three legs are connected,” he added.

Will we follow this paradigm shift - Nay!

PROVE MAHATHIR WRONG - START THE PROCESS WITH A ROYAL COMMISSION ON THE 1988 JUDICIAL CRISIS!

(Original posted on 26 August 2006  10:24pm)

PROVE MAHATHIR WRONG - START THE PROCESS WITH A ROYAL COMMISSION ON THE 1988 JUDICIAL CRISIS!

Malaysians of all walks of life are certainly ‘shamefully amused’ to hear the claims of former premier, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who among other claims, today, denies he had shackled the judiciary!

Either the former premier suffers from “selective amnesia” or in his ‘haste and arrogance’ to dislodge the present premier, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, he is conveniently forgetting that in his tenure of more than 22 years, Malaysia and Malaysians had seen an abuse and rape of the country’s coffers, of cronyism, nepotism, corporate scandals and the eroding of natural justice that made Malaysia a laughing stalk in the civilized world!

But, thanks to the leadership of both Premier Abdullah and his deputy Najib, attempts are now being made to undo many a past wrong and circumvent the nation in the stream of accountability, transparency and good governance!

But the pertinent question remains how far will this man go to bring down Abdullah?

He has already lost any resemblance of credibility when he shamelessly denied the undeniable - his role in Operasi Lalang in the 80’s.

An operation that was put into place to assure he would not be politically challenged but that attempt crippled and crushed democracy in Malaysia to the fullest!

It is indeed a joke that this same man - the mastermind and architect of that infamous covert operation that was initiated to secure his political dominance and survival and cripple democracy preaches what he had not practiced in his tenure of over 22 years - democracy!

The same man who had a record of contempt for lawyers and the law today however speaks as if he is a monument of justice, truth and fair play!

And this is why, it is pertinent that the present government re-examine several matters pertaining to morality, ethics, accountability, due diligence, transparency and accountability during the former premier’s tenure and among them, the alleged “shackling of the judiciary” and the 1988 judicial crisis!

The Malaysian judiciary we are told ’has never recovered’ from that drastic and strategic blow to date despite repeated assurance from many, which includes people on the bench.

In 1988 and afterwards, many decent individuals who were prominent judges suffered as a result of a “political decision!”

The reexamination of the 1988 crisis will be a painful process but the truth must be told and those who suffered the fate of a sacking be accorded natural justice and dignity!

The country is at a cross roads!

One man who thinks he knows the ‘psyche and the political mind of the Malay’ thinks the government of the day does not have the political will, guts and boldness to reveal the 1988 episode.

The government must prove him wrong!

We must start the ‘healing process’ with a Royal Commission on the 1988 Judicial Crisis!

HAZE - INDONESIA’S ASSURANCE A JOKE AS HAZE THREATENS ASEAN NEIGHBOURS!

(Original posted on 24 August 2006  6:20pm)

It is a periodic mantra - we complain, they agree to do something, we send our Ministers, they give fierce speeches and Indonesia replies with assurances and replies which is not fit to be used even as toilet paper!

So again, Indonesia’s neighbours have urged it to curb the region’s annual haze crisis by cracking down on forest fires, warning that the choking pollution is hurting economies and deterring tourists.

Smoke from fires raging on the jungle-covered Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Borneo has worsened this week, casting a pall over neighbouring Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand!

As Malaysian business groups complained about the impact on the economy, the country’s outspoken trade minister, Kak Rafidah Aziz as I personally know her has stated that tough action was needed to resolve the recurring issue.

“We have to contend that this is something that will happen unless real serious efforts are being put by the governments where the haze originates,” she told reporters at Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) talks.

Rafidah said open burning must be contained as it was hurting members of the bloc including Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Thailand.

And it is really hurting our nation, its tourist arrivals and economic efforts as we approach our 49 National day Celebrations!

Perhaps, this years celebration will be hazed filed?

Interestingly, Syed Amin AlJeffri, co-chairman of the Asean Business Advisory Council, has stated that the haze, which in recent days has enveloped Kuala Lumpur, was hurting retail business in Malaysia.

I am aware that Air quality has worsened in Peninsular Malaysia in recent days, nearing unhealthy levels and obscuring views of the capital’s iconic Petronas Twin Towers, which is next to the Asean talks venue.

Last August if you remember - a state of emergency was declared in two locations on Malaysia’s west coast when the haze sent pollution levels soaring to extremely hazardous levels.

But, we have not learnt lessons and have yet to tell these Indonesians off!

THANK GOD FOR MERITOCRASY!

(Original posted on 24 August 2006  3:41pm)

Yes brillant - a prestigious Australian recognition for a local Don!

A Monash University academician at its Malaysia campus here has added another feather to his cap by winning the prestigious Carrick Awards for Australian University Teaching for being an outstanding teaching staff within the Australian higher education.

Dr Teoh Kok Soo, a senior engineering lecturer at Monash Malaysia won this year’s Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning, an award by Carrick Institute of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, an initiative from the Australian Department of Education, Science and Training.

The award, which carries RM22,000 (A$10,000) cash reward, is awarded to teaching staff who have demonstrated quality teaching, and have made significant contributions towards students learning in a specific area of discipline and over a sustained period.

According to Monash University Malaysia’s Pro Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Merilyn Liddell, the nominees must first be widely recognised for their achievements within the nominating institution.

The operating words certainly being “achievements” - good if it was here first they look at whether you are from a dominant race, religion, dan ‘macam macam ada’ including ‘racist trades’ as I found out after being left out inexplicably in a certain national consumer award after being the senior most with a pretty good track record umatched by any!

What to do when decisions are made by ‘bodohs and racist people’ and others in the committee do not have the guts to stand up to what they perceive as morally and ethically wrong (?) … but they too will have to face the ALMIGHTY in due time and give account!

In the meantime - well done Dr Teoh!