Anti-graft commission to start as early as January 2009

KUCHING: The formation of the Malaysian Commission on Anti-Corruption (MCAC) may be sooner than expected.

Anti-Corruption Agency director general Datuk Seri Hamdan Said said the commission might begin its work as early as January. "The cabinet has given the nod and the bill will be tabled in Parliament next month.  "We expect everything to be done in the next one or two months, or even sooner," said Hamdan after the Program Gerak Mesra BPR Media event on Friday. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in his keynote address at the National Integrity Convention 2008 here on Friday, had said the MCAC law would replace the Anti-Corruption Act 1997. Abdullah had also said the parliamentary session would be extended to Dec 18 to debate the bill, which included provisions for the setting up of an Anti-Corruption Advisory Board and a Special Committee on Corruption. Hamdan said the advisory board and special committee would consist of non-governmental organisations, parliamentarians and ACA officers.

"Their role is to monitor investigation procedures to make them more transparent."  The agency is also expected to recruit more than 1,000 officers to facilitate reinforcement. Hamdan said the agency's five-year plan included employing some 5,000 officers from various backgrounds, such as engineers, auditors and accountants, and other law enforcement officers. "With the professionals on board, incentives and benefits will be drawn up to commensurate with their expertise."  In Kuala Kangsar, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said the MCAC Bill 2008 would be tabled for the first reading in Parliament by Dec 11. He said a draft of the bill was being printed to be distributed to members of parliament. On the setting up of the advisory board and special committee, he said seven to nine members would be appointed to the two panels, with prominent members of the community sitting on the first panel, and MPs and senators making up the second. Both panels, he said, would be chaired by the commission's chairman. "This is a check-and-balance mechanism to eradicate corruption in the country," said Nazri, who is also Padang Rengas MP, after opening a dialogue on the works of Tan Sri P. Ramlee at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Temenggong Kati yesterday. "The important thing is for the MCAC to improve the service rendered by the Anti-Corruption Agency."  The advisory board will advise the commission on matters concerning corruption in the country, while the special committee will study the commission's annual reports. The commission will have the liberty to determine matters such as salaries and staffing.

by Dennis Wong; NST Online 9 November 2008

'Rulers may disagree with govt leaders'

KUCHING: The Rulers shall not agree with advice given by government leaders which goes against the spirit of the constitution, rule of law and universal principles of justice, the Raja Muda of Perak Raja Nazrin Shah said Thursday night.
“Generally, the Rulers act based on the advice by government leaders elected by the people. Nevertheless, the Rulers cannot accede to acts which do not symbolise justice or sanction moves which do not mirror truth. “The Rulers’ views, observation and counsel in the administrative affairs of the country touching on the question of integrity which encompasses justice, law, judiciary, misappropriation, power abuse, corruption and wealth distribution, are with the desire to strengthing the Government so that it is stable and receives people’s trust,” he said at a dinner in conjunction with the National Integrity Day here.
To ensure the Rulers’ integrity is not questioned and the throne remains respected, Raja Nazrin said, the Rulers shall always be intelligent and wise, master knowledge, understand the surroundings and changes, and possess a group of advisers comprising experts and people knowledgeable in the relevant fields. “This will enable the Rulers to fulfil their roles with integrity and make the smart, accurate, just and fair decisions,” he said.
Raja Nazrin said the Rulers are part of national institutions whose role is to strengthen the democratic system by carrying out the check and balance responsibility and the function as an independent tribunal for the legislative, executive and judiciary branches.
As a source of reference should a crisis occur, he said, the Rulers function as the balancing mechanism which safeguards national stability, protects people’s wellbeing, ensures justice, enhances the Government’s integrity and strengthens the democratic practice in the country.
“The Rulers have a role as the pillar of stability - source of justice, thrust of unity - hence enhancing the level of people’s confidence in the systems of governance and society based on democratic practices, rooted on the doctrine of the separation of powers. “The Rulers have constitutional responsibilities and the responsibilities need to be carried out intelligently so that it can help build a high-integrity country,” he said. Raja Nazrin said the institution of Rulers shall have the role and function to productively and constructively contribute to the nation. “The Rulers reside at a special position, have the opportunity to give smart views to influence and determine the direction of the nation positively and constructively through counsel, encouragement, persuasion, reminder and admonition,” he said.
To strengthen integrity practice, Raja Nazrin said, the Rulers shall hold consultations and negotiations, gather opinions and be open minded to assess each advice rationally, objectively and fairly. - Bernama

fr thestar online 7 November 2008

Greater efficiency will reduce corruption

KUCHING: Greater efficiency in the public delivery system will help reduce corruption, Chief Justice Tan Sri Zaki Azmi said.
He said there would be no need to resort to corruption if things were done quickly and efficiently without unneccessary delay.
“If you improve your efficiency, corruption will go down. The public will also be happy because services are delivered fast,” he said Friday in a panel discussion on the theme “Integrity, the Catalyst for Sustainable Development” at the National Integrity Convention here.
The convention was organised by the Malaysian Institute of Integrity in collaboration with the state government and in conjunction with National Integrity Day.
Zaki said high standards of efficiency must be continually improved upon and not allowed to decline in order to meet public expectations.
Giving an example, he said that once the public could get their passports in four hours, they would not settle for getting it in 24 hours.
“You must keep pushing the standards up so that you don’t slack,” he said.
He also said politicians should lead by example when it comes to integrity and rooting out corruption.
“Politicians are our leaders. If they don’t set good standards, everybody will follow. “If the boss is not firm, everybody will not be firm,” he added.

written by Sharon Ling from thestar online: 7 November 2008

YOUNG LEADERS: A mature brain is what counts

AT a recent meeting, Tun Musa Hitam is reported to have said that this country needs young people for top posts. Not so. This country needs brains, brains with leadership quality, maturity and experience (and perhaps other desirable attributes). It does not matter if the brains sit on top of young or old people because it is brains that drive countries and organisations to success. No point having top posts with young people with limited, immature or no brain power.

fr the NST Online : 31 October 2008

RM3 billion lost to fraud

by Charles Ramendran; from the Sun2Surf 28 October 2008

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 28, 2008): Police today said an estimated RM3 billion was lost in white collar crimes from 2006 to this month, a loss that reflects the size of the problem for businesses regardless of size. Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said Commercial Crimes Investigations Department (CCID) records showed the losses were sustained from cyber fraud, money laundering, criminal breach of trust, counterfeiting and other forms of cheating. He said according to a survey by an established accounting and auditing firm, about 48% of companies in Malaysia have experienced white collar crimes in the past two years. The same study showed fraud to be the most problematic issue for businesses regardless of size, location and industry. Speaking at the launch of the National Seminar on Forensics Accounting and Financial Criminology at the Securities Commission in Bukit Kiara, Ismail said corporate fraud increases the cost of doing business, puts a dent on consumer confidence and affects the profits of shareholders. He said in the long run, this can damage the soundness of the financial system and the economy. He said to safeguard legitimate businesses and consumers from fraud, financial institutions must develop a framework on its risks, conduct regular audits, issue regulatory guidelines and develop monitoring mechanisms. He said there should also be a suitable channel for informers or whistleblowers to come forward and corporations should share information of fradulent activities among themselves. Ismail said forensics accounting will eventually become the most powerful investigative tool in combating economic crimes. He said the CCID had formed its Forensic Accounting Division three years ago and it is headed by an assistant commissioner of police with a team of officers who have a strong background in the legal, financial and accounting fields. He said the police will work hand in hand with several other law enforcement agencies such as Bank Negara and the Anti Corruption Agency to contain economic crimes.

Spotlight: 10 things to do... ... if I were the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment

I AM a Malaysian who tries hard to protect the environment and I realise that I am not alone. Numerous individuals are working tirelessly in various capacities within the government, NGOs and private sector for the betterment of our environment. Despite our efforts, it is clear there are still many basic issues which need to be resolved to ensure that our environment is conserved. And this can only happen through intervention from the very top -- the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment. Since I am not the minister, I can only dream on. But if I were the minister, these are the 10 things that I will do ...

1- Revenue sharing between federal and state governments

I'll convince the Cabinet that revenue sharing between the federal and state governments must be restructured if the natural resources and the environment of the country are to be protected sustainably. The present scheme, where most of the revenue generated goes to the federal government, forces state governments to rely almost completely on exploiting natural resources (forest, minerals, land) to fill their coffers, and this probably represents the greatest threat to the environment. There is no incentive for state governments to protect their forests even for tourism, because tourism related receipts such as service and sales tax go to the federal government. State governments are at the mercy of the federal government for development grants and financial assistance.  I will formulate a scheme that will give the state governments a better slice of government revenue while giving them greater responsibility for caring for the environment. I will provide performance-linked incentives to the state governments to protect their forests, water catchments, and other natural resources. 

2- Environmental Quality Council

I will revamp and revitalise the Environmental Quality Council. The council, despite being in existence since the enactment of the Environmental Quality Act, 1974, has not made any impact on environmental protection and management. It has not, despite its mandate, played a lead role in the development and formulation of environmental policies and strategies. Forget the layman. Even people in the government do not know that such a council exists. I will ensure that the council does what it is required to do, namely to advise me. 

When I say advise, I expect advice at a policy and strategic level, advice on the direction to move forward, advice on how the Department of Environment is doing, and advice on where we are going wrong. A major priority is a total review of the National Environmental Policy. If this requires me to revamp the make-up and the powers of the council, including greater involvement of the states, I will do it.

3- A more visible minister

I will be more visible, more vocal and strive to be the face of the country's environmental management. This sector has a visibility problem. All the key government people keep a low profile. The public has no icon, no champion to look up to. Forget the notion of "we do our work quietly". If the public cannot see us, if the public does know not who I am, don't expect the public to think we are really working. If the public knows Karam Singh Walia better than they know me, we have a problem. The country needs an icon and I intend to be that.

4- Better support for NGOs

I will continue the practice of my predecessors in engaging the NGOs, and I will take this a step further by providing greater moral and financial support. I realise that many of the effective environmental programmes in this country, particularly those at the community level, have been implemented and funded by NGOs. There are several environmental NGOs doing excellent work in Malaysia and by working more closely with them, I believe the government's job would be much easier.I will ensure that my ministry appreciates and accepts their independent thinking and constructive criticism. This undoubtedly calls for open-mindedness among my officers and this is something that I will constantly insist upon. 

5- National Transportation Policy

I will cajole, and if necessary threaten, my colleague, the Minster of Transport, that the National Transportation Policy should be jointly formulated by three ministries -- my ministry, Transport Ministry and Ministry of Energy, Water and Telecommunications. Transportation has such great impact on the environment and energy use that it cannot be left just to one ministry to decide. I do not want the Transport Ministry to just invite one of my officers to sit in some committee. We want to be in the joint driving seat. Transportation impacts the environment in so many ways -- emissions, land use, noise, societal, and through energy use. Sustainable transport is fundamental to ensuring environmental quality and reducing demand for energy.

6- National Biological Diversity Policy

I will reformulate the National Biological Diversity Policy. The present policy is outdated, so obscure that almost no one outside my ministry knows it, sets no targets, provides some vague directions and was formulated without serious stakeholder engagement. I will ensure the new National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan that my ministry formulates will holistically address all the requirements of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). This is the leading global agreement on how countries should manage their biological resources. We will set realistic targets, develop a holistic biodiversity planning framework, with action plans, budget and timeframe that will help us achieve our targets. I will ensure that Malaysia become the poster-boy or girl of CBD. I am aware that biological diversity is our national heritage and it is our duty to protect it.

7- Environmental impacts of the Malaysia Development Plans

I will examine the environmental impacts of the Ninth Malaysia Plan and all other subsequent national plans. For far too long, the country has focused on the "small picture" such as examining the environmental impacts of projects only and discharges from factories. It is time that we started looking at how our major policies, programmes and plans are affecting the environment. For example, we can't blame a farmer for opening farm land in Cameron Highlands -- our National Agriculture Policy encourages temperate agriculture. We can't blame TNB for building coal-fired power plants -- our Energy Policy explicitly calls for the use of coal.My ministry will study the environmental impacts of the major initiatives under the 9MP so that we can advise the Cabinet appropriately when the 10th Malaysia Plan is drafted in two years' time. I will also push for the adoption of a policy that requires all ministries to be responsible for environmental management within their areas of jurisdiction.

8- Biofuel

I will convince my colleagues in the energy and plantation sectors to review the national strategy on biofuel. 

Although the original intentions were noble, viz to produce more environment-friendly fuel and to rely less on fossil fuels, there is now an increasing body of scientific knowledge that there are unintended adverse consequences. Demand for palm oil and other biofuels is now threatening forest land and many important wildlife species, as well as pushing food prices up to the point where they threaten the welfare of millions of people, especially in the Third World. The benefits of reduced greenhouse gas emission from biofuels are now offset by increased carbon release from deforestation. Given the volume of scientific and economic analysis that is emerging, it is just a matter of time before many developed countries change their biofuel policies, almost certainly reducing demand for palm-oil based biofuels. We need to rethink our strategy now.

9- Water resource management

Too many ministries and agencies are involved in the management of our water resources -- KTAK, NRE, SPAN, JPS, MOA, DOE, PUAS, LUAS, various state agencies and local councils, etc. If you look at our rivers, you will know instantly that we have not got it right. Overlapping and conflicting jurisdictions, gaps, responsibilities without authority, lack of human capacity and the vagaries of the state-federal scope of jurisdiction add to the problem. I will push for a re-examination of these shortcomings, streamline the roles and responsibilities of the various agencies, and push for greater responsibility of state governments in water resource management. I will also give emphasis to the many grey areas such as catchment management and protection, sullage discharges, riparian reserves, quality of surface runoff, and protection of river aquatic life.

10- Environmental awareness and education 

I will ask the prime minister to insist that all ministries, departments and various statutory and non-statutory agencies, as well as all Members of Parliament, are aware of environmental policies that have been adopted in the country. I will work with the Education Minister to infuse greater environmental understanding into the school curriculum.  While there is some ongoing effort in this respect, this is not enough. We need to nurture teachers who are "environmentally-sensitive" -- hence the need to expand environmental education in teachers' training. In short, we need an environmental education policy, and then we need to consistently implement that policy. There are so many things to do and so little time or resources. To ensure follow through, I will establish a Performance Monitoring Unit that reports directly to me, with a brief to monitor performance, identify where actions are slow or neglected and where laws and rules are not being enforced. We cannot live without our environment to support us and it deserves better treatment than we are currently giving it. We have a big job to do and the sooner we put more resources and effort into it, the better for all our futures.

• This article was prepared bythe Policy Reserach Unit of ERE Consulting Group

for sharing purposes; Copied from NST Online; 25 October 2008

Selamat Menyambut Aidil Fitri -1 October 2008

Aku tak lupa akan Fitrah diri ini

Di alam fana semesta ciptaan Illahi

Dulu lagi, kini dan selamanya....

Ayah bonda sanak saudara ku

Engkau, dia dan mereka semua yang ada

Mohon restu illahi, ampun maaf jua dipinta

Dalam menyambut Aidil Fitri mulia.

Dept heads can give nod for second job

By Farah Naz Karim ; NST Online 29/09/2008

PUTRAJAYA: Civil servants who want to take on a second job to supplement their income now need only to seek approval from their heads of department. Public Service Department director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam said civil servants must ensure that their part-time work did not interfere with their responsibilities to the service. To expedite the approval process, he said heads of departments could use their discretion to allow their employees to work part-time instead of seeking the nod from the PSD, as was the requirement previously.  "The government understands the pressures they are facing in light of the challenging economy and this move would definitely ease their burden," he told the New Straits Times yesterday. Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) president Omar Osman, in welcoming the decision, said his organisation had appointed representatives within the civil service to ensure that public servants who worked outside office hours did not abuse the privilege. He said they had been told to only start their part-time job after five and make sure they stopped by midnight. "We do not want our members to work till the break of dawn and when they reach their office the next morning, they start looking for storerooms to sleep." He said the one-step approval was appreciated as it would allow civil servants to quickly get started on their second job. At least 100 civil servants have applied for permission to do part-time jobs or run a petty trade. Among jobs they have applied to do are giving lectures and tuition, driving taxis, breeding fish, working as petrol station attendants and setting up stalls at night markets. The PSD expects more applications from the 800,000 government employees. In June, the government opened the door for them to supplement their income in view of the rising cost of living. Cuepacs has estimated that 450,000 civil servants earning between RM750 and RM1,500 a month are badly affected by rising prices, especially the high cost of fuel and food. In the private sector, some employees are moonlighting to make ends meet. Malaysian Employers Federation executive director Shamsuddin Bardan had said that there were employees in the private sector who were holding part-time jobs or second jobs without the knowledge of their employers.

Raring to make changes

By M. KRISHNAMOORTHY; The STAR Online September 14, 2008
The new Immigration director-general is set on improving efficiency and stamping out corruption at all levels.
CHANGE was the word uppermost in Datuk Mahmood Adam’s mind as he walked into his seventh floor Putrajaya office on July 21.
As the mass of new faces greeted him, the shocking detention and indictment of the previous director-general of Immigration on allegations of corruption was also in his thoughts.
Mahmood: 'It is a sin to take any form of bribe'
“My main task is to wipe out corruption and maladministration both of which the department is always accused of. Changes are needed in all areas of the department.
“Most of all, I need to change the way my colleagues think,” the new Immigration director-general said in an interview last week.
Among the first things he did was to change the department’s operation style to enhance better cooperation and boost staff morale.
But administrative efficiency aside, his main focus would be on wiping out corruption.
“I have been sent here on a mission. I have to meet the high expectations of the Government,” he said.
The Immigration Department is certainly not a new place for the 55-year-old DG. He was posted to the department in October 1976 when he was a young administrative officer.
Going into his second month as the DG, Mahmood has already introduced 26 changes to bring about better efficiency and transparency. One of the obvious changes is his noticeable presence.
The DG mixes freely with the staff and is often seen checking on queues at the counters several times a day. On Monday, he was seen on the crowded second floor, mingling with people waiting for visa extensions and employers seeking approvals for their workers.
Walking straight into a group of people holding immigration documents, he asked one woman who was waiting for her workers’ visa renewals: “How long have you been waiting?”
“One hour, I don’t know how much longer I will have to wait,” she replied.
The DG managed to pacify her with his smile and an assurance that the department was working on improving the system to reduce the waiting time.
As he turned around, N. Bala_krishnan, a manager of an outsourcing company greeted him.
“Thank you, Datuk. It is now much easier and faster to get approvals for visas. We used to wait for seven days but now it takes only three days,” he said.
Malaysian Indian Restaurant Owners Association president Datuk R. Ramalingam said the new system allowed members of the organisation to deal directly with the department, compared with the previous system.
“The department now encourages employers to come forward themselves, eliminating the agents and their hefty commissions. Our applications for workers are certainly processed faster,” he said.
As soon as Mahmood took over, he met the various associations and organisations involved in bringing in foreign workers. Then he sat down with his top officers and found solutions to the problems. The officers were told that there should be no more delays in processing and approving applications.
According to him, the problems arose because systems were not put in the right place.
“My focus is now on getting the systems right. I have set up a one-stop centre committee which meets at 5pm daily to iron out problems in the head office and in the state and branch offices.
Mahmood, who has notched 32 years in the civil service, has served in various capacities in the Prime Minister’s Department, the Public Services Department, the Defence Ministry, the Foreign Ministry and also in the administration of Parliament.
The father of two who also has two grandchildren, has been living with his retired assistant headmistress wife in a double-storey link house in a low-income neighbourhood for the past 25 years.
Mahmood, who is serious in his war against graft, has this to say: “It is a sin to take any form of bribe to process or speed up applications

Progress and shortfalls

The Special Task Force to Facilitate Business (Pemudah) is 19 months old. Its co-chairmen Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, who is Chief Secretary to the Government, and Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers president Tan Sri Yong Poh Kon talk TO R. NADESWARAN and TERENCE FERNANDEZ about the journey SO FAR.
What has the Pemudah Task Force to show for in the 19 months since its inception?
Special Task Force to Facilitate Business (Pemudah), co-chairmen Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, who is Chief Secretary to the Government.
Mohd Sidek: To date we have managed to address about one-third of the concerns brought up by private sector members. A work plan has been drawn up to ensure that other concerns are addressed within the next two years. The Task Force is also focusing on monitoring improvements that have been put in place.
Yong: The Task Force is working on more complex issues which involve assessment and review of policies such as the FIC Guidelines, government procurement and the logistics industry.
Mohd Sidek: This is in line with the mandate from the prime minister to ensure that all regulations are clear and transparent.
Are much of Pemudah’s achievements due to political will of administrators and the politicians?
Mohd Sidek: The establishment of Pemudah is a reflection of political will at the highest level to improve the public service delivery and enhance competitiveness.
The Task Force could not have achieved this level of success if not for the commitment of the ministries and agencies. I must commend my colleagues from the public sector for accepting the challenges presented to them in the form of constructive criticism and proposals forwarded by Pemudah.
Has this political will been enhanced by the results of the general election?
Mohd Sidek: There has always been political will to improve. Even before the setting up of Pemudah, the civil service was guided by a set of guidelines to improve delivery. But, given the increasing intensity of global competition, there was the realisation that we need to hasten the improvements.
Yong: This became more of an imperative, given Malaysia’s global competitiveness rankings.
But has the election results influenced the way civil servants now deal with the public? You cannot deny that the standards of the civil service was why many voters voted the way they did.
Mohd Sidek: We have always been receptive to public grouses and suggestions. The difference now is that we are more open in our engagement with the private sector and the public. Of course, as chief secretary, I made it my mission to ensure that the civil service listens to its public. I articulated loudly: "Be more people-centric and no wrong door policy."
But you can’t deny that there are areas where you have fallen short such as local councils.
Mohd Sidek: Pemudah has been in existence for only 19 months. I am pleased with what we have achieved so far.
Departments are unilaterally reviewing processes and procedures as a matter of course. But yes, there’s still a lot to be done and we will ensure that this drive for improvements becomes systematic.
Not too long ago, the Prime Minister launched warkahuntukpm.com.my to encourage the rakyat to give feedback on improving the civil service. What is the progress?
Mohd Sidek: As the name implies, warkahuntukpm is a letter for the prime minister and he answers the mails he receives as best he can.
Does he read all the e-mails?
Mohd Sidek: Do you expect the chief secretary to read ALL his e-mails?
No, due to the nature of the e-mails which are complaints and feedback. It would be downright impossible to expect you to look through every single correspondence.
Mohd Sidek: So if that’s the case, you can’t expect the PM to be reading all e-mails. It is impossible. He is bombarded by hundreds, perhaps thousands of mails. But everything regarding policy he answers! But those which can be easily answered by others, such as myself, he delegates. Last week, PM asked me, "KSN, warkahuntukpm is being handled, right? And I said: "Yes, Dr Chua (Hong Teck), director-general of the Public Complaints Bureau (PCB) is handling it.
But you do read all your e-mails.
Mohd Sidek: Ah… I am exceptional you know! But in my case, it is very specific but you must remember the PM is head of Umno, the head of the coalition, the head of the Finance Ministry and the country! I tell you that man works too hard! He is 68 years old and that man does not seem to sleep and he is very obliging! You must be fair to the man.
Yong: Yes, everything is chop-chop-chop! One meeting after another!
Mohd Sidek: If it were up to me, I’d prefer the PM to sleep in and rest, come to work at 10am, but no, he is up and about at the crack of dawn! He tells me there’s just so much to do!
Why do you need so many levels of engaging public feedback, what with the PCB, Pemudah and warkahuntukpm?
Mohd Sidek: It is the same thing. But the PM wants to personalise the complaints structure, to show the public that he takes a personal interest in their problems and he does!
One cannot fault the PM or you for delegating duties but you must ensure that the people going through these e-mails will inform and brief you on matters of great concern; also is there a lack of talented generals whom the PM can delegate duties to?
Yong: The DPM is good. The people he is surrounded with are very good! Take Tan Sri Sidek for instance. He takes on a lot of these responsibilities.
So, who checks on the PCB? A complaint goes there and doesn’t move for two weeks! This is a real experience of ours concerning a complaint regarding Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).
Mohd Sidek: If you don’t get payment for a government contract, who do you go to? The Treasury not PCB. You take the easy way out by going to PCB! What on earth do you expect Dr Chua to do? If City Hall cannot control its own contractors, what do you want PCB to do?
Then why have PCB in the first place? Bungkus the department-lah!
Mohd Sidek: Because it is like a one-stop centre (for complaints). But sometimes this one-stop centre doesn’t work, it stops! So this is what I as co-chairman of Pemudah am trying to address. It’s all about integrity. If every department does its job, PCB included, you will have fewer issues. How many times have I mentioned this in Pemudah! (Kuala Lumpur Mayor) Datuk Hakim Borhan cannot have 20,000 people attending to all construction sites.
Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers president Tan Sri Yong Poh Kon Yong: The PCB has a close working relationship with Pemudah so that there is no duplication of work. The Pemudah secretariat deals with business-related issues, while PCB deals with non-business complaints.
A short-cut to getting results is that you catch one person and "hang" him. Make him an example and others will toe the line. The trouble is no one wants to make an example of anyone.
Mohd Sidek: Therefore, what the PM wants to do is enforce! Integrity: enforce! Sometimes it is difficult as those people are our friends but what to do? (Referring to the recent charges of corruption on Tourism Malaysia director-general Datuk Mirza Mohammad Taiyab and Immigration director-general Datuk Wahid Md Don).
Recently one department lost a laptop valued at RM4,500. I received an e-mail suggesting we hold an inquiry to ascertain the loss of the laptop when it was already established that the laptop was lost while in the custody of the company that sold it to us. I then received a request to write off the loss. I said, "why write-off? You must get the company to compensate".
And we did and the company has replaced the computer.
So, I told these secretaries-general and deputy secretaries-general: "You must enforce the government’s right!"
Not many of us want to do this. That’s why you see bangunan tak siap, you still pay! Bangunan lousy, you still pay! What is this nonsense? So it’s enforcement, enforcement, enforcement!
This is the malaise in the system. You get the computer in April, you only find out it needs repairs in August!
Mohd Sidek: I am pushing the government hard, but I am also pushing the private sector hard! My TV was not working and I was told that it would take four weeks. I said unacceptable! It should be done in one week!
Yong: Tan Sri Sidek is chairing a few meetings on government procurement. The PM had asked him to look into this. Like how in the private sector, you have procurement departments whose only job is to procure. So we are looking into establishing some specialisation in government procurement in the public sector, because if done properly, it is big savings to the government.
As far as the complaints are concerned, there are various avenues. Tan Sri Sidek is saying it is far better to go to the source of the problem as they have the capability to respond and enforce. Each individual department must be geared up to respond and make the changes.
Generally, the private sector, we think, is happy with the changes, but we expect the same level and speed of change in other areas too.
Yong: It is best to harvest the low lying fruits as opposed to the bigger ones. In the beginning, there was a lot of scepticism. Even the private sector members of Pemudah were unsure. But as the months went on, the top civil servants felt empowered to propose many changes. A lot of changes you see is not private sector-initiated but were the brainchild of the public sector. This is the progress! Our signals will be the annual World Competitiveness Report and the World Bank Doing Business Report – which we have improved by five steps. So this is how … we benchmark against the best countries.
Among the criticisms against Pemudah is that it is too business-centric. What does world competitiveness mean to the man in the street?
Yong: We have found this to be the case that initially, a lot of business-centric issues were raised, but as you would notice, many of these issues flow down into the public sector as well. When we talk about work permits, passport renewals, if we make it easy for expatriates, we must make it easy for the locals too. One indicator for the World Bank is registering property – it applies to ordinary people who are registering their property, not just businesses or factories or foreign investors. It used to take 180 days, now after a brainstorming between the directors and offices of land and mines departments and the National Productivity Board … they analysed every procedure and chopped the bottleneck to condense it to 41 days.
Mohd Sidek: While the initiatives undertaken by Pemudah are aimed at facilitating business, they also benefit the man in the street such as tax refunds in a month; low risk business operators can start their business immediately upon application and receiving the go-ahead from the local council.
Yong: Another significant improvement that has far-reaching effects is facilitating the interface between the ordinary citizen and government – the e-payment system.
Mohd Sidek: The infrastructure to enable e-payment is in place so you can pay via credit or debit card, internet banking, etc. You can renew your drivers licence, road tax and even settle summonses on-line. You can also settle your assessment on-line at most local councils.
In October, Pos Malaysia will be the one-stop agency for government’s revenue collection. We call it Pospantas. But counter services will still be made available to those who prefer to make payments the conventional way. It must be pointed out that an efficient business environment will have the impact of lowering the cost of doing business. This will see benefits flowing to the citizens.
That’s very good but land office and local councils are still in need of change.
Mohd Sidek: Forget that you think immigration has done well. They have, but there are those who are still holding on to the old mentality. Likewise, the opposite is true for land offices.
I was appointed Pemudah co-chairman on Sept 3, 2006. I was called up by the PM the following day and he said: "land and local councils". Because that is where the rubber meets the road!
You adopted MPAJ (Ampang Jaya Municipal Council). You took a bet with us that things will be better but the situation is just as bad. You owe us a makan!
Mohd Sidek (laughs): That one, it is state authority. I cannot go in there. The last time, the state and federal governments were the same. But I can confidently say that we receive fewer complaints on MPAJ than before our intervention.
The governments can change, but you are still the KSN!
Mohd Sidek: No it is different now as they may be under a different directive. It is difficult to intervene in a situation like that.
If that’s the case, what about DBKL? It is still under federal administration. People are unhappy with it. The results of the general election reflect this, where 11 of the 12 seats went to the Opposition!
Mohd Sidek: Suffice to say, I am monitoring these departments and they have no excuse not to improve! At our last meeting on July 31, we decided to adopt DBKL.
Yong: The issue of City Hall has come up repeatedly in our meetings and the election result was an indication of the people’s feelings towards how DBKL is run. And we are putting a lot of emphasis on City Hall to improve it.
They don’t allow us to attend residents meetings; they don’t consult the people and just push things through! Objection period is so short. This is what makes people angry. If they don’t buck up, they will lose the 12th seat!
Yong: We have brought this up and the message has trickled down. Trust me, there are many who want to initiate change from within the respective departments. The civil service is the civil service! Politics should not come into the equation.
So why should the civil servants in Pakatan Rakyat (PR) states (in relation to MPAJ and DBKL) be any different now?
Yong: I think this is a transition period. It will take some time. Whatever the government of the day is the government of the day but the civil service is civil service and must perform according to expectations.
Or are you adopting the attitude that since the new PR governments would want to prove themselves, you leave the running of the civil service in the state departments to them?
Mohd Sidek: We have to follow the constitution. Some are in the state list, some are in the federal list. Local authorities are in the state list and state governments must be given all the powers to do what they are supposed to do. Those in MPAJ are the employers of the Selangor government. The ones in Ampang Jaya cannot be transferred to Subang Jaya! But council presidents, I have jurisdiction.
But yet they don’t care so much for the federal bosses. It is still the mentri besar who calls the shots.
Mohd Sidek: The federal authorities’ jurisdiction is only supervisory but the chief secretary may transfer state officials who are on the federal payroll. Even if the OSC (One Stop Centres) refuse to do it, we can’t do anything. Except if the Special Committee on Local Governments headed by the deputy prime minister instructs it, they must follow.
So the Achilles Heel of the government administration is the local council?
Mohd Sidek: This is an area we can definitely improve. This is what I have been pushing for really hard. A lot of focus is on local authorities. I visited all local authorities in the country and told them: "as far as the rakyat is concerned, the government is you!"
"Forget about elections, how you perform is the reflection of the government of the day."
This is something that I am very passionate about, we are serious about this and action is being taken to help deter people from engaging in abuse of power or graft or inaction.
Some of them are not taking money not because ACA is there, but because they themselves believe it is wrong!
You must name and shame them!
Mohd Sidek: When Wahid Don and Mirza were charged, is that not naming and shaming? If I have to choose between an officer who is very efficient but lacks a little bit of integrity and an officer who is a bit slow, not very efficient but whose integrity is intact, I will go for the latter. But if a person has integrity, that usually means he is also very efficient.
But you cannot just hang people. If he ends up innocent, then how? I know-lah you people want blood, but if we find out that fellow is innocent, we would have spilt innocent blood.
(But) the big stick is being wielded and I think I am getting more secretaries-general behaving like me, it is rubbing off!
Yes, we have heard of senior people being demoted by you.
Mohd Sidek: Yes. It is happening. One person was demoted recently for going against our policy on direct negotiations. So I am acting.
And what of those who are proven innocent? Will there be a place for them once the courts release them?
Mohd Sidek: No. They have no place in the civil service. Although they may escape the courts, the civil service has simpler standards. They have no place. Sadly, you cannot compromise on these things. Once we start compromising on these things, we are finished!
fr The Sun2Surf Updated: 01:08AM Thu, 21 Aug 2008