Restore the intention Malaysia Agreement 1963

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Restore intention of M’sia Agreement

Published on: Sunday, October 30, 2016

I REFER to your report “Harris Clears the air over move” ( Daily Express 20 October, 2016) That was over Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution where Sabah and Sarawak were classified as states like other states in Malaya, and not as partners in Malaysia under the Malaysia Agreement 1963.We have been talking about MA63 for some time. Minister Nancy Shukri promised a good deal of action more than a year ago but we are still waiting.
Harris has repeatedly said that Parliament is all powerful to make laws that would apply to all.
Was his comment accurate that “None of the Berjaya leaders had any part in it,”? Did Berjaya have any members of parliament then when Berjaya was formed in 1975 after the Parliament General Elections were held in 1974?
His other comment was “Obviously we had no control over parliament and we were never asked (about the amendment).”
Harris was right as Berjaya did not have any Members of Parliament, but is it “usual” for him as Chief Minister after the Nomad air crash not aware of the amendment? Would there be any excuse after 40 years?
It is timely to be reminded that since 6 June, 1976, the oil in Sabah was gone with PDA Act 144 and oil agreement signed within days and then Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution was accomplished in Parliament on 13th July, 1976 and that is within 100 days of mourning.
Did any of the Members of Parliament on 13 July, 1976 join Berjaya later? If so, any good reason for Harris to take any one of them?
“Datuk Abdul Ghani Gilong (Usno-Kinabalu), re-elected to parliament in 1974 and became involved in the formation of Berjaya with Tun Fuad and Harris at the encouragement of Tun Razak.
He, however, left Berjaya before the election in 1976 and later lost in the 1978 election.”
Was Ghani still USNO members then as listed?
Now are some tough questions that may need the Federal Court and beyond to make appropriate decision over the amendment that caused Sabah and Sarawak to have lost so much financial for decades.
Sabah and Sarawak have their own constitutions and Malaysia has a Federal Constitution with countless amendments for decades possibly in favour of Peninsula Malaysia against the two Borneo states.
There is no Malaysia Act 1963 in the Federal Constitution but one is done in UK Parliament.
The Malaysia Agreement 1963 was signed by 5 parties, but can any agreement be amended by Parliament?
Even for Singapore in 1965, an act of separation was done. There was a vote on the Constitution of Malaysia (Singapore amendment) Bill 1965 to allow Singapore to separate from the Malaysian Federation. It was unanimous, 126-0.
Why was not Article 1(2) of the Federation Constitution also dealt with in 1965 rather than in 1976, when Tunku Abdul Rahman was no longer the PM? So all the afterthought belatedly in 1976 must be rectified in the interest of justice and intention of Malaysia Agreement 1963.
Our prayer is now would the restoration be done for such obvious violation in July, 1976?

Restore the intention Malaysia Agreement 1963

What did Harris try to clear the air over move in Daily Express 20 October, 2016?  That was over Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution where Sabah and Sarawak were classified as states like other states in Malaya, and not as partners in Malaysia under Malaysia Agreement 1963.

Is he trying to come back like Tun Dr Mahathir forming a new political party when Mahathir promised him and Berjaya “Sink and Swim together” in 1985?

We have been talking about MA63 for some time recently and now despite threats of sedition.

Minister Nancy Shukri promised a good deal of action more than a year ago but we are still waiting.

Harris has been saying that Parliament is all powerful to make laws that would apply to all as he has repeated that again.

In this particular case, is there any “guilty” conscience that is playing up?

Was the comment accurate that “None of the Berjaya leaders had any part in it,"?  Did Berjaya have any members of parliament then when Berjaya was formed in 1975 after the Parliament General Elections were held in 1974?

His other comment was "Obviously we had no control over parliament and we were never asked (about the amendment).”

Harris was right as Berjaya did not have any members of parliament, but is it “usual” for him as Chief Minister after the Nomad air crash not aware of the amendment?  Would there be any excuse after 40 years?

It is timely to be reminded that since 6 June, 1976, the oil in Sabah was gone with PDA Act 144 and oil agreement signed within days and then Article 1(2) of the Federal Constitution was accomplished in Parliament on 13^th July, 1976 and that is within 100 days of mourning. 

Now it is a question for Harris.  Did any of the members of Parliament on 13 July, 1976 join Berjaya later?  If so, any good reason for Harris to take any one of them?

“Datuk Abdul Ghani Gilong (Usno-Kinabalu), re-elected to parliament in 1974 and became involved in the formation of Berjaya with Tun Fuad and Harris at the encouragement of Tun Razak.

He however left Berjaya before the election in 1976 and later lost in the 1978 election.” (Borneo Post June 19, 2012). Was Ghani still USNO members then as listed?

Now are some tough questions that may need the Federal Court and beyond to make appropriate decision over the amendment that have caused Sabah and Sarawak to have lost so much financial and otherwise for decades.

Sabah and Sarawak have their own constitutions and Malaysia has a Federal Constitution with countless amendments for decades possibly in favour of the Peninsular Malaysia against the two Borneo states.

There is no Malaysia Act 1963 in the Federal Constitution but one is done in UK Parliament.

The Malaysia Agreement 1963 was signed by 5 parties, but can any agreement be amended by Parliament?  Even for Singapore in 1965, an act of separation was done. There was a vote on the Constitution of Malaysia (Singapore amendment) Bill 1965 to allow Singapore to separate from the Malaysian Federation. It was unanimous, 126-0.

Why was not Article 1(2) of the Federation Constitution also dealt with in 1965 rather than in 1976, when Tunku Abdul Rahman was no longer the PM?  So all the afterthought belatedly in 1976 must be rectified in the interest of justice and intention of Malaysia Agreement 1963.

Our prayer is now would the restoration be done for such obvious violation in July, 1976?

Joshua Y. C. Kong  26 October, 2016

budget 2017

Many questions for the Budget 2017

Malaysiakini gave a headline on “Budget 2017 – bouquets and brickbats” on a vision of the Prime Minister /Finance Minister called National Transformation 2050 and a speech theme of "Accelerating Growth, Ensuring Fiscal Prudence, Enhancing Well-being of the Rakyat".

Bernama’s headline read like “Inclusive, prudent, people-centric”  Star’s headline “A balanced deal during trying times”; New Straits Time called it “Najib unveils pragmatic, caring 2017 Budget”; Daily Express, Sabah is “Budget ensures sustainability: CM”;  New Sabah Times is “2017 Budget ensures nation’s economic fundamentals remain strong – Musa”

So who would get the prize for the best title to Budget 2017?  Maybe it is Malaysiakini as spot on.

Lets go into some of the important points namely the main figures like the 2017 Budget stood at RM260.8 billion, up 3.4 per cent from the recalibrated 2016 budget. Out of that, RM214.8 billion will be for management. The balance of RM46 billion will be for development. Revenue collection will grow around 3 per cent to RM219.7 billion. The fiscal deficit will drop slightly to 3.0 per cent of GDP for 2017 from 3.1 per cent in 2016. Najib said almost RM30 billion has been collected through GST as of Oct. 19, which has help offset the loss of petroleum revenues due to the 50 per cent drop in crude oil prices. He said the GST rate of six per cent would not be raised.

The Federal revenue is dependent on income tax (43.1%) and indirect tax (22.9%) namely largely GST making up 66% of the national revenue when both taxes can be “brickbats” in the ways of collecting such taxes with many grey areas and teething issues especially for GST but “bouquets” to the Government as the substantial adverse lopsided proportion which can tip the balance in difficult economic scenario.

The bulk of the expenditure would be going to management (82.4%) and 40.8% of that to items of emolument (29.7%) and debt services charges (11.1%).  Of course, emolument and debt services charges are likely to increase indicating “brickbats” to the people especially the burdened taxpayers and “bouquets” to those who are recipients of the much bloated civil service.

The biggest “brickbats” unwritten in the budget and always denied by the authorities is the rising prices across the board living needs.  This budget does not address this although some mitigating factors are observed in BRIM and other similar slight reliefs for some groups only.  The other “brickbats” are that most people really cannot afford to pay for the GST almost in most items when once it was non-existent and the switch can be burdensome to many but “bouquets” to the Government which the PM claims is the saviour for Malaysia in 2015/2016.

GST has finally changed many patterns in the conduct of business causing bust or prosperity for some groups.

Is the budget real or realistic when several major items are not addressed?  Would the Finance Minister come out with a detailed list of likely debts bail outs in 2017 and 2018, before he tries to mislead the people of the failure of the Government in the Vision 2020 (perfect vision once) especially the foreign debts had risen sort of uncontrollable in recent decade as it is nearly there with a record RM1 trillions in the recorded debts clock.  Now he tried to carry us onto Vision 2050 even before we have even passed the hurdle of 2020 with sort of achieving the targets set thereof.  Can the PM now draw up a variance of the performance of his Government always blaming on global tempo rather than his own failings?  Please show us where are we now in the context of 2020.

Do we really see this possibility in the theme “"Accelerating Growth, Ensuring Fiscal Prudence, Enhancing Well-being of the Rakyat" in the recent decade going to 2020?

Have the 2017 budget considered the following recurrent or non-recurrent expenditure of substantial amounts such as for example, 1.  in the 2016 budget, a ‘one-off’ payment of RM593 million was allocated to compensate the toll concessionaires for deferred toll hikes under the Minister of Works. In budget 2017, no mention of this item. The federal government has paid RM4.072 billion in compensation to 28 highway concessionaires following the delay or restructuring of toll rates. This was revealed in an answer by the Works Ministry, to Sepang MP Mohamed Hanipa Maidin yesterday. 2. How much money possibly in the dimension of billions of Ringgit would be needed to bail out various national bodies and agencies such as MAS (uncertainty/loss making), Khazanah (unlimited financial commitment to fulfil?), EPF (now going for external bonds/loans), Petronas (selling Canadian project), Proton (now cars sales very down); PFI (over commitments?); PTPTN (reboot fund needed); MARA (funding needed?); 1MDB (debts settlement) and many more for others to enlighten.  3.  Cuts unjustified in certain expenditure could be devastating for the welfare of the people especially the aging demography.

Annual deficit apart, how would the loans be available from any sources to fill in the gaps mentioned in the preceding paragraph?  Would the Government sell more of the national assets to foreigners in 2017 to cover up for the rising deficits?

Now what is in the Budget 2017 for Sabah and Sarawak when Musa Aman said “Budget ensures sustainability: CM” (Daily Express); and 2017 Budget ensures nation’s economic fundamentals remain strong – (New Sabah Times)”

Musa Aman, please guide Sabah and Sabahans to benefit from whatever provisions – financial and otherwise- as most consumers including business people in Sabah do not really take advantage of the reliefs and incentives due to various factors like ignorance, red tape or bureaucracy, flying between KL/Putrajaya and Sabah, time/costs consuming, and most time such funds provided would run out soon missing Sabah as usual as I had attended many seminars on such events.  Sabah being the most backward state in term of industrialisation should be given special allocation and not open to competition with those States in West Malaysia.  Even with the Solar Power Voltaic’s quota, Sabah was left out in the earlier years.  When such quotas do come to Sabah for bidding, only limited amount was allowed for Sabah.  

Musa Aman, please also enlighten us what are the provisions of funds and incentives that can help people in Sabah and no more selective actions please.

The Budget speech mentioned the Pan Borneo Highway in Sabah and Sarawak but no allocation was given.  Would this mean fund had been allocated under 11 Malaysia Plan?

Furthermore, the long list of “goodies” can be constrained when much money is needed for the urgent cases of major bail outs and then such funds allocated for various incentives / reliefs could be diverted to that directions. 

So PM needs to elaborate how you would approach to stop the gaps of deficit budget which can only widen when more bail outs arise and loans not forthcoming.

Another question for the Finance Minister is that would he later raise the standard rate of GST to meet his deficit requirement in 2017?

Joshua Y. C. Kong 22 October, 2016.

Don't let the biggest bust by MACC fizzle off

Don’t let the biggest bust by MACC fizzle off..

With the latest development of questioned reasonableness of fairness or justice arising from the end of extended 14 days or less remand of 4 suspects in Sabah Water Department  held in the socalled biggest bust by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for investigation, it would give the impression that it can be the biggest disgrace or dangerous precedent in the legal front when the bails (deposited or otherwise) of a total of RM1,550,000 cum sureties for such a mega theft of any dimension in the context of alleged Criminal Breach of Trust (CBT), misappropriation, embezzlement, corruption, money laundering, graft, briberies, frauds, abuses of power etc holding high offices.  It was revealed that the 4 suspects were investigated under several critical sections of various statutory laws in the nation and yet such mild treatments were dished out.

Another ”weird” development as reported was when more than 80 witnesses have had their statements recorded by MACC, including three department employees who “voluntarily” surrendered about RM1mil allegedly taken in the process of approving water projects under the RM3.3bil Federal allocations.  Would these three employees be charged later for admission of sort of guilt?

After the State Secretary Wakiman clarified that Director and deputy director would be suspended by the Public Service Commission (PSC) and under what or which category would this be?  Is it one of these such as 1. Where the Director of Public Prosecutions advises no further action against the public officer following a criminal investigation, the responsible officer shall, where the officer was under interdiction in connection with the criminal investigation, reinstate the public officer and inform the Secretary of PSC accordingly, or 2. Where the Director of Public Prosecutions decides to discontinue criminal proceedings against a public officer, the responsible officer shall reinstate the public officer and inform the Secretary of PSC accordingly or 3. They were not allowed back in offices to disturb or destroy records or evidence under investigation or 4. Any other good reasons like questioned political intervention for passage of time to thwart trials?  The State Minister of Infrastructure had made statement like “ innocent until proven guilty” despite piling evidence of massive embezzlement as exposed to play down such heinous crimes against humanity when there is growing desperate needs for water infrastructure in Sabah especially in the rural areas. Such massive funds meant for action were instead retained in meaningless profligacy in some rooms and safe deposit boxes.

With such “lenient” bail conditions including monthly reporting to Police station when such case should warrant more regular attendances.

Would all the punitive provisions under those critical laws for investigation be thrown out of the window with the “babies” after all the hoo-ha and shock over the graft – the Sabah mini version of 1MDB?  Please don’t let the images of such crimes do pay well in terms of ill gotten gains.

With that there go the premature end of the RM3.3billions allocation for the water project in Sabah when 60% or nearly RM2b is alleged to be missing.  Also why in this case only investigation was conducted over RM3.3b when several billions had also been incurred for decades in the water infrastructure?

Would these suspects still counting be brought to the Courts soon as the massive exhibits of ill gotten treasures including cash would be moved to the Courts?  What is the chance of conclusiveness for such massive frauds in the Courts after so long already after several decades in the Water Department?

Would such crimes really pay off for the suspects with short stints with the free treats of “curry rice”?  That treatment so far is so pale to what the authorities treated me as a whistle blower in the USNO era on my straight forward exposure of similar crimes committed by politicians and civil servants.  I could feel there was so much “hatred” emitting from the “poisonous” authorities as some powerful ones were very hurt with my many audit queries working as a young Examiner of Accounts at the Federal Audit Department for a few years worth anything up to RM40m. I cannot disclose the details as works were done under OSA.  I was sort of “tortured” and detained without trial for 11 months for whistleblowing against the corrupted Government then and its “uncultured” napoleons.  Today, unfortunately misinformation on my past episode still is a nasty stigma from some quarters. Yet I have survived against all odds with divine protection to keep me going in this anti-corruption crusade. My case was good deeds but penalised and hopefully the Water case is not sort of “rewarded”.

So what I observe today is that the illegal Government under BN/umno does ‘favour’ people tainted with corruption as evident by the consequences of ‘SILENCE’ of the RCI on Illegal immigrants Sabah (RCI IIS)   and somebody in the Facebook called MACC as MANA ADA CUKUP CURI and YB Siambun said “has clearly breached the principle of a good governance by the Barisan Nasional government of the day.” This happen when the illegal Government is steeply entangled in rottenness in so many matters.  Another person in social media compares the case of theft of RM1 ended with 3 years in jail.

Today with the suspension legal or otherwise and if the case drag on as usually the case, the two senior officers would be paid half pay for doing nothing and so MACC should expedite the case with prompt conclusion to bring back the morale of the civil service at large and faith with MACC.

The Sabah Water Department case had been going on for decades and yet the present case is only on the RM3.3b since 2010 hence a blessing in disguise albeit much delayed for Sabah to rid the corruption culture not only in Sabah but nationwide.  It is indeed God-incidence that I have been writing on the latest episode of Sabah Water Department graft and several more in various important authorities in the pipeline.  The impact of the latest action by MACC must be substantial and perpetuated with support all round.

We need to pray hard to set the nation free from the culture of corruption with the devastation thereof.

Joshua Y. C. Kong   19 Oct 2016

Graft case is akin to “1MDB- Sabah mini version”. updated on 11 Oct 2016.

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Case sounds like mini version of 1MDB

Published on: Sunday, October 16, 2016

THE Daily Express Sunday edition front page headline screamed “Impossible Shafie didn’t know” (9 Oct. 2016).Maybe he knows but he is not telling at this point in time. So if he really did not know, then ask the Prime Minister who would know because there was a Bernama report “New Water Supply Development Project to cost RM52billion – Samy” 20 February, 2004 for Peninsula Malaysia for 2000-2050.
Deputy PM Najib then made another press statement titled “Najib: RM25bil for water works” where it was reported “More than RM25bil will be spent over the next 50 years to replace and upgrade pipelines, storage tanks, and water treatment plants, said DPM Najib. This additional portion of RM25b making it RM77b would be extended to Sabah and Sarawak.
So how much of the approved RM77b had been disbursed since 2000 until 2016? For the Sabah portion since 2010 of RM3.3b, the Auditor General (AG) should have done a full audit on the expenditure allocated.
Did the MACC go into the water department as alerted by the AG? Don’t the Sabah Water Department prepare proper annual accounts?
The news report “Sabah gets top marks for financial Management” New Sabah Times, Dec 5, 2015 where Sabah was awarded 4 stars from the Auditor-General for three consecutive years from 2012-2014.
Why wasn’t the water graft case not detected for such massive amount when the RM3.3b money was allocated from Kuala Lumpur/Putrajaya which should be monitored by the Federal Audit Department even for a State Water Department?
With this development, the whole nation had been failed by the Auditor-General in every aspects as I know that as I used to work for a short spell in the Federal Audit Deaprtment based in Kota Kinabalu.
How much of the RM3.3b actually arrived in Sabah? If the State Water Department maintained proper accounts, it would be revealed instantly even for a few years.
It is indeed very disturbing that “60pc of the project allocation stolen” as reported and that is nearly RM2billion stolen while MACC so far only managed to discover and seize RM300m.
Look at it at another angle, the RM300m could be from the portion of 40pc that arrived in Sabah. So what is what?
Was RM2b stolen before it arrived in Sabah?
If Najib cannot explain, then it is like a small one “1MDB- Sabah mini version” as substantial money has sort of disappeared and unaccounted for. Would MACC really go into the depth of the “Ops Water”?
Would a White Paper be presented in Parliament of all the money so far disbursed of the total RM77b?
If 60pc of the allocation also stolen so far disbursed nationwide, then the Government must be made accountable.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman called for immediate review on procurement procedures, monitoring and financial management of all State Departments and agencies particularly those involving allocations and funds outside the State budget.
State Tourism, culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun, has again called for de-centralisation of decision-making so that the State Government will have the power to monitor federal development funds, including who project contracts are awarded to.
Tan Sri Ali Hamza the Federal Chief Secretary said “he said this was an isolated case while almost all, the other public servants had integrity.
What kind of impression/message would this denial statement provide? If this is an isolated case, then would MACC be expected to proceed to create more “havoc” of the kind of its own for its own agenda as previously ‘dormant’ for decades? Would MACC this time round do similar performance like record busts of grafts in other places in Malaysia where rumours of even greater corruption are rampant too? Sabah is in Malaysia for 53 years and yet we still face such faulty systems when it is beyond system as corruption is borderless and endless in Malaysia for decades.
I am sure Prime Minister cum Finance Minister should know everything as the Sabah water project commenced in 2010 soon after he became PM in 2009.
In view of the ill-gotten gains recovered so far of RM300m and maybe more in the pipeline, the money seized by MACC meant for water project in Sabah must be returned to the Water Department to continue to improve the water needs urgently in Sabah and not returned to Federal coffer and I quote : “On the cash and other funds recovered, Azam of MACC said if the court found the money to be ill-gotten, it would be returned to the Government.
The development of “Ops Water” would be closely observed by the public and should not be swept under the carpet as pressure could be piling from some quarter for a quick premature end.

Graft case is akin to “1MDB- Sabah mini version”. 

Daily Express’s Sunday edition front page headline screamed “Impossible Shafie didn’t know” (9 Oct. 2016).  Maybe he knows but he is not telling at this point in time.  So if he really did not know, then ask the Prime Minister Najib who would know because there was a Bernama press report “New Water Supply Development Project to cost RM52billion – Samy” 20 February, 2004 for Peninsula Malaysia for 2000-2050.  Deputy PM Najib then made another press statement titled “Najib: RM25bil for water works” by Nick Leong where  it was reported “ More than RM25bil will be spent over the next 50 years to replace and upgrade pipelines, storage tanks, and water treatment plants, said DPM Najib.  This additional portion of RM25b making it RM77b would be extended to Sabah and Sarawak.

So how much of the approved RM77b had been disbursed since 2000 until 2016?

For the Sabah portion since 2010 of RM3.3b, the Auditor General (AG) should have done a full audit on the expenditure allocated.  Did the MACC go into the water department as alerted by the AG?   Don’t the Sabah Water Department prepare proper annual accounts?  The news report “Sabah gets top marks for financial Management” New Sabah Times, Dec 5, 2015 where Sabah was awarded 4-star from the Auditor-General for three consecutive years from 2012-2014.  Why wasn’t the water graft case not detected for such massive amount when the RM3.3b money was allocated from Kuala Lumpur/Putrajaya which should be monitored by the Federal Audit Department even for a State Water Department?  With this development, the whole nation had been failed by the Auditor-General in every aspects as I know that as I used to work for a short spell in the Federal Audit Deaprtment based in Kota Kinabalu.

How much of the RM3.3b actually arrive in Sabah?  If the State Water Department maintained proper accounts, it would be revealed instantly even for a few years.

It is indeed very disturbing that “60% of the project allocation stolen” as reported and that is nearly RM2billion stolen while MACC so far only managed to discover and seize RM300m.  Look at it at another angle, the RM300m could be from the portion of 40% that arrived in Sabah.  So what is what?  Was RM2b stolen before it arrived in Sabah?  If Najib cannot explain, then it is like a small one “1MDB- Sabah mini version” as substantial money has sort of disappeared and unaccounted for.  Would MACC really go into the depth of the “Ops Water”?  Would a White Paper be presented in Parliament of all the money so far disbursed of the total RM77b?  If 60% of the allocation also stolen so far disbursed nationwide, then the Government must be made accountable.

Have we sense something like irrelevance for decades now when the Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman's call for immediate review on procurement procedures, monitoring and financial management of all state departments and agencies particularly those involving allocation and funds outside the State budget when Masidi said he has, in fact, made call on various occasions? 

State Tourismculture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun, has again called for de-centralisation of decision-making so that the State Government will have the power to monitor federal development funds, including who project contracts are awarded to.

Tan Sri Ali Hamza the Federal Chief Secretary said " this was an isolated case while almost all the public servants had integrity. 

What kind of impression/message would this denial statement provided? If this is an isolated case, then would MACC be expected to proceed to create more "havoc"of the kind of its own for its own agenda as previously "dormant" for decades?  Would MACC this time round do similar performance like record busts of grafts in other places in Malaysia where rumours of even greater corruption are rampant too?

Sabah is in Malaysia for 53 years and yet we still face such faulty systems when it is beyond system as corruption is borderless and endless in Malaysia for decades.

 I am sure Prime Minister cum Finance Minister should know everything as the Sabah water project commenced in 2010 soon after he became PM in 2009.

In view of the ill gotten gains recovered so far of RM300m and maybe more in the pipeline, the money seized by MACC meant for water project in Sabah must be returned to the Water Department to continue to improve the water needs urgently in Sabah and not returned to Federal coffer and I quote :"On the cash and other funds recovered, Azam of MACC said if the court found the money to be ill-gotten, it would be returned to the Government.

The development of “Ops Water” would be closely observed by the public and should not be swept under the carpet as pressure could be piling from some quarter for a quick premature end.

Joshua Y. C. Kong 11 October, 2016.

Water Department case is still tip of the iceberg albeit the biggest so far in Sabah for MACC

Water Department case is still tip of the iceberg albeit the biggest so far in Sabah for MACC

Am I seeing more and more of this big seizure of RM114.5 m cash by Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission? After decades of desire since leaving school Sabah College in a little known personal crusade against abuses of power, corruption, criminal breach of trust, mismanagement and embezzlement of public funds for decades, at last I see this case had been just waiting to emerge.  Such evil practices long known but now finally exposed in Sabah albeit of a medium scale in a scale of 10 with the high end of billions of Ringgit in many cases in the nation yet to be dealt with, when the Sabah case of "The seizure of RM114.5 million cash is the biggest in the history of MACC since it was established 49 years ago," Azam told a press conference at the MACC Sabah office, here, Wednesday.

I hope MACC conduct thorough investigation on all projects worth Billions of Ringgit nationwide and in this case of RM3.3b for the water project in Sabah, how much actually reached Sabah sector.  I also hope MACC would also scrutinise the TAED project in Tanjung Aru Beach worth much more than the water project.

I believe the “Ops Water” case is still ongoing until more people in the State Water Department would be implicated and arrested with much more assets etc…

The press revealed that “Also seized from them are nine luxury cars, branded watches and handbags, jewellery and 127 Sabah land titles, among others, worth a total of RM300 million.”  On the cash and other funds recovered, Azam of MACC said if the court found the money to be ill-gotten, it would be returned to the Government.

So the process would be still to be concluded in the Civil Court and we would like to know if the money is still with the MACC’s Kota Kinabalu office or it had been “disposed” off otherwise.

I have personally lodged more than 30 Police Reports and also to the MACC office since 2004 worth many trillions of Ringgit of official profligacy but I have yet to see any positive action by the relevant authorities.

Now what I see this water case after more than a decades is pale in comparison with what I did mention in all my bulky Police Reports of thousands of double sided pages of more than two inches done with great personal sacrifices.

As we all know Malaysia is entangled with massive abuses of power, corruption, criminal breach of trust, mismanagement and embezzlement of public funds for decades.  The adverse impact of such “culture” largely denied at most times has been that nothing would move without greasing of the palms of the authorities.

Chief Minister responded to this case with cooperation and how would CM deal with the entanglement of corruption and the downside thereof?

Today, we witness the confirmation of sort of the evil trend of corruption and what else we could expect with the latest development in the State Water Department.

It has been all along that the Water Department is mismanaged for various reasons as there had been little improvement over the decades. Now we would be under the pretext that everything in the Water Department would be alright after the arrest of 4 key personnels when much more is still to be desired.  Would this be so?

With a bit of stretched imagination, when any department is loaded with corruption the consumers would certainly suffer at its mercy.  So it is with the water department at this point in time as how the services of the water department could show remarkable improvement with the balance of the staff which had been so used to the culture of corruption?

Without the continued greasing of the palms at that department, would anyone really be believer that the consumers would be provided with better products and services?  What is the motivation now for them to perform?

Would the Water Department be revamped with renewed motivation of the staff so that the consumers would continue to get quality water regularly? 

I certainly hope that the emergency services for broken pipes be handled urgently when all contractors needing cash with kick backs  to the officer concerned for the emergency services to restore the broken pipes whenever and wherever be  done promptly as the office would have some cash on standby.  Now that such emergency cash could be withdrawn at the office and delay to the repair of broken pipes could be delayed to have adverse impact in water supplies to the consumers.

We cannot pretend that corruption would be resolved with the exposed cases of corruption and maybe a total change of Government would stand a better chance in fight on corruption.  Joshua Y C Kong 7^th October, 2016


Published by DE 10/10/2016

Biggest bust may be tip of iceberg

Published on: Saturday, October 08, 2016

THE seizure of RM114.5m cash by Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission was case just waiting to emerge.

The seizure of RM114.5 million cash is the biggest in the history of MACC since it was established 49 years ago.”

I hope MACC conduct thorough investigation on all projects worth billions of ringgit nationwide and in this case of RM3.3b for the water project in Sabah. How much actually reached Sabah sector.

I believe the “Ops Water” case is still ongoing until more people in the State Water Department would be implicated and arrested with much more assets, etc.

The press revealed that “Also seized from them are nine luxury cars, branded watches and handbags, jewellery and 127 Sabah land titles, among others, worth a total of RM300 million.”

On the cash and other funds recovered, Azam of MACC said if the court found the money to be ill-gotten, it would be returned to the Government.

So the process would be still to be concluded in the Civil Court and we would like to know if the money is still with the MACC’s Kota Kinabalu office or it had been “disposed” of.

I have personally lodged more than 30 Police Reports and also to the MACC office since 2004 of official profligacy but I have yet to see any positive action by the relevant authorities.

Now what I see in this water case after more than a decade pales in comparison with what I did mention in all my bulky police reports of thousands of double -sided pages of more than two inches done with great personal sacrifices.

As we all know Malaysia is entangled with massive abuses of power, corruption, criminal breach of trust, mismanagement and embezzlement of public funds for decades.

The adverse impact of such “culture” largely denied at most times has been that nothing would move without greasing the palms of the authoritie.

Today, we witness the confirmation of sort of the evil trend of corruption and what else we could expect with the latest development in the State Water Department.

It has been all along that the Water Department is mismanaged for various reasons as there had been little improvement over the decades.

Now we would be under the pretext that everything in the Water Department would be allright after the arrest of 4 key personnel when much more is still to be desired. Would this be so?

With a bit of stretched imagination, when any department is loaded with corruption the consumers would certainly suffer at its mercy.

So it is with the water department at this point in time as how the services of the water department could show remarkable improvement with the balance of the staff which had been so used to the culture of corruption?

Without the continued greasing of the palms at that department, would anyone really believe that the consumers would be provided with better products and services? What is the motivation now for them to perform?

Would the Water Department be revamped with renewed motivation of the staff so that the consumers would continue to get quality water regularly?

I certainly hope that the emergency services for broken pipes be handled urgently when all contractors needing cash with kickbacks to the officer concerned for the emergency services to restore the broken pipes whenever and wherever be done promptly as the office would have some cash on standby.

We cannot pretend that corruption would be resolved with the exposed cases. http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/read.cfm?NewsID=2243