12
speak up!
THE OBJECTIVES
TO achieve greater unity TO maintain a
among Malaysians democratic way of life
ENOUGH has been said on the government’s
efforts to get to the bottom of the Port Klang
Free Zone scandal. Such a move is said to
be the “new” thinking of our leaders who
believe that the people have a right to know
how their money is being or was spent. While
this scandal is of gigantic proportions, there
is another “mini” version that
has been conveniently forgotten.
Taxpayers’ money amounting to
RM68 million has gone down the
drain with nothing to show.
Those responsible for the
loss are still scurrying along the
corridors of power hoping for a
“new” project or asking for the
bailout of yet another. Some have
established themselves in high po-
sitions, believing their new-found
status will give them immunity CitizenNades
from being held responsible. Oth- by R. Nadeswaran
ers have worked their way into
the woodwork, hoping to emerge
like weevils when the coast is clear. We are
talking about the Paya Indah Wetlands and
the money squandered by the Malaysian
Wetlands Foundation (MWF).
When it opened in 2001, it was touted as
the nation’s premier eco-tourism attraction.
Eight years later, the wetlands (or what re-
mains of it) is a standing monument to the
malaise that has afflicted our nation. It is a
sad reflection of how taxpayers’ money can be
stolen, plundered and pillared with no one be-
ing held accountable. It is an example of how
one could break all the laws in the book and
get away with it because their “godfathers”
appear in all kinds of forms and guises. It is a prepared the audit report by the Internal Au-
mirror of what goes on in our beloved country
accompanied by shouts of “Malaysia Boleh!”
Doesn’t anyone worry that RM68 million
belonging to the people has gone down the
drain? Isn’t anyone making attempts to re-
cover at least part of the money? Shouldn’t
the authorities be using the full brunt of the
law to prosecute those responsible? Shouldn’t
someone be able to tell us how and where the
money went? Shouldn’t the board of direc-
tors be accountable for this colossal loss? No
amount of visits to foreign lands under the
RUKUN NEGARA: THE PRINCIPLES
BELIEF LOYALTY TO KING
IN GOD AND COUNTRY
TO create a just society in
which the wealth of the nation
shall be equitably shared
Standing monuments of apathy
pretext of “helping the oppressed”
is going to atone for the sins
committed locally. No amount of
“doing good” and the publicity that
accompanies it is going to erase
the fact that public money was
misused right under their noses.
Do we have a track record of
vigorously and relentlessly going
after wrong-doers? Do we ensure
that the thieves and robbers of
public money are made to pay for
their crime? As we sit back and
reflect, the question is: “If nothing
is done, will it ever deter others
from squandering more public money?”
Need more be said? Here’s what the judge
hearing a civil suit against the wetlands
foundation which was the recipient of the
RM68 million had to say: “(All) gone down
together with Wetlands … All the companies
dealing with it … Semua bungkus (folded)”,
prompting laughter from the sparsely occu-
pied courtroom.
In the course of the trial, one witness testi-
fied that a due diligence report for the MWF
was to be submitted to the Economic Planning
Unit (EPU). Yet, another witness testified that
he had tried tracking down the persons who
dit Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department.
However, he claimed, because the report was
10 years old, the department was unable to
track the report or verify the persons respon-
sible for preparing it.
There you are, the supposed-guardians
of our money had absconded and abdicated
from their responsibilities. Since so much
public money was being pumped into the
project, did anyone bother to scrutinise pay-
ments? How did they allow one person to sign
all the cheques? Was there such a thing called
THE SUPREMACY THE RULE
OF THE OF LAW
CONSTITUTION
TO ensure a liberal approach TO build a progressive society
to her rich and diverse which shall be oriented to modern
cultural traditions science and technology
accountability? Has anyone been brought to
book for yet another financial disaster?
Yes, we go on shouting slogans about good
governance, accountability and transparency
and yet we don’t practise what we preach.
We tell all and sundry that we have the best
laws, but they are hardly used to bring the
crooks to book. We go on thumping our chests
that we are a developed nation and yet have
third world mentalities. When will we able to
wake up from this slumber to the real world?
When can we tell the whole world that we
mean business when it comes to rules and
regulations? When can we claim that we have
embraced all the traits of a thriving democ-
racy?
letters
letters@thesundaily.com
Work is a better deterrent
IT IS nice to read that the incidence of criminal
acts in Petaling Jaya is now lower. “Crime rate dips
with new strategy” (Aug 21). Besides increasing
patrols and placing beat bases and CCTV cam-
eras at hot spots, the police and the government
should use work as a strategy to fight crime.
Criminals are usually people who do not have
employment, and if they do, they do not earn
enough and do not find satisfaction in their work.
People who are occupied in a purposeful activity
do not think of hurting others. Education is com-
mendable but there are many educated people
who do not respect the law. Work is a better
deterrent to crime.
The government should be less aggressive in
promoting subsidised university education and
make work more attractive to young people
instead. A good number of students who go to
university would be better off working because
they do not really like to study. To accommodate
these students, academic standards have to be
lowered so that they can pass examinations.
But a bigger problem are students in secondary
school who do not have a happy family life, do not
do well in school and are left pretty much on their
own to solve life’s problems. These youngsters
are more open to the influence of bad friends and
follow them on the road to crime.
If good jobs were available to them, they would
stand a much better chance to do well in life.
Instead, what they can find are positions as sales
assistants or waiters for RM2.50 an hour. This is a
shameful pay by any standard, yet many employ-
ers think that it is enough for their workers. They
don’t mind if the workers change every few days
or every week as long as they don’t have to pay
more. Under the circumstances, many criminals
really had no choice.
No room for under-reporting
I REFER to “People’s cooperation vital to fight
pandemic” (Letters, Aug 25). I do not agree with
the writer on certain points. How does he validate
his statement that the government is under-re-
porting cases. The figures declared are based on
confirmed cases per se and as provided by the
World Health Organisation, we can safely multiply
that by 20. So the issue of under-reporting does
not arise.
It is time the writer does some homework
on how viruses behave and the differences
among the different subtypes. Mass closures
on public amenities and entertainment outlets
even for a day or two will result in huge losses
to the business community and government. He
should realise that though Mexico did take such
drastic steps, it had not been able to eradicate
the problem in entirety. And how do we know if
the data revealed by the Mexican government are
indeed accurate.
There are more deaths in Malaysia resulting
from dengue than any other virus that we know
inflicting Malaysians. Do we also shut all construc-
tion and development projects which more often
breed mosquitoes in discarded materials that may
theSun | WEDNESDAY AUGUST 26 2009
COURTESY AND
MORALITY
The answers and solutions cannot come
overnight. There must be a concerted effort to
allow the law to take its course and decisions
are made on the merits of the case and not
because of status or the prefixes to the names
of the culprits. We will wait with bated breath
for that day to come.
The Paya Indah Wetlands scandal involving
people’s money is one of the scores of issues ex-
posed by this newspaper. But those responsible
for the colossal loss are still around – making
or brokering deals. The writer is editor (special
and investigative reporting) at theSun and can
be reached at; citizen-nades@thesundaily.com
The private sector should be more conscien-
tious and pay its workers better. Employers should
realise the value of their employees in building the
company and give them more trust and better
remuneration. If employers paid their workers
better, they would not have to resort to foreign
labour which, in the long run, is much less reliable
and probably more expensive.
If more youngsters were purposefully em-
ployed, and if they saw a clear future, the crime
rate would be much lower.
Proponents of the minimum wage have sug-
gested that RM900 should be the minimum. This
amount, however, is still too low. An employee
must earn enough to pay for board, food, clothing,
entertainment, and also be able to save some-
thing. For the Malaysian environment, RM1,400
would be more like it for a minimum wage.
Besides paying their workers a sufficient
wage, employers should also improve working
conditions, increase mechanisation and provide
better training so that they need fewer employees
who can do a better job. The government should
strengthen the school system so that students are
ready for the job market when they finish school.
Students should know the language well, be good
at maths, speak and write clearly, and have good
general knowledge. Young people who possess
these skills will be an asset to any employer.
If the government continues to aggressively
promote subsidised higher education, and if the
private sector continues to pay pitiful wages,
those youngsters who do not like to study will be
increasingly marginalised and are likely to turn to
crime as a way to assert themselves.
Marisa Demori
Ipoh
house enough water to breed them? We have
to approach the situation in a practical manner
that is not only economically viable but also one
that will not cause panic among the public and
tourists.
Children at hospitals may look healthy to the
writer but he may not realise that not many par-
ents can afford maids and day care. If the parent
is seeking medical attention in a hospital, she may
not have a choice but to bring along the children.
Where else to put them. Has he thought about
that before making conclusions.
The government is doing more than required
to address the situation but it just boils down to
the individual at the end of the day. Blaming the
different agencies for our own ignorance is not
helpful. Basic hygiene, adequate fluid intake and
sufficient supplements can definitely help. The
virus will run its cycle no matter what is done.
This is a fact. The fear now is will it become more
virulent (aggressive) in the near future. We must
be prepared for that if it happens.
Narinder Pal Singh
Shah Alam