Friday 23 October 2009

Auditor General's Report : It's best if you can forget about it

Auditor General's Report : It's best if you can forget about it

The following article is reproduced from Mysinchew.com

You can't believe it, but you have to believe it.

You can't accept it, but you have to accept it.

You are shocked, frustrated and depressed. But you can't escape because you have to face it.
Yes, I'm talking about the Auditor-General's Report. You may remember but it is best if you can forget about it.

Last year, they paid RM5700 for a car jack worth RM50.

This year, a government-owned vehicle consumed a tank of petrol worth RM113 within a few minutes.

Also, a pole platform that cost RM990 was bought for RM30,000;

A thumbdrive that cost RM90 was bought for RM480;

A cabinet that cost RM1,500 was bought for RM13,500;

A flashlight that cost RM35 was bought for RM143;

A welding machine that cost about RM20,000 was bought for RM4,1429.

Besides, they paid RM262,256 for an official car's maintenance fee for four years that cost RM15,197.

Nearly a million ringgit of over payments have been given to some civil servants, causing a total of RM41.01 billion has been spent on emoluments.

A national infrastructure company has been losing money for three years, causing it impossible to redeem the balance of the issued bond amounting to RM7.10 billion.

Even more absurd, a total of RM5.77 billion has been spent in the 179km Rawang-Ipoh double-tracking railway. Averagely, each kilometre cost about RM30 million with the overturn of 32.9%.

What does it mean? It means that: When you are trying hard to tighten your belts, I'm enjoying extravagance!

Feeling distressed? Of course you and I are feeling distressed, but they are happily spending.

Year after year, the people have been paying a lot while corrupt officials have been buying a lot.

Year after year, just like waiting for the announcement of the Academy Awards results, we exclaim and stamp our feet.

But after the release of the report, everything will be back to the square one. No one will bear the responsibility, no one will apologise, no one will resign and no one will face legal sanctions. You keep feeling distressed and they keep feeling happy.

Yes, you may remember but it is best if you can forget about it because the annual Auditor-General's Report is just a toothless tiger!

(By LIM MUN FAH/ Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE/Sin Chew Daily)

1Wrong Malaysia: No prosecutions in Lingamgate

1Wrong Malaysia : No prosecutions in Lingamgate
By : Richard Wee


The following post was reproduced from Loyarburok.com

I am going to write this based on what I see, heard and concluded. So at the end of this article, please tell me if I am wrong or correct.

About 2 years ago, a friend e-mailed a video link of a man on the phone mentioning names of people in the Judiciary. I instantly recognised the man as VK Lingam. (Much later, there was a second video link of the second half of the conversation.) But I am not a 1Video Forensic Expert, so I could be wrong.

In the conversation, I can hear discussion about getting a Tan Sri-ship to the receiver of that call. The man who looked and sounded like VK Lingam had insisted that the receiver of that tele-conversation should get his Tan Sri ship as soon as possible. But I am not a 1Video Forensic Expert, I could have heard wrongly.

Then as I walked out of my office room, I informed my other partners to watch the Video. We laughed at the amount of time this person who sounded and looked like VK Lingam, said the word ‘Correct, Correct, Correct’. But we were also very upset as the Video looked and sounded like a recording of a man fixing up Judicial Appointments of Judges in Malaysia. But then again, I am not a 1 Video Forensic Expert, I may have heard wrongly.

Later, I found out many members of the Malaysian Bar watched this Video, and the lawyers were so upset, that over 2,000 of us handed a memorandum to the Prime Minister demanding a Royal Commission to get to the bottom of this. I was part of that peaceful march and my friend Lee Shih and I were right at the back of that group that morning.

I also recall when a few of us were planning the walk, Lim Chee Wee, George Varghuse and I visited Putrajaya on the Sunday before the Walk, where the 2 gentleman walked from the Palace of Justice to the PM’s Office at Putrajaya, to gauge the distance so that to prepare the walk that week. I was lucky, I did not have to walk that Sunday - Chee Wee asked me to drive his car and wait for him and George at the end of their walk.

But the thought that lingered in my mind as we did our simulated Walk that Sunday was “Is it wrong for us to Walk?”

We then had the Royal Commission where I was asked by Lawasia, an International organisation of Lawyers based in Australia, to attend the Hearing on a watching brief. I watched and heard the testimonies of many people. Some were defensive, some clearly had something to hide, and some were just cocky and dismissive. But my feelings as I listen to the Hearing, was that something was definitely wrong, and that it was likely that the man in the video was in fact VK Lingam. But I am just 1 small Malaysian, I may be wrong.

I thought I was correct at that time. But obviously, I must have been wrong. Despite 2,000 of us who marched that day at Putrajaya, the thousands of comments and articles condemning the content of that Video and more importantly the damning hearing and eventual Report by the Royal Commission; our 1Government - through the 1 and only Public Prosecutor - have today announced that the VK Lingam case is closed and no prosecutions will be carried out.

So, now you can see what I said earlier, I made 1 too many wrong conclusions above. I must be wrong, wrong, wrong as I was clearly not correct, correct, correct.