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Showing posts with label Civil servants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Civil servants. Show all posts

Sunday, October 20, 2024

Have they, not just politicians, civil servants no shame?

 With billions being spent on Budget 2025, it is important that the money reaches the people, and is not siphoned off by the corrupt and kept in ‘safe houses’. Good must triumph.


Dorairaj Nadason


I HAVE always loved spy stories. You know, the type where the hero kicks some serious butt and takes out the bad guys before rescuing the pretty scientist they are holding hostage.

The pretty hostage and the spy make their way to a safe house where she is debriefed and secrets are revealed. Then the hero and scientist go to some island in the sun where the hero “de-briefs” the scientist in another way. But hold on, I am going off on a tangent.

What I am really on about is that I have always thought of a safe house as a place where hostages and intended victims of killers are taken to stay safe.

Or places where kids bullied and mistreated by some cult are taken to be kept safe from the bullies, or parents who handed them over to the culprits.

In Malaysia, we have more. Here, we have safe houses that are literally houses that double up as safes.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) people raided a few houses belonging to a politician recently. They were “safe houses” holding close to RM5.5mil, both in local and foreign currencies.

Why would a person stash so much money away in a house and not put it in a bank account? Was it some ill-gotten gain? Or was it money to be used on the sly for some other reason?

First things first, though. We have not been told who the politician is and he is obviously innocent until proven guilty, and we do not know if there is more to these raids and seizures than meets the eye.

But one thing is certain. Corruption among politicians has for long been a big thing in Malaysia. And almost none would accept their guilt.

Scores of them – from both sides of the divide – have been charged and most of us believe that it is only the tip of the iceberg.

It’s not just politicians. Civil servants have also been caught with houses serving as safes.

Just last month, nearly RM800,000 in cash was found in the bedrooms of two Immigration Department officers who were caught for “counter setting”.

One of them had close to RM250,000 hidden under a mattress. Apparently, people still do keep money under mattresses and pillows. My late mother used to do that, but a quarter of a million?

MACC folk have seized more than RM1.5mil in their raids against dirty Immigration officers, according to chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki.

And who can forget the Sabah water scandal, where two senior officers in the state agency were arrested? Some RM52mil in cash was seized, RM3mil of which was in a safe deposit box in a suspect’s office with more in a “safe house”. There were also jewellery, luxury watches, cars and even land grants.

Here are some statistics, as given by MACC’s director of monitoring and coordination Mohamad Tarmize Abdul Manaf:

From 2019 to 2023, 2,163 public servants were arrested for corruption. This was 43.3% – almost half – of total arrests made by the commission. Of that number, 1,347 (62.2%) were arrested for soliciting and receiving bribes.

Oddly enough, 21 (1%) were arrested for offering and giving bribes.

Tarmize says there are many reasons why public servants should not take bribes. There’s the shame of being arrested, jail terms that can be as long as 20 years, and there are huge fines of up to five times the value of the bribe.

They can even be named and shamed in the MACC portal. Worse, civil servants will not only lose their jobs but also their pensions.

So why do they still do it?

Does the lure of extra money really overshadow the punishments they potentially face? Or are they paid so little that they need to find extra funds to survive? In just over a couple of months, civil servants will get a hefty pay hike. Will that bring down corruption?

I am not sure, but most would agree that corruption is a serious matter in Malaysia.

In 2023, we ranked 57th out of 180 countries in the Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index with a score of 50, up from 47. A year earlier, we were ranked 61st.

There has been an improvement, but obviously, we have a long way to go.

Take our southern neighbour. In the same index, Singapore was ranked the fifth least corrupt country and remains the only Asian country ranked in the top 10. Even its politicians would not dare to be dishonest.

Earlier this month, S. Iswaran, a senior Cabinet minister in the republic’s government, was sentenced to 12 months in jail.

His offence? He accepted gifts worth more than S$403,000 (RM1.32mil) while in public office. The gifts included tickets to the Formula 1 Grand Prix, a Brompton T-line bicycle, alcohol, and a ride on a private jet. There were no huge sums of cash hidden in his house.

It probably would not have been a big deal in Malaysia.

And Iswaran’s response to the verdict? The 62-year-old accepted that he was wrong to accept the gifts, declined to appeal, and went to jail.

There is a sense of shame there. Former Singaporean national development minister Teh Cheang Wan who was investigated in 1986 for accepting bribes even took his own life before he was charged.

Malaysia really needs honest politicians, or at least those who know the difference between right and wrong. Yesterday, a RM421bil Budget was unveiled. It must reach the people, not be siphoned off by corrupt officials.

We will also be celebrating Deepavali in 10 days, and it is a good time to reflect on the integrity of our leaders. After all, Deepavali is also about the punishment of thieves and the corrupt.

The evil demon Narakasura not only tormented the worlds, he kidnapped 16,000 women, and stole the earrings of Aditi, the heavenly mother goddess, and usurped her territories. That was the last straw, and Lord Krishna came to earth to slay him. That was the hero kicking some serious butt.

In some parts of India, they celebrate Deepavali as the day Lord Rama came home after rescuing his wife Sita from the evil Ravana. And that was the hero rescuing the pretty hostage.

Which is why I really like those stories too. Have a happy – and safe – Deepavali.



Related post:

  Budget 2025: Singles, senior citizens to get RM600 Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim tabled the 2025 budget, of which RM335 billion, or 79.6%, .

Monday, August 19, 2024

Civil servants must improve efficiency with new salary system following pay hike


Civil servants have been told to increase their productivity following the salary review of civil servants. In his speech during the 19th Majlis Amanat Perdana Perkhidmatan Awam in Putrajaya today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the increase in salary would not be useful or benefit the country if civil servants were stuck in old habits.

One for the album: Anwar posing with civil servants at the 19th Majlis Amanat Perdana Perkhidmatan Awam (Mappa) at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre. — Bernama
One for the album: Anwar posing with civil servants at the 19th Majlis Amanat Perdana Perkhidmatan Awam (Mappa) at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre. — Bernama


PM wants to see a new spirit in civil servants following pay hike, Have a spring in your step


PUTRAJAYA: Starting next Monday, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wants to see civil servants coming to work with a new spirit and work culture.

Following the increase in wages for government servants, the Prime Minister said he did not want to hear the public asking why they had to wait two hours to get a licence and up to two weeks for other matters.

Anwar also said department heads who failed to report misconduct by their subordinates would face disciplinary action.

“For example, there are headmistresses who wanted to protect the school’s image and didn’t even report cases of students being tortured.

“There are also department heads who did not report their subordinates with extraordinary wealth.

“Therefore, if it is proven, these department heads will not be promoted,” he said during the 19th Majlis Amanat Perdana Perkhidmatan Awam (Mappa) yesterday.

Anwar earlier announced a 15% pay raise for officers under the implementing, management and professional groups and a 7% hike for officers in top management and professional roles.

He also instructed department heads to constantly implement job rotations to prevent incidents of misconduct among public officials.

Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said civil servants must ensure services to the public are aligned with their core responsibilities to avoid a waste of expertise.

“I want this issue to be reviewed by the relevant ministries to ensure that our resources are realigned to where they are needed,” he added.

He also warned businesses not to take advantage of the recent salary hike to raise the prices of goods.

“I also hope the private sector, especially companies that record high profits, will follow the government’s move to raise salaries to appreciate the services and sacrifices of their employees,” he added.

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Thursday, August 15, 2024

Fighting misconduct, corruption in spirit of Merdeka



PUTRAJAYA: While the fluttering of the Jalur Gemilang and shouts of independence (Merdeka) grow louder as National Day approaches, this patriotic spirit would be more meaningful if it were translated into action by citizens joining the government to free the nation of corruption and abuse of power.

In the past, the people were willing to risk their lives to fight the colonisers to free the homeland. Today, citizens must be brave in taking action against those who give and receive bribes for the honour of the nation towards ensuring the country continues to progress and gain respect globally.

Indeed, fighting this "enemy within" is not easy, but it can be achieved through integrity and public participation, supporting the government's committed efforts to combat corruption and abuse of power.

Moreover, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has repeatedly emphasised the need to fight those who steal or rob the nation's wealth, regardless of rank or age.

Therefore, Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) chairman, Tan Sri Dr. Ismail Bakar urges all Malaysians, whether in the public or private sector, to embody the spirit of independence in conjunction with the 67th National Day by courageously opposing misconduct and corruption to uphold the dignity of the nation.

He said the government's aspiration is for civil servants to have high integrity, ensuring that there is no more leakages in the management of government finances, thus improving the delivery system of services to the people.

"There should be no more injustice in public service delivery, no more favouritism. This is the spirit of independence from the perspective of integrity. It means that if we have a free spirit, we are free to receive government services fairly and equitably without the need to participate in government project tenders that require middlemen," he told Bernama in an interview recently.

Ismail said that if the public service delivery system is transparent, the government's allocations will be fully utilised for projects without any leakage, thus ensuring that the people fully benefit from the allocations.

"Government projects are funded by the people; if there is leakage, the people have to pay back, the lifespan of the project becomes shorter, and the quality declines. Eventually, the project requires additional maintenance costs. There is no funding due to leakage, so the government has to borrow and raise taxes. Therefore, corruption and integrity issues need to be viewed from a broader perspective," he said.

He added that significant losses of national revenue can occur due to negligence in government agencies, such as at ports and entry points, and the presence of elements providing protection to illegal activities and the underground economy.

"In line with the National Day theme, 'Malaysia Madani - Jiwa Merdeka,' EAIC appeals to all government agencies with power to engage in self-reflection.

"We need to reflect on whether what we have been doing is right, especially for agencies with the power to act but instead protect activities that harm society and the nation by losing opportunities to generate revenue by protecting illegal activities. I believe this is a serious betrayal of the King," he said.

He said that every civil servant is appointed by the King through the Constitution, and if they lack integrity by protecting illegal activities such as gambling, prostitution, and drugs, they are betraying their appointment and the current government.

"If there are those involved, whether department heads or others, please embrace the principles of the National Day spirit towards a clean and progressive Malaysia. Reflect and ask yourself if you are satisfied with the issues of leakage, corruption, and integrity," he said.

He stressed that fighting corruption and misconduct is everyone's responsibility, whether department heads, politicians, or all branches of government, including the executive, legislative, and judiciary, in upholding the spirit of integrity and refraining from corruption.

Ismail underscored that efforts to enhance the level of integrity among civil servants begin with the appointment process and that if the appointment to a position is done correctly and in accordance with the law, it ensures that integrity is better instilled at the public service level.

He also said that the role of schools in providing knowledge and exposure on integrity needs to be strengthened, and parents should educate their children about not taking what doesn't belong to them, mutual respect, and not encouraging the culture of paying bribes to get tasks done.

Ismail emphasised that achieving a respected nation requires more than economic progress and development as it is also essential for civil servants to be respected for their high level of integrity, setting an example for other countries.

"Foreigners look at Malaysia based on the strength of its civil servants. Good civil servants reflect the country's development. I'm sure that if the civil servants are not up to the mark, the country will not progress.

"I want to see Malaysian civil servants known worldwide as individuals with integrity who can contribute to the nation's development," he said. -- BERNAMA


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Wednesday, November 30, 2022

How much is the pay to that MP in the Dewan ? At least RM25,700 per month each


Here’s a look at the pay and allowances our elected reps get, and it’s a pretty sweet deal.

I AM writing this week’s column on Monday, a public holiday, courtesy of our newest Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

We can thank YAB for it but let this be his last “playing to the gallery” crowd-pleasing act. It was a nice but unnecessary gesture. In fact, it was more disruptive, especially to businesses and schools, than helpful. 

Not everyone’s happy with sudden public holidays

Instead, what we need from Anwar and his government is hard evidence that they will be able to effect changes that can finally bring about Malaysia Baru. And it starts with how he assembles his Cabinet which he assures us will be lean and mean. But we also want ministers who are people of calibre, intelligent, efficient and with integrity.

On that, everyone – from politicians, commentators, academics and NGOs to retired civil servants and the public – has his or her take on it. Whether Anwar has had the time to watch or read the deluge of advice, suggestions and even veiled threats is something else. He’s keeping it very close to his chest; we don’t even know who his closest and most trusted advisers are.

Anyway, Aunty here will refrain from joining the “can I advise you something” cluster. Instead, inspired by Anwar’s promise to cut his and his minister’s salaries and allowances, I will take a look at how much our elected representatives are worth in terms of pay and allowances.

This is an issue that’s been close to my heart ever since I wrote a feature article published in The Star on March 31, 1989, in which I compared the rewards given to politicians versus civil servants.

Politicians were not entitled to pensions or gratuities until the passing of the Administration and Members of Parliament (Pensions and Gratuities) Act 1971.

That Act was repealed and replaced by the Members of Parliament (Remuneration) Act 1980 [Act 237] which provides for pensions, gratuities, benefits and allowances.

Various people, including MP for Muar and former Youth and Sports minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman, have raised the issue of pension entitlements and allowances for assemblymen, MPs and ministers, which Syed Saddiq claimed could exceed RM100,000 per month for some.

Both MPs and state assemblymen (adun) are paid salaries and enjoy many allowances and benefits. There is an even longer list of rewards for the PM, DPM and Cabinet ministers but due to space constraints, I will focus on what serving MPs get.

Now, there is no denying our elected representatives have a lot of work to do and they should be rewarded accordingly. But are they being over-compensated? What are these benefits and allowances?

You can find them in Statute Paper 235 of 1983 on the Official Portal of Parliament of Malaysia (bit.ly/malaysia_mp).

First off, an MP’s monthly salary is RM16,000. He/she also has a phone allowance of RM900 and a fixed travelling allowance of RM1,500 a month without the need to submit any claims.

An MP is also eligible to receive RM400 a day for attending Parliament and RM300 a day for official meetings, workshops, briefings, seminars, etc; a daily subsistence allowance of RM100 while on official duty within the country or RM170 outside Malaysia; food allowance of RM340 for every night spent outside the country; hotel charges of not more than RM400 a night, if the fixed allowance is not enough to cover all these claims.

There is also a “special payment” of RM1,500 a month for MPs who are not a member of the administration as defined under Clause (2) of Article 160 of the Federal Constitution, meaning he is not a minister, deputy minister, parliamentary secretary or political secretary.

If they travel by air on official business, they are entitled to business class seats and every month they get allowances for fuel (RM1, 500), toll (RM300) and entertainment (RM2,500).

They get a driver’s allowance of RM1,500 even if they don’t hire one, so they get paid for driving themselves. Extra benefits include getting a motor vehicle licence or a firearm permit FOC.

There are many other benefits like allowances for medical care, warm clothing, ceremonial and black tie attire; and loans for cars, housing and computers. All in, our MPs are pretty well looked after.

The above salary and allowances, which amount to at least RM25,700, while not really exorbitant, is still a very high income for most Malaysians. What’s more, MPs, after completing 36 months of reckonable service, get a pension after they turn 50.

That’s why it’s important we elect worthy persons to represent us in Parliament and state assemblies because we are their pay masters.

Besides, they are not expected to fork out any of this money to help their constituents. That’s where development funds and grants come in.

However, under both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan governments, whoever was in power discriminated against those in the Opposition in how funds for MPs were allocated.

In 2020, Pakatan government MPs reportedly received RM2mil for development, such as facilities for the community, another RM1.5mil for grants and donations, and RM300,000 to run their service centres. Sabahan and Sarawakian MPs got an extra RM500,000. Opposition MPs got a mere RM100,000 as development funds.

This is patently unfair. Citizens should not be punished for voting for who they want to represent them. Years ago, there were photos of roads being nicely paved in a Barisan constituency that ended right at the border of an Opposition-held seat.

That’s why there have been calls, including from Bersih chief Thomas Fann, that there should be equal constituency development funding. This can be institutionalised by new legislation to ensure the allocation of funds is dispensed by Parliament and not at the discretion of the Prime Minister’s Office.

One of the conditions of Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s government’s memorandum of understanding with Pakatan, signed in Sept 2021, was equal funding for all MPs. That should be still honoured and implemented under Anwar’s government.

If that is in place, we can judge how fairly, responsibly and with full accountability our MPs spend these precious funds for the betterment of their constituencies.

They must also show their attendance record, what they have raised or spoken on in the Dewan Rakyat. We can do that by making it mandatory for MPs and assemblymen to publish their report cards just before the annual Budget session in Parliament.

From my years as a journalist covering Parliament meetings, many MPs are seat warmers who hardly ever speak on anything, spend more time in the cafeteria and lounges and even leave before the day’s sitting has ended. That’s why the hall is often very empty, barely making the quorum of 26 MPs from the total of 222.

Fortunately, there are representatives who do take an active part in the Dewan Rakyat; who study new Bills and debate them; raise issues important to their voters and national interest and are really service oriented; they are on the ground and readily available to attend to the needs of their constituents.

These are the kind of dedicated, selfless MPs with integrity we want and we have no qualms about paying them well. Probably the finest example we have is former MP for Bukit Bintang Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye. In the present generation of MPs, the one seen as Lee’s most likely successor is the much loved and admired MP for Segambut Hannah Yeoh.

I started this column by saying I won’t tell Anwar who to appoint. But in the best political tradition of backtracking, I will say I do want to see Yeoh appointed to a meaningful ministerial post in the Cabinet.

The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own. 

June H.L. WongBy June H.L. Wong

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Angry Malaysians are demanding ministers to take pay cuts as ...

One of the major reasons for this movement to even happen is the fact that many of these ministers - majority of them viewed as incompetent by Malaysians - have bloated salaries.

In 2020, it was revealed that on average, a Malaysian minister makes an average RM55,650 (US$12573) a month. Their salaries include travel, entertainment, housing, and car allowances. And if you're a people's representative, you enjoy additional salary increments.

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