“Judges who accept bribes” – Ahmad Fairuz must take action or step down as Chief Justice

The Chief Justice Tun Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim dropped a
bombshell
at the swearing-in ceremony of eight new judicial commissioners in Putrajaya on Thursday when he exposed gross judicial misconduct in the judiciary, including:

	Judges who accept bribes;

	Judges who were often seen socializing with lawyers, prosecutors and corporate figures while hearing their cases in court; and

	Judges who were “constantly angry and foul-tempered”.

Ahmad Fairuz may have to step down as Chief Justice for tarnishing the image of the judiciary if he is not prepared to take action and substantiate his grave charges of judges accepting bribes or guilty of misconduct in  acting unethically in socializing with parties while hearing their cases.

The Chief Justice had used the
plural
when he “hit out at judges who accept bribes”. Had he initiated action  against “judges who accept bribes” under Article 124 of the Federal Constitution for the establishment of the judicial tribunal to remove  these “rogue judges” or at least lodged police reports against them for full investigations to be started?

If Ahmad Fairuz had not initiated any action against “judges who accept bribes”, then the Chief Justice would be  guilty of being a party to the commission of serious crimes which would  not be compatible with his continued tenure as the highest judicial officer of the land.  If he could not substantiate his allegation of judges accepting bribes, then he had made a most  reckless and irresponsible statement seriously tarnishing the image of the judiciary.

Furthermore,  what action had Ahmad Fairuz taken against judges for the judicial misconduct and unethical behaviour of “often seen socializing with lawyers, prosecutors and corporate figures” while hearing their cases in court or for “being constantly angry and bad-tempered”?

Ahmad Fairuz had mentioned another form of judicial misbehaviour — those “who portrayed themselves as being the most brilliant or perfect judge in court”.

I do not know whether judges “who portrayed themselves as being the most brilliant or perfect judge in court” are guilty of judicial misconduct or misdemeanour and I do not know who are the judges  the Chief Justice is referring to, although one name I can guess will be above the High Court level.

Ahmad Fairuz’ outburst have brought to the fore the Judges’ Code of Ethics and the public undertaking  he had made on his appointment as Chief Justice some four years ago in 2003 to recast the Judges’ Code of Ethics to restore public confidence in judicial independence, impartiality and integrity.

The Judges’ Code of  Ethics was promulgated in 1994 to establish standards for ethical conduct of judges and enhance public confidence in an independent, fair and competent judiciary to deliver justice to all Malaysians, but the chief wrecker of the 1994 Judges’ Code of Ethics was none other than its author, the then Chief Justice, Tun Eusoff Chin, who violated and discredited  the Code of Ethics by his own   judicial misconduct  and impropriety, to the extent that he left the high judicial office in disgrace.

Almost four years have passed, but nothing has been heard of the recast Judges’ Code of Ethics.

I had in May 2003 called on the Chief Justice to initiate a nation-wide debate as to why the Judges’ Code of Ethics had failed in the previous nine years to enhance public confidence in the independence, fairness and competence of the system of justice in Malaysia  and how it could be revamped.

In keeping with the principle of public accountability of the judiciary, I had also asked that  Malaysians be told as to how the Code of Ethics had worked or failed to work in the previous  nine years, how many complaints had been  received each year under the Code of Ethics, the number of judges who had been investigated and the outcome of such investigations.

The  Judges’ Code of Ethics suffer from  three major defects:

	Absence of  satisfactory and accountable  mechanism for public complaints of breaches of the Judges’ Code of Ethics;

	The Code of Ethics had not been satisfactorily formulated so as to deal in a more comprehensive manner with all instances of  judicial improprieties and misconduct as illustrated by the many judicial controversies and scandals; and

	How breaches against the Judges’ Code of Ethics could  be invoked against the Chief Justice himself.

Has the Chief Justice been guilty of dereliction of duty in failing to honour his commitment to recast the Judges’ Code of Ethics to fully restore public confidence in the  independence, impartiality and integrity of the judiciary?

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 3 March 2007, 3:47 pm and is filed under
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Malaysian universities out of international radar – 4th year  omitted in  WR 3,000 Premier Universities ranking

Malaysian universities are  still in the international backwaters with the country fighting a losing battle to enhance international competitiveness in the quest for academic excellence and university quality.

For the fourth  year in succession, Malaysian universities have been omitted in the
January 2007 Webometrics Ranking (WR) of 3,000 Premier Universities
, based on their commitment to Web publication and to the Open Access initiatives.

The National University of Singapore tops the Asian universities in the WR, ranked No. 139 internationally, with the Nanyang Technological University ranked No. 18 among the top Asian universities.  Chulalongkorn University of Thailand has again confirmed that it is recognised internationally as in various recent world universities rankings as of superior quality to all the 17  Malaysian universities.

The top 25 Asian universities in the latest  WR are:

Top Asian Universities

Asia Rank	University				World Rank

1		National University Singapore	139

2.		National Taiwan University		150

3		Keio University			152

4		University of Tokyo			157

5		Beijing University			190

6		Chinese University of Hong Kong	216

7		University of Hong Kong		218

8		Kyoto University			239

9		National Chiao Tung University	300

10		Tsinghua University China		336

11		Seoul National University		337

12		University of Tsukuba		338

13		HK Univ of Sc & Technology	362

14		Korea Adv. Inst of Sc & Tech   	365

15 		Nagoya University			367

16		Tokyo Institute of Technology	368

17                  Tohoku University			376

18		Nanyang Techl Univ Spore           450

19 		National Cheng Kung University   468

20 		City University of Hong Kong	470

21                  Chulalongkorn University		505

22                  Hong Kong Polytechnic Univ   	511

23		National Sun Yat Sen Univ		513

24		United Nations University		522

25. 		Zhejiang University			529

The country distribution of the top 500 WR Premier Universities are:

Rank		Country	Top 500

1.		USA		211

2		Germany	  51

3.                   UK                  40

4		Canada	  27

5                    Spain		  20

6                    Australia	  18

7.                   Italy                 13

8		Sweden           10

9       	           Netherlands	    9

10                  Switzerland       7

10                   France              7

10                  Japan                7

10                   Finland             7

14                   Austria              6

15                   Denmark          5

15                   Brazil                5

15                   Belgium            5

18                   Norway             4

18                    Czech Rep      4

18                   Israel                4

18                   Ireland              4

18                   Hong Kong       4

18                   Portugal            4

24                   Taiwan              3

24                   New Zealand    3

26                   China                2

26                    Singapore        2

26                    South Korea    2

26                    Mexico             2

26                     Greece           2

26                     Hungary         2

26                      Turkey           2

33                      Estonia          1

33                     Argentina        1

33                     South Africa    1

33                    Serbia              1

33                     Iceland            1

33                     Chile               1

33                     Russia            1

33                     Slovenia         1

Unless there is urgent universities reform, Malaysian universities face the great risk of disappearing from the international radar of quality universities altogether.

Malaysian universities were completely left out in the new Newsweek Top 100 Global Universities ranking announced in August last year , stuck in the world’s lowly academic divisions — three years after the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s call for world-class universities and “towering Malaysians”.

For four successive years, none of the 17 Malaysian public universities made it into the  Shanghai Jian Tong University’s 500 Top Universities Rankings.

As for the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) World University Ranking of 200 Best Universities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)  and University of Malaya (UM) are struggling to keep inside the list, as their present rankings of No. 185 for UKM and No. 192 for UK are most precarious and perilous.

Did the unusual Friday  Cabinet meeting yesterday discuss the latest proof of the failure of the Abdullah administration in the battle to enhance Malaysia’s international competitiveness  to produce quality human resources by raising the global standing of the quality of Malaysian universities, and what should be done to address the failures of the universities in the past  three years — or it merely provided further evidence of a “half-past six” Cabinet totally unaware of the conspicuous absence of Malaysian universities in  the latest Webometrics Ranking of 3,000 Universities?

                This entry was posted on Saturday, 3 March 2007, 12:13 pm and is filed under
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Only one of 887 problem “schoolgirls” did not have sex – Khir and UKM psychologist flayed

On Tuesday (27.2.07), the mainstrream media carried screaming headlines:
“Shocking find in UKM study on female delinquents”
 (Star) and
“Study: Troubled teens having sex”
(New Straits Times) for the
Bernama
report
“Most Female Students With Disciplinary Problems Admit To Having Sex”
.

This is the Bernama report:

Most Female Students With Disciplinary Problems Admit To Having Sex

By Syed Azwan Syed Ali

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 26 (Bernama) — A Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) study has revealed a shocking finding about high-risk female students with most admitting to have had sexual intercouse.

In the study conducted by UKM’s Children and Youth Psychology specialist Dr Khaidzir Ismail, all the 887 high-risk female students except for one confessed to have had experienced the “pleasure of the flesh”.

The three-month High-Risk Female Youth Profile Study which ended last December, had 20 students with disciplinary problems from each school, ranging from Form One to Form Five, as its respondents.

“It is sad and shocking to find all except one of the respondents admitted to having experienced sex. This is a painful finding but it is a reality that we have to accept,” he told Bernama at his office in Bangi, near here, today.

It is understood that the study was a state government initiative to deal with the deterioration of moral values among female youths in the state.

From the findings of the study, the state government aims to formulate a special training module to promote high moral values among girls.

Khaidzir said the study also found that the female students, aged between 15 and 16, were at a high risk of being involved in various disciplinary problems like trying to lose their virginity.

“The study also found that the problems committed by these students were due to external pressure like coming from broken homes where their parents were having difficulties in coping with life,” he said.

The study also revealed that apart from having sex, most of the respondents took drugs and were involved in pornography, secret societies, vandalism and truancy.

Khaidzir said most of these high-risk female students had low academic achievement and self-esteem, and poor communication skills, self-control and problem-solving capability.

— BERNAMA

The Selangor Mentri Besar, Datuk Seri Dr. Mohd Khir Toyo repudiated the UKM study, commissioned by the Selangor state government, the same day, calling it “rubbish”.

These developments have rightly provoked a very strong reaction and email from BPR, flaying Khir and condemning Dr. Khaidzir for violation of ethical code of conduct of a local psychologist, as follows:

Violation of ethical code of conduct by local psychologist

I am struck with horror at the recent headline in the Malay Mail Daily, detailing Selangor MB Khir Toyo’s outburst at the results of the High-Risk Female Youth Profile Study conducted by one Dr. Dr Khaidzir Ismail, who is reportedly a Child and Youth Psychology specialist at University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

http://www.mmail.com.my/Current_News/mm/Friday/Frontpage/20070302093334/Article/index_html

This development is disturbing on several levels.

Firstly, Khir Toyo has no business ordering a research scientist to “correct” the data simply because it is an inconvenient fact for his administration. If the data acquisition methods and the data itself are problematic, they need to be peer-reviewed by others with expertise and competence in the field, and not by an unqualified ex-dentist who is overseeing what is perceived to be one of the most corrupt State administrations in the country.

Secondly, if what Khir Toyo says is correct based on his “investigation”, that the definition of sex in the survey was ambiguous, then it is very damaging to the competency of this UKM psychologist. One of the basic foundations of a psychologist is to have competent skills in measuring human behavior. There is no room for inflated and unnecessary ambiguity such as that described by Khir Toyo (assuming he is telling the truth).

The third and most DAMNING indictment on the competency of this UKM psychologist (without a reasonable doubt) is that he violated one of the basic tenets of human psychological research; i.e. by not ensuring the strictest confidentiality with regards to the private, identifiable information of those who participated in the study. Khir Toyo proudly trumpets the fact that his officials obtained the survey data, including personally identifiable information, and proceeded to make phone calls to a random selection of the study participants asking them if they indeed have had sex. This UKM psychologist is DUTY BOUND by ethical codes of conduct of the profession to ensure utmost confidentiality and has no business handing over private data to Khir Toyo’s goons to make phone calls with.

Dr. Khaidzir Ismail should be fired from UKM with immediate effect. In addition, if he is certified by any local or regional board for practicing psychology within the clinical setting, he should have his license immediately revoked before his lack of ethics and dismal professional conduct do serious damage to the physical or emotional well-being of those who put their trust in his professional capacity.

With half past six “professionals” like Dr. Khaidzir Ismail freely roaming around within the halls of Malaysian academia, it should hardly be surprising that local university rankings have been slipping down the tubes and are destined for a truly Malaysia Boleh record of someday being the first in the world…but at the back of the list.

Dr. Khaidzir is welcome to  this blog to defend himself.

For convenience, the
Malay Mail report
“rubbishing” the UKM report is reproduce below:

It’s rubbish, says Khir

By WAN SAKINAH A. SABURI

04 March, 2007

THE Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia study is “rubbish”.

That was Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo’s response to the study conducted by UKM’s Children and Youth Psychology specialist Dr Khaidzir Ismail which revealed that all the 887 respondents, except for one, confessed to have experienced the “pleasures of the flesh”.

“We have checked the findings and discovered that 68 per cent of its contents are lies. It’s rubbish.

“Khaidzir has admitted that the findings were inaccurate and flawed. I have spoken to him and told him to correct it,” said Dr Mohd Khir yesterday.

The Selangor Menteri Besar said he had gone through the survey findings thoroughly and spotted the inaccuracies.

“He got our population figures wrong and the definition of sex was flawed.

“On the question of sex … some people say touching with the mouth is sex and rubbing noses is also sex. See, even the definition of sex is not correct,” he said.

Dr Mohd Khir said he ordered his officers to pick at random the respondents who took part in Khaidzir’s survey.

“We picked 54 and called them up. They told our officers that they had never had sex and that they are virgins.

“Then how did the psychologist come to the conclusion that only one of the 887 girls interviewed was a virgin?”

The High-Risk Female Youth Profile study completed last December involved high-risk secondary students selected by their respective schools’ counsellors.

The three-month study revealed that 98 per cent of the respondents took drugs while 98 per cent were involved in secret societies, 96.8 per cent in gambling and 85.4 per cent in vandalism.

It also showed that 97.3 per cent had seen obscene materials and 77.2 per cent had skipped schools.

Dr Mohd Khir said the report had tarnished the State’s image.

“We are trying to be Number One and had hoped to lead the way and this happened,” he said.

He said the State Government had undertaken various measures to check the problem of indiscipline among students.

Dr Mohd Khir said the State Government had placed more than 100 troubled female youths under the supervision of the Selangor Wives Welfare and Charity Organisation (Balkis), Selangor Islamic Religious Council and Selangor Development Department.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 4 March 2007, 11:33 am and is filed under
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ACA DG Zulkipli’s three declarations of assets do not tally with two vettings stated by PM

The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA)’s former Disciplinary Management Centre chief and currently ACA Negri Sembilan director,  Halim Ibrahim did a most unusual thing for the ACA yesterday — publicly exonerating the ACA Director-General Datuk  Seri Zulkipli Mat Noor by revealing details of
Zulkipli’s various declaration of assets
 in public service. (New Sunday Times)

Zulkipli had  made the declaration on three occasions since 1988.

The first declaration, approved in 1999, was when Zulkipli was Johor police chief.

The  second declaration on Sept 14, 2003, was said to be  approved by the then Chief Secretary to the Government on March 25, 2004.

The third declaration was sent to the Public Service Department on July 7 last year.

Halim said Zulikipli listed five properties — none in Pagoh, Johor, and no business interests –in his declaration of assets to the department.

I do not wish here to dwell on the details of Zulkipli’s  three declarations of assets publicly disclosed by Halim.

While welcoming such publication, ACA should  as a matter of policy and principle adopt an open and transparent culture and not be selective in releasing information to suit the needs of its masters, whether political or bureaucratic.

In July 2005, I had queried the ACA why it had failed to take action in the case of the  former Sabah Chief Minister and Federal Minister for Land and Co-operatives, Datuk Seri Osu Sukam, in its investigations as to how he  could have amassed  such astronomical wealth as to gamble RM158.7  million, lose RM31.6 million and  run up RM7.1  million debts in a  London casino a year after political retirement, apart from bigger gambling debts in other casinos as well as in other countries like Australia.

I had pointed out that in Osu Sukam’s 15 years in various public offices from Deputy Works Minister in 1986 to Sabah Chief Minister 1999-2001, Osu would have at least made four declarations of his assets to the Prime Minister.

All these four declaration of assets to the Prime Minister should be the basis on which the ACA should launch a thorough investigation as to whether Osu had corruptly and illegally amassed  such astronomical wealth as to enable him to gamble hundreds of millions of ringgit in various casinos in London and Australia a year after his political retirement.

Or are declarations of assets whether by political leaders in government or top government officers so unsatisfactory and defective that they are worthless tools in the battle to promote national integrity and combat corruption?

The three declarations by Zulkipli in 1999, 2003 and 2006 do not seem to tally with the statement by the
Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
that Zulkipli went through a vetting process twice and was both times cleared to take up the post of ACA director-general.

Abdullah said the  first vetting was done in 2001 before he was to be appointed ACA director-general and the second time in 2005 before he was re-appointed to the post.  It would appear these vetting processes have nothing to do with examination of Zulkipli’s declaration of assets or even the police report on complaints on sexual crimes and assault which had previously been lodged against Zulkipli, but which the police have no knowledge of its outcome until a few days ago.

These discrepancies should be explained without any delay so that public credibility with regarding to various governments pronouncement on this matter is not subject to further strain and stress.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 4 March 2007, 1:04 pm and is filed under
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Mysterious explosion in Shah Alam on 1.3.07

Cel emailed about a huge factory explosion in Shah Alam last Thursday:

On March 1st, there was a huge factory explosion in Shah Alam. However, after searching through the local newspapers for news about it for the past two days, we’ve found none. There was no mention of anything regarding that incident.

Here are the video footage of the explosions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ngxDZ4oNHs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br5nWm3BDo8&eurl=

Dear sir, if you want to post this in your blog, please don’t reveal my name or e-mail address. Thanks.

Anyone who knows anything about this mysterious explosion in Shah Alam?

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 4 March 2007, 6:30 am and is filed under
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RM5 million for freedom from EO detention – Deputy Minister alleged must go on indefinite leave until cleared

The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) director of investigations,
Mohd Shukri Abdul
 told the
Sunday Star
that the ACA “has begun investigating the senior politician who allegedly accepted more than RM5 million to assist in freeing several suspects detained under the Emergency Ordinance (EO)”.

Mohd Shukri said “they have identified the politician and also the witnesses allegedly involved”.

I am baffled by the latter statement, as what is there for the ACA to “identify” when the “senior politician” was named in the allegations posted on the Internet revealed by the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan in the Star report yesterday which first broke the story.

In yesterday’s Star front-page report,
“Freedom for RM5m”
, Musa said at least two websites had posted allegations and details of involvement of “a high-ranking politician”, who was  allegedly paid at least RM5 million to free suspects from detention under the Emergency Ordinance (EO).

Although Musa said that two websites carried these allegations, I have only seen one of them which named the “senior politician” who is a Deputy Minister.

As reported by the
New Sunday Times
, the Deputy Minister is alleged to have been involved “in the improper release of three men suspected of being in a secret society and other illegal activities, including loan sharking, extortion, prostitution, assault and gambling”.

Although the Deputy Prime Minister,
Datuki Seri Najib Razak
  has said that nobody was above the law and those who broke it would face action, his statement had been undermined and even contradicted by the Deputy Internal Security Minister, Datuk Foo Ah Kiow who denied
(Sin Chew)
 that there had been any improper political influence to free suspects from detention under the Emergency Ordinance.

As the Deputy Minister alleged to have been paid at least RM5 million for the improper release of three suspects under the Emergency Ordinance has been named in the website referred to by the Inspector-General of Police, the Deputy Minister concerned should step forward publicly to declare his innocence.

Furthermore, the Deputy Minister being investigated in the RM5 million corruption allegation to free suspects from detention under Emergency Ordinance (EO) must go on indefinite leave until completion of the probe and he had been completely cleared of the serious charges.

This would also avoid all perceptions about the lack of independence, diligence and professionalism of the  investigation involving the Deputy Minister as well as release the Abdullah administration from the taint of corruption.

Two weeks ago, Musa made a shocking confession when he spoke on “Crime and Changing Social Values in the Malaysian Society” during a seminar at the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) in Kuala Lumpur — that the Police is afflicted by the “close-one-eye” syndrome.

Musa
lamented
 that in the war against crime, the police are at times frustrated by some politicians who want the police to “keep one eye open and one eye closed”.

Musa should explain the seriousness of the problem of “interfering politicians” including Deputy Ministers and Ministers wanting the police to “close one eye open and one eye closed” undermining and  frustrating the war against crime.

                This entry was posted on Sunday, 4 March 2007, 9:23 am and is filed under
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ACA trying to derail task force investigations into ACA chief’s corruption allegations?

Investigations into the serious corruption allegations against the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) director general Datuk Seri Zulkipli Mat Noor is getting even more curiouser and curiouser by the day.

The attempt by ACA’s former Disciplinary Management Centre chief and currently ACA Negri Sembilan director,
Halim Ibrahim
to publicly exonerate the ACA chief  by revealing details of Zulkipli’s various declaration of assets in public service is not only most unusual, unprecedented but questionable.

Is the ACA trying to derail and sabotage task force investigations into serious corruption allegations against  ACA chief by unilaterally releasing unverified information about Zulkifli’s  assets declarations?

The Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan had announced on Friday that a
special task force
comprising senior police officers and deputy public prosecutors and excluding the ACA will investigate the serious corruption allegations against Zulkipli. Its first task is to check with all relevant departments, agencies and the Securities Commission for records of businesses, licences, properties, assets or shares related to Zulkipli.

Musa added: “While the task force is now doing through records of his properties, I am waiting for the financial analysis on the properties he has declared.

“The task force is also checking on what Zulkipli has declared and how much the properties are worth. We will then tailor our investigations according to the Attorney-General’s advice.”

Musa’s seems to have set out a term of reference for the special task force which is very much narrower and restricted than one spelt out by the Attorney-General,
Tan Sri Gani Patail
  last Wednesday when he publicly directed the police to “speed up” investigations into the serious corruption allegations  against Zulkipli.
(NST 1.3.07)

Gani  had said the investigations would include checks against the asset declarations made by Zulkipli, and comparing the asset declarations as to how one pays or finances one’s properties.

He said: “Such investigations would include checks on the financial position of one’s family members to ascertain their contribution to the household income.”

In this connection, in the interests of accountability, transparency and integrity as well as public confidence in the investigations into the serious corruption allegations against Zulkipli, the composition of the special task force and who is heading the investigation should be publicly announced.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 5 March 2007, 11:39 am and is filed under
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Haslinda vs EPF

One of the buzzwords in vogue when Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi took over as the fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia was “quality public service delivery”.

At  the first Cabinet meeting he chaired as Prime Minister on 5th November 2003, Abdullah directed every Minister to set up a task force to cut red tape, fight corruption and deliver quality public service.

Abdullah is in his fourth year of premiership, but all these buzzwords have come to nought to the extent he has to set up a high-powered committee to review why these reforms had failed in the past three years.

Even the EPF, a quite efficient outfit in the past, seemed to be afflicted by the new malaise of service inefficiency and indifference as highlighted by the plight of UiTM final-year student who, thanks to EPF, is in danger of losing her student status. And this affects not just Haslinda but all similarly-placed students.

I will phone the new EPF Chairman Tan Sri  Samsudin Osman tomorrow and hope that the newly-retired Chief Secretary to the Government will have a satisfactory response.

Haslinda’s fax to the EPF Chairman follows:

BY FAX:  03-2691 5598

Haslinda Binti Abd Karim

Puchong

Selangor

STRICTLY WITHOUT PREJUDICE

5 March 2007

Chairman

Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja

Bangunan KWSP

Jalan Raja Laut

50350 Kuala Lumpur

Attn:	Tan Sri Shamsudin Osman

WITHDRAWAL SCHEME FOR EDUCATION — SELF

HASLINDA BINTI ABD KARIM

I refer to the above matter.

I wish to reiterate my case to you.  I have submitted the application for EPF Withdrawal Scheme for Education — Self on Wednesday, 17th January 2007 at your Shah Alam Office (REF NO. 001100000044825).  I have also forwarded all the necessary documents required by you.

Until now, I have yet to receive the said cheque and also there is no communication on your end as to when I will be getting my payment.  To my horror, today, I received a “SURAT GUGUR STATUS SEBAGAI PELAJAR” letter from my University.  It is really shocking as I am now in my final year and in the midst of being dropped from the STUDENT STATUS.  The letter also stated that I am given until 23 March 2007 to submit the EPF cheque.

Questions:

1.	WHAT HAPPENED TO MY APPLICATION? I HAVE CHECKED WITH MY FRIENDS AND THEY ARE ALSO FACING THE SAME PROBLEM!!   I WAS BEING TOLD BY YOUR EMPLOYEES THAT THIS IS DUE TO THE NEW MACHINERY/EQUIPMENT BEING INSTALLED, AND THERE ARE BACKLOGS THAT DATED WAY BACK TO LAST YEAR!!    THAT IS NOT MY PROBLEM OR CONCERN!!  WHERE IS MY MONEY??

2.	WHAT HAPPENED TO MY MONEY/CONTRIBUTIONS??  DOES THIS MEAN THAT THERE IS NO MORE MONEY IN EPF AND THAT IS THE MAIN REASON BEHIND THIS DELAY??

3.	SHOULD I FAIL TO SUBMIT THE EPF CHEQUE BY 23RD MARCH 2007 TO MY UNIVERSITY, I WILL BE DROPPED FROM THE STUDENT STATUS!!  IS THIS ONE OF THE WAYS THAT YOU IMPOSE IN ORDER TO CURB THE MALAYS FROM FURTHERING THEIR STUDY??  IF THIS REALLY TAKE PLACE, I WILL NOT HESITATE TO SUE YOU AS THE NEGLIGENCE ARE DONE ON YOUR SIDE AND YET I AM BEING PENALISED FOR IT.  FOR YOUR INFO, WE ARE BEING CHARGED RM80.00 BY OUR UNIVERSITY FOR LATE PAYMENT PENALTIES EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOT OUR FAULT, YOU MUST BEAR THE COST!!  I AM SERIOUSLY ASKING YOU TO PAY FOR IT AS THE DELAY AND HICCUPS ARE ALL YOUR DOING!!  THERE IS NO USE OF GETTING NEW MACHINERY/EQUIPMENT OR EXTENDING YOUR CHAIRMANSHIP FOR ANOTHER TWO YEARS WHEN THERE IS NO NOTICABLE IMPROVEMENT IN THE EPF SYSTEM!!  MAYBE WE SHOULD PRIVATISE THE EPF!!

4.	I have earlier complained on 16 January 2007 on the slow and inefficient service at your Shah Alam Office which has forced me to take ½ day leave.  Again, I am attaching the same letter sent to you on the above date.  ONCE AGAIN, UNTIL NOW, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY FEEDBACK/RESPONSE FROM YOU!!

WHAT DO YOU PEOPLE WANT ME TO DO NOW??  WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE ON THIS MATTER??  WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE??  AFTER READING A LOT OF COMPLAINTS IN THE NEWSPAPERS LATELY REGARDING YOUR SERVICES, I AM SERIOUSLY THINKING OF HIGHLIGHTING THIS ISSUE TO THE PRIME MINISTER PERSONALLY AS HE IS ALSO THE 1ST FINANCE MINISTER.

TREAT THIS MATTER SERIOUSLY AS IT INVOLVES MY FUTURE AND MY TRUST IN THE CURRENT, EXISTING SYSTEM!!

Yours faithfully

Haslinda Binti Abd Karim

                This entry was posted on Monday, 5 March 2007, 8:22 pm and is filed under
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RM5 million “Freedom for Sale” scandal – call for Royal Commission of Inquiry

The
Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s
response today  to the recent spate of reports alleging  high-profile corruption in his administration is very weak, lackluster and most disappointing, reinforcing public exasperation at his lack of political will to “walk the talk” to root out corruption and lead an administration which has zero tolerance for corruption.

Speaking at the monthly assembly of the Prime Minister’s Department, Abdullah gave the assurance that action will be taken against those involved in corruption, while  those who do not indulge in such practices should have no fear.

He said: “Of course no one wants corruption. Action must be taken. Those who are innocent need not worry.”

He  pointed out that what was important was that investigations on allegations of corruption must be carried out in the most just manner.

He even said that generally 85 percent of the reports submitted pertaining to accusations of corrupt practices were unfounded.

Abdullah seems to be unaware that his administration which in a fortnight’s time  will be marking the third anniversary of its unprecedented landslide 2004 general election victory on a platform of anti-corruption is facing a crisis of confidence, firstly, because of the failure to produce results in the anti-corruption front and secondly because of the recent spate of allegations of high-profile corruption, such as involving the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) Director-General, Datuk Seri Datuk Zulkipli Mat Noor and the latest involving Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharom – that the latter had received a bribe of over RM5 million for the release of three criminals who had been detained under the Emergency Ordinance.

This is not the time for Abdullah to trot out pedestrian and uninspiring  statements of
“Have No Fear If You’re Clean”

to top political and government leaders,  but to convince Malaysians, intending foreign investors  and the international community  of his political will and commitment to combat corruption at all levels of society by ensuring that anti-corruption investigations into the recent spate of high-level corruption allegations would be conducted by an independent and fearless  body which will command unchallenged national and international confidence.

For this reason, I call on the Cabinet on Wednesday to  set up a  Royal Commission of Inquiry into the “freedom for sale” corruption scandal to stop  the latest haemorrhage of public confidence in the political will and commitment of the Prime Minister   to root out high-level corruption.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry, which should  comprise Malaysians of distinction with impeccable character and reputation, should have two specific terms of reference — firstly, to inquire into all allegations of corrupt practices and abuses of power in the administration of the “detention-without-trial” provisions, the  detention and release of suspects under the Emergency Ordinance; and secondly, whether the Emergency Ordinance should be repealed to end gross and blatant abuses of discretionary powers of “life and death” over the  personal liberties of Malaysians without benefit of any judicial review.

A Royal Commission of Inquiry into the RM5 million  “freedom for sale” allegation is indispensable as there is just no public confidence that the Police or the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) would be able to carry out an independent,  untrammeled and satisfactory investigation.

Johari
yesterday  stepped forward confirming that he is the one who is the target of the RM5 million “freedom for sale” allegations which had been posted on two websites, both on the free website,
freewebs.com
.

He declared that he is innocent and had nothing to hide. However his further statement that he was ready
to face any investigations
 is irrelevant as anyone in such a position would have no choice but to face the ensuing investigations.

What is a matter of concern is the “warfare” which seemed to have broken out between  on the one hand Johari –  who is the de facto Internal Security Minister on EO detentions as Abdullah as the Internal Security Minister has completely delegated such powers to Johari — and the Police and even the ACA on the other.

Johari told
the Sun
that he was puzzled  by the police and ACA reaction to the RM5 million ringgit “freedom for sale” allegations “made without basis or fact” – clearly blaming both agencies for initiating investigations instead of going after those  responsible for the websites.

Johari complained: “People have posted all sorts of lies and claims against politicians and other government officials on the Internet. Even the prime minister has not been spared by these rumour-mongers.

“So instead of investigating rumours, the police should go after those who post such things on the Net or send out SMSes which tarnish and damage of  those named.  Why are the police not doing that? I do not see them doing that.”

IGP Musa is right when he said that
“the integrity of the police force was at stake”
and this is why an independent and impartial Royal Commission of Inquiry should be established and  entrusted with the responsibility to probe into the million-ringgit “Freedom for sale ” allegations, particularly in view of two factors:

	the hostile attitude of the Johari, the de facto Internal Security Minister on EO matters, towards police investigations;

	rule of natural justice — that the police must not be seen to be exonerating itself of the serious corruption and abuse-of-power allegations in the detaining and freeing of suspects under the EO.

With the latest corruption allegations  reaching as high as the ACA Director-General himself, the ACA is also not the suitable or competent body enjoying public confidence to singly handle this responsibility.  What the ACA should do is to put its entire machinery at the disposal of the Royal Commission of Inquiry probing into the “Freedom for Sale” scandal.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 5 March 2007, 2:56 pm and is filed under
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When Philosophy meets Religion

When Philosophy meets Religion

Azly Rahman

[email protected]

-An Invitation to a Virtual Interfaith Dialogue

Humanity cannot live by bread or rice alone – it needs transcultural philosophy as a foundation of morality.

The philosophical dimension of religion can be more powerful than its institutional and ritual. It should be through the philosophy of religion that one can explore the essence of the dialogue between what Hassidic philosopher Martin Buber calls, the “Thou and the I”, the Ultimate Self and the Ultimate Reality, or between Man and Creator. This is what is meant by the transcultural nature of mystical discourse. Those familiar with Buber’s philosophy will agree that the idea of the dialogical “I-Thou” contains a profound statement of Man’s ontological vocation, a transcultural-philosophical view can best be an avenue which can appeal to educational philosophers intending to explore universality in mystical thoughts.

For societies struggling to understand the potentials of an interfaith dialogue, this idea can be a good starting point for a powerful discourse.

“Universalism”

Let me illustrate some of the salient mystical ideas that correspond Buber’s ‘relational philosophy’; namely those from the Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, and Islamic traditions. The transcultural dimension of I-Thou relation in the variety of religious experience points out to the Ultimate Reality and the illumination to self of which when this stage of enlightenment is achieved the “goodness” in Man is drawn out, Humanity reaches its moral epitome and the I-it world is imbued with the presence and vision of Thou-ness.

In Christianity, it is the Jesus of Love and the love of Jesus, which runs through the idea of the setting of the precondition of the I’s “meeting” with Thou. Humanity yearns for self-illumination and for the discovery of the inner beauty of self-government. St Francis Assisi’s parable of the seeker of God and poor man of a church (the Master of his own kingdom) illustrates this point:

“The Master asked…  :

Whence are you come? From God Where did you find God?’ When I forsook all creatures When have you left God? In pure hearts and in sea of good will. The Master asked: What sort of man are you? I am a king. Where is your kingdom? My soul is my kingdom, so I can so rule my senses inwards and outward, that all the desires and powers of my soul are in subjection, and this kingdom is greater than a kingdom on earth. What has brought you to this perfection? My silence, my high thoughts, and my union with God. For I could rest in anything less than God. Now I have found and in God have eternal rest and peace.”
(Underhill, pp 209-210)

In Buddhism, the Self acknowledges the Thou-ness of his/her existence through meditation and the following of the noble path in order for one to attain Nibbana. The I-it world can only reach salvation and prepare the meeting of the Thou through the Noble Eight-fold Path that leads to the cessation of suffering
(Radhakrishnan & Moore, 1967)
 which among them call upon Man to:

“know suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path that leads to the cessation of suffering; …  to renounce the world and to do no hurt or harm; …  to abstain from lies and slander, from reviling, and from tattle; …  to abstain from taking life, from stealing, and from lechery; …  (p 277)”

It is when these are taken to be a part of one’s commitment to self-purification that the I-it world may be elevated to a higher level of consciousness. In the Hindu cultural philosophy, the I-Thou meeting can be preconditioned by Man’s submission to the Law of Manu, a code of conduct written as metrical sutras of dealing with the religious, legal, customary, and political aspects of the Hindu philosophy .

The purpose of life as conceived by the Hindus is to arrive at the fullest realisation of his/her existence through dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), kama (enjoyment) and moksha (spiritual freedom)
(Radhakrishnan & Moore, p 172)

Man is to live anthromophically with Nature in a world wherein beings and non-beings have their significant in the cosmic and metaphysical order of creation. It is when the world is looked upon as an “It” – to be dominated – and peoples to be utilised that this order is violated and Mother Earth is raped and the cycle of destruction begins. In the Taoist tradition, the character of Lao Tze, controversial to many a Confucionist of his philosophy of Nature, is an epitome of the “Thou-ness” in thought.

In Lao Tze, Nature is not to be tampered with at all, illustrative in his symbolic metaphor of the uncarved stone of which creativity of Man would carve into representations. If there should be a great grandfather of ecophilosophy, Lao Tze would be one. In one of the most foundational dialogues in the Taoist philosophical thoughts, in which Kung Fu Tze (Confucius) is said to visit Lao Tze to consult him in matters of propriety: Lao Tzu said:

“Those of whom you talked about are dead and their bones are decayed. Only their words have remained. When the time is proper, the superior man rides in a carriage, but when it is not, he covers himself up and staggers away. I have heard that a good merchant stores away his treasures as if his store were empty and that a superior man with eminent virtues appear as if he were stupid. Get rid of your air of pride and many desires, your insinuating manners and lustful wishes. None of these is good for you. That is all I have to tell you.
(translation, Chan, 196, p 36)

The essence of the passage and of Taoist philosophy is to live a life of humility through the subjugation of the Ego. It is this essence of naturalism in philosophical thought which has brought Lao Tze’s mysticism comparable to Buber’s “Thou-ness” in which nature is seen as one amongst the many beings in the world of the Thou. The Tao The Ching (The Way) is to be followed in order for Thou to meet the I in the Taoist tradition.

The Islamic conception of mysticism must begin with the mentioning of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as one of the world’s greatest mystic whose entire life was spent preaching the Thou-ness of living. Allah (God) is to be made present in the heart mind and soul of the believers so that the I-it world may become one in submission to the will of the Supreme Being. Peace for, oneself, for society, nations and the world order can be attained by adhering to the true spirit and meaning of the Quran.

The mystical aspect of Islam nonetheless involves one to take the path to self-purification best illustrated by those “seeking God” through Sufism, among the paths. The writings and narrated experiences of poet mystics such as Qadir Jailani, Rabiyattul Adawiyah Fariduddin Attar, Jalaluddin Rumi, Omar Khayyam, Al Ghazalli and of one widely recognised in the west, Idries Shah, illustrate the Thou-ness of the tradition. In the Malay world we find such work in the poet-mystics of the early Malay kingdom such as Hamzah Fansuri.

The popular profound sayings of the Islamic mystics “know thyself and you will know God”, and “God is closer to you than your jugular vein” has remarkable similarity with the Hassidic belief of the closeness of God to those who seeks to meet Him through his Grace. It is to be noted that Moses (PBUH) and Jesus (PBUH) are revered to be two of the major prophets of Islam and the monotheism in these two are but a continuation of the God’s message brought also by Muhammad (PBUH) as the last prophet in the lineage of those beginning with Adam.

Thus, the mysticism inherent in the religions I have scantily mentioned point out to the transcultural-philosophical paradigm inalienable to Buber’s idea of I and Thou.

It is my view thus that the inherent philosophical aspects of those religious traditions points out to the need for their believers to work towards peace from within the self so that this boundary can then be extended to others, to beings and non-beings and ultimately to the planet and cosmos in which then, we will realise that all there is the Thou of whom which we are to provide rendezvous.

It is when the self is “immersed and lost” in the finiteness of the Thou that humanity can take its true character and that the ego is subjugated from its need to manifest all forms of behaviour and acts anathema to the Thou-ness of the I.

“Politics and madness”

Politics is said to be the art and science of constitutionalising and unconstitutionalising of power relations. It has been a predominant influence of the ego of Man and has crafted an iron curtain to veil the apolitical and beauty of the Inner self. Through politics of demagoguery, Man has created psychological, cultural, social, economic, political and global structures which mirror the triumphs of the ego over the primordially pure and peaceful self.

This may perhaps explain the manifestations of mania that have historically coloured our activities as human beings: The two World Wars, the war on terrorism, the illegitimate invasion of Iraq, slavery, the Holocaust, nuclear arms race, environmental degradations and destructions, and a range of other madness and disorders in the history of human civilisations. The “I” seeks power, seizes it and uses it to shackle the I-it primary word so that an I-Thou relation is no longer possible.

The power sought is then used to subjugate others and to threaten Nature. The manifestations above point to the meaning of power in the realpolitik-al sense as opposed to the mystical. But a pertinent question which correlates with the Buberian and transcultural-philosophical view of power is this: How can the Self be made to realise its infinite power within?

How do we evolve – from “man” to metaphysical beings? How do we evolve – as the Malays would say – from “manusia” to “insan” to “insanul Kamil”? — so that the larger Inner world harmonises with the smaller one Outside?

References

Buber, M (1958). I and Thou. New York: Collier Books.

Chan, W-T. (1963). Translation – The Way of Lao Tzu (Tao the ching). New York: Bobbs-Merrill Co.

Radhakrishna, S & Moore, C.A.E. (Eds) (1967). A Sourcebook in Indian Philosophy. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Underhill, E (1955). Mysticism. New York: Meridian.

Dr. Azly Rahman,

Educator & Adjunct Professor;

Foundations of Civilizations, Education, & Politics

                This entry was posted on Monday, 5 March 2007, 11:28 am and is filed under
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WR 2007 – Best-ranked Malaysian university USM (1193) behind eight Thai and two Indonesian universities

On Saturday, I had said that Malaysian universities are still in the international backwaters with the country fighting a losing battle to enhance international competitiveness in the quest for academic excellence and university quality — pointing out that
Malaysian universities
have been omitted in the
2007 Webometrics Ranking (WR) of 3,000 Premier Universities
, based on their commitment to Web publication and to the Open Access initiatives.

I said that the National University of Singapore tops the Asian universities in the WR, ranked No. 139 internationally, with the Nanyang Technological University ranked No. 18 among the top Asian universities.  Chulalongkorn University of Thailand has again confirmed that it is recognised internationally as in various recent world universities rankings as of superior quality to all the 17 Malaysian universities. Chulalongkorn University is ranked No. 21 among the top Asian universities and No. 505 in the world ranking of 3,000 Premier Universities.

I found that I had made a mistaken when I downloaded the 3,000 universities for more detailed study as there are 10 Malaysian universities in the WR list, but they rank from No. 1193 for Universiti Sains Malaysia to No. 2969 for University Malaysia Sabah.

The Higher Education Ministry and the ten universities ranked in the Webometrics Ranking (WR) of 3,000 Premier Universities cannot be unaware of my mistake, but for 48 hours there had been no attempt by anyone of them at correction or clarification. Why?

Clearly, they are all too shy to point out the mistake, for it will only highlight their lowly ranking in the WR list.

This is because the best Malaysian university ranked in the 2007 Webometrics Ranking (WR) of 3,000 Premier Universities, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)  is not only ranked No. 1193, and  is  ranked behind eight Thai universities and two Indonesian universities — showing how serious had been the drop and decline of Malaysian universities standards for the past three decades even for the region of Southeast Asia.

The Regional and Global Ranking of South East Asian universities are:

Top South-East Asian Universities

(SEA  Rank)

(University)

(World Rank)

1	National University Singapore (Sg)	139

2	Nanyang Technol University  (Sg)	150

3	     Chulalongkorn U (Th)	505

4	Kasesart U (Th)  	577

5	Asian Inst of Tech (Th)	721

6	Chiang Mai U (Th) 	861

7	Thammasat U (Th) 	894

8	Prince of Songkla U (Th) 	896

9	Mahidol U (Th) 	909

10	Inst. of Tech Bandung (Id) 	927

11	Khon Kaen U (Th) 	1009

12	Gadjah Mada U (Id) 	1076

13	Universiti Sains Malaysia 	1193

14	Assumption U of Thailand (Th)   	1195

15	University of the Philippines Diliman (Ph)	1226

16	Universiti Technologi Malaysia	1317

17	Multimedia University	1338

18	King Mongkuts Inst. of Tech (Th)	1419

19	Universiti Putra Malaysia 	1426

20	King Mongkuts Inst. of Tech Ladkrabang	1460

21	University Malaya 	1475

22	Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 	1503

23	Suranaree Univ of Tech (Th)  	1735

24	De La Salle University of Manila (Ph)	1798

25	Ramkhamhaeng U (Th)	1801

26	King Mongkut’s Univ of Tech North Bangkok (Th)	1811

27	Naresuan U (Th)	1890

28	International Islamic University Malaysia	2056

29	Ubonratchathani U (Th) 	2068

30	Universiti Utara Malaysia	2085

31	Bangkok U (Th)  	2109

32	Universiti Teknologi MARA 	2110

33	Ho Chi Minh City U of Natural Sciences (Vn) 	2120

34	Sukhothai Thammathirat Open U (Th) 	2125

35	Mahasarakham U (Th) 	2180

36	Burapha U (Th)  	2181

37	Sipakorn U (Th) 	2196

38	Srinakharinwirot U (Th)  	2204

39	Ateneo de Manila U (Ph)   	2240

40	Can Tho U (Vn)	2364

41	Sdusuan Dusit Rajabhat U (Th)	2374

42	Singapore Polytechnic (Sg) 	2415

43	Bach Khoa U (Vn) 	2432

44	National Inst. of Education (Sg)	2450

45	Singapore Management U (Sg) 	2494

46	Walailak U (Th) 	2602

47	Rangsit U (Th)	2635

48	Univ of the Philippines (Ph)   	2745

49	Mahanakorn U of Tech (Th) 	2922

50	University Malaysia Sabah	2969

The Higher Education Minister, Datuk Mustapha Mohamad  must regard it as a national shame that the best Malaysian university ranked in the 2007 Webometrics Ranking (WR) of 3,000 Premier Universities is ranked behind eight Thai universities and two Indonesian universities, and that generally, Malaysian universities are losing out to the universities in other countries in South East Asia — a grim warning that Malaysia is losing out in the stakes for international competitiveness to ensure our rightful place in the global arena.

Mustapha should present a special report on the latest dismal rankings for Malaysian universities  to the Cabinet on Wednesday and report to Parliament in two weeks’ time as to the strategy not only to reform but even to revolutionalise tertiary education in Malaysia if we are not to become a laggard in development in  the 21st century.

P.S. I  thank
johnsee
 for drawing attention to the
South-East Asia WR ranking
, which would have made life easier all round – but it was not there on Saturday.

                This entry was posted on Monday, 5 March 2007, 5:28 pm and is filed under
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“Freedom for Sale” scandal – IGP and Dy Minister forced to “smoke peace-pipe”

The RM5.5 million “freedom for sale” allegations have ballooned out to become  a major scandal of the Abdullah premiership, affecting the efficiency, professionalism and integrity not only of the police and the Deputy Internal Security Minister, Datuk Mohd Johari Baharom  but also the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who is also the Internal Security Minister.

This scandal should not have happened if the 125 recommendations of the  Royal Police Commission to establish an efficient, incorruptible, professional world-class police service had been taken seriously by the Prime Minister,  Cabinet and the Police and the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) been  set up and running.

Malaysians are shocked by the revelations of the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan and Johari in their attempt to blame the other party for the RM5.5 million “freedom for sale” scandal.

Subsequent attempts by both of them to retract or clarify their statements have failed to minimize the damage of their earlier utterances which constitute damning evidence that something is very rotten with the  administration of justice and the upholding of law and order in the country.

In his
clarification
 yesterday on  his Sunday interview where he admitted that he was the target of the RM5 million “freedom for sale” allegations posted on the Internet, Johari said the opinion of the legal adviser or ministry official is sought in cases where the Advisory Board recommends a release or suspension of detention order under the Emergency Ordinance (EO).

Their opinion is for the sake of obtaining the grounds to be applied by the Advisory Board in its recommendation for a release or suspension of detention order, he said.

This clarification was necessary as Johari had accused the police of being sloppy, slipshod and using the EO as “a shortcut to detain suspects who have insufficient incriminating evidence against them”, conveying the picture that as the Deputy Minister, he was the bulwark standing up for the fundamental rights of the detained suspects  and a check on the abuses and misuses of power by the police.

Johari gave the example of the 48  EO detention cases from Simpang Rengam detention centre  which went before the Advisory Board last month,  resulting in the release of 31 and 17 placed under restricted residence.

If the police had been sloppy and slipshod in EO detentions, as in the case of the 48 EO cases last month,  Johari cannot disclaim responsibility as he was the one who exercised the ministerial authority to sign and order their formal detention.

Furthermore, the Advisory Board has no powers to order the release or substitution of restricted residence for any EO detainee, but like Internal Security Act cases, only the power to make recommendations — and the Advisory Board’s recommendation whether ISA or EO is not automatically accepted.

How could such a mistaken impression be conveyed — is it the fault of Johari or the reporters? I have studied the transcript of Johari’s interview on Sunday and there can be no doubt that reporters did not make any mistake in correctly  reporting what Johari had said.  Either Johari had deliberately made a misrepresentation of the division of responsibilities and powers under EO, or he himself did not fully understand the respective allocation of powers and responsibilities under EO.

What is most damaging are other allegations made by Johari about the sloppy, slipshod and most unprofessional manner of the police in carrying out their great powers under the EO — such as late submission of files to him for the formal detention under EO and the police release of detainees under Section 3(1) of EO without informing the ministry.

What the IGP did is even  more stunning, making a
bald denial
that he had made a statement as published in yesterday’s  Utusan Malaysia front-page lead story,
“Saya mahu BPR siasat Johari”
.

In a statement published only by Bernama, Musa said he had neither been interviewed nor had he issued a statement as published.

The Utusan Malaysia story, by-lined Ruhaidini Abd. Kadir,  had reported that Musa had said he did not want to enter into a polemic with Mohd Johari over a claim that the police fail to provide sufficient evidence and do not investigate properly criminals referred to under the Emergency Ordinance.

Musa was reported to have called for a fair investigation to be conducted by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) to determine who was right and wrong in the allegation that Johari received RM5 million bribes for releasing criminal suspects under the Emergency Ordinance.

Who to believe — the Utusan Malaysia journalist Ruhaidini Abd. Kadir or IGP Musa?

I would tend to believe  Rahaidini for two reasons:

Firstly, the Utusan Malaysia front-page report yesterday carried a Q & A transcript of the interview with Musa — something which could not be concocted from thin air.

Secondly, if Rahaidini had concocted the interview in yesterday’s Utusan Malaysia, Musa should have declared him a “persona non grata” and ban him from all police interviews and contacts.

But no, Musa continued to entertain Rahaidini, resulting in another front-page by-line story in the Utusan Malaysia,
“Polis siasat suspek — Kenal pasti tahan bawah Ordinan Darurat boleh bebas — Musa”
.

Musa and Johari may have been forced to publicly “smoke the peace-pipe” but public interests require that the grave questions and allegations  which each had hurled against the other party be given full and satisfactory answer instead of being swept under the carpet.

The RM5.5 million “Freedom for Sale” scandal has the unintended consequence of  surfacing another   equally big  scandal — that the country has an Internal Security Minister only in name while Johari as the Deputy Internal Security is the de facto Minister exercising all the EO powers including signing and  ordering formal detentions without trial for criminal suspects.

The practice of the deputy minister exercising Ministerial powers is meant to be the exception and not the rule, but here, we have the exception becoming the rule.  We have Johari the Deputy Internal Security Minister exercising all the Ministerial powers under the EO with regarding to detention of  criminal suspects without trial, because Prime Minister Abdullah is the “absentee” Internal Security Minister as well as “absentee” Finance Minister.

This is a most unsatisfactory state of affairs and must not be allowed to continue.  As Abdullah is unable to be a hands-on Minister in both Ministries, he must decide to relinquish one of them not only to be a model for the entire Cabinet, but to be fair to the country and people.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 6 March 2007, 2:51 pm and is filed under
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RM149 billion KLSE losses in 5 days – PM/Ministers not stock market consultants

The Cabinet tomorrow should warn off all Ministers to stop acting as investment consultants to talk up the market after the expensive lesson of  RM149 billion losses suffered  mostly by small investors in the stock market in the past week after the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s Chinese New Year advice to enter the market to
“ride on  the momentum”
.

Small investors had overcome their  skepticism and reluctance to enter the stock market following  the Prime Minister’s exhortation at the Gerakan Chinese New Year open house in Kuala Lumpur on  the first day of  the Chinese New Year on February 18, 2006 to enter the stock market to “ride on the momentum” of the good economic times on the ground that the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) could  surpass the 1,350-point level following positive indicators of the country’s economic growth — namely the trillion ringgit total trade last year, the increasing foreign and domestic investments and the rising ringgit.

In less than a week, small investors who acted on the advice of the Prime Minister and  flocked into the stock exchange were badly burnt.

In two days on 27th and 28th February, the KLSE plunged 76.42 points from 1,272.87 to 1,196.45, wiping out RM69.45 billion market capitalization in two days.

It is deplorable that Abdullah, who was visiting Yemen at the time, did not immediately learn the lesson that as Prime Minister and Finance Minister, he should not double up as stock market adviser as he persisted in advising Malaysians
“to have confidence  and be prepared to  invest in the KLSE to attract bigger foreign participation”
.

Other Cabinet Ministers have also  got into the act to double up as investment consultants.

The Second Finance Minister,
Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcob
told investors that “there is no cause for concern on the dip in the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index as the national economy remains robust with strong fundamentals”.

The Information Minister, Datuk Seri
Zainuddin Maidin
said on Sunday that he was disappointed that “the local media played up last week’s fall in the Bursa Malaysia stock index”, as such reports “could set off a panic situation and undermine investors’ confidence in the economic position of the country when it was seeing a surge in its performance”.

He said: “Such reports are of no help at a time when the country’s leaders, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, are saying that our economy is on the right track with strong fundamentals.”

However, neither Nor Mohamed nor Zainuddin could talk up the stock market or prevent a
“bloodbath”
yesterday, which saw the sharpest plunge of the KLCI in nearly seven years, falling 53.99 points or 4.64 per cent  to close at 1,110.69 — wiping out RM51.52 billion market capitalization in one day.

Bursa Malaysia was worst hit in the region in the beating suffererd by Asian bourses yesterday:

(Asian bourses)

(Decline)

KLCI			4.64%

Manila CI		4.54%

Hang Seng		4.00%

Jakarta CI		3.48%

Nikkei			3.34%

ST Index		3.13%

Shanghai CI             1.63%

In the five trading days from 27th February to yesterday (March 5), the KLCI plunged by 162.18 points from 1,27.87 to 1110.69, wiping out a colossal sum of RM149.11 billion of market capitalization in five days, as illustrated by the following:

(Date)	 	(KLSE decline)	(Market capitalization loss)

27.2.07	35.79 pts		RM38.38 billion

28.2.07	40.63 pts		RM31.07 billion

01.3.07	15.54 pts		RM14.84 billion

02.3.07	16.23 pts		RM13.30 billion

05.3.07	53.99 pts		RM51.53 billion

Total		162.18 pts		RM149.11 billion

The Prime Minister and the Cabinet should contribute  to  enhancing investor confidence in the Malaysian economy and the stock exchange by positive, productive  and creative actions and not indulge in empty  and irresponsible talk causing  small investors to suffer massive losses running to RM149.11 billion in five trading days.

Nobody blame Abdullah, Nor Mohamad and Zainuddin Maidin for causing the stock market “bloodbath” yesterday and the plunge in the  previous four trading days, but they cannot shirk responsibility for inducing and misleading small investors to enter the stock market purportedly to “ride on  the momentum” of the good economic times.

With the KLCI plunging to 1,110.69 at the close yesterday, it has virtually wiped out all the gains of Bursa Saham  this year. It is going to be quite a haul to reach the 1,350-pt KLSE which Abdullah had promised only a fortnight ago.

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 6 March 2007, 10:26 am and is filed under
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The Blood-sucking banks?

THE BLOODSUCKING BANKS

by Tgopal

Kota Damansara

Once upon a time, not too long ago, when the communication system in the world was at it’s infancy, we had so much problems dealing with banks.

Transferring of fund may take days or even weeks. To withdraw RM10, you may have to queue up for one hour or longer. If you had found a discrepancy in your bank statement, it may take months because the bank clerks/officers had to manually search for files which may be located in a store room hundreds of kilometers away.

But thanks to the latest communication technology now, almost all transactions performed at your fingertips in a matter of seconds, or at least we were convinced that way.

Let’s look at two scenarios and I leave it to the judgment of the readers on to what extent our banks are exploiting us, the customers without whom, they will never exist.

Way back in 1993, when I was still working with a local bank, a house cheque banked into a savings account will be cleared immediately but would be under one day float if it’s deposited into a current account. Still, if the current account holder had an ATM card, he could withdraw the fund after 5pm the same day.

Local cheques would be cleared in two days using KLACH system, in which, these cheques would be sent to the account holder’s branch so that the officers there could verify signature and other technical details. Simply put, if I bank in a local cheque at 3pm on Monday, I can withdraw the money on Tuesday after 5pm at any ATMs.

Fast forward to year 2007. If I bank in the same local cheque at 3pm on Monday, I can only withdraw the cash through ATM on Thursday morning, that this TWO full working days later! ( except for Public Bank, where you can withdraw the night before).

With so much of improvement in the information technology, aren’t we supposed get access to our fund earlier. Why is this working the other way around?

For your information, the account of the customer who issued the cheque will be debited on Monday itself but is credited to the payees account only on Thursday. Now, who’s keeping the fund for two days?

Having worked in the Treasury Department in a financial institution before, I can easily assume that these banks will make hell of profits from interest by lending it to other banks for just two days! And we are talking about billions of fund under float, not millions!

You can argue that the bank passes the interest income back to the customers but for low income earners whom keep less that RM1000 a month in their account, they almost get nothing! On top of that another RM8 or RM10 will be deducted annually for having ATM card. So, am I wrong in assuming that the banks actually exploit the customers, especially the low income earners by denying them access to their own fund and keep in under float for the bank’s own benefit?

A house cheque banked in into savings accounts used to be cleared immediately since the officer at the branch has access to the specimen signature of the customer and can do it straight away, and by the way, they are getting paid to do that, right? But not anymore.

Recently I went to bank in a house cheque at RHB branch and I was told to bank in through the ATM machine. I refused because these cheques would be sent for clearing and it will take three days before I can see my cash. Why sent the cheque for clearing when all particulars and specimen signatures are already at the branch itself?

As usual, the standard answer given was “It’s the decision by HQ and we just follow instructions”. When I insist the cheque to be cleared immediately, they said I have to pay RM10 as a service charge, according to a directive from HQ.

There was a notice on the wall on the service charges approved by Bank Negara but this item was not even there! I did make a complaint and until today, you can guess, no response from their HQ. They must be busy spending their time on how to better make use of the IT technology to further exploit us.

Another problem which affects the low income earners is the ATM machine. It was so much convenient at the beginning but now almost all the banks playing the same trick. They only load RM50 notes into the machines and not RM10 notes, although they have space to do it.

Assuming a low income earner makes RM790 per month after deductions. He can only withdraw RM750. How about the remaining RM40? Well, he has no choice but to keep it in his account because he is working 6 days a week, so you don’t expect him to go to the bank counter and queue up to one hour to withdraw that RM40, right?

In case of an emergency situation where he has to use that cash, like running out of petrol for his motorbike, well, sorry folks. You still have to pay ATM service charges every year but you still cannot withdraw your own money! Sounds absurd, right? And why the banks are doing this?

Again my assumption is for the interest income from inter bank lending. Imagine RM40 from 100,000 customers left in the account against their will for 30 days. At 3% p.a in comes to a cool RM10,000 for the bank for the month. Aren’t the customers will also receive their share?

Dream on, guys.  Ask any banks how much is the net interest gained by having an average balance of RM40 for one whole year. It’s actually becomes negative after deducting the service charge for the useless(?) ATM card.

Although the right channel for me to complaint is by complaining to Bank Negara, I prefer not to do it because aren’t they supposed to know by themselves on the ways banks exploit their customers?

I heard some of the best brains in the country are employed there. I only have an ordinary brain but if I can engage it and find out various dirty methods used by banks. Why don’t they? Or do they know about it and was asked to “tutup satu mata” by someone high up there who rub shoulders with the directors of the commercial banks?

                This entry was posted on Tuesday, 6 March 2007, 5:49 pm and is filed under
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Lift ban on Amir and Tsai Ming-liang films to give meaning to 50th Merdeka Anniversary

Cabinet Ministers should prove they are not “half-past six” — view
Amir Muhammad’s
Apa Khabar Orang Kampu
ng
and
Tsai Ming-liang’s
I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone
to approve their release to demonstrate that the Abdullah administration is open and liberal and not an ostrich hiding its head in the sand.

The banning of both films when Malaysia  is celebrating the 50th anniversary of nationhood sends out the clear message that Malaysia is not ready to have a “First World Infrastructure, First World Mentality” culture and mindset that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had proclaimed as his top agenda.

The problem is not so much the people of Malaysia as the government, which is clearly not prepared to “walk the talk” and honour Abdullah’s various commitments — including to listen to the truth and to respect and even celebrate  diversity of opinions and dissent.

The reason given by the Censorship Board for its ban of
Apa Khabar Orang Kampung
 in that it is “historically incorrect” is most ludicrous, for it is in communist systems that there can be only one version of history and where personalities can overnight disappear from history books to become “non-persons”.

The motive behind the Censorship Board ban of
I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone
 that it would be detrimental to the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 is even more ridiculous, as tourists  will not come to Malaysia to see the film when they can view it overseas where the Malaysian Censorship Board’s ban does not extend.

In fact, the Censorship Board’s ban will give
I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone
 additional attraction when it is screened overseas.  The film is slated for release in Taiwan on March 23, Japan at the end of the month and in Singapore and the United States in April.

Tsai’s film premiered at the Venice International Film Festival last year and was also nominated for several Golden Horse awards in Taiwan, where the Sarawak-born director  is based. The film received a seven-minute standing ovation in Venice.

If Cabinet Ministers are afraid to view both films, then let there be a viewing of both films by all MPs when Parliament reconvenes on March 19 for its fourth meeting for 23 days till April 26, 2007 so that MPs can debate whether it is more meaningful for Malaysia to celebrate  half-a-century of nationhood by lifting  the ban on both films or whether the ban on both films should symbolize a continuing immaturity and growing intolerance of diversity of opinion completely inimical to the Vision 2020 objective for an innovative, creative and talented Malaysian nation.

It will be very sad if the ban of Amir’s
Apa Khabar Orang Kampung
 and Tsai Ming-liang’s
I Don’t Want to Sleep Alone
ends up in history as the most symbolic meaning of 50 years of Malaysian nation-building and Merdeka.

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 7 March 2007, 7:48 am and is filed under
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Oolong Tea

 OOLONG TEA……

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of Oolong tea…You will never look at a cup of Oolong the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how  things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed  as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed Oolong tea. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.

Then she ladled the Oolong out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me what you see.”

“Carrots, eggs, and Oolong tea,” she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the Oolong. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma The daughter then asked, “What does it mean, mother?”

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The Oolong tea was unique, however. After they were in the boiling water , they had changed the water color and taste.

 “Which are you?” she asked her daughter. “When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a Oolong tea?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial  hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the Oolong tea? The tea actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the tea, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot,  an egg or a Oolong tea?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.

The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can’t go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.

Live your life so at the end, you’re the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

You might want to send this message to those people who mean something to you; to those who have touched your life in one way or another; to those who make you smile when you really need it; to those who make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down; to those whose friendship you appreciate; to those who are so meaningful in your life.

 If you don’t send it, you will just miss out on the opportunity to

 brighten someone’s day with this message!

 May we all be OOLONG TEA !!!!!!!!!

[Thank you, Huang, who forwarded to me this very motivating message, which I am sharing with all on the blog.-  Kit]

                This entry was posted on Wednesday, 7 March 2007, 8:21 am and is filed under
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Combat corruption – last opportunity for Abdullah  to prove he means business

Question One:
 Who is investigating the serious corruption allegations against the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) Director-General Datuk Seri Zulkipli Mat Noor?

Answer:
 Police

Question Two:
 Who is investigating the serious corruption allegations against Deputy Internal Security Minister, Datuk Mohd  Johari Baharum for  “freedom for sale” corruption?

Answer:
ACA.

Question Three:
 Will the ACA  on the one hand and the Police and Internal Security Ministry on the other scratch each other’s back and exonerate one another?

Who can give a categorical answer in the negative? In fact, will the majority of Malaysians give  “Yes” instead of “No” to the question?

Unless  the answer to Question Three is  in the categorical  negative for all  or the overwhelming majority of Malaysians, then Malayia has a very serious integrity question and why independent  Royal Commissions of Inquiry must be set up to restore public confidence not only in the integrity of the Police, the Ministry of Internal Security and the Anti-Corruption Agency but the Abdullah administration itself

When Johari need not relinquish his post as Deputy Internal Security Minister  and Zulkipli  his post as ACA Director-General despite very serious corruption allegations against them — the message is clear, that Abdullah is not prepared to ask them to go on leave or transferred to another post to  allow  for fully independent and untrammeled investigations into  the serious corruption allegations to be conducted.

When Abdullah said that generally 85 percent of the reports submitted pertaining to accusations of corrupt practices were unfounded, the Prime Minister seemed to have made a value judgment that he is inclined to the  view that  the serious corruption allegations against  the ACA Director-General and about  “Freedom For Sale” scandal belonged to the “baseless” 85 per cent category.

When Johari was reported  and photographed in  all the media yesterday  in a most triumphalist mood, even more exultatory and celebratory  than when  he engineered the defeat of  his  former boss, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in the election to be an ordinary division delegate in the Kubang  Pasu Umno Division last year, the message is also very clear —  that Johari had nothing to fear from the ACA investigations.

Abdullah should realize that at stake is not just the integrity of Zulkpli, Johari, the ACA and the Police, but his very integrity as Prime Minister who  had pledged to make integrity and the battle against corruption the defining characteristics  of his premiership and the basic  difference with the previous 22-year Mahathir administration.

No Cabinet Minister would advise Abdullah to establish  independent Royal Commissions of Inquiry into the serious corruption allegations  which have plunged the Abdullah premiership into a grave crisis of confidence because it would set dangerous precedents which could come back later  to sting the Ministers concerned.

After all,  they were part and parcel of  the previous administration which had been tarred and tainted by serious allegations of corruption, cronyism and nepotism, which  Abdullah had pledged to break from with his administration turning  over a new page.

This is possibly the last  time and  final opportunity for Abdullah  to prove that he meant business  in   fighting  corruption as he promised in his 2004 general election manifesto –  by establishing two  independent Royal Commissions of Inquiry into the two serious corruption allegations against the ACA director-general and ACA one  the one hand and the Police and Deputy  Internal Security Ministry on the other.

Abdullah should realize that it is more important to the integrity of his premiership than to Zulkipli, Johari, ACA or the  Police that these  two  independent Royal Commissions of Inquiry  should  be set up without any more ado  into the two  different  sets of serious corruption allegations under his administration.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 8 March 2007, 2:44 pm and is filed under
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Monday PSCI meeting on Zulkifli/Ramli cancelled because of ulterior and improper pressures?

I was shocked when I was informed by the press at about 3 pm about the cancellation of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Integrity (PSCI)  meeting on Monday, March 12, 2007 to hear the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) director-general, Datuk Zulkipli  Mat Noor and former  top ACA officer and “whistleblower”, Mohamad Ramli Manan on serious allegations of corruption in the ACA. The announcement had been made by the PSCI Chairman Tan Sri Bernard Compok.

I was formally informed of the cancellation of the PSCI meeting by  a parliamentary officer at 4.40 p.m. by phone, who told me that the Secretary to Parliament,  Datuk Mahmood bin Adam, had signed  the notice for the cancellation of the PSCI meeting on Monday for it to be faxed out to the PSCI committee members.

This must be the first time in the history of Parliamentary Select Committees not only in Malaysia but in the Commonwealth where  the media are given earlier  notice than the MPs concerned  of the cancellation of a Select Committee meeting.

As the  March 12 meeting to hear Zulkipli and Ramli was the formal decision of the PSCI meeting on Feb. 28, when it met  to deal with issues concerning the scourge of the false identity card rackets in Sabah, any cancellation of the Monday meeting could only be made by the PSCI itself and not improperly and unilaterally by the Chairman, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok.

As  PSCI Chairman, Bernard must not buckle down to ulterior and  improper pressures to unilaterally  cancel the Parliamentary Select Committee meeting on Monday to hear Zulkipli and Ramli on ACA corruption .

This incident raises the  impropriety of a Cabinet Minister heading a parliamentary select committee.  Bernard is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.

Was the PSCI hearing for Zulkifli and Ramli discussed at the Cabinet meeting yesterday, and was Bernard pressured to  cancel the Monday meeting of PSCI, although both Zulkfifli and Ramli have publicly stated their preparedness to appear to tell the whole truth with   both claiming that they have nothing to hide.

The filing of legal proceedings by Ramli yesterday against  Zulkifli and five other government officials  is neither excuse nor justification for the unilateral and unparliamentary cancellation of the PSCI meeting on March 12, as the PSCI is not intended to be a court of law but has special responsibility to address  the problem of integrity in ACA, in particular in the latest developments with ACA suffering its worst national and international crisis of confidence in its  integrity and incorruptibility.

What is the use of having a Parliamentary Select Committee on  Integrity when it is unable to deal with  the most acute problem of national integrity — the integrity and incorruptibility of ACA?

The notice to cancel the PSCI meeting on Monday is  improper, defective, and unparliamentary and  should be regarded as null and void, and utterly invalid.

Under the circumstances, the PSCI meetingo on Monday should be held as scheduled, especially as Zulkipli and Ramli have committed publicly to attend.  Or will  Zulkipli and Ramli use  this as an excuse not to  appear  any more before the PSCI.

I will contact Bernard to impress on him the importance that the Monday meeting of the PSCI should be held as scheduled.

                This entry was posted on Thursday, 8 March 2007, 6:05 pm and is filed under
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Haslinda vs EPF (2)

This is sequel and “happy ending” to the earlier post on Monday,
Haslinda vs EPF
 on the inordinate delay in approving her application for EPF Withdrawal Scheme for Education to the extent that she faced the risk of losing her student status in a local public university.

I had promised to phone the new EPF Chairman Tan Sri Samsudin Osman the next day on Haslinda’s case, as on Wednesday, I was to be admitted into the Penang Lam Wah Ee Hospital for an eye operation.

But the EPF Chairman could not be contacted in his office at EPF Headquarters on Tuesday as he was away  in Putrajaya, though  I left word with his secretary as to the purpose of my call.

The next day, Haslinda sent me a sms to inform me that EPF had called and informed her that the cheque was ready for collection in Shah Alam branch.

I have  just received this email from Haslinda with advice for others in her shoes:

Dear Y.B. Lim

I hope you are ok and recovering from the operation.

I was on leave yesterday and collected the said cheque from EPF Shah Alam branch.  They called me on Wednesday afternoon and asked me to come and collect it.  I did question them why it was not posted to us as the normal procedure.  They mentioned that there is some problem with the Bank (RHB) and as usual, blaming the system.

There was no hiccup when collecting and from what I could see, there is a minor improvement in terms of the waiting time as compared to my visit in January this year.  The University did not charge us late penalties of RM80.00, guess they must have been contacted by EPF personnel.

In this case, I have followed their requirements by producing the necessary documentations required, i.e. photocopy of I/C, copy of exam results, student card, and also letter from the University.  I believe if we follow the procedure closely, there should not be any hiccups or problems with our application (poor me, I was wrong!).  Instead, I was given a piece of A4 paper, stating that the application will be processed accordingly (previous practice was, EPF would give an acknowledgement card, similar to the registered letter card from post office) and I have surrendered it to the Treasury Dept as a proof that I have submitted my application to EPF.  Previously, we will be getting our cheque via Pos Laju, within 2 weeks after application.  I have been using this method for the past 2 years and there is no major problem such as the recent one.

I was panicking when my friends called me up on Monday relating the same problem that I was facing.  I did try to call up their Customer Service Hotline but as usual, I was being put “On Hold” for at least 20 minutes each time I called (my friends tried, same problem).  As time is of the essence in this case, I had no other way but to call up Telekom Directory Services to get their HQ phone no. in KL.  Again, as you mentioned in your earlier email, once again, I was put “On Hold” for at least 20 minutes and finally I managed to speak to Nariza, the Chairman’s PA.  I voiced out my disappointments to her and she also confirmed that there are still a lot of claims that they have yet to process and will take quite some for them to process.   I then asked for the Chairman’s fax no. and told her I wanted to put everything in black & white and the rest is as you have read in my letter.

Based on my experience, I would suggest that those who are facing the same problem to try to do the following:

1.        Check your facts and make sure that they are accurate.

2.        Make copies of what you submit to them, I even keep the “Queue Number” when I submitted the form on 17 January 2007.

3.        Don’t be discouraged when being faced with sarcastic remarks/answers from them.  Be focus on what you want to achieve at the end of the day.

4.        Know your right.  Do not simply accept their reasons because some times, they do give reasons for the sake of reasoning and it does not make sense.  Remember at the end of the day, it is your money and not theirs!!

5.        When everything else fail, go to Y. B. Lim, he can do miracle….hehehehee

Anyway, at the end of the day, I managed to get my cheque.  Upon checking with my friends, they mentioned that on Wednesday evening, EPF called them up personally and asked them to collect their cheques.  It shows that they do need someone to shake them up.  I really pity those who are illiterate, who can’t write and don’t know how to complain…they will be lost when being passed around by these people.

Y.B. Lim, my friends and I would like to thank you for assisting us in getting our money.  We know that the media could not be bothered with this kind of issue as there are more deserving cases such as “PM going overseas”, “Why Linda Onn did not appear on red carpet”, ” Siti Nurhaliza still not pregnant”…etc.  Although the cheque issue is settled, I am still waiting for their response in black and white, as to why there is delay in our application.

Once again, thank you very much.

Regards

Thanks Haslinda for the compliments. I am no miracle-maker but I am prepared anytime to shake up the “authorities” to remind them that they are the servants and not masters of the people.

                This entry was posted on Friday, 9 March 2007, 5:59 pm and is filed under
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How can such things happen with Pak Lah as PM?

Why are Klang Municipal Council (MPK) enforcement officers behaving so high-handedly with the ordinary public, as in the following
clip
 from a camera phone on Star online report,
“Fine mess, says tailor in MPK incident”
.

What was all the hullaballoo about? Over parking ticket!

How can such things happen under the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi who has talked so much about a people-friendly, efficient and productive public service?

But nobody seems to be listenining as the situation is generally deteriorating  from bad to worse, with more and more basic services – including basic courtesy to citizens – breaking down and getting out of control.

The following is the Star report of the deplorable episode in Klang yesterday:

Fine mess, says tailor in MPK incident

KLANG: Humiliated and enraged, that’s how Pua Chia Teng feels after several Klang Municipal Council (MPK) enforcement officers dragged him from his shop and bundled him into a car before taking him to the police headquarters here, all over a parking fine.

Pua, 35, a tailor at Jalan Raja Hassan said it started over a parking fine issued at 2pm on Wednesday.

“It all began with my elder brother Khiau Seong. He had parked his Mercedes Benz along Jalan Raja Hassan without a parking coupon. As an MPK parking attendant walked towards the car, Khiau Seong shouted out at him not to issue a compound as he was on his way out,” he said.

He said the attendant ignored his brother’s plea.

“Khiau Seong rushed out and within minutes a scuffle had broken out. I ran out and separated them while two other attendants watched. The three MPK attendants then walked away and Khiau Seong drove off,” he said.

Pua added that 10 minutes later, a group of MPK enforcement officers barged into his shop demanding he follow them to the Klang police headquarters to give a statement regarding the scuffle. He refused.

Pua said the officers then dragged him from his shop and forced him into their car. They then drove to the police headquarters.

“I was dragged out in full view of passers-by and other shop owners. It was humiliating,” Pua said.

“At the police headquarters, I had to pay RM1,000 bail to be released,” he said.

Selangor DAP deputy chairman Peter Tan said he plans legal action over the matter.

“It is unbecoming of the staff to act in such a manner,” he said.

Council president Abdul Bakir Zin declined to comment on the way his men had taken Pua to the police headquarters.

Asked about a video of the incident posted on the Internet, Bakir said, “Let the police investigate as a report has been lodged.”

                This entry was posted on Friday, 9 March 2007, 2:07 pm and is filed under
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