PIG HEAD's INCIDENT- WHY THE ARRESTED NOT CHARGED YET ?

On December 29, two plastic bags containing four pigs heads were found outside the compound of Al-Falah Mosque, Taman Daya Johor Bahru. The following day, another plastic bag with five pig heads were found at the mosque's entrance.

Right thinking Malaysians irrespective of whatever race and religion were enraged by the incident and it was also unfortunate that even before police could commence their investigation, some groups did public protests which insinuated non-muslims and warning them not to insult Islam. Sadly, these groups conveniently forgot that when a mosque/surau was descrerated last year in Johor, suspicion immediately fell on the non-muslims but police investigations which then led to apprehending the perpetrators revealed that they were not non-muslims.

In the aftermath of the recent incident, Johor police chief  Dato Mokhtar Shariff on Monday January 2,made public that police have arrested four individuals including a teenager in connection with the incident. Another man, in his 40's was also being sought to assist in the investigation. The Johor Police Chief, Dato Mokhtar and his special police task force must be commended for swiftly investigating and arresting the perpetrators. Syabas dan tahniah Dato Ketua Polis Johor dan PDRM.

However, it is now more than two weeks since the arrest and questions are being asked by the public who rightly wants to know the status of the case and why those arrested have yet to be charged in court. Before the public start making wild speculations which many are already doing, those arrested should be charged soonest.

For RM10, smugglers can breeze in and out

Corruption is rampant among law enforcers at border checkpoints

FOR a paltry sum, enforcement officers manning the country’s border checkpoints can be bought to provide smugglers a hassle-free passage.

Intelligence reports, backed by three years of surveillance by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, have revealed that the “buying” involved the lowest-ranking personnel right up to their bosses — who all guaranteed a pass through various levels of security checks.

The New Straits Times team, which joined several surveillance operations recently, found out the “rates” at the Rantau Panjang checkpoint.

It starts at RM10 at the front-most line, which is usually manned by General Operations Force (GOF) officers, while their Customs counterparts would accept RM50 or RM100 to allow a smuggler in and out of the country.

Officers from the Anti-Smuggling Unit would haggle for a fee of between RM10 and RM40. With Road Transport Department staff, however, smugglers would have to deal directly with their “boss”.

After paying between RM100 and RM150, the team was given a small sticker for the “smuggling vehicle”.

Smugglers with such stickers would be “protected”. Goods that are smuggled include RON 95 petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas.

With cash in small denominations, our van, loaded with contraband rice and other taxable goods, breezed through every checkpoint.

Surveillance at the Rantau Panjang border showed that from 6am to 10pm daily, between 50 and 100 vehicles freely moved goods in and out of the country.

A source said there would be at least four levels of security at the borders at any one time, but most of the officers (GOF, RTD, Customs and Anti-Smuggling Unit) were on the take.

Although Immigration Department officers were not involved, they failed to check the travel documents of those passing through the checkpoints.

“This is more than just about revenue or subsidised goods and losses for the country. Weapons and drugs could easily be smuggled into the country.

“The corruption is so deep-rooted that only a major shake-up of these checkpoints can rectify the problem,” said the source, adding that the authorities at the federal level should consider a more frequent rotation of officers.

At present, officers take about a year at their stations to get comfortable with the smugglers.

The NST was also made to understand that joint operations to arrest enforcement officers were difficult because details of the operations would be leaked.

The source said the “strong bond” between law enforcers and smugglers was hard to break, and they would never snitch on each other.

But operations by graft-busters had recently resulted in some of these officers being charged in court. However, a few GOF officers caught on tape taking bribes were only disciplined by their department and reassigned to other duties.

ONLY MALAYSIA

Officers make RM5,000 a day

Law enforcers make a killing in return for closing an eye to smuggling.

AS our van rolled to a stop in front of the Rantau Panjang security checkpoint near the Malaysian-Thai border, an officer from the General Operations Force (GOF) walked out of the guard post and motioned us to lower the window.

“Sepuluh ringgit, cepat, cepat (RM10, hurry, hurry),” he whispered, extending his hand inside the vehicle and glancing nervously at the other vehicles that had pulled up behind our dilapidated van.

An undercover enforcement officer in the front passenger seat pulled out RM10 and handed it  to the middle-aged GOF officer. He then let us through with a wave of his hand.

Moments later, at another checkpoint — this time,  Customs —  the undercover agent  got out and opened the back door of the van and showed them our illicit cargo of contraband fragrant rice stuffed in pillowcases and other taxable goods.

The payoff this time was RM50 and the methodology involved a bit of sleight-of-hand.

To prevent the drivers of the vehicles behind us from witnessing the transaction, the undercover agent discreetly placed the RM50 on the pile of rice.

The  Customs officer came around and pretended to rummage through the pile of contraband.

The RM50 was deftly swept up in one fluid motion. David Copperfield himself couldn’t have done it better.
Getting through the third round of checks was a breeze as prior arrangements had been made with one of the “bosses” at the Road Transport Department who gave us a “licence to smuggle”.

For RM250, we  got a green sticker that was stuck to the windscreen. This indicated to his men on the ground that we were one of the “untouchables”.

Now in the home stretch, our last hurdle was the Anti-Smuggling Unit checkpoint. True to form, we were let through with  a bribe of only  RM50.

At all the border security checkpoints, we were let through by the various enforcement agencies with no more than a cursory look, a casual nod and a payoff.
It is believed that these officers would rake in anywhere from RM3,000 to RM5,000 a day, depending on the traffic flow.
In an earlier operation to weed out “crooked” enforcers at the Bukit Kayu Hitam checkpoint, they flatly denied any involvement with smuggling syndicates.


One vehemently denied any involvement, saying repeatedly that he had no idea what the undercover officers were talking about. The minute he was shown video evidence, his memory improved immediately.

An officer at the Malaysian-Thai border accepting a bribe from a driver smuggling illicit goods into Thailand.

The RM250 green sticker (inset) that was affixed to the windscreen of a van. The sticker ensures a smuggler will not be bothered by RTD officers at the checkpoint.

Another Nigerian “Student” Bites The Dust

This news is from today’s STAR

  

Now this is from Malaysianinsider.

Nigeria tightens drug screening for Malaysia-bound flights

By Shannon Teoh

December 28, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 — Nigerian drug authorities have placed Malaysia-bound flights from the African country on red alert following a surge in drug trafficking on the route.

According to Nigerian online portal The Punch, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said yesterday passengers headed to Malaysia would be subjected to tougher airport screening after arrests multiplied by more than tenfold this year.

“The drastic measure is necessitated by the increasing number of arrests made on the route and the need to prevent obstinate drug traffickers from smuggling drugs to Malaysia where drug offences attract capital punishment,” the site quoted the anti-narcotics agency’s public affairs chief Mitchell Ofoyeju as saying.

Ofoyeju added in the press statement that NDLEA arrested two drug suspects going to Malaysia last year but arrests surged to 21 so far this year at the Lagos airport alone.

The United Nations reported last month that drug gangs from Africa and Iran are muscling in on Southeast Asia’s booming methamphetamine business.

The body’s Office on Drugs and Crime said the number of African couriers arrested annually almost doubled to 65 in 2010, including 50 Nigerians.

Early this month, police shot dead a Nigerian man after the drug suspect reportedly assaulted a policeman.

In January, police arrested a Nigerian student at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang holding 3.5kg of syabu worth RM875,000.

Police said he was paid RM7,750 to transport the drugs.

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Hear this folks! According to Nigerian Anti-Narcotics agency’s public affairs chief Mitchell Ofoyeju in 2010 the Nigerian National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested two drug suspects going to Malaysia. This year NDLEA has arrested 21 drug suspects!

What a shame! Malaysia has lost out 21 potential students.

TIME TO CURB THE AFRICAN MENACE IN MALAYSIA

In recent weeks, newspapers have been highlighting, police and immigration raids and arrest of Africans in Malaysia. In some instance, the Africans while trying to evade arrest were brazen enough to attack the police with metal rods. The temerity of them! Clearly Africans in Malaysia have moved from being a nuisance, to a menace and now they are fast becoming a threat to national security.

Folks here are some alarming statistics to make you jump out of your skin:

From Bernama February 03, 2002

• An average of 300 African enter Malaysia monthly via Bukit Kayu Hitam according to Malaysian Immigration. Ini baru “tourist” yang nak datang ‘cuti-cuti Malaysia’.

• In January 2002, 372 Africans from countries such as Cameroon, Liberia, Mali, Angola were checked through via Bukit Kayu Hitam.

• Most of them said they were tourists while others wanted to renew their Thai visas. If you believe those entering are tourist then you must also believe in Santa Claus.

From Bernama December 16, 2009

• Deputy Home Minister Jelaing Mersat told Dewan Negara that Imigration statistics showed 99,769 African entered Malaysia between January and October 2009.

• So kawan-kawan bayangkan dalam 10 bulan sahaja hampir 100,000 orang Afrika masuk ke Malaysia !

From Malay Mail December 21, 2009

• In 2001, 51,383 African entered Malaysia

• In 2008, 111,805 African entered Malaysia both as tourist and students.

From Borneopost December 11, 2011

• Deputy Home Minister Datuk Lee Chee Leong in Dewan Negara said that there are more than 25,000 Africans in the country.

• Deputy Home Minister also said that Immigration Department had also issued a total of 23,536 students passes to Africans to pursue their studies at public and private institutions of higher learning and international schools

• Incidentally, Deputy Home Minister also said a total of 101,644 Iranians were recorded to have entered the country in 2009 and the figure rosed to 2108,047 in 2010.

Bernama October 20, 2011

• According to Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khalid Nordin there are about 22,000 Africans studying in Malaysia.

Pelikkan, Timbalan Menteri Dalam Negeri bilang 23,536 pelajar Afrika belajar kat Malaysia
manakala Menteri Pelajaran kata 22,000 pelajar Afrika belajar kat Malaysia ! Mana pi lesap
1,536 pelajar Afrika ?

For some time Malaysians have been watching with great uneasiness, the growing influx of Africans into Malaysia. It would seem that many Africans are purported coming into Malaysia as students but in truth many of them are using this merely as a conduit to enter into this country, either to misuse their visas, overstay and become illegals or be involved in crime. Harian Metro in October 2006, reported that Africans have gone from being customers at brothels to running brothels with some earning up to RM1,000.00 per day. If that is not surprising, Utusan Malaysian on Sunday December 18, disclosed of an African who arrived in this country with only clothes on his back and then went on to build a RM400 million five star hotel back in Africa all from the money earned by cheating people in Malaysia.

Africans after arriving have moved on and created mini colonies in areas around Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Negri Sembilan. With their loutish and boorish behavior, they are not only a nuisance but also a disturbance in many neighbourhood. In short they have become a menace.

In some areas like Cyberjaya, Nilai and Mantin where these African have registered to become students at the local colleges , there has been unending complaints about them, never mind their boorish and loutish behavior, which is an innate trait in them but their tendency to become increasingly brazen enough to disturb the locals and sometimes even threatening them. I suspect, many colleges are simply surviving because of African students and so long as the fees is paid the colleges are keeping an eye closed to the extra curricular and nocturnal activities of their African students.

Add to the African “students” influx, we are also seeing African “tourist” and most originating from Thailand entering into Malaysia peddling trinkets and other wares. They have become such a common sight at coffee shops and hawker centres. Don’t the immigration authorities do a through check to see if these Africans who are trying to enter Malaysia are bona-fide tourist. Don’t the authorities find out from these intending tourists how much money they are bringing, their travel itinerary, their accommodation at all destinations while in Malaysia, if they have a return ticket out to their country of origin ( not a one way bus ticket to Hadyai). Could Malaysia not impose a ruling that Africans must first obtain a visa from their Home Country before being able to enter Malaysia. Susah ke nak buat polisi macam tu, pak menteri ? How come you don’t see African “students” and “tourists” trying to enter Singapore. They know, what awaits them for misuse of visa or overstaying – whiplash on their back. But in Malaysia were are laying red carpet and wishing them ‘Selamat Datang”.

If previously Malaysian were used to and had to contend with dime a dozen Africans confidence tricksters, now it would seem that Africans in Malaysia are increasingly involved in serious crimes like rape, robbery, murder, robbery, drug dealings and drug trafficking. Add to that, there are many cases where Africans have sweet talked and conned Malaysian women to become drug mules. Many Malaysian women languishing in foreign jails are drug mules duped by Africans operating from Malaysia. In 2010, 16 women were arrested overseas for drug offences and almost in all cases they were duped by Africans.

Now contrast the menace by the Africans with the Korean community in Malaysia. Last year, some 264,000 Koreans entered Malaysia as tourist. There are currently 35 weekly flights from Seoul unto Malaysia. How often or rather have you ever heard about Koreans overstayers in Malaysia ? Folks, did you know that there is a thriving Korean community in Malaysia, especially in Ampang where a Koreatown is slowly beginning to sprout. In 2009, there were 14,580 Koreans residing in Malaysia many of them students or retirees coming under the Malaysia My Second Home. Add to these categories are the Korean expatriates working in local or Korean owned companies. Do we hear about Koreans being a nuisance or engaging in crime?

We have to admit that Malaysia has lost the fight against Indonesian immigrants either illegally entering Malaysia or overstaying. Let us now not lose also the fight against the Africans. Apprehending Africans is not the job of the police alone. People seeing Africans staying or being present in their neighbourhood ( unlike Indonesians, Africans are easily identifiable) must call the local police station and if no action is forthcoming call the Ketua Polis Negeri. If all attempts have failed then email me at anfalaw@streamyx.com Whatever do not do what the dumb assed Senator Datuk Paul Kong Sing Chu whose advise was “the best is to totally avoid them”. Really ?

I leave you with a chilling comment posted by a Nigerian in the Malay Mail Online “ I assure u (sic) that one day Nigerians will begin to contest for political posts in your country and if u (sic) are not careful they will gain victory, it has happen in so many places and Malaysia is no exception”.

Malaysians take heed… we have been warned by Africans themselves !

INDIANS MUST BE WARY OF NAJIB’S NAMBIKEI

INDIANS MUST BE WARY OF NAJIB’S NAMBIKEI

“Nambikei”  is a word now frequently used by Prime Minister Datuk Sri najib Tun Razak. Najib first used nambikei at the 65^th MIC General Assembly in August. Literally, nambikei  means believe, trust, confidence and hope. After 54 years under Barisan Nasional – UMNO hegemony, Najib wants Indians to continue to place their nambikei in Najib and Barisan Nasional.

Nambikei as the the rallying call of Najib has become important because in the 2008 General Election, Indians for once had the gumption and the cojonnes to abandon Barisan Nasional. For once, Indians braved and cut their umbilical cord with MIC.

With almost 850,000 Indian voters, 70 % of them living and voting in 50 parliamentary constituencies where Indians form as much as 20% of the voters, nambikei takes a greater importance not only for Najib but importantly for the survival of Barisan Nasional.

From the regular stage managed appearances at Indian events, to the cheerful announcement by Najib that he loves thosai and murrukus, granting 1642 citizenship to Indians (wonder how many Indonesians became citizens during the same period these 1642 Indians were waiting for the citizenship), formation of a task force to look into the problems faced by the Indian community ( after 54 years ) does not hide the fact that Najib and Barisan Nasional is desperate to regain the Indian votes. Indians must not be hoodwinked by the sudden benevolences by Najib and Barisan Nasional.

If Najib and Barisan Nasional has “found” Indians, it is all because of general election 2008 and the rise and effect of Pakatan Rakyat. Najib and Barisan Nasional realize that their survival in the next general election depends on Indian voters and their votes, thus the nambikei cry from Najib.

For more than 50 years,  Indians had placed their nambikei in Barisan Nasional. Indians became Barisan Nasional’s  fixed deposit. Alas, the gains never reflected the deposit. The Indian community gave so much and gained so little, progressed so little but only to be mired in a quagmire.

Indians must never make the mistake of the past but realize that any small measures now by the Barisan Nasional government is the a result of what the community collectively did in 2008. Some Indians may lament that nothing much has changed for the Indians even under Pakatan Rakyat, but Pakatan Rakyat has only been around for 4 years and is a work in progress as compared to 54 years of Barisan Nasional. Still, in the four short years of Pakatan Rakyat, Indians have benefitted much. For a change, with Pakatan Rakyat, it is Barisan Nasional that is desperate in seeking Indians. Thus, this is is not a time to abandon Pakatan Rakyat, for to believe in the nambikei is a return to Barisan Nasional, which may only mean the return to the status quo – Indians being ignored !

Indians, instead must make the nambikei-man  to redress and correct the injustices of 54 years by Barisan Nasional against Indians.

What the Auditor-General said about Penang

The Penang state government continues to be in the good books of the Auditor General, who commended its improved financial position in 2010 compared to 2009.

According to the latest AG report, Penang's consolidated revenue grew by 2.7 percent, from RM1,101.89 million for 2009 to RM1,131.17 million in 2010. The consolidated cash reserve rose by 6.2 percent to RM572.49 million, up from RM538.95 million in 2009.

“The state’s revenue for 2010 has increased by RM34.19 million or 9.1 percent compared to 2009 from RM376.51 million to RM410.70 million,” observes the report.

The AG advises the state government to make better investment analysis as a way to increase dividends.

“Besides that, the state government is also urged to continue its effort to collect arrears in revenue amounting to RM78.78 million at the end of 2010 from land tax, loan repayment to students, rental of houses, shop lots and so on,” the report adds.

On development under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, the AG rates the state’s performance as satisfactory with a total of RM787.17 or 77.8 percent being spent from the allocated RM1.01 billion.

In terms of implementation of projects, the report hails the state's performance as 'very good' with 99 percent of the 9,003 projects successfully carried out.

The report concludes that the financial management of state agencies remained good for 2010.

“In 2010, 3 agencies are in ‘very good’ category like 2009. 10 agencies are considered ‘good’ and one at satisfactory level,” it says.

For three successive years, 13 state agencies audited at least twice between 2007 to 2010 have showed ‘very good’ financial management by the state treasury and development body.

What the Auditor-General said about Kelantan

The Auditor General has rated the Kelantan state government’s financial position in 2010 as satisfactory.

The state saw a revenue increase of RM51.07 million or 52.5 percent, from RM97.23 million in 2009 to RM148.30 million in 2010.

"Analysis of 5 years into the consolidated revenue from 2006 to 2010 shows a dip in 2007 and 2008 and then increase in 2009 and 2010. Cash reserves and investment rose in 2010, with the balance of RM97.23 million in 2009 increasing to RM148.30 million in 2010,” reads the AG’s report released yesterday.

The AG has advised Kelantan to spend prudently without affecting quality of service and development, citing an increase in state debt by RM118.25 million, from RM993.75 million in 2009 to RM1,112 million in 2010.

“The state government must also ensure arrears in revenue are collected and loans repaid according to schedule, and arrears repayment must be collected in full. The debt to Federal government must also be paid according to schedule including delayed repayment," the report adds.

On the state’s development, the AG notes that the state government underspent for a period of five years utilising only RM715.23 million or 42.1 percent of the total allocation.

As such, the report concludes that the spending and implementation have been "unsatisfactory".

It however praises financial management of all government agencies in Kelantan, with four state agencies being rated as ‘very good’ and the other 15 as ‘good’.

“This shows an improvement in financial management of the state compared to 2009 where only two agencies were rated as ‘very good’ and 12 as ‘good’,” it added, saying state performance could be improved through financial and management training for state officers.

What the Auditor-General said about Kedah

The Kedah state government achieved a 135.8 percent increase in state revenue with a record surplus budget for 2010 at RM22.50 million, compared to deficit of RM62.89 million in 2009, says the latest Auditor General's report on the state.

“State expenditure meanwhile only rose by RM2.55 million or 0.6 percent. This led to a surplus for the state government in 2010,” it said.

Last year, the AG rated Kedah’s financial position as satisfactory with a consolidated revenue increase of 23.9, from RM265.52 million to RM328.28 million in 2009.

The increase, says the latest report, reduced the balance of the Consolidated Revenue Account deficit in 2010 by a total of RM22.50 million or 7 percent, from RM320.73 million down to RM298.23 in 2009.

The report however cautions the state over the increase in loans from the Federal government by RM249.81 million in 2010, bringing the total amount to RM2.61 billion from RM2.38 billion in 2009.

It urges the state to take more effective measures to recover arrears of revenue as 2010 had registered only RM172.67 million, a fall of 13.5 percent or RM27.16 million, compared to RM199.83 million in 2009.

On projects under the Nineth Malaysia Plan, the report rates the state’s project implementation as of 31 December 2010 as satisfactory with RM2.51 billion or 73.3 percent from the RM3.42 billion allocated being spent.

It also commends the state government for improving the financial management of its agencies compared to 2009, with four agencies getting the ‘very good’ rate, 12 ‘good’ and one as 'satisfactory'.

“Overall, the financial management of the state’s agencies has improved compared to 2009,” it notes.

What the Auditor-General said about Selangor

Overall, the Selangor state government received a ‘satisfactory’ rating from the Auditor General for its financial position ending 2010.

The state’s consolidated revenue increased by RM266.91 million or 20.2 percent, from RM1,319.97 million in 2009 to RM1,586.88 million in 2010. This is despite it registering a 10.9 percent or RM192.36 million drop to RM1,571.50 million in state’s revenue last year (RM1,763.86 million in 2009).

“The operating expenditure has also decreased by RM382.56 million or (20.9 percent) to RM1,447.26 million in 2010 compared to RM1,829.82 million in 2009,” reads the AG’s report.

The state government received praised for reduction in revenue arrears by RM99.87 million or 16.6 percent, from RM601.92 million in 2009 to RM502.05 million in 2010.

The AG however rates the state’s long-term investment as ‘unsatisfactory’ due to very low dividend returns over the past five years, from 2006 to 2009, with no dividend recorded in 2010.

In the development category, the AG notes that the state government completed 64.5 percent or 927 self-funded projects listed under the Nineth Malaysia Plan.

“Although the expenditure achievement for 9th Malaysia Plan for 5 years from 2006 to 2010 has reached 92.1 percent, there are only 1,108 (77.1 percent) from 1,437 approved projects which are completed or implemented,” it notes.

The report rates as 'very good' the financial management for four state agencies, namely the state treasury, Ampang Jaya Municipal Council, Selayang Municipal Council, and Urban and Rural Planning department.

According to the report, 11 agencies are ‘good’ and one agency is 'satisfactory'. This, it adds, is better compared to 2009 as only one agency was listed as ‘very good’, 14 as ‘good’ and one satisfactory.

HUDUD WILL APPLY TO NON MUSLIMS.

DAP has been criticized by PAS for opposing Kelantan government’s intention to implement hudud. PAS Mursyidul Am Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz who is also the Kelantan Menteri Besar has been trying unsuccessfully to convince DAP while at the same time promising non-Muslims that hudud laws will NOT be applicable to Non Muslims but only apply to Muslims. Tuan Guru Hadi Awang and many leaders of PAS echoes similar assurance.

What is forgotten is that, Tuan Guru Hadi Awang who was then the Menteri Besar of Terengganu and PAS Acting President on 7^th July 2002 when winding up the debate on the Shariah Criminal Offences (Hudud and Qisas) Bill in the Terengganu State Assembly declared that “when the time comes, the hudud and qisas law will be extended to all non-Muslims.”.

In fact, the STAR on 9^th July 2002, front – paged “Terengganu says Islamic laws will eventually cover non-Muslims”. Lest, one say that this was false reporting by STAR or that Tuan Guru Hadi Awang was misquoted, Zahari Mohammad who was then the senior aide to Tuan Guru Hadi Awang confirmed with the Associated Press writer, Jasbant Singh that Tuan Guru Hadi Awang’s remarks were correctly reported .

Thus, despite the assurance given by PAS to non-Muslims, once hudud laws are implemented, nothing prevents PAS later to amend the hudud laws and foisted on non-Muslims whether they accept or not. After all, Tuan Guru Hadi Awang is on record saying that hudud laws will extend to non-Muslims despite his promise otherwise to non-Muslims now. So, perhaps it is high time PAS understands DAP’s opposition to hudud laws and the insistence of upholding the Federal Constitution and the non-Muslims objections which is not unwarranted.

STOP DEMONISING DR BOO CHENG HAU

I refer to the commentary by the New Straits Times journalist Ben Tan “ Nazi label a disservice to the civil service” as appeared in the NST( July 4, 2011)

It has been a long while since I read such squalid and irresponsible piece of journalism by a journalist who has completely missed the trees for the forest. The writer took umbrage to an article “ Isn’t a one race civil service a form of apartheid” written by Dr Boo Cheng Hau, Johor DAP State Chairman and Skudai state Assemblyman posted in the Centre of Policy Initiatives website.

Dr Boo, as a background to his article, narrated an incident when he was a young medical officer in service at a local government hospital, how a Malay nurse decided not to treat a pregnant patient but instead went to a kenduri leaving her tasks and responsibility to a young assistant nurse who utterly ill-prepared to assist in a surgery. If Dr Boo by highlighting the ethnicity of the nurse was playing a racial card, it is worth knowing that Dr Boo also highlighted that the young patient lying on the operating table waiting to deliver her baby was a Malay. Dr Boo further recounted how after the incident when he asked for stern action to be taken against the delinquent nurse, the operating theatre staff instead rallied around the race banner, myopic to the fact that someone belonging to their own ethnic community was about to give birth and she deserved the best medical care.

This unfortunate incident narrated by Dr Boo was a background to Dr Boo’s article where the crux of his article was that the Malaysian civil service has transformed overwhelmingly into a single race dominated civil service. Instead of commending Dr Boo, Ben Tan not only omitted to mention the incident narrated but even worst concealed the statistics with regard to representation by the ethnicity in the civil service as revealed by Dr Boo. Instead, Ben Tan chose to select words and highlight phrases from Dr Boo’s article which was mischief making since any reader of Ben Tan bellicose commentary not having read Dr Boo’s article first would assume that Dr Boo’s had written an article with a racist slant.

Nowhere in his article did Dr Boo draw any parallels to Malaysia’s civil service with Nazi Germany or that the country is being run along the lines of a totalitarian state akin to the Third Reich of Nazi Germany. That analysis is Ben Tan’s infantile journalism.

What Dr Boo in his article wrote was that despite Article 8(2) of the Federal Constitution which states that all citizens are eligible if suitably qualified by educational standards to enter any branch of the public service, and that there can be discrimination on ground of race, religion and the like, in reality the truth is that the Malaysian civil service no longer reflect the country’s plural society.

Dr Boo substantiate his argument with data and figures. For example, as of December 31, 2009, the Malaysian civil service comprised 1,247,894 employees. The dwindling to a trickle of non Malays in the civil service can be seen.

MALAY CHINESE INDIAN OTHERS
Before NEP (1971) 60.80% 20.2% 17.40% 1.6%
June 2005 77.04% 9.37% 5.12% 8.47%
December 2009 78.2% 5.8% 4.0% 4.2%

The statistics from Johor are even more damning and shows that the non-Malays are grossly under represented. Last year, at the state assembly, the Johor Menteri Besar Dato Ghani Othman revealed that there are only 126 non- Malays in the 8,372 strong Johor civil service. According to the Menteri Besar the racial breakdown of the Johor civil service is as follows;

Malays Chinese Indians Others
8,244 (98.47%) 10 (0.12%) 116(1.39%) 2(0.02%)

This in a state where out of a total population of almost 3.17 million has 54% Malays, Chinese 33% and Indians 6%. Johor despite having an Indian voter population of approximately 83,000, the Indian representation in the johor civil service is neither reflective of the total Indian population in the state nor the Indian registered voters. The irony is that at independence 40% of the Johor civil service were Indians.

Ben Tan cites his Malay friend who is a rank and file personnel attached with the Johor police contingent who reasons that there is a lack of appeal by non Malays and monetary rewards in the private sector as the reason why non-Malays are disinterested to join the civil service. That’s pure baloney ! The truth is that non Malays and particularly Indians do want to serve in the civil service but the all too often excuse given is that non Malays are not interested to work in the civil service. Looking at the statistics provided it clearly does give a perception that non Malays have no place in the civil service or the perception rightly or wrongly that they are kinda being weaned out.

Continuing his ramble Ben Tan calls on Dr Boo and others to give solutions as how to increase the participation of non-Malays in the civil service. It would be accountable journalism if Ben Tan can investigate and reveal to the public the genuine steps taken thus far by the government in enticing non-Malays to join the civil service. Spare us the usual recruitment method purported to have been used –advertisement in the newspapers !. If that is the method being used and reading the data revealing the gross under representation of non- Malays in the civil service, then the present recruitment method has been utter failure.

Since, Ben Tan calls for solutions, for one the government can have a big scale “Ops Isi Penuh” recruitment drive to attract non-Malays to join the civil service. Get the religious and ethnic based NGO’s to help to encourage non- Malays to join the civil service. I am sure Dr Boo will be able to easily recruit the best and qualified Indians amongst his own Skudai constituents. The question is if the government has the gumption to redress the serious racial imbalance in the civil service instead of giving the tired old excuse that non- Malays are not interested to join the civil service.

Ben Tan further writes that that he is “happy to say that I am not forced to wear shirts with a “saya Cina” patch and or interned in concentration camp or to be ethnically cleansed or gassed to death like how the Nazis did to the Jews” but had Ben Tan read Dr Boo’s article with a small modicum of intelligence and reasoning, he could have understood easily what a sensible reader would have easily understood what Dr Boo was actually saying and which would resonate with most Malaysians. Truth hurts and Dr Boo was just doing that – telling the truth and far from being racist or offensive. Instead, selecting and highlighting certain words from Dr Boo’s article, Ben Tan went on a grandstanding journalism.

Ben Tan ends accusing Dr Boo of ‘pulling out the racial card such as Nazi labeling, is a cheap trick that desensitize a profound meaning that should be reserved only for its historical significance and the horrors that they were known for”. Reading Ben Tan’s claptrap, I am reminded of Abraham Lincoln who once said, that it is better to remain silent and be thought of a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. Those profound words may well apply to Ben Tan’s puerile commentary.

Norman Fernandez