Auditor General’s Report Taking A Back Seat?

There has been an increase, over time, in the public demand for government transparency and accountability, which is crucial to safeguarding the public sector’s image of serving the public interest. 

Following such demands and urgency, the government implemented the The Prime Minister's Directive No 1 Year 1998, Second Series, No.1 Year 2000 by the Special Cabinet Committee on Integrity of Government Management chaired by then Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. 

The directive, entitled "Operations to Enhance the Integrity of the Malaysian Government Administration's Management System: Guideline on Implementation and Mechanism for the Supervisory System of Programmes to Incorporate Noble Values", is aimed at enhancing the integrity of the government administration. 

The National Integrity Plan (NIP) and the Malaysian Institute of Integrity was launched in 2004 by then Prime Minister Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi to further realized Vision 2020's goal of creating an ethical and moral society. 

In 2009, Prime Minister Mohd Najib Razak introduced the Ministerial Key Performance Indicators (MKPls) focused on delivering results of the effort to enhance government accountability. 

Subsequently, in 2010, the Prime Minister formally announced the Government Transformation Programme (GTP). The GTP covers an initial six national key results areas (NKRAs), including an initiative to combat corruption. 

Administratively, the two main institutions responsible for public finance accountability in Malaysia are the National Audit Department (NAD) and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). 

The Federal Constitution sets out the rules for financial provisions of Articles 96 to 112. The government must table an annual budget for approval by Parliament of the financial provisions contained in the Constitution. 

The Parliament enacts, repeals and amends laws related to financial matters. It controls expenditures of budgeting, and it requires the Accountant General's Department (AGD) to table annual financial reports on Parliament. These reports must be audited by an oversight body, which is the NAD. In addition, Parliament has established the PAC to ensure accountability. 

The head of the NAD is the Auditor General, who is appointed by the Yang di Pertuan Agong (the ruler) in accordance with Article 105 of the Federal Constitution. Article 106 of the Constitution specifies the powers and duties of the Auditor General and where he/she will submit the financial statements of the federal and state government as specified in Article 107 of the Constitution. 

The nature of an audit is specified in Section 6 of the Audit Act 1957, which states that the Auditor General must ascertain; involving the custody of public money, authority, maintenance and storage, activities and the provisions of the Federal Constitution and the Financial Procedure Act 1957, and any other written law relating to moneys or stores subject to his/her audit has been in all respects complied with to avoid wastage or extravagance. 

With such great effort and due diligence, the public is shocked with repeated reports on weaknesses or misappropriations, the culprits are not booked! The loss of 44 firearms reported on the Auditor General’s 2012 report and the more recent RM150 million cash and in kind siphoned from the RM3.3 billion, state rural water project in Sabah. 

The federal and state government are taken to task to be accountable and responsible and not shirking under the ‘TIDAK APA’ attitude, it has been far stretched and the public patience is wearing thin.

Selangor Water Shortage: Consumers Taken Hostage

While the Selangor Government has agreed to allocate RM400 million to replace 422 km of old water pipes in stages since July until 2019 to solve water woes in the Klang Valley, hopefully in the meantime the consumers has to bear the difficulties of carrying out their daily lives?

Water is not merely a necessity. It is the source of life. All efforts should be directed for the Rakyat in Selangor, and holding them at ransom or political injustice. So why is Selangor facing water shortage and who is to be blamed?  

The Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant and Water Reticulation System concession in 2009 by the Federal Government would have been completed, however it was delayed due to polemics by the state government. It was to address the increasing demands for water by the population and the industries, especially during drought seasons. 

Under the concession agreement, the initial water tariff was tagged at very low rates, allowing for gradual increases in the interest of the public. These increases would provide additional revenue to the water companies for the maintenance of increased water supply and reduce leakages or non-revenue water (NRW). 

The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) promised free water or no increase in water tariff to win majority votes in Selangor. To achieve this, they intended to buy out the water companies and halted any increase in water tariff despite provisioned in the concession agreements, tantamount to breach of contract. 

The Selangor Government must be held responsible and accountable for the water shortage, yet as their usual traits, fast to deflect this problem and blames the Federal Government. 

The rakyat of Selangor will be dogged with water woes while the Selangor government unabashed. To make matters worse, in the interest of the public and the Malaysian economy, the Federal Government has to bear the financial costs and saves the day, while the state government reaps the credit.

Penang Ferry Service: Past and Present

Penang Ferry Service is the oldest ferry service in Malaysia. It too resembles an icon to the state of Penang. This famous ferry service began operation in 1920 under the management of a Chinese owned company. However, today, it is operated by Penang Port Sdn. Bhd. (PPSB) that has the concession to operate the port till 2023 under a privatisation agreement with the federal government. 

Located in the state of Penang, this famous ferry service connects Sultan Abdul Halim terminal in Butterworth and Raja Tun Uda terminal at Weld Quay, George Town in Penang Island. 

The ferry were designed for vehicles to roll on/roll off with two decks. Generally the pedestrian passengers would occupy the upper deck, fitted with pivoting benches and the lower deck for motor vehicles. 

In its glory days, the ferry runs a fleet of nine ferries named after the islands in Malaysia. The ferry was the main link of transportation until the Penang Bridge was commissioned in 1985, an alternative route in and out of the island. 

Then tragedy struck! On 31st July 1988, the Sultan Abdul Halim ferry terminal bridge collapse and 32 lives perished while 1, 674 people injured. The cause of the calamity…overcrowding of pedestrian passengers on the left passageway and the steel bar of the jetty giving way of the burdening weight. 

The ferry service though revived, however began to plunge into the reds. Several ferries were sold for scrap or purposes elsewhere. Since January 2016, PPSB introduced cutbacks on the number of ferries servicing the route to the dismay of the regular ferry commuters. 

For regular ferry commuters working on the island or the mainland, time is the utmost concerned. The reduced number of ferries had put them in a lurch; hurriedly to get to their destination or forced to wait the next trip. During peak hours or weekends and holiday seasons, motor vehicles would line in queues to the main road causing traffic jam. 

PPSB’s decision to operate three ferries in their effort to cut down costs due to the declining numbers of vehicles between the mainland and the island; increased intervals is not received well by the commuters. 

Other than the re-branding or rather re-imaging the ferries exterior with striking colors, is there anything else to be expected for the die-hard commuters?