By LIM MUN FAH Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE Many people are wondering: How could there be so many scandals revealed by the Auditor-General Report every year? The problems does not lie in the shocking degree of the scandals, but why are these similar scandals repeating every year? How could 16,013 of students allowed to draw RM2,378 in advance even though they did not apply loans from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN)? How could 3,793 students disappear after drawing in advance loans totaling RM4.9 million, and caused the PTPTN unable to collect the debts? How could the Higher Education Ministry able to collect only RM1.51 billion of the RM3.19 billion debts with a recovery rate of less than 50%? How could so many government departments and agencies not yet learn how to manage money even though they have ruled for decades? How could so many of them overspend, causing the accumulated overrun amount for a year to reach as high as RM4 billion? Even more difficult to understand, with such a huge amount of cost overruns, shoddy works can actually still be found everywhere.
Nutritious sardine sandwiches have been turned into buttered bread.
An ordinary chair costs RM80 originally has become a luxurious chair costs RM415.
Spanish mackerel, black pomfret and red snapper have been replaced with cheaper fishes while no investigation has been conducted and no refund is made.
Enough, enough, we have heard enough! Never mind, never mind, we are numb! Anyway, it has become an annual grand event like the Academic Awards as every year when the Auditor-General Report is released, the media will make a full coverage of the scandals. Anyway, we will have to suffer a great shock and make criticism every year when the Auditor-General Report is released. Anyway, the plot of the show is always similar, only the time and the leading characters will be different. Anyway, the similar process will repeat itself every year and the atmosphere will resume deserted after the bustling noises. What is the purpose of preparing the report if they only play up the issue to scare those who are involved in the scandals but do not take further action to prevent a repetition? Very well, the government has actually taken actions. To prevent a recurrence of cost overruns, the Finance Ministry has made four recommendations while the Higher Education Ministry will take numerous improvement measures to enhance supervision and collection of debts. Meanwhile, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has also said that a total of 13 investigation papers (KS), 14 preliminary investigation papers (KPA) and five examination and consultation (KPP) papers have been initiated following the release of the 2009 Auditor-General’s report. I hope we can soon see corrupt officials and contractors who are responsible for the shoddy works being sacked and charged. Since the scandals have been revealed, those who are responsible must then be punished. The people will be satisfied only if the scandals end in such a way!
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 — Malaysia’ capital city has dropped eight spots to 48 in a ranking of the world’s most global cities by international management consulting firm AT Kearney, suggesting the Najib administration has to try harder to make Kuala Lumpur a world class city. New York, London, Tokyo and Paris topped the list of the 2010 Global Cities index which assessed 65 major cities based on the strength of their business, human capital, political, cultural and information assets. The other Asia Pacific cities that made the top ten were Hong Kong - 5, Singapore - 8, Sydney – 9 and Seoul - 10. Spurred by the increasing competition between cities which is contributing to a brain drain, government think tank Pemandu, is driving an initiative to make the Greater KL region a world class city. Its stated goal is to propel KL to the top 20 in the world in both liveability and economic growth by 2020. The AT Kearney global cities ranking shows however, the amount of catching up that Kuala Lumpur has to do and that other cities have the same idea and are not standing still. In terms of liveability, KL ranks just 79th out of 130 cities in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2010 ranking of easiest places to live and was stagnant at 75th in the Mercer study of best places to live from 2006-2009. The city also failed to make the list of the top 100 most innovative cities with strong cultural and human infrastructure and global links as assessed by Australian innovation consultancy firm 2thinknow. Among initiatives planned for KL under the Economic Transformation Programme include a new MRT system to enhance public transportation, rehabilitation of the city’s polluted rivers, more green space, a high speed rail link to Singapore, improved pedestrian linkages and a more vibrant and seamless shopping belt. It is hoped that the better conditions will help attract top talent live in the city, whose population is expected to soar to 10 million in 2020 from 6 million currently. The city’s attractiveness however is hampered by an absence of world class universities, relatively low salaries, lack of major cultural and outdoor attractions, lack of orderliness and poor maintenance, low levels of sophistication, creeping urban sprawl, crime, unhygienic conditions and traffic congestion. The next few years will be critical for KL's ambitions to be a world class city as the AT Kearney report notes that the gap between the top cities and those who rank at the “tail” end is increasing. KL’s 48th position puts it behind Bangkok – 36 and Taipei – 39 but slightly ahead of Manila – 51, Jakarta – 53 and Ho Chi Minh city – 61. AT Kearney noted that global cities are the urban elite and are shaping the future with new deals and ideas. “Global cities are where you go to do business, yes, but also to see the greatest art, hear the greatest orchestras, learn the latest styles, eat the best food and study in the finest universities,” said the report. “They have global corporations. But they also have think tanks, jazz bars and broadband. In a word, they have clout.”
The other Asia Pacific cities that made the top ten were Hong Kong - 5, Singapore - 8, Sydney – 9 and Seoul - 10.