Taken for a ride? Part 2

Sub-title: Who got fixed?

Desiderata was planning for a light&easy Saturday after posting the latest at 12.10am in the devilish hours of the day when Others Sleep amd this Journo Works for his Supper and also that the Addicts can get their FIX!

Until this morn’s news headline at my BF (non-CON, that’s to look forward for tomorrow…)stares at me:

From The Star, 17 September 2005 frontpage:

Customs D-G:
I was fixed

Customs and Excise Department director-general Tan Sri Abdul Halil Mutalib admitted that he was the unidentified department head in the RM5mil retirement parties controversy, but said the story was circulated to smear his name.

In an interview with The Star,

He claims that those out to get him are:

 Customs offocials eyeing his job.
 Smugglers whom he had brought to book.
 AP holders who abuse their permits.

ALLEGATIONS
 RM5mil bill for lavish farewell paries
 State Customs directors instructed to pay RM1,000
to buy souvenirs for Halil and his wife
 Golfing “simmit” cum holiday in Langkawi
 Nepotism in the award of APs to his son, Abdul Hairel

REPLIES
 $$$Usual amount spent on any retiring director-general State Cutoms directors told that they could contribute any amount,or even refuse to pay, for a farewell dinner for Halil
 A meeting of all state directors to discuss departmental issues
 Son applied in his own right as bona-fide car importer

DESIDERATA: My first reaction on reading The Star’s headline quoting that D-G: I was fixed
was:

“Hey, we the people are the ones being fixed, again and again!”

Or to put in euphemistically, we the Rakyat, have been taken for many a ride, -- repeatedly, do you politicians/government leaders and officials, hear us? -- so much so that many of us, like Sabrina Tan, regular GUEST BLOGGER here, H J Angus, esteemed conversationist here, both also writing in their own blogs, have grown mighty tired, using another fellow writer Mito-C’s line: “tired of being tired”!

TELL YOU WHY.

We’ve seen repeats of Government infrastructure projects that failed to be properly completed after all the monies had been paid, roofs of buildings that collapsed in less than a year of occupation, School Laboratories 90 percent (yes, nine in 10 built) could not qualify for CF (certificate of Fitness), issuance of TAXI Licences and APs (Approved Permits), and other rent-seeking licences (like 007 -- making a killing?) going to the wrong hands (already rich-and-quiely infamous until former PM did us a favour for asking that the AP recipients be exposed, like the Emperor’s new clothes!), …so mang déjà vu that Desi has seen his spirits decline to an ebb,to a point sometimes one is inclined to call it a day. But like some masochistic (?) phonenix, writers often come back after a hiastus, strive again, and again, with the mutual help of kindred spirits, to rise, then stumble again, and yet get up, trying to Soar like with Eagle Wings?

I’m not going to reprise many of the same issues I’ve covered in my earlier posts, they may get Boringer and Boringer -- rest assured won't get to that Boringest level, someone already took the honours!:) -- but ask these two questions:

• After the controversial AP issue had been publicized for weeks on end, it had then quitened, now seems buried – so what’s the purpose and consequences of the whole exercise? RIP1? • After the senior Vice-President of UMNO Isa Samad was found gilty of “money politics” bu his party disciplinary board, all he suffred was “suspension for six years” and loss of his political appopintments, including as Federal Territories Minister. He remains as Member of Prliament. So what's the purpose and cosnsequence of the 'hole exercise? RIP2?

DESIDERATA: Just a JoePublic member, using common sense, aren't we justified in feeling that the two cases cited here should warrant further investigation by the ANTI-CORRUTION AGENCY, of not just the protagonists who were exposed, but also the accomplices to the acts? The givers, and other receivers of “money/monies/favours/things in kind like permits, licences -- are they above the law because some have some funnny prefixes in front of their names, perhaps? Some are related to the political leaders, maybe?? Some are married to parties in high palaces, mayhaps???

I can only hazard educated GU'SSes, yes? That can be hazardous too! Not good for my health, but well, I'm truly now in the well (dalam kandungan sihat, see, I kNOw some Bahasa steal:)..., ah, the luxury of DIGRESSION:), at least I'm not practising EXPLOITATION.:( I really don't kNOw anymore.

I’m sorry to spoil my EsteemedReaders' weekend when I had actually planned for a satay night out later, then a film fiesta with my buddies for the morrow, but you don’t kNOw if these news updates would dampen their spirits. As a trained Journalist (hey, go read about Kee Thuan Chye, a GOoD role model of a Journalist if there is one -- in theSUN, grab a copy from the 7ELEVEN! See I'm just and fair, promoting ALL the English dailies...:), I know I’ll rise again after a breather, but many of JoePublic members have long given up – I know some of my buddies have resigned themselves to becoming mere spectators on the sidelines of the grand Malaysian sandiwara, opera, wayang … they tell me: "Chong (some call me YL), we apprecaite what you're doing. We'll support you in spirit-lah..."

Someone moans I was fixed
Desi mourns: We Malaysians have been fixed from way back when …?
POsTSCRIPT:

For more of the same, please read THE NST frontpage news headlined:
SHOCKING EVIDENCE
THE LOWDOWN ON THAT UPCOMING RM5 MILLION FAREWELL BASH

(And on pages 2 and 3, a more lifting reaction form dear Pak Lah, well-meaning as usual…)

Over the top send-off, says PM
Even Dr M’s farewell ‘didn’t cost that much’&

I am not that stupid, says Halil

which the NST reported, among others:

Contacted by phone (today), Halil denied that his department had held or been asked to hold lavish parties to mark his retirement.
Sounding agitated by the focus on his department since the NST story, he said: “I have never spent the department’s money for such a purpose, neither have I sanctioned such a thing.”

DESIDERATA’s parting shots to Halil’s highlighted replies:

• Halil’s quotes to the NST and the Star seem to contracdict each other on the main charge. But I’ll go by relying on The Star’s summary of Halil’s defence on the main allegation against him that RM5mil was being spent on farewelling him, and Halil was quoted as saying it was the “Usual amount spent on any retiring director-general”.

If indeed Halil’s reply to the Star were true, Malaysians have very good reason to be afraid, to be very afraid. JeffOoi of Screenshots used to end by saying in learning of such wastage of the taxpayers’ monies, and nimcompoopish replies of such chincanery and buffoonery: “I weep for Malaysia.”

Desiderata has similarly on several occasions, writ: I weep for my country.

Sometimes, I say it differently: I don’t kNOw whether to laugh or to cry.