CIRCULAR BY KSN
STAR newspaper dated 26 July 2010 front paged KSN’s circular directing civil servants to report all ‘surat sokongan’ from politicians and well connected people for anything in the Government sector. It is said that all decisions will be based on merit.
A very high and mighty statement from the KSN. I would like to urge the KSN to clean his ‘house’ first, meaning his civil servants before issuing such statements or directive. As we know, last year 140 civil servants were caught by MACC and I assume many more went scot free due to non reporting. The same goes for the service rendered by the civil servants. Should they be perfect, no cronyism, no favours between themselves and so on, then we can accept KSN’s statement and circular. However, many public complaints still go unheard or unresolved. Who has not heard of the story where the public gets scolded or just told off rudely by the person manning the counter or answering the phone which is supposedly the hotline? And don’t forget the many times when the so called hotline is left unmanned with no one picking up the phone!
Imagine the many newspaper reports that we read about how a person was not accepted into university or get a scholarship or was not granted citizenship even after 20 years applying. How did it get solved? Through the intervention and support of the politicians who wanted to help and service the rakyat. For example, YB Dato’ Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein managed to help many deserving people get their citizenship, and with his resolve and commitment, managed to solve all old applications for citizenship that have been delayed for 10 years and more. The same goes for application to enter universities for example. I know for a fact many politicians, YBs and position holders in political parties will write in supporting applications of aspiring students in their constituency. UMNO and MCA for example, on a yearly basis collect details of students who are applying or appealing to enter matriculation, iptas or for jpa scholarships for them to support and appeal to the relevant ministries and agencies. I am sure all political parties and politicians, regardless of BN or PR do this for the sake of their constituents.
The rakyat go to politicians for help because of the failure in the civil service system to handle all these. The folks in kampungs do not have access to government offices in Putrajaya or the ministries or the state offices. That is why they look for their “WAKIL RAKYATs” or political parties. In fact, the term itself is Wakil Rakyat, meaning they are representatives of the people even with matters dealing with all matters, including the Government offices. If the KSN feels that he has enough officers on the ground, then explain why the Rakyat still feels the need to ask for assistance from the politicians.
It is also the Prime Minister’s directive for all Wakil Rakyat and political parties to go down the ground and service the Rakyat. When one goes down the ground, there will be many requests for assistance from the Rakyat. What are they supposed to with these requests? Throw them into the bin or drain? Or just refuse to accept them? I am sure this is not what the PM wants. As far as I am concerned, KSN’s circular runs contrary to PM’s directive for politicians to go to the ground and service the rakyat. It runs contrary to “Rakyat Didahulukan, Pencapaian Diutamakan”.
What KSN is doing is effectively shutting down an arm that services the Rakyat for the Government especially in rural area, in kampungs and so on. If the KSN feels that his officers are all over the place and should be sufficient for the kampung folks,
I can understand and accept that politicians should not support or be in any way involved with supporting any projects or tenders. That is true and correct. If the KSN were just referring to that, I agree and support. However, do not amputate the part of the Government ‘arm’ that has effectively been supporting and linking the Rakyat to the Government.
