Numerous letters have been published in the blogs and mainsteam media about the inefficiency of the government departments and agencies. Most government departments from government hospitals to the police provide below par service to the public who are the taxpayers.

What is most disturbing is that they are quite unconcerned about their non-existent service. In the government hospitals, there would be a long line of patients, some of whom leave their homes as early as 5 am in order to be able to see the doctor early.

If a VIP turns up, the waiting patients are pushed aside and this VIP is ushered in. Of course, the doctor is meticulous and takes twice as long to see and diagnose him. An orderly would be dispatched to get this VIP’s prescription while other poor patients wait impatiently.

Then the VIP would be seen to the door by the doctor personally. Such toadying by the doctor might increase his chances of a Datukship! The Hospital Kuala Lumpur is a case in point. The Health Minister is too busy politicking to wrest control of the MCA and he is unconcerned of the state of government hospitals

The Auditor-General’s report has given us a good idea of what goes on in most government department and their main concerns.

The police, too. are notorious for their misuse of power. An ordinary rakyat’ who goes to make a report faces all sorts of problems. For example, if you report a relative or a friend of a VIP, you can expect no action on your report.

The VIP may be a high official, s Tan Sri or Datuk so alas, the report made by the poor rakyat would be put in the back drawer and forgotten. The poor rakyat can keep on calling the Investigating Officer till he is blue in the face.

Is this the justice that we can expect from the ‘men in blue’. Men who are paid to protect us?

As a rakyat of Malaysia, I beg the prime minister, if he is sincere in wanting to be the ‘Peoples’ prime minister’, to please clean up the government departments, particularly the service-focussed departments. Let the public know how they can check on their status of their complaints and problems.

As for the ‘men in blue’ who ignore legitimate complaints, please respond in the media how and where the rakyat can get redress. Action should be taken against the investigating officer as well as against the VIP who interferes.

How long does the public have to wait to know if their report has been investigated and what action is being taken. Surely not indefinitely?

A look at website of the PDRM will attest to this. Vital information on how to make reports, how to find out the progress of the investigation of your report and what action has been taken is not even mentioned. Having a people-friendly website is essential.

The PDRM need not pay for publicists and image-makers; just simple people-friendly measures will do. No ‘foxy’ public relations and grand media campaign is going to restore public confidence in the police force in the country.

Only integrity, discipline and a desire to serve can save not only the police force but most of the departments in the public sector, which are all largely service-oriented.

Prime minister , if only you and all your ministers do this and show in concrete terms you care about the ordinary rakyat, you will capture the hearts and minds of the rakyat effortlessly. Please open some avenues for direct access to you from the man-on-the-street.

Please, please consider our plight at the hands of these people who are supposed to help us, sir.