Works Minister S Samy Vellu's report to the cabinet should have read:

'It is not the procurement policy of this government to award contracts on the basis of meritocracy to the best qualified contractor to carry out the project. That is why we have the umbrella concept instead of open tenders.

It is also not the policy of this government to attract and employ the best-qualified people to all levels of the civil service and pay them attractive wages. The absence of both such policies would naturally result in a higher risk of defective works materialising and a lower level of proper works supervision by the authorities.

The problems that have cropped up of late, e.g. MRR2, fungal hospital, etc. merely mean that these risks have materialised. It is not an unforseen event, but a natural consequence of the system which was in place for some time under the Barisan Nasional government.

So, please don't blame me alone for what has happened. Removing me will not remove the root problem. And since there is no political will to cure the root problem, let me stay.'