It is indeed alarming to see the cabinet and the government departments forming innumerable committees to solve problems. We see that the net result is that the pain remains and more problems are created. There is something wrong with our committees.

It is now quite obvious that the head of the department or ministry who is responsible for the task quickly creates a committee and passes on responsibility to that entity. So, often it has been said by the head or the minister: 'It is not my decision but the committees!'

This is evading responsibility; enjoying the perks and privileges but not shouldering the responsibility. The buck should stop with the person in charge. The committee has never been empowered to shoulder any responsibility by our constitution.

Unless we identify the head and the minister in charge to solve these cancerous problems, we will go in circles and perish - the daily traffic nightmare in KL and Penang, the frequently contaminated drinking water flowing out of our pipes, our frustrating governmental delivery systems and most importantly, our low productivity due to a host of problems unsolved by the numerous committees formed.

The heads or the ministers must be made accountable for the task. The culture of passing the buck to committees is cancerous to our beloved country. The buck must stop with the heads and the ministers.