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Najib's transparency promises ring hollow
Published:  Jul 3, 2010 8:06 AM
Updated: 11:14 AM

vox populi small thumbnail 'Transparency is just a word to be bandied around by Najib's Umno-led government. At least the previous administrations didn't promise us that. Tell us which mega-projects initiated by Najib have been transparent and subject to open tender?'

Gov't wins stay order on water concession ruling

Wfslave: Pagar sudah makan padi . If the water concession deal is made public then it will show another PKFZ (Port Klang Free Zone) in action. The more such incidents are exposed and dragged on, the more fun we can have at the next general election.

As it is, the government has already offered some sweets by allowing each MP an angpow of RM500,000 for free distribution. If the deal is clean and above board, why would it - and even the audit report - come under OSA (Official Secrets Act).

It clearly indicates the depth of what such ‘open tender' would involve - the Black Hole of Calcutta. All the yearning and crying can never solve such issues. And all Malaysians should know what to do as that option is only available once every five years.

Anonymous: What I can gather from here is that:

a) Even lower court judges and judicial commissioners have no confidence or trust in higher court judges' impartiality and ability to pass judgment without fear or favour.

b) The counsels have learnt from the 'Allah' case where a judgment in favour of the church was hijacked by a court order and it looked like the federal government/Court of Appeal deliberately delayed the appeal process.

c) Najib's promises on the more inclusive, fair and transparent government under 1Malaysia and NEM are just empty promises and more of a farce to the rakyat.

We are convinced now that it is impossible for the Umno-controlled government to reform.

Cala: What is a principal-agent relationship? What is the role of a democratically elected government? As the agent (the government) of the people (the principal), it is the fiduciary duty of the agent to discharge their duties efficiently and effectively in a manner acceptable to the principal for renewal of mandate every five years through general elections.

To do that, the agent must learn how to economise on their operations so that maximum utility is enjoyed by the people. Likewise, in the supply of water by the agent, the latter have the right to dictate that the agent will leave no stone untouched in order to deliver a satisfactory service.

It does not make sense for the agent to resist a rightful demand made by the principal to open up the book on the water concession deal. To do so is against national interest.

Swipenter: Transparency is just a word to be bandied around by Najib Razak's Umno-led government. At least the previous administrations didn't promise us that. Tell us which mega-projects initiated by Najib have been transparent and subject to open tender? None that I can recall.

Anyway, a regular and predictable pattern has been set. If rakyat wins the legal battle in round one, the government appeals in round two and a higher court overturns the lower court's decision.

Amaso: The water agreement affects millions of ordinary people. This is commercial issue. It has nothing to do with national security, national unity or racial harmony. By not disclosing the agreement, we are suspecting that the BN government is taking us taxpayers for a ride to benefit their cronies.

Jbss: This regime has been operating on the assumption that the rakyat is blind and the latter can be robbed by the powers-that-be at will for the last five decades. There are just too many secret wheeling and dealing, giving evidence of corruption and cronyism, if the documents were to be allowed for public viewing.

How long can the regime continue to cheat the rakyat?

 

Taib's property empire: FBI among tenants?

Sick: Arrest him (Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud) immediately and charge him in court. Let him explain to the world how he got so much wealth. Serve notices on all his children and his late wife's estate and if they cannot satisfactorily explain their wealth, confiscate it and give to poor. There are enough laws to do this.

Smile: If the Sarawak Report is true, we should be proud that we have Malaysians that own the grand Abraham Lincoln Building in Seattle. At least, the Sarawakians can visit United States and be given free meals and bedding. Keep voting for the building owners in the next GE. Who knows, there are more buildings that can be acquired.

Isaac Ho: Taib's official salary is RM20,000 - how could he and his family accumulated a fortune of some RM3 billion with investments all over the Western world. If these are not ill-gotten gains (through corruption) then where did this vast sum of money come from? 

 

Keshvinder: I wasn't offered cash

Wfslave: Keshvinder Singh, you can't claim you represent the people when they have renounced you as their representative. If you say that you still want to represent them, get a referendum from the people.

Claiming that you are innocent just like that sounds so childish and is actually insulting to yourself as a lawyer if you are still one with integrity.

Fed Up 2010: Blah, blah, blah. The same old story. Not happy with party, blah, blah, blah. Why can't these people be a bit more imaginative and provide some better excuses? It's getting so boring.

He has RM35,000 in his bank account but still needs to borrow RM3,500 from a friend? Suddenly he's busy drawing up development plans for his constituency? What's he been doing all this while then? Two bodyguards provided by friends? Which friends? Umno?

These fools think that Malaysians are stupid. Just save yourself more embarrassment by keeping your mouth shut. The more you talk, the more Malaysians will laugh at your stupidity and lies.

Pants on Fire: So ‘Cashwinner', you just "called" your good friend a liar? When you had RM35,000 in bank balance, you chose to borrow from Khalil Idham? You know what that means?

You are a liar for telling Khalil you needed money when in fact you had cash in the bank. You should be a fool to think that we believe you. Remember Kesh, God is the greatest and when we lie through our teeth and are ungrateful to people who have helped us, we will pay a heavy price. Dare swear in the Gurdwara?

Plea on education to be sent to the King

Call me Jibby: Stop degrading Malaysian education by demanding the abolishment of STPM and the introduction of matriculation for all students. Matriculation is crap, while STPM is on the same standard as British's and Singapore's A Levels.

In fact, it is one of the most difficult pre-university examinations in the world and universities around the world recognise STPM examinations as one of their entry options. Instead, PMR and matriculation should be abolished and STPM be introduced to all students.

Anonymous: My kids are doing Year 4 Singapore and Cambridge papers while their Standard 6 cousins are scratching their heads when we gave them the papers to try out. Such is the poor standard of our examination board compared to our neighbour.

 


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