Minister of Transport wants ACA to probe all other agencies under Ministry of Transport

DON'T IGNORE CORRUPTION - REPORT IT

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The NSTP reported:

“The Ministry of Transport (MOT) is going on a major house cleaning exercise"

After the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) moved in on corrupted Puspakom officials and customers, Minister Ong Tee Keat now wants ACA to investigate corruption practices in other agencies under his ministry. (see list below)

These are:

Land Transport

DEPARTMENTS

Jabatan Pengakutuan Jalan (JPJ) Road Transport Department

Department of Railways

Road Safety Department

STATUTORY BODIES

Railway Assets Corporation

Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research

Government Linked Companies (GLCs)

Keretapi Tanah Melayu (Malayan Railways)

Puspakom

Sea Transport

DEPARTMENTS

Jabatan Laut (Marine Department) Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah , Sarawak

STATUTORY BODIES

The Malaysian Port Authorities (Seven)

Malaysian Maritime Institute (MIMA)

Government Linked Companies (GLCs)

Port Operating Companies (Seven)

Air Transport

DEPARTMENT

Jabatan Penerbangan Awam (Department of Civil Aviation)

Government Linked Companies (GLCs)

Malaysian Airline System (MAS)

Malaysian Airports Holdings Berhad

Speaking with reporters at the Parliament’s Lobby in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday 28th August 2008, Ong welcomed the ACA’s move, and said he was prepared to cooperate with the ACA to eradicate corruption.

“I want such a move to continue and I also want to see such collaboration between the ACA, Puspakom and even the police strengthened and action taken.”

“I reiterate that I will not condone this. Enough is enough,” he said when asked to comment on news reports that 55 people nationwide, 28 of whom are Puspakom employees, had been arrested by the ACA.

The suspects, who were arrested on Tuesday 26th and Wednesday 27th August 2008, were believed to have each 'earned' up to RM1,000 a day or RM55,000 a month “in takings” from owners of vehicles allegedly sent to Puspakom for periodic statutory inspection.

Ong said that he had been monitoring the situation on the ground and wanted all runner syndicates and vendors to be eliminated.

However, he said, one of the hurdles was the hesitation of the complainants to furnish evidence of their transactions to allow investigations to be carried out.

“I personally take special interest in this matter and I want action to be taken,” he said.

BRAVO!

It is welcome news that PUSPAKOM is at long last under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Agency, and many bad apples have been apprehended, no doubt there are many many more yet to be caught.

PUSPAKOM must be riddled with corruption and malpractice since the evidence is clearly visible on the roads and highways of Malaysia, where sub-standard commercial and public service vehicles are plain to see. Many taxis, buses, coaches and cargo vehicles are clearly defective and unfit to be on the road.

If the Minister of Transport is sincere in wanting all agencies under his ministry to be thoroughly investigated by the ACA, then we can expect to see many more arrests from the land, as well as the marine and aviation divisions of the MOT.

If my hunch is right, there will be lots of corruption and malpractices found in many agencies under the MOT.

In my opinion this is wonderful news, and is another tiny step forwards for Malaysia on its path to eventually becoming a developed nation.

The fantasy of year of 2020 being when this will occur, is of course far too optimistic, realistically this may be 2100?

All Ministries in Malaysia should follow the lead of the Minister of Transport.

Malaysia is riddled with corruption, so after the ACA is finished with the Ministries it should proceed to clean up the political parties and politicians.

The net should be cast far and wide, so as to net all those who are corrupt, from the bottom to the very top; to be effective the ACA needs to act with full independence, and without fear or favour

When all is completed, the ACA will then simultaneously have cleaned up the private sector too, as the accomplices (the bribe givers) will be netted too.

Then Malaysia will be another rung up the ladder of development.

Corruptio optimi pessima


- Corruption of the best is worst



Occasio facit furem


- Opportunity makes a thief