Malaysiaku, Negaraku

The power structure is synonymous to the feudal system in medieval Europe  When dealing with Malaysia’s  civil service, members of the public often find themselves asking a simple question:  Who are these public servants actually serving? To understand the friction between the general public and the civil service, one must look closely at how the system is structured, how power flows, and why the concept of "customer service" seems to be missing from the administrative vocabulary. 1. A Top-Down Structure: Serving Bosses, Not the People The Malaysian civil service operates predominantly on a rigid, top-down management structure. At its core, civil servants operate under the implicit understanding that their primary allegiance is to their Director Generals, Department Heads, and Ministers — not to the public standing at the counter or waiting for an application approval. Having adopted survivalist tactics to endure shifting regimes, they have perfected the art of ...

    I had wanted to write this piece earlier, but time did not permit as I was too tied down with a coffee table book project. It is heartening to learn that both the Deputy Prime Minister and Prime Minister are back in action, even though they were supposed to be on medical leave. While  Datuk Seri  Anwar Ibrahim opted for laparoscopic surgery to treat a para-umbilical hernia, hardly anyone knew about it at the time. Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof underwent an important heart bypass surgery—the complications of which I only learned about from a senior civil servant in Sarawak. It was gratifying that the IJN team was ultimately willing to carry out the complex procedure. During this period, I believe many people were praying for the surgeons’ hands to ensure a successful outcome. Malaysia is truly blessed to have exceptionally skilled heart surgeons capable of managing even the most complex conditions. Where our loved ones once had to travel thousands of kilome...

Mengadap Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong, MEMORANDUM RAYUAN KERAKYATAN: MEMELIHARA KEADILAN DAN REPUTASI INSTITUSI BERAJA SEBELUM PERJUMPAAN LEMBAGA PENGAMPUNAN BEKAS PERDANA MENTERI Patik sekalian berhasrat untuk menyembah maklum perasan dan suara hati rakyat berhubung perkara-perkara berikut:   Kesan Kemudaratan Terhadap Negara dan Rakyat: Jenayah yang melibatkan skandal 1MDB bukanlah kesalahan biasa, melainkan satu beban kewangan amat berasap yang ditanggung oleh seluruh rakyat Malaysia. Hutang gergasi yang ditinggalkan akibat penyelewengan ini telah memangsakan ekonomi negara, menjejaskan taraf hidup rakyat, dan memaksa dana awam digunakan bagi membayar faedah hutang yang sepatutnya disalurkan untuk pembangunan hospital, sekolah, serta kebajikan awam.   1MDB Sebagai "Ibu Segala Rasuah ": Keseluruhan skandal ini merupakan simbol kemuncak rasuah dan salah guna kuasa di peringkat tertinggi. Usaha berterusan Kerajaan Malaysia serta agensi penguatkuasa dalam meme...

After 30 years of writing, questioning, and advocating for change,  recognition finally came from a Very Important Person, who sent me a message of encouragement that I will never forget. I felt very humbled when someone of his stature took time to write this message to me: “Selamat sejahtera Stephen. Saya percaya perbuatan yg baik akan dibalas dgn kebaikan juga. Wartawan atau penulis mmg mempunyai senjata yg tajam iaitu Pena yg membawa sejuta harapan dan kebenaran. Tqvm atas maklumat2 dan info yg dikongsikan. Ianya memberi bnyk manfaat kpd saya dlm menjalankan amanah dan tanggungjawab. Tqvm Sir.” (Greetings, Stephen. I believe that every good deed will be rewarded with goodness in return. Journalists and writers indeed possess a powerful weapon—the  pen—which carries a million hopes and the truth. Thank you very much for the information and insights that you  have shared. They have been highly beneficial to me in carrying  out my duties and responsibilities...