Malaysiaku, Negaraku

Changing the mindset is the most difficult task in reform, but necessary if the country wants to move out of its mediocre mindset While we can fully understand that it takes time to reform this present government, the onus is on each minister, not to mention the Opposition, too have a part to play as well. If this country’s civil servants continue to do business as usual (BAU) and what’s worse is the Ministers concerned have been wshispaered to either by email or via WhatsApp either to themselves or their political secretaries, yet nothing is done, it is unfair to then blame the lack of reform on just Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for everything sundry. For example, a longstanding issue faced by people who apply to the Social Welfare Department can be summarised with just one word: REJECTION.  Changing mindsets is the most difficult task and if there is obvious misconduct or malfeasance by the department’s staff, the axe may have to be wielded; otherwise no amount of counseling wil...

  Dato' Sri Nancy Shukri Minister of Women, Family and Community Development of Malaysia There are a number of cases where people deserving social welfare are not getting the support from the Department of Social Welfare. In recent years, I have come across a number of cases where applications for their entitlements under the government schemes for social welfare expecially for retirees, are not getting the help from the Department of Social Welfare.  I wish the whole department is overhauled, and only the good ones are given the promotion so that the department can perform its duty conscientously to help the B40 community. Only then can its minister just go to her posh office and enjoy Earl Gray served in the posh porcelain jug, and no one would bother to disturb her. She can then happily adopt the three blinded monkeys - not hear, see or be told of what the staff at JKM are doing for the underprivileged people.  I am not referring to everyone at JKM. As I have always sa...

  Where is the hype? Rafizi arrived at the MACC office dressed in a full suit. The Unnecessary Rumblings Surrounding Rafizi I thought this title may attact readers more, but I decided to use the other topic in view of my desire to see this country coming back together again, and nothing else.  Someone sent me a message that made me fumed. It accuses the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) of exercising selective investigations.  To me, this kind of messages is baseless. And the way how former Minister of Economy Rafizi Ramli's former aide James Chai had staged it over a few weeks, showed that both Rafizi and Chai are very determined to create a drama out of something that is normal for MACC or the police to conduct its investigation when a report is lodged.  Often, the authorities are accused of sidestepping the investigation; the truth is the evidences provided are not strong enough that can be produced in court, or at the very least, convincing the officers ...

  Not many people are aware of how Rafizi Ramli operates politically. Over time, the young man many, including myself, once admired as a potential future Prime Minister of Malaysia has, to me, begun to reveal himself as a disruptive political actor rather than a constructive one.  Instead of functioning as a team player, he appears prone to falling out with his own leadership whenever outcomes do not align with his expectations. I am uncertain whether this behaviour is rooted in personality or political temperament, but when rigid thinking, relentless fixation on specific agendas , and highly volatile responses dominate a leader’s conduct , the consequences can be deeply disruptive to governance and national cohesion, the very thing Rafizi claims to champion, or worse, if he is merely trying to project himself to be one especially when, in a fragile political environment, such traits risk undermining reform efforts rather than strengthening them. From my own professional expe...

  While it is true that we still encounter civil servants clinging to antiquated mindsets, I want to highlight two CEOs of a statutory body and another a Government-Linked Company (GLC) who are bucking that trend: Tuan Khalid Mohamed of SWCorp and Tuan Narendran Maniam of Indah Water Konsortium (IWK). In fact, my experience with senior government staff has always been positive except for one or two example the chief of the federal territories land and mine department which caused me to embark on a 3- to 4-year campaign to get the Hakmilik Sementara (privileged title) converted to Geran for Taman Kepong house owners. It was in the news the entire period. Soft approach did not work, and house owners were stuck with the privileged title for 40 years! Finally, after the campaign alongside with Dr Tan Seng Giaw, all the house owners were conferred the actual titles of ownership to their own homes. It was after this campaign that I discovered a precious gemstone from the pool of civil st...

Saya dapat memahami sepenuhnya kekecewaan ramai pihak terhadap keputusan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim untuk melaraskan gaji penjawat awam sebaik sahaja beliau mengambil alih jawatan Perdana Menteri. Langkah ini diambil dalam tempoh 100 hari pertama beliau sebagai Perdana Menteri ke‑10 negara, menunjukkan keprihatinan beliau terhadap penjawat awam.  Saya menyokong keputusan beliau kerana ketika saya bekerja di Union Polymers, sebuah anak syarikat Union Carbide, gaji saya juga telah diselaraskan oleh Pengarah Urusan baharu, Encik S.H. Lee, yang mengambil alih jawatan daripada pengurus besar terdahulu yang telah meninggalkan syarikat untuk menubuhkan Goodmaid Chemicals. Selepas gaji saya diseleraskan pada tahun itu, gaji saya naik sekurang-kurangnya RM1,800. Penyelerasan gaji yang dibuat oleh Perdana Menteri adalah untuk memastikan gaji penjawat awam itu selaras dengan gaji mengikut pasaran. Walaupun ianya tidak begitu tinggi berbanding  dengan syarikat swasta yang ku...