GRAFT IN PUSPAKOM

Graft in Puspakom: How the ACA cracked it wide open...

By : Minderjeet Kaur

KUALA LUMPUR: They came in as newly-employed staff and made efforts to blend in with Puspakom workers involved in inspecting and certifying vehicles as roadworthy.

For three months, the newbies quietly went about their work, but their eyes and ears were wide open.

They studied every move made by Puspakom staff, seemingly eager to learn the ropes as traffic wardens, administrative staff, personal assistants to senior officers and even "tea boys".

So successful were these newbies that the Puspakom staff didn't know what hit them when in a nationwide blitz, dozens of them were picked up by the Anti-Corruption Agency for accepting bribes to certify the roadworthiness of vehicles without even inspecting them.

The newbies were undercover ACA officers.

A Transport Ministry source said the undercover officers were placed in strategic positions at all Puspakom centres nationwide since May.

"Their job was to zoom in on those accepting bribes from runners and syndicates," she said.

The round-up began on Sunday and continued yesterday.

The source said the bribes were shared by senior and junior officers involved in inspecting vehicles. She said some staff took home RM50,000 every month.

"The majority of those caught were junior officers tempted to take large sums in bribes. The senior officers would later take a cut for certifying the vehicles as roadworthy.

"Officers who have an aversion to bribes succumbed to peer pressure. This is because the corrupt ones need the assistance of everyone involved in inspecting the vehicles," she said.

To send a vehicle for inspection, the owner or the runner will make an appointment with Puspakom. Once the date is fixed, the vehicle owner or his runner has to wait in line for the inspection.

The inspection is carried out in several stages by various staff. Vehicles undergo inspection involving the chassis, smoke emission, tyres and brakes, among others.

"This is why the officers had to work as a team to collect bribes," the source said.

"Some of the certified vehicles were not even at Puspakom centres for the checks," she said.

This is where the senior officers played their role. They "close both eyes" and certify the vehicles as roadworthy.

"Almost everyone will receive a cut. This is why there are so many cars, buses and lorries that are not roadworthy still on the road," she said.

Those involved in giving the bribes are runners who are banded together in syndicates.

"The runners are constantly in touch with Puspakom staff. They also know used car dealers well and act as middlemen for Puspakom and the car dealers," she said.

SOURCE: http://www.nst.com.my

NO POWER

PM: No power abuse in power transition
By Husna Yusop

newsdesk@thesundaily.com

KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 12, 2008) : Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today brushed off an accusation that he and his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak were politically corrupt in arranging the transition of power by middle of 2010.

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

Abdullah said the decision to inform Umno members about the transition was made by the party supreme council (MT), not out of a "silent conspiracy" between the two top leaders.

He said he informed the MT of the outcome of his discussions with Najib and they accepted it and felt that party members should be informed so that they can understand the issue.

"That was an important matter which the MT decided should be announced. It was related to transition of power; definitely all members must know. So, that was the reason. It was not me and Najib quietly conspiring about this. No!" he said.

He was asked to comment on the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) report lodged by veteran Selangor Umno leader Datuk Mazlan Harun last week against Abdullah and Najib for alleged abuse of power.

Mazlan had said the report was based on a letter written by Petaling Jaya Selatan Umno division head Kapt (R) Datuk Zahar Hashim which accused the two of "political corruption of the highest order."

In the letter addressed to the Umno secretary-general, Zahar said the two top leaders had been campaigning to defend their positions despite asking others not to do the same, adding their actions had violated guidelines issued by party headquarters.

Speaking to reporters after launching the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture & Agrotourism Show (MAHA) 2008 here, Abdullah said he did not know who were the Umno Sabah division head and secretary investigated by the ACA for alleged involvement in money politics as reported in a Malay daily today.

He said there could have been certain aspects which had involved the ACA, resulting in the Umno headquarters allowing the agency to come in and investigate.

"It depends on the particular case," he added.

Asked to comment on Umno vice-president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s statement that money politics was quite rampant in the party’s division and even branch elections, Abdullah said there may be some truth to this as he (Abdullah) also had heard about such stories.

"I hope those involved in such activities will stop it. It is meaningless to seek popularity using money politics. It would not be genuine for someone to get support and victory by means of money politics.

"We want a person to be supported because of his capability, ability and good deeds, proven to have helped in the party’s struggle, helped the people and the likes. That is the yardstick we should use for someone to be entrusted to hold a certain position in the party," he said, adding the same should be applied to government posts.

Abdullah said money should not be a factor when choosing a leader, adding if that was the case, only the rich can be leaders.

Asked to comment on some views that it was meaningless for Umno to take disciplinary action against party members but later allow them to take part in contests, he said some probably think the penalty was light.

"These people think after serving their term, those penalised will start committing the same offence again. I hope those who had used it (money politics) and have faced action will not use money politics again in future," he added.

He said it was okay for someone who has been disciplined to be given a chance to contest in the elections.

"Punishment in cases related to money politics also has its limits. After they have served their punishment, they are free to contest for posts and move about as before," he added.

In another development, Abdullah said Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim does not have the power to determine the intake quota for Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) students.

"Matters pertaining to student intake are related to the institution concerned. They have the power to decide on their policy," he added.

Khalid had suggested for 10% of the current student quota at UiTM be opened to non-Bumiputras and foreign students to raise the quality of education and spirit of competition among students there.

This morning, some 5,000 UiTM students took part in a 2km protest march from Dataran Shah Alam, to hand over a seven-page memorandum to Khalid.

The document was accepted by Khalid's press officer Hazril Abu Hassan. The event was staged to protest Khalid's suggestion.

SOURCE: http://www.thesundaily.com

UMNO MEMBERS JOIN PKR

Tuesday August 12, 2008 MYT 8:55:37 AM


150 Umno members join PKR


By ELIZABETH LOOI


PETALING JAYA: Two former leaders of the Bandar Tun Razak Umno division led 148 members to cross over to PKR.

Norasida Silam, who was the deputy chairman of the division, and Azmi Hassan, a former deputy chairman, handed over application forms to Bandar Tun Razak MP Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, who is also Selangor Mentri Besar, at the division's PKR office on Monday.


“Norasida wanted to join us because he said he could no longer tolerate the non-existence of democracy practice in Umno, for instance the quota system for party elections,” said Bandar Tun Razak PKR deputy chief Othman Karim.


“He said ... he prefers to work for the people, not only for the Malays,” said Othman.


ARTICLES SOURCE: http://thestar.com.my

FILL PETROL TANKS

Monday August 11, 2008

Help teach the public to fill petrol tanks

BATU PAHAT: Petrol kiosk operators here want the Government to educate vehicle owners on the self-service system.

They said they were willing to implement the self-service ruling but it was not easy when customers demanded attendants to help fill petrol tanks.

Owner Ahmad Sampur said some customers insisted on attendants pumping the petrol.

“A few days ago, a customer ordered my cleaner to do the job,” he said during a dialogue between the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry district office and about 40 petrol kiosk owners recently.

Ahmad, who has been in the business for 24 years, said that most customers found the self-service system troublesome as they did not know how to operate a pump.

“The Government has to educate the public so that they will accept the system,” he said.

When contacted, a ministry spokesman said they understood the hardships of the businessmen.

She said that many customers did not know the self-service system had started and only Petronas displayed notices at the pumps.

“Other kiosks display the notices only at payment counters and customers are not aware of the system,” she said.

ARTICLES SOURCE: http://thestar.com.my

BATTLE OF PERMATANG PAUH

Battle of Permatang Pauh begins…

by Bernard Cheah and Karen Arukesamy


SEBERANG PERAI (Aug 4, 2008) : A 25-year-old female press photographer was roughed up by some PKR officials while attempting to take pictures of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at a ceramah here on last night.

Loh Hoay Hoon of Guang Ming Daily was punched, kicked and held by the neck in the event at the Seberang Jaya expo grounds here.

An ugly scuffle breaks out between PKR youths at Anwar's ceramah after a group of PKR youths attacked a Chinese media photographer. Sunpix by Masry Che Ani.

"I was bewildered and confused," Loh told theSun today.

"All I was doing was taking some shots of Anwar before he left the grounds. I don’t understand why they had attack me like this," she said, choking with tears and still visibly traumatised.

Loh received outpatient treatment at the Seberang Jaya Hospital later, before lodging a report at the Seberang Jaya police station at about 3.15am.

She was taken to the hospital again for an additional check-up late this afternoon.

Loh said afterr the ceramah had ended, she wanted a few shots of Anwar getting into his car.

However, an unidentified man, believed to be an Anwar bodyguard, stopped Loh and pushed her aside, she said.

"I told the man ‘saya hanya buat kerja saya’ (I'm just doing my work)," she said.

She remembered hearing something like "Jangan kacau, jangan buat susah di sini." (Don't disturb, don't cause trouble here.)

Then she found herself being hit and held by the neck by the man and several others, as she was leaving the grounds.

A few other PKR members then tried to hold back the man, apparently to restrain him.

A scuffle then broke out, as the group that attacked Loh and the one that helped her shoved each other and traded insults.

Loh said she was also hit on the back of her head by an unknown assailant.

She said she had had an untoward incident with the same man earlier this year, and had complained to PKR state secretary Abdul Malek Abul Kassim.

"Some reporters have also been pushed by the same individual."

Penang Media Club acting president Zuraida Abdul Rahman condemned the incident.

"All we want to do is just report what happens at a ceramah as it is."

Abdul Malek expressed regret over the behaviour of the official, adding that stern action would be taken by the party to prevent a recurrence.

He explained that security had to be beefed up as there were death threats made against Anwar.

Most party officials who act as guards were PKR members and not trained professionals, he added.

"We really appreciate the job done by members of the media in giving us coverage," he stressed

National Union of Journalists (NUJ) president Norila Mohd Daud also condemned the Seberang Perai incident, saying that some members of PKR had become over-protective of Anwar and nobody knows "what is their reason or what is the stand of the party."

On July 15, during the televised debate between Anwar and Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek, three photographers were roughed up by security personnel hired by AgendaDaily, the organiser of the debate.

Police reports were lodged, but there has been no response from the police.

TheEdge executive producer Othman Abu Bakar, whose photographer was one of those assaulted, said so far they had been questioned by police on what happened. He wants the police to look into the matter.

ARTICLES SOURCE: http://www.thesundaily.com