Pak Lah, Mr. Clean

Here is Mr. Clean, who professes to be clean and is anything but clean. When asked about the "Cobra Sultan", the now Mr. Unclean said that he did not order it, which was, in a way, correct. AK had ordered it for him, but he should not have accepted it. It is an outright bribe and reeks of blatant corruption, even in corrupt-to-the-core Malaysia. "Cemerlang, gemilang, terbilang (excellent, illustrious, revered)" is just another slogan to fool Malaysians, too many of whom are easily fooled... for their own good! And every five years, the majority of Malaysian voters return the same corrupt policiticians to power, to further corrupt them, instead consigning them to the dust heaps of history.

With the toll rates increasing year by year under the various Concession Agreements, its toll on Malaysian motorists and transport operators would be heavier with each passing year. The former Prime Minister said that when the Government signed these Agreements, the Cabinet Ministers were stupid at that time, and were not properly advised by the Economic Planning Unit and Privatisation Task Force. He had conveniently forgotten that he unwittingly blurted out "Who's going to pay for the PWTC Complex" to dispel any doubts of his own conflict of interest. Then, came Operation Lallang in 1987, when more than 100 Malaysians were detained under the infamous ISA and "The Star" had to cease publication. That is why he always whines that Malays forget easily! He too forgot easily!!

The North-South Highway Project was primarily meant to fund UMNO and with it, a slew of further privatisation projects followed, to enrich cronies of the powers-that-be beyond the wealth of Croessus. The Finance Minister at the time of the privatisation blitz was none other the one also known as "ketok". And in the recent spat between the ex Prime Minister and Mr. Unclean, both were complaining and comparing whose sons had obtained bigger contracts from the Government. Both of them should have been cooling their heels in Sungai Buloh for their admissions of corruption, abuse of power and conflict of interest. And ironically, it was Anwar Ibrahim, who had to endure the less than salubrious surroundings of Sungai Buloh, after being convicted for abuse of power under the Essential Regulations!

Then, there were the Power Purchase Agreements with their "take or pay" clauses, which bled Tenaga Nasional Berhad heavily. Meanwhile, the concessionaires were laughing all the way to the Banks. The corporatisation of the Telecommunications Department had not resulted in better services at more competitive rates, but only the reverse. Now with privatisation of the Waterworks Departments, Malaysians are paying more and more for their basic amenities like electricity, telephone calls and water.

Civil servants are being assuaged with more financial and other benefits at the public expense, without any corresponding improvement in services and productivity. And all this, in the name of "Malaysia Boleh (Can)". How pathetic can Malaysians be and how low can they go!