Funds For Chinese Schools Misappropriated By Government Officers? Not True Says Hishamuddin.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Tuesday dismissed an allegation by Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat that government officers had misappropriated renovation funds meant for two Chinese national type schools in Johor.
He also questioned Ong's motive in making the allegation at a dinner in Muar attended by teachers of the schools and local Chinese community leaders. The allegation by Ong was reported in a Chinese newspaper last Saturday. "It is as if Ong wants to show that he is the only leader who champions the cause of the Chinese," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby, here.
Hishammuddin said Deputy Education Minister Datuk Hon Choon Kim had visited the two schools, SJKC Kung Yu and SJKC Ai Hwa. It was found that SJKC Kung Yu had some problem with cost estimation with the contractor appointed by the Public Works Department and the renovation at SJKC Ai Hwa was not as bad as was portrayed to be.
Hishammuddin said of the RM10 million special allocation for schools found to be unsafe, approved in October last year, a large portion went to Chinese national type schools, a total of 114 of them including the two schools referred to by Ong.
**** Frankly I hope that Hishamuddin is right and Ong has been misinformed. It is already bad enought that civil servants have been accused of 'siphoning' off funds on the sly for umpteen projects, but this is probably a first even for them.There is no doubt that there are big buaya2 in the Public Works Department who wouldn't think twice of making a tidy profit any way they can.
What worries me though is that Ong is the Deputy Higher Education Minister and therefore possibly has access to information which he can verify quite easily for its authenticity. And if he had taken it upon himself to openly make that allegation it is only reasonable to conclude that there are crooks in government departments who would pilfer from school funds.
Perhaps instead of reflexly denying it, Hishamuddin should meet up with Ong, obtain the evidence that he may have, set up an inquiry and then take the necessary action either against errant officers, or if proven wrong, against Ong via the BN. That would set a good standard for the future and enhance Najib's earlier call for a world class work culture and best practice system.
He also questioned Ong's motive in making the allegation at a dinner in Muar attended by teachers of the schools and local Chinese community leaders. The allegation by Ong was reported in a Chinese newspaper last Saturday. "It is as if Ong wants to show that he is the only leader who champions the cause of the Chinese," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby, here.
Hishammuddin said Deputy Education Minister Datuk Hon Choon Kim had visited the two schools, SJKC Kung Yu and SJKC Ai Hwa. It was found that SJKC Kung Yu had some problem with cost estimation with the contractor appointed by the Public Works Department and the renovation at SJKC Ai Hwa was not as bad as was portrayed to be.
Hishammuddin said of the RM10 million special allocation for schools found to be unsafe, approved in October last year, a large portion went to Chinese national type schools, a total of 114 of them including the two schools referred to by Ong.
**** Frankly I hope that Hishamuddin is right and Ong has been misinformed. It is already bad enought that civil servants have been accused of 'siphoning' off funds on the sly for umpteen projects, but this is probably a first even for them.There is no doubt that there are big buaya2 in the Public Works Department who wouldn't think twice of making a tidy profit any way they can.
What worries me though is that Ong is the Deputy Higher Education Minister and therefore possibly has access to information which he can verify quite easily for its authenticity. And if he had taken it upon himself to openly make that allegation it is only reasonable to conclude that there are crooks in government departments who would pilfer from school funds.
Perhaps instead of reflexly denying it, Hishamuddin should meet up with Ong, obtain the evidence that he may have, set up an inquiry and then take the necessary action either against errant officers, or if proven wrong, against Ong via the BN. That would set a good standard for the future and enhance Najib's earlier call for a world class work culture and best practice system.
posted by The Malaysian. at 9/12/2006 07:30:00 PM
5 Comments:
If Ong is wrong, he is committing political hara kiri but then a short while ago another MCA leader claimed that a Chinese teacher was made to teach an Ugama class and he was blasted by Hishammudin.
pilfering from some funds that were meant for some chinese schools has got nothing to do with race.
a thief will put his hands on any funds available to him.
period.
Very true virgorat. Ong won't simply say things if it means political suicide.
billy, race politics is the biggest bane and enemy of this nation. We must boot the racists out no matter which party they belong to.
Well said anonymous. Thieves don't care about which race they are stealing from. Anyone's money is welcome for them.
Instead of viewing this as :
a Chinese saying bad about a Malay
or
a leader of one political party saying bad about leader of another political party
or
a minister from a government ministry criticising another ministry
Why not just see and feel that it is :
a man crying out his heart about the TRUTH.
Instead of viewing this as :
a Chinese saying bad about a Malay
or
a leader of one political party saying bad about leader of another political party
or
a minister from a government ministry criticising another ministry
Why not just see and feel that it is :
a man crying his heart out about the TRUTH.
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