National Service Transportation Fiasco - ACA Moves In. About Time Too.

Whenever a big budget programme or project is announced and implemented by the government there is always talk of contracts and tenders being awarded to undeserving parties who either are related to or have close connections with the principals involved in the project or in its approval.

The National Service programme which was introduced in an almighty hurry could possibly be one such victim of this corruption and cronyism. It involves hundreds of millions of ringgit of which large sums could have been doled out or farmed of to vested interests and groups. The profits from these contracts are possibly in the millions and all those involved would have continued to plunder happily ever after if not for the current fiasco caused by incompetence and greed.

If you think that the main culprits behind this or any other government 'inspired' corruption or misappropriation would be brought to book by this ACA investigation, then you're sadly mistaken. A few ikan bilis may be apprehended but the really big, big fish (and everyone in and out of the country knows who they are) will as usual get away scot free. That my friends, is Malaysia today. Read the NST report that follows and do give your comments.

:::::::::: The blame game among those involved in the recent National Service bus fiasco has attracted the attention of the Anti-Corruption Agency.

The probe began yesterday, and the agency is concentrating on the awarding of contracts to ferry NS trainees through agents.

More than 1,000 trainees were left stranded at a number of pick-up points around the country because of flight delays and drivers without bus permits. While some were fined and allowed on the road escorted by enforcement officers, 19 buses didn’t turn up at all.

ACA investigations director Mohd Shukri Abdul said the probe was initiated after the Federation of Schoolbus Operator Associations recent statement that the contracts were given to agents such as retired army personnel and civil servants from the Defence Ministry, who had no experience in bus operations.

He said that instead of awarding the contracts directly to bus operators, another layer of bureaucracy has been created by appointing sub-contractors. Association president Chee Ah Tey blamed this process for the mess.

The sub-contractors, he said, made verbal agreements with the bus operators, while some waited till the last minute to source for buses. This made it difficult for the bus operators to prove to the Road Transport Department they were authorised to ferry the trainees because they did not have black and white contracts to show to the department.

He had suggested that the National Service Training Department deal directly with the association in exchange for lower fees.

Shukri told the New Straits Times that the ACA had also taken note of allegations that bus operators suffered because the agents and sub-contractors absorbed most of the profit from the contracts.

The snafu also prompted NS Training Council chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye to suggest that the government shake up the department, and for those responsible for the shambles to be blacklisted.

In Kota Baru, NS Training Department director-general Abdul Halim Abdul Hami said the Defence Ministry would take action against the contractors who failed to provide efficient and punctual transportation. He declined to elaborate as this was up to the ministry’s legal division.

Abdul Halim said while some of these contractors were new, it was no excuse for ineptitude. "They should have had buses on standby, just in case one can’t go the other can. And since the dates and times were given months in advance they had ample time to seek the proper documents. "We have to be firm on this and that is why action will be taken so as to prevent a repeat incident," he said.

Overall, 30,219, or 90 per cent of the 34,313 expected trainees have so far reported to their camps, he added.

***** So the sandiwara starts and let us see if any credible action is taken or the same transport chaos occurs once again, just because the government cannot get rid of the habit of awarding tenders and contracts with utter disregard to transparency and propriety.
Image - Source (National Service)
Image - Source (ACA)