Netbook for the Boondocks

AND SEX FOR AIRTIME. My latest column in The Malay Mail is entitled Netbook for Boondocks and is where I agree, for the first time in a long time, with Information, Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim ... with regards to bringing in the anti-graft men to investigate his RM1 billion netbook-for-the-boondocks scheme.

I learned only AFTER finishing my column about noon yesterday (Thursday) that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had, indeed, opened investigation into Rais's MCMC or Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission, on which the RM1 billion netbook scheme nestles.

Later in the day, after we'd put the day's edition to bed, I was told that the Auditor-General's office had also requested documents form the MCMC re the RM5 billion Universal Services Provisions (USP) fund, also under Rais's watch.

What nobody is looking into yet - and somebody should! - is the Sex-for-Airtime scandal reported by Jailani Harun in his blog Just Read. In Airtime Scandal, Jai wrote:

"Its all about this guy again, and the TV station he controls. Maybe its not his fault (in this case) but he should know and apply some controls here.

"(I dont want to mention his name here as I dont want any police reports be lodged against me). I just want to ask him - does he know about oneANUAR who gets a few hundred hours of airtime with the TV station?"

Mmmm ... police report?

courtesy of rocky's bru