MACC: "Paper project" and soldiering on

There have been many postings on Dato Shafie Apdal, the former Minister and MP that survive politically by keeping his constituents to remain pauper to beg for his handouts and in return, ensures him votes. [For samples: read 2013 postings here and 2016 postings here, and here]

In these postings, the often used methodology in the alleged corrupt practices allowed to happen in the Rural Ministry (or today, Ministry of Rural and Regional Development or in short KKLW) could be described as "paper project".

The projects only exists on paper with documentations to show delivery made and work done but was not completely implemented or in certain instances, nothing was actually done at all. Documents could be created by simply bribing a local bloke a couple of hundred ringgit to sign.

Since it involves the rural areas or the interiors, there is no government officers to regularly check at the site. If officers were sent, the officers themselves could be the one pocketing the payment without delivering or installing anything.

On "paper project"

During the days of Tun Dr Mahathir's administration, there was a known plan to revive a river in Kedah. Fishes were supposed to be ordered from Thailand and released in the river. Payment was made good and heard it was in the millions. Not a single nemo found its way to the river. 

The same modus operandi may have been at work in the reported RM100 million graft cases involving officers at the Ministry of Youth and Sports in March this year. The Ministry is heavily involved in organising events and that opened itself to such abuses.

This "paper project" have been going on forever but not many was ever heard caught. In what could be the first report detailing such "paper project" corruption ever to come across, MACC arrested a Managing Director of a GLC involved in such a scam.

An extract from an NST report (from Malaysian Digest here) below:

PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested a managing director of a government-linked company over alleged abuse of power and multi-million ringgit graft case. The “Datuk” was arrested at his Kuala Lumpur office at 2pm yesterday.

He is being investigated over his involvement in a tender related to a bank system and also over the publication of books related to a prominent political figure. MACC investigations director Datuk Azam Baki confirmed the arrest when contacted yesterday.

It is learnt that RM15 million was given to a publishing company, owned by an individual linked to the suspect

However, not a single copy of the book has been published. It is understood that the authorities have also frozen RM8.1 million from the bank accounts belonging to the suspect, as well as other individuals.

The GLC is believed to be a Bank with an initial R. Instead of supposedly be of service to the people, the MD seemed to consume his time with alleged acts of a common thief.

From past personal experience, printing companies have been rampantly involved in such corrupt practices. MACC should raid a couple of printing companies to set a good example and to scare off the rest.

The paper project at Bank R, which this time actually involved paper, were among the 12 remanded by MACC reported in MSM. NST report here provided more details of among 8 people being investigated on this "paper project".

Oil and Gas

At the same court, the magistrate granted a 5-day remand for the investigation of 8 people involved in Oil and Gas projects. An extract from NST below :

In another case, the magistrate also granted a five-day remand order against eight people, including a project manager and a manager of an oil and gas company, over another bribery case investigated by MACC.

The five men and three women, aged between 30 and 60, were arrested yesterday in Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Terengganu and KL.

It was learnt that that the suspects were involved in accepting kickbacks for a pipeline project worth RM76mil in the southern part of the country.

Is this a Petronas pipeline project?

For this type of projects, there is no compromise for non-delivery. The project manager is the key decision maker to approve the delivery and work done. Without his John Hancock, the supplier  would not get paid by the finance people.

In the KKLW "paper project" to deliver water pipes in the interior of Sabah, suppliers would just load of the pipes but no installation or arrangement for water supply with local authorities made. The documents would likely show water already supplied tokampong folks!

Logging 

Heard MACC have been pursuing the illegal and excessive logging in Gua Musang that resulted in the worse flood ever in Kelantan in December 2014. Glad that something is coming out of their effort. An extract from The Star report:

In a separate case in Kelantan, the MACC was looking into claims by orang asli that illegal loggers had tried to bribe them to keep silent about their activities in Gua Musang.

The orang asli alleged that they were offered cash, rice, tobacco and other essentials to keep their mouths shut, according to MACC state director Datuk Moh Samsuddin Yusoff.

“They tried to bribe everyone in the village but were refused.

“The village head lodged a report with the MACC,” he told reporters after a seminar on the integrity of deforestation yesterday.

That takes much effort by the orang asli to do the report and resist the bribe.

FMT quoted Moh complimented the orang asli, "The Orang Asli’s practice not to accept bribes shows they are of high integrity. I hope other communities are also aware of the dangers of accepting bribes."

If the orang asli in the interior could resist, there is no such thing as no choice and need to involve in "paper project" to "cari makan" as the often excuse by printers in urban areas.

The illegal loggers operating in the interior beyond the reach of the law have been employing new tactics. NST report:

MACC deputy chief commissioner (Management and Professionalism) Datuk Mohamad Jamidan Abdullah said instead of building a special camp as a timber collection centre like they used to do, the syndicate would now cut the trees and take the timber out of the forest on the very same day to prevent from being detected.

"Prior to this, they would cut and gather all the timber in one place. When they heard that the authorities were mounting an operation, they would bury the timber to prevent it from being seized.

DBKL

In the latest development on the massive DBKL raid, MACC Commissioner and Investigation Director, Dato Azam Baki Dato Azam was reported by FMT, below:

MACC investigation director Azam Baki told the daily that the officers, of various ranks, were believed to have been “milking” housing developers forced to deal with City Hall for various approvals, to get “free” condominium units, which were later sold at higher prices.

“Our investigations revealed that no less than 30 City Hall officers obtained condominium units through corrupt ways, without making any advance payments,” he said, adding that the units acquired, just by signing sales and purchase (S&P) agreements without any monetary transactions, would be sold at market value once the project was completed.

Some of the officers who would be called in soon had been bold enough to contact housing developers to ask for similar deals as their “boss”, despite them not having any working connection with the developers at all, he said.

That is more than the 19 reported earlier. Read previous posting here.

When asked of the probable hauling of 30 more DBKL officers, Malaysiakini quoted NST reporting reported Kuala Lumpur mayor, Dato Seri Mohd Amin Aziz saying no comment and "This whole mess has affected the morale of our staff."

Malaysiakini spinned the words with a commentary claiming the clean-up should be a morale boaster. It is fair comment but their intention is to subliminally politicise the issue and downplay Amin words DBKL will not interfere with MACC right to investigate.

Ignore and soldier on, MACC! 

There will always be sceptics and the cynics making passing remarks of MACC mega raid on civil servants.

They will say MACC do not go after the big fish without knowing the Dato Seri with 13 condo and millions of cash is a #2 or #3 in DBKL and likely is part of the Little Napolean mentioned by Pak Lah in 2006 or our 2012 posting here described as PTD Mafia.  

They have been the Sir Humphrey resisting the implementation or sabotaging policies by Cabinet. They have turned corrupt but most of the time politicians are being blamed and highlighted for corruption.

It cannot happen without collusion by civil servant. However, Ministers have the priviage of selecting the choice of top officers and in certain instances, have final say in certain decisions. 

Ministers' family members or associates too are seldom blamed for corruption. But it would have not have happened if civil servants, particularly the fast promoting PTD officers are steadfast and non-compromisable in their principle and not easily tempted by the easy money.

To say the fish rots from the head, the top must include the KSN, KSUs, and TKSUs too. It is them turning a blind eye to allow retired colleagues easy access and abuse their relation with officers in service to be tender fixers for corporate taukeh.

As a result, Malaysian business community become addictive to giving bribes. New MACC head intend to pursue on givers too! 

Despite what is being done, there will be those still insistent MACC only go for the "ikan bilis".

Operationally, it is not about big or small fish. The seize is not crucial but evidence is.  Since today will be a Tangkap MO1 rally, they can't resist politicising a case off-shore of Malaysia and in a foreign court.

In spite what cynical remarks made on MACC, they should soldier on. Eventually the public will appreciate them.

MACC is suggesting that asset declaration particularly by top government servant should be done more frequently than the current practise of every 5 years. In The Sun report, Amin told them:

Meanwhile, the city mayor said DBKL was in the midst of updating the declaration of assets of its top management officers and the process was expected to be completed by next Friday.

"Of the total 26 directors, only 12 of them have yet to update their declaration of assets in our system. I have given them until next Friday to do," he added. — Bernama

The raid must have been good psychologically. Malacca CM, Dato Idris Haron called on the public to not speculate on corruption activities in the state. Our word of advise: monitor your boys!

Tengku Adnan has asked the public to be the eyes and ears for DBKL to take care of public properties. The public have been complaining of corruption in city halls for decades but PTD heading the outfit under PM Dept. seemed insulated.

Anina Saabudin's final say in her exchanges with Ku Nan is quite punchy and rib tickling. Rafizi's a wee bit sissy and poyo.