In late 2009, lawyers Lim Chee Wee and the late Vinayak Pradhan accompanied by the then chairperson of the Port Klang Authority, Lee Hwa Beng briefed the then prime minister, Najib Abdul Razak on the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) debacle.
Referring to the voluminous report by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, which was commissioned to prepare an investigative report and briefing notes, they presented the situation – a rather bleak one – and identified the events and the personalities involved behind what would eventually cost the government RM12.4 billion.
Lim recalls that Najib (above) knew his facts and informed the trio that if anyone tried to intimidate or threaten them, he should be told about it.
The next thing Najib did was to announce the setting up of an 11-member “super” task force (previously, another task force was set up), headed by the then chief secretary to the government Mohd Sidek Hassan, to restore the PKFZ project and identify measures for its development.
The super task force, among others, was required to determine the type of misconduct or criminal element on the part of individuals or entities involved in the project and recommend actions to be taken against them.
Sidek retired in 2012 and that’s the last we heard of the super task force. We don’t know for sure if reports were submitted to the government, but we do know that no one was summoned to appear before the panel.
Solution to all problems
The phrase “task force” was then seen as a solution to all the ills afflicting our country. It was then an effective tool to appease the people and give them the idea that the issues are being scrutinised and investigated.”
A task force can be described as a “temporary group of people formed to carry out a specific mission or project, or to solve a problem that requires a multi-disciplinary approach”.
In 2013, I wrote: “That phrase, if used on certain sections of the community, will compel them to understand and accept that something is being done and a solution has been found.
“That’s what the authorities have been doing crisis after crisis but not getting the desired results. Of course, the whole idea is that over time, Malaysians tend to forget the real issues as new ones come to the forefront.”
These days, the phrase is out of fashion and no longer savvy. In its place, we have special committees whose tasks are no different from their predecessors.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced the setting up of a special cabinet committee for “protecting vulnerable groups” to safeguard the welfare of these people, especially children, persons with disabilities, women and senior citizens.
The prime minister said the committee is chaired by him and has representatives from the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, Home Ministry, Education Ministry, Housing and Local Government Ministry, Health Ministry, and the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs).
He rattled out the functions, roles and responsibilities of the committee. Should we be giving him a standing ovation and salute him? How many such committees and task forces have been set up in the past from which there were zilch results.
Offhand, three such committees come to mind:
A special task force was set up in December 2012 to monitor all hill slope zone development built before 2010 with extra attention given to embankments and retaining walls.
The Special Implementation Task Force (cabinet committee on the Indian community) under the Prime Minister’s Department was established in June 2010 to monitor and strengthen the delivery and implementation of public sector services and programmes.
A special task force to be set up under the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry would work with the Pahang government to tackle the widespread ravages in Cameron Highlands.
Trying different things
What has been achieved is there for all to see. Hills are being bull-dozed and landslides have become common occurrences; the Indian community is still complaining of non-delivery, and wanton destruction of the hill station is continuing.
Haven’t we learnt? Is the government trying different things and ending up with the same results?
There is already existing legislation on most of the issues it is trying to do. The biggest problem in our nation is the implementation of government policies and initiatives.
For example, the Persons with Disabilities Act provides among others, provides for the registration, protection, rehabilitation, development and wellbeing of persons with disabilities. They have equal rights as people without disabilities to access: public facilities and buildings, and public transport. general education and all levels of schooling.
Is this special committee trying to re-invent the wheels? Why not implement all the provisions in the Act and as a bonus, adopt and implement the protocols promulgated by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO)?
ISO 22458:2022 is a complete protocol which covers consumer vulnerability. It lists the requirements and guidelines for the design and delivery of inclusive service.
Requirements and guidelines
It specifies requirements and guidelines for organisations (and governments) on how to design and deliver fair, flexible and inclusive services that will increase positive outcomes for consumers in vulnerable situations and minimise the risk of consumer harm.
It covers organisational culture and strategy, inclusive design and how to identify and respond to consumer vulnerability.
Specifically, it applies to any organisation that provides services, including service-related products, to vulnerable consumers and this includes the disabled, the aged and infirmed.
We are now in the digital world where all transactions including finance and banking are done online. Has this task force the capabilities to offer solutions to the elderly or the disabled to help them with their daily life in dealing with banks and other organisations which have switched to electronic administration?
There’s yet another ISO protocol which provides the standards for the IT industry.
ISO 30071 requires a holistic approach to the accessibility of information and communications technology (ICT) by combining guidance on implementing the accessibility of ICT systems (ICT accessibility) both at organisational and system development levels.
It states the minimum requirements when building and maintaining ICT systems (including products and services) that are accessible to diverse users including users with disabilities and older people.
Transparency and proper discussion
What can the special committee do when none of our government institutions has complied or has been certified to deal with vulnerable consumers?
Will this special committee end up like scores of other such groups of the past? Will there be transparency and proper discussion or will the decision be shuffled down the throats of those involved?
Yes, it would be an honour to have teh tarik and kuih muih hosted by the prime minister but will it bring about the desired results without even having the basics in place? - Mkini
R NADESWARAN is a veteran journalist and writes on bread-and-butter issues. Comments: citizen.nades22@gmail.com
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.
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