When Mahathir’s policy goes wrong, Negeri Sembilan feels it too!
What happens when a government that is suppose to be monitoring and overseeing commercial activities goes into business?
By Lee Wee Tak
When Mahathir first mooted the Malaysia Incorporated Concept, it was explained as follows:
THE MALAYSIA INCORPORATED CONCEPT: A KEY STRATEGY IN ACHIEVING VISION 2020
Prime Minister’s Department Malaysian Administrative Modemisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) Director General DR. ABDULLAH BIN ABDUL RAHMAN
The Honourable Prime Minister has broadly definedthe concept of Malaysia Incorporated to mean a system of cooperation between the Government and the private sector towards the creation of a Malaysian company to achieve progress and where the profits accruing will be shared by all. The government is a shareholder in this company, and if the company progresses and makes profit, a portion will accrue to the government and subsequently to the people as a whole.
With that, privatization of Malaysian public service went into fever pitch from utilities to waste and cark park management etc, creating creatures such as Indepedent Power Producers, Indah Water (you never know how they calculate charges for the shit water), Alam Flora, Plus etc.
One of the basic tenets of democratically elected government is to look after the interest of the people who pays their salaries. The elected government must reign in, when necessary, when profit orientated entrepreneurs are acting against public interest e.g. polluting the environment, producing hazardous products and services, exploit and oppress worker etc.
Through enactment and enforcement of relevant laws and legislation, it would achieve such objectives. However, what happens when a government that is suppose to be monitoring and overseeing commercial activities goes into business?
Menteri Besar Incorporated is a creature of Malaysia Incorporated.
According to the Auditor General Report on N Sembilan for 2008, flood occured in Lenggeng as a result of logging activities approved by the State Government to Syarikat Real Strong (M) Sdn Bhd, a joint venture with Menteri Besar Incorporated N. Sembilan.
Source: Laporan Ketua Audit Negara, Aktiviti Jabatan/Agensi Dan Pengurusan yarikat Kerajaan Negeri Sembilan Tahun 2008
According to Pejabat Menteri Besar, one of the key function is
~ Pejabat Menteri Besar juga bertugas menjadi tenaga pemantau kepada semua dasar dan projek yang dilaksanakan oleh Menteri Besar.
Commonsense will tell us that there is a conflict of interest. You can’t oversee / regulate commercial projects when you are doing it yourself. The state government can’t approve a commercial project whereby the head of the administration stands to profit from it.
Read more at: http://wangsamajuformalaysia.blogspot.com/2009/12/when-mahathirs-policy-goes-wrong-negeri.html
