10
speak up!
Don’t be taken in
by the magic of 100
ONE HUNDRED is a magic
number. When a cricketer makes
100 runs, it’s scoring a ton. When
someone turns 100, he’s called a
centenarian. When a sportsman
earns 100 caps, it’s hitting the
century mark. When government
leaders mark their 100th day in
office, there are special interviews
and celebrations. Why 100 and
not 99 or 88 or for that matter, 95,
is never asked. It’s tradition, it is CitizenNades corporation.
said.
Does the corporate sector by R. Nadeswaran
celebrate when its chief executive
officer marks his 100th day in office? Never
heard of that! That’s why I am wondering
about the song and dance over the 100th
day in office of the general manager of the
Selangor State Development Corporation
(PKNS). Let’s give Othman Omar some credit
– he says operational costs are down by RM87
million and that’s an achievement of sorts.
But that came about, by his own admission,
because “we now practise open and selective
tendering and award the lowest bidder that
fulfils our quality criteria.”
Well done. That’s the way forward, but in
the process, Othman has
let out one of the country’s
worst-kept secrets – many
PKNS is not a private
tenders in PKNS were company serving
given out on a “negotiated” private agendas, as the
basis, which included
cronies and friends. One actions of some former
does not need a degree
in rocket science to bring leaders would
about such savings. When
your criteria are cost and
quality as against large profit and friends, it’s
a given that you will save money – lots of it.
But what Othman has failed to tell us is
the extravagance of previous directors who
used PKNS funds for their activities. Can he
tell us how much was spent on “investment
missions” undertaken by the directors and
paid for with PKNS money?
Let Othman not forget the ignominy that
PKNS suffered when it was fined RM330,000
for illegally clearing land in the vicinity of the
Bukit Cahaya Agriculture Park in Shah Alam
four years ago. Another fine of RM30,000 was
slapped on PKNS for earth levelling activities
without permission.
Who was responsible for this? Who caused
the losses to the corporation? Why hasn’t any-
one been punished for this colossal loss to a
government-owned company? By the way,
the RM360,000 did not go to the state coffers
as claimed by the former mentri besar.
Achievements cannot be judged on just
reducing operational costs. They encompass
the whole workings, including relationship
letter
letters@thesundaily.com
Probe followed procedures
I REFER to “Mail your cheques, think again” (Let-
ters, May 12).
Enquiries revealed that a police report was
lodged at Sentul police station by the complain-
ant. However, based on her report, she was re-
ferred to Dang Wangi police district as her report
indicated that the case falls under Dang Wangi
police district jurisdiction.
The investigating officer (IO) verified the docu-
ments with the bank and follow-up investigation
found that her cheques were cashed in Kajang.
Hence, due to the provisions of the Criminal
Procedure Code, she had to be referred to the
Kajang police district.
Based on the report, an investigation under
Section 420 (cheating) of the Penal Code was
carried out.
For your readers’ information, police investiga-
tions have to abide by the laws of the country and
theSun | MONDAY MAY 18 2009
with the staff, the vendors and
other people the organisation
comes into contact everyday.
Yes, there’s much more,
including the management of its
resources and funds. As recent
events have shown, big monetary
contributions to social causes
without proper justification, docu-
mentation and due approval
process can come back to haunt a
PKNS is not a private company
serving private agendas, as the
actions of some former leaders
would suggest. It is an arm of the state and it
handed out other goodies like candy to chil-
dren. PKNS sold 43,560 sq ft of land in Section
7 in Shah Alam at RM5.74 per sq ft – a bargain
whichever way you look at it.
But no money changed hands. A contra
deal for amount payable – RM250,000 – was
made. The amount was off-set as a loan from
PKNS to the state government and this was
duly endorsed at the meeting of the state
financial committee on Oct 19, 2000. Has this
loan been settled?
Othman does not have to wait for his
200th day or first year in
office to expose any ir-
regularities and doubtful
decisions that had been
made in PKNS over the
years. He cannot close his
eyes to the misuse and
mismanagement which
suggest. had happened in the past.
As operational head of a
state-owned company, he
has a duty to the shareholders – all residents
of Selangor, whose money was used as capital
to set up the corporation.
The general manager cannot gloat over
the savings while forgetting other issues
which he has chosen not to address.
He cannot close the files and say “it was
before my time”. He has an obligation to right
the wrongs of the past and to bring to book
the wrongdoers.
He has been tasked with running a bil-
lion-ringgit company. While his attempts at
cost-cutting are appreciated, he must run it
in the same manner as a company deemed fit
enough to be on the First Board of the Bursa.
Anything less is unacceptable.
R. Nadeswaran has faithfully followed the tri-
als and tribulations of PKNS since its formative
years. He says that PKNS should forget the frills
and come out with hard, cold facts. He is editor
(special and investigative reporting) and can
be reached at: citizen-nades@thesundaily.com.
in matters of investigations into bank accounts,
written permission from Bank Negara Malaysia
has to be obtained as provided for under Section
99 (i) of the Banking & Financial Institutions Act
1989.
The Royal Malaysia Police takes this opportu-
nity to urge the public to address all complaints
on commercial crime cases to the Commercial
Crime Investigation Department Secretariat at
Block G, Level 2, Kompleks Pejabat Kerajaan, Bukit
Perdana, Jalan Dato Onn, 50502 Kuala Lumpur.
Readers can write in to the above address or call
Supt Mior Faridalathrash at 03-26163758 or Insp
Zainal Jaafar at 03-26163867.
Supt Baharuddin Idris
For Director
Commercial Crime Investigation
Department