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Finding theent
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Syariah chief judge hailed a ‘hero’
by Himanshu Bhatt
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
GEORGE TOWN: Penang Sya-
riah Department Chief Judge
Yusuf Musa, who took office in
February, won the state’s first
Integrity Award for exposing a
staff member who siphoned
some RM500,000 deposited by
defendants in court cases.
Yusuf was going through the
office files after taking office
when he noticed discrepancies
in the records and after col-
lecting enough information, he
reported the matter to the state
secretariat and a police report
was lodged.
He then barred the officer
suspected of embezzling the
money from his normal du-
ties. Other officers who had
neglected or were careless in
following procedures, thereby
allowing the money to be
stolen, were transferred or
similarly barred from handling
money matters.
The suspected officer has
since disappeared.
Yusuf was yesterday given
the inaugural award which was
introduced to encourage civil
servants to help fight corrup-
tion and misuse of funds in the
government administration.
Chief Minister Lim Guan
Eng handed over the award at
a gathering of civil servants in
Komtar Dome.
The award carries a reward
of RM10,000.
Lim lauded Yusuf for tak-
ing the initiative to weed out
malpractices in his department
even though he was newly ap-
pointed.
“He also blocked and pre-
vented more money from being
diverted,” Lim said.
He asked for more “whistle-
blowers” like Yusuf to step for-
ward, and said the state would
launch a monitoring system
based on a “whistle-blowing”
concept soon.
“They should not be seen
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as trouble-makers, but be cel-
ebrated as our heroes,” he said.
“If we allow such graft to
happen, the amount of losses we
will accumulate would run into
millions of ringgit.”
Lim also asked the suspect
to stop hiding. “We hope he will
appear again to repent and make
amends.”
Speaking to reporters later,
Yusuf was modest, saying he
was just doing his duty to ensure
transparency and accountability
in public administration.
He declined to comment on
the case, saying it
Yusuf showing his Integrity
Award given by the Penang
state government.
Member of Audit Bureau of Circulations (Malaysia)
2009 AWARDS
Award winning newspaper
for excellence in
investigative reporting
No. 4788 PP 2644/12/2009 (023092)
Thursday
June 25, 2009
TELLING IT AS IT IS www.sun2surf.com
» Princess of country music pg20
Controlling Influenza A(H1N1)
was still under investigation.
“My duty is just to report. The
action is up to the MACC and the
police. They are now looking for
him,” he said.
On another issue, Deputy
Chief Minister (I) Mansor Oth-
Gaps in the
system
man, who was also present, said
the reported disagreement be-
tween Lim and PKR’s Seberang
Perai Municipal Council (MPSP)
whip Johari Kassim over the
appointment of the new council
president would be resolved dur-
ing the next state Pakatan Rakyat
meeting.
by Karen Arukesamy
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PUTRAJAYA: Faced with a four-fold
increase in Influenza A(H1N1) cases in
one week, health authorities yesterday
admitted there are “gaps in the system” to
contain the dreaded flu epidemic.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr
Mohd Ismail Merican said: “Within a
week, the cases have shot up to 80 from
21 last week – an increase of 400%.”
He criticised those who were infected
but did not want to reveal their contacts,
causing local transmissions of which there
are 11 to date.
“There have been cases where people
who were infected did not provide accu-
rate information, making it more difficult
to trace the contacts,” he said.
Malaysia got its first case on May 15
when a 21-year-old student returned from
the United States for his vacation.
Mohd Ismail pleaded with the public,
especially those had been to affected coun-
tries, to practice self-quarantine to help
contain the spread of the flu infection.
MASRY CHE ANI /THESUN
“Without this cooperation, even the
best of systems to control epidemics will
not work. We do not want to be punitive
and it is also difficult for the government
to enforce it because we do not have the
facilities to do so,” he said.
He said the government cannot place
officials at the homes of those quarantined
to ensure they do not leave home.
Those who returned from affected
countries did not always show symptoms
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at first, but were nevertheless given health
alert cards which contain information on
symptoms and what measures to take.
“There are those who are infected
who have been actively participating in
public events. We received information
that there are even parents who still send
their children to religious classes during
the home quarantine period. Many do not
understand what is home or self-quaran-
tine,” he said.
Globally, 99 countries have recorded
about 53,110 cases with 232 deaths. Most
of Malaysia’s cases are from those who
visited Melbourne, Manila and the US.
Mohd Ismail said thermal scanners
will be placed outside planes coming
from the three countries. Passengers
will be scanned twice, first as they leave
the plane and then before immigration
checks. They are required to fill health
declaration forms which are handed to the
health team before they can pass through
immigration.
Mohd Ismail said the anti-viral flu
medicine, Tamiflu, will be given to pas-
sengers coming from infected countries at
all entry points.
Tamiflu will also be given to their
household contacts, those who had been in
contact for more than four hours and those
who were in contact within 48 hours. This
is because Tamiflu is only effective if taken
within the first 48 hours.
Presently, 44 confirmed cases are ward-
ed in hospitals throughout the country.
» More stories on Page 3