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» Najib: My right to appoint minister pg5
Task force
to uncover
‘hidden hands’
by Terence Fernandez
sreports@thesundaily.com
PETALING JAYA: Ministers will be made
accountable if a high-powered task force
scrutinising wrongdoings exposed in the
Auditor-General’s Report 2008 points to those
higher up the pecking order.
Sources in Putrajaya said there is an air
of uneasiness in the corridors of power as
it becomes clear that this time around the
leadership is serious in weeding out graft and
abuse of public funds, as a wider net is cast to
include politicians in government, both past
and present.
The activities of at least one ministry under
a former minister are under the scrutiny of
the task force, as well as the Malaysian Anti-
Corruption Commission (MACC).
“For far too long, the civil servants have
been made the whipping boys and fall guys
of some politicians. The prime minister knows
that it is not enough for the public that a hand-
ful of KSUs (secretaries-general) or directors
pay the price,” said a source, adding that the
public perception is that many government
servants are compelled to approve suspect
expenditures by their political masters.
Last week, Public Services Department
director-general Tan Sri Ismail Adam told
theSun that senior officers would be severely
reprimanded for any over-billing or misap-
propriation of funds. This includes imposing a
surcharge to recoup losses as well as roping in
the police commercial crimes department and
the MACC to probe their activities.
In reaction, one senior government servant
told theSun that many of these approvals and
expenditures were forced down the throats
of the secretaries- and directors-general by
politicians.
The task force announced last Friday by
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will
hold its first meeting today, chaired by Chief
Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd
Sidek Hassan. Treasury secretary-general Tan
Sri Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Abdullah and Auditor-
General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang will attend.
» Turn to Page 2
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Monday
November 2, 2009
TELLING IT AS IT IS www.sun2surf.com
» Funnymen still holding court pg17 entertainment
Painkiller abuse alert
by Zakiah Koya
newsdesk@sundaily.com
but has yet to receive any
response.
Chow said from his observation, addicts
range from schoolchildren to their late 20s.
KUALA LUMPUR: Doctors are
sounding the alarm bells over the
Amam president Dr
Steven Chow Kim Weng
(pic) said if Tramadol is
“Often, these individuals have tried various
drugs and abuse Tramadol to take advantage
over poor regulation rather than the kick.”
abuse of a cheap over-the-counter made a controlled drug, Chow warns that should hardcore drug
painkiller among schoolchildren medical practitioners users find out that they can get their fix
and drug addicts to get high on. would exercise caution through this easily-available drug, Malaysia
They want the drug placed on the when dispensing it. is in for a real epidemic.
controlled list immediately before Checks by theSun “They should take this as seriously as
there is an epidemic. at four pharmacies in heroin. Now, they (Tramadol addicts) are
Addiction Medicine Association Kuala Lumpur and taking it orally but the more adventurous
of Malaysia (Amam) says it has Petaling Jaya revealed users crush them into powder and inject
noted an emergence of young that only one refused them (intravenously). We call on the Health
patients in their late teens addicted to sell the green and Ministry to act quickly before the situation
to Tramadol, a painkiller sold at yellow bullet-pills gets any worse,” said Chow.
pharmacies for as low as RM10 for without a proper Malaysian Pharmaceutical Society presi-
a strip of 10. explanation of symp- dent Datuk Nancy Ho said if it is proven that
A recent survey involving some 50 toms. The reporter had Tramadol is widely abused, the authorities
general practitioners nationwide showed that no problem with the other three. should make it a scheduled drug. She called
half of them who had treated patients addicted Chow wants quick action on this matter on all pharmacists to exercise caution when
to heroin and other street drugs have come because the drug is much cheaper than street selling Tramadol or any other drugs that
across patients who have abused Tramadol. drugs and much more easily accessible to all could be abused for recreational purposes.
Addiction therapists have also reported ages.
that it is more difficult to detoxify a Tramadol He said Tramadol is not a scheduled
user than a heroin addict because of the drug’s drug in Malaysia because pharmalogically, » Confessions of a Tramadol addict page 4
easy availability. the drug was thought to be non-addictive.
In light of this, Amam, which has a mem- However, he said, it has now been proven that
bership of 600 doctors, wants the Health Min- some Tramadol addicts are popping as many
istry to make the drug a scheduled item, in as 30 pills a day.
line with the practice in the United States and The manufacturer sets the dosage limit at
Britain. It has written to the Health Ministry 400mg a day.
Teh-rrific act of charity ...
THE Teh family proudly show Shiok charity food and fun
off their new cool look after fair held at the Jalan D.S. Ram-
having their heads shorn to anathan field. “When my wife
raise funds for charity yester- and son heard of my intention
day. Penang Adventist Hos- to shave bald for charity, they
pital director of quality and decided to also take part in
patient safety Dr Andy Teh, the event,” said Teh.
37, his wife Josephine, 37, and Among those who shaved
son Christopher, four, happily their heads were the hospi-
let their locks be shaved off tal’s chief operating officer Dr
in aid of the Dr J. Earl Gardner Wesley Toh See Wei, Tanjung
BERNARD CHEAH/ THESUN
Fund, which gives financial Bungah assemblyman Teh Yee
aid to the hardcore poor who Cheu and PAH development
are sick. department manager Nancy
They were among 35 men, Ong Ai Hua. “We have raised
women and children who had over RM150,000,” said Ong,
volunteered to “Go Bald for adding that the final figures
Charity” at the Makan Shiok were still being tallied.