JULY 12 — Government efficiency is evaluated based on its performance. Poor performance and endless errors will make a negative impression on the people.
Many recent incidents have shown the necessity in improving government efficiency. For instance, law enforcement authorities should endeavour to solve the overflow problem in the 12 illegal immigrant detention centres nationwide and accelerate deportation, instead of using it as a reason to stop carrying out more arrest operations. It brings an impression that the law enforcement agencies lack adaptability to changes, while affecting the government’s image.
Before this, the authorities had repeatedly announced that massive operations to arrest illegal foreign workers would be carried out but it ended up in nothing. Illegal foreign workers have become part of our life, as well as the label of ineffectiveness.
Other examples showing the ineffectiveness of law enforcement agencies are investigations into crime and corruption acts.
Before the Emergency Ordinance (EO) was abolished, suspects could be sent directly to detention centres even if the police had failed to find evidence to prove their crimes. After the EO was abolished, the police lost the power to detain without trial, and it seems like losing also its adaptability to changes. Therefore, it is anxious in getting the government to come out with a new law similar to the EO.
The EO had indeed simplified the work of the police, but it might also be one of the reasons causing the efficiency deterioration of the police, including how to collect sufficient evidence to convict criminals.
For instance, there were some doubts in Chee Gaik Yap’s rape and murder case. It has been seven years and the police are still unable to find out to whom the semen found on the victim actually belonged.
The MACC’s low efficiency has also affected the fighting corruption National Key Results Area (NKRA).
For example, the MACC in Penang has asked the Attorney-General’s Chambers to close all seven cases of alleged vote buying in the state during the 13th general election as there is no proof that any of the offences was committed. The MACC should be able to find out the culprit through Pakatan Rakyat state assembly persons. It should not be too difficult to be done.
Inefficiency could also be found in the administrative area. Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob told the Dewan Rakyat that the Finance Ministry has taken over the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) project while the Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) took over the tuna port project.
The NFC is a workable project as the local market demand for beef increases every year and the project could help reduce beef imports and foreign exchange losses. However, the project became a scandal and the government might not be able to recover the RM163 million of low-interest loan.
The government has also spent RM240 million to develop the tuna industry. Unfortunately, it turned out a waste. It is only one among many other failed projects and as a result, the country’s budget deficit remains high.
Flaws in public projects have also undermined the country’s image. The completion of the KLIA2 has been delayed many times and the cost doubled from RM2 billion to RM4 billion. And the authorities have failed to find out the units that should be responsible.
Low government efficiency harms the country’s competitiveness. Malaysia’s fall in ranking from 14th to 15th in the latest World Competitive Rankings should be taken as a warning.
How government efficiency should be improved is related to management science, and humans are the most important factor. — mysinchew.com
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online.
