Thursday, May 15, 2008

Quality of Ministerial Replies

I asked a very specific question, which was scheduled to be answered in the Parliament today at No. 26 (i.e., won't get answered orally but will get written response). I asked the Home Affairs Minister:
...bagaimanakah nilai maklumat dan kedudukan projek mega "Sistem Imigresen 'Single Platform' (SIM). Adakah projek sensitif keselamatan dalam negeri ini diberi kepada sebuah syarikat yang kurang berpengalaman dalam bidan sistem imigresen, yang dimiliki oleh warganegara asing pada masa kontrak ditetapkan?
The reply by the Minister is as follows:
Untuk makluman Ahli Yang Berhormat, Sistem Imigresen Malaysia berasaskan 'Single Platform' (SIM) dibangunkan oleh Syarikat Multimedia Glory System Sdn Bhd adalah syarikat dimiliki warganegara dan mempunyai status syarikat MSC.

Adalah tidak benar syarikat ini tidak berpengalaman dalam pembangunan sistem kerana pada masa ini beberapa modul sistem telahpun siap dibangunkan dan sudahpun beroperasi seperti sistem kawalan pintu masuk di lokasi-lokasi pintu keluar/masuk imigresen seluruh negara, sistem keselamatan, sistem pas sempadan di semua pintu masuk Imigresen Imigresen sempadan Malaysia - Thai dan sistem kawalan depot Imigresen. Malah SIM telahpun menyalurkan maklumat statistik pelancongan kepada TDC secara 'online real-time' pada masa ini.
I'll make a few comments and you can judge for yourself, if the Minister has avoided my questions altogether. Of course, to ask the above questions, I'll have my little birds (more little birds welcome).
  1. The Minister completely ignored my question on the value of the project awarded. What I do understand is that the project is valued at 9 figures.

  2. The Minister evaded my question as to whether the sensitive project was awarded to a company belonging to foreigners at the time of award.

  3. The Minister did not state if the company had the necessary experience to carry out such a sizeable and specialised project at the time of award.

  4. And besides stating certain modules which were apparently implemented, the Minister did not state if there were significant delays to the project, and when it was meant to be completed, and of course, what the Government is doing about it.
From what I can see, the clear lack of transparency and honesty with the answers certainly give rise to greater cause that something isn't particularly right with the project, and more investigation is needed. It is one thing when the Minister is clueless about a particular topic, but another altogether when he is clearly evasive.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tony,

Before blaming the minister, may be you should look at your questions again which is drafted in pretty bad Malay. As a malay I did not understand your questions fully until you explained later in english in your blog e.g. Para 1first sentence, what are you trying to ask? Bagaimanakah nilai maklumat dan kedudukan SIM?If that's your question in Malay, the minister is right in not answering the question because you never asked him what's the value of the project. You may want to improve your written malay. Granted he did not fully provide the answers to your questions.

Golf Afflicted said...

I agree.

Except the words above weren't part of my original question (which gets edited by the Parliament office). My orginal question was as follows here:

Tony Pua meminta Menteri Dalam Negeri memberikan laporan nilai, matlumat dan kedudukan project mega “Sistem Immigresen ‘Single Platform’” (SIM). Adakah projek sensitif keselamatan dalam negeri ini diberi kepada sebuah syarikat yang kurang berpengalaman dalam bidang sistem immigresen, yang dimiliki oleh warganegara asing pada masa kontrak ditetapkan?

I don't dispute though, that my Malay probably needs improving, but on the "bagaimanakah" was never in my original submitted question.

Anonymous said...

mhwang says:

Dear Tony,

Thanks for a job well done.

My 2 sen's worth - U may want to consider rephrasing (not possible now but for future questions) ur questions as follows:-

Tony Pua meminta Menteri Dalam Negeri memberikan jumlah nilai yang dibelanjakan untuk projek mega “Sistem Immigresen ‘Single Platform’” (SIM). Adakah projek sensitif keselamatan dalam negeri ini ditandatangani dengan sebuah syarikat yang bukan sahaja kurang berpengalaman dalam bidang sistem immigresen, tetapi dimiliki oleh warganegara asing pada waktu itu ?


Any other suggestions?

Anonymous said...

Tony,

I am quite surprised that MPs' questions 'get edited' by the Parliament office. In your case, your question was edited until the original meaning was distorted.

I personally feel that MPs' questions should not be edited at all even if they write 'broken' Bahasa Malaysia.

If one's Bahasa Malaysia is so 'broken', then he / she need to brush up. No cover up of the handicap please.

l藍海 said...

哥哥,
我在國會辯論直播室有看見你,你好緊張哦。
:)
那代表你關注所辯論的課題。
哥,
你是個好的議員,我很開心。希望你不會被權貴名利所迷惑而繼續儅個好議員為民爭取更多噢的福利

Anonymous said...

YB...

just primary skool grads la...

Dont blame them!

Anonymous said...

YB Tony,

IT's well known to almost all Malaysians that the BN has been evasive and non=transparent. This itself undoubtedly implies the presence of corruption.

I think it's a waste of time trying to dig and receive a fair answer. Besides what good the information will be to us if no action against the wrong doers?

Instead, question them what are they going to do about millions of illegals. How are they going to regulate immigrants entry/exit. Border security issues(Indonesians are rowing into our seashores with ease. When Singapore could check illegals, why can't Malaysia implement tough action against them. Why do they do selective arrest on Indians, China, Bangla, abd Myanmars.)

Anonymous said...

I am clueless. It make sense if parliament office has the rights to filter foul/sensitive words in anyone's question, but, looking at your case, it seems that they have changed the question from "how much" (laporan nilai) to "how" (begaimanakah nilai); do YB have the rights to change it back before it was asked?

Anonymous said...

My suggestion. Next time you ask question, make it simple, short and contain no ambiguity. That way there is no way for anyone to misinterpret or digress.

If after you have done that and the answer is still misleading, the RAKYAT and everyone can see for themselves.

Anonymous said...

Dear Tony,

soem suggestionw:

1) rcchia is right. Use short sentences. Start with mengapa, bagaimana and bila

2) get some people who are good in malay to look through the final version. it is not to say that you are being be-littled but just a sense check by a reasonable man. Sometimes after I did a piece of work, I'll get someone to read through so I make sense to other people. When one is too engrossed, ebbing and flowing of ideas would create a mixed final product

3) any volunteers here to help YB translate? I would. You can forward questions in English and I would gladly translate for you; if you are ok with this, YB, I can let you have my email address. I would committ to a 1 day turn around time.

I ain't saying my BM is great but I will try my best.

Regards
Lee Wee Tak

Anonymous said...

you could try using berapakah or something like that when asking a question that involves a certain amount of cash?