Hello, can you hear Citizen Nades cry?

Is Citizen Nades of the SUN in trouble?

Read an excerpt from his column published on Wednesday, 30 Aug 2006 here (bold & italicised emphasis mine) :-

LAW OF THE JUNGLE MUST END

... the inevitable conclusion that one can come to is: the actions of local authorities cannot be questioned by anyone.

That's because PJ is in the country's first and only fully-developed state where anything goes.

Those in authority can take money from anyone; spend it as they like; give contracts to their friends and cronies; transfer revenue meant for the government to private accounts and above all, declare themselves immune from any form of investigation or action.

There is no respect for rules and regulations; there is total disregard for established norms; transparency and accountability are bad words; and it is an offence to question their actions and deeds.

Has Selangor descended to a state where jungle law rules?

Who will save the citizens from being made to pay for the excesses of the administrators? Who will prevent the savaging of state funds?

Who will stop the plundering and the pillage of the environment? Who will put an end to the one-man rule?

I don't have the answer, but surely, the powers-that-be cannot watch in silence as the excesses get bigger and run beyond control.

Someone, yes someone with the power and authority, must stop it before lawlessness descends and must stop that one man from throwing those who speak up into the lions' den as punishment.

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That is a desperate cry to be heard!

And that last sentence I highlighted, is someone trying to shut him up?


Now, contrast this with what our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said at the opening of the 1st OIC Anti-Corruption and Enhancing Integrity Forum 2006 on 28th Aug 2006 as reported in The Star:-

COMBAT GRAFT, OIC urged

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia wants member countries in the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to play a more active role in the global fight against corruption.

“We must do this not only to fulfil our obligations to the international community, but more importantly for the ummah, to secure a better economic, social and political future,” said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

He said the OIC, with a combined population of 1.8 billion in its 57 member countries, comprised about one-fifth of the global community, and whose belief in Allah formed the foundation of integrity.

“As chair of the OIC and the leader of a developing Muslim country I want to see the OIC play an active role in fighting corruption,” he said at the opening of the 1st OIC Anti-Corruption and Enhancing Integrity Forum 2006 yesterday. He said he was saddened to note that Muslim countries did not rate highly when it came to perceptions of corruption.

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Do you see the irony of the above two articles? Obviously, here we have someone with the power and authority to check corruption, choosing to ignore what is happening in his own backyard, while preaching to others how to clean up theirs.

CAKAP TAK SERUPA BIKIN?

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(Update: Latest news from the SUN here. "Sue the paper!" said (MBPJ councillor, V.) Subramaniam and "ayes" of all 23 councillors present at the meeting (new Petaling Jaya mayor Mohamad Roslan Sakiman chaired his first full-board meeting today).