THE government appears to be trying to have its cake and eating it too on a number of fronts.
It insists that the prime minister is capable of fulfilling the dual roles of premier and finance minister, and yet Malaysia faces an almost unprecedented alignment of fallen commodity prices, fallen share market, fallen currency, a twice amended budget and massive financial failure and impropriety of government organisations in recent years (MAS and 1MDB).
On the one hand the PM/finance minister is head of the advisory board of 1MDB who must sign and approve all of its major decisions, but on the other hand a colleague vouches that there is not "any wrong" in this practice.
On the one hand the PAC claims that it has completed its inquiry into 1MDB and that the decision was made by consensus, but apparently US$5.5 billion worth of its assets could not be tracked because of lack of documents. ("Give us a clearer picture", Citizen Nades, April11).
On the one hand, the government insists that it must micromanage security, the opposition, civil society, communications and the media, and terrorist threats but on the other hand, it has shown no willingness to implement legal accountability to guarantee probity of politicians, the government and the electoral process despite major concerns aired every year.
On the one hand the government has investigated and charged scores of people in the last 12-18 months for sedition and free speech offences, but on the other hand it has shown no interest in following up the serious allegations aired on the recent Australian Four Corners documentary.
The government should respond to these matters and bridge the trust deficit that it is facing.
Adam Rylands
Petaling Jaya
It insists that the prime minister is capable of fulfilling the dual roles of premier and finance minister, and yet Malaysia faces an almost unprecedented alignment of fallen commodity prices, fallen share market, fallen currency, a twice amended budget and massive financial failure and impropriety of government organisations in recent years (MAS and 1MDB).
On the one hand the PM/finance minister is head of the advisory board of 1MDB who must sign and approve all of its major decisions, but on the other hand a colleague vouches that there is not "any wrong" in this practice.
On the one hand the PAC claims that it has completed its inquiry into 1MDB and that the decision was made by consensus, but apparently US$5.5 billion worth of its assets could not be tracked because of lack of documents. ("Give us a clearer picture", Citizen Nades, April11).
On the one hand, the government insists that it must micromanage security, the opposition, civil society, communications and the media, and terrorist threats but on the other hand, it has shown no willingness to implement legal accountability to guarantee probity of politicians, the government and the electoral process despite major concerns aired every year.
On the one hand the government has investigated and charged scores of people in the last 12-18 months for sedition and free speech offences, but on the other hand it has shown no interest in following up the serious allegations aired on the recent Australian Four Corners documentary.
The government should respond to these matters and bridge the trust deficit that it is facing.
Adam Rylands
Petaling Jaya