6 theSun | WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 4 2009

news without borders

Husna Yusop and Karen Arukesamy at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday

Evaluate performance
of cops by another
yardstick: MP
SALAHUDDIN Ayub (PAS-
Kubang Kerian) wants the
government to have another
method to evaluate the
performance of the police
rather than measuring it
based on tangible elements
under the Key Performance
Indicator (KPI).
He suggested that the
integrity index method was
a better yardstick in gaug-
ing the performance of the
police in terms of leadership
and morality.
“The performance of a
dedicated traffic policeman
cannot be measured with the
KPI. How to make sure the
police do not get involved in
corruption, power abuse or
misappropriation?
“We need another method
of integrity index which are
used by developed countries
like Scandinavia in order to
improve the performance
of the police force,” he said
during question time.
However, Deputy Home
Minister Datuk Abu Seman
Yusop said the government
was satisfied with the good
performance of the police
and it was only a perception,
No APs for six new companies
DEPUTY International Trade
and Industry Minister Datuk
Mukhriz Mahathir denies that
the government is consider-
ing issuing approved permits
(APs) for import of vehicles
to six new companies.
“It is pointless to issue
APs to new companies
when the AP system is to be
scrapped in 2015,” he said
when replying a supplemen-
tary question from Fong Kui
Lun (DAP-Bukit Bintang).
Mukhriz said to date only
98 companies had been
issued with APs although
at one time more than 200
companies enjoyed the
facility, adding that the APs
for 156 companies were
cancelled for failing to meet
conditions.
Fong had also wanted to
know why the government
did not use an open tender
system for the import of
vehicles, saying the govern-
ment could earn revenue of
especially of the Opposition,
that the police were involved
in immoral activities.
“The police performance
(target), according to the KPI,
has been achieved. There
are some who are immoral
but the Opposition has been
exaggerating. They don’t
see the good things done,”
he added.
Earlier, he told Salahud-
din the inspector-general
of police had achieved the
level of “Significantly Exceed
Target” with 113.8% marks in
its KPI last year as stated in
the police force’s five-year
strategic plan.
In another supplemen-
tary question, Karpal Singh
(DAP-Bukit Gelugor) said
the performance of the po-
lice had not been very good
because, for example in the
case of the V.K. Lingam video
clip, they could not find a key
witness.
He asked if Abu Seman
could name the witness as
he said he would be able to
trace the person but Abu
Seman said it was a specific
question which he did not
have information.
RM2.5 billion annually com-
pared with only RM30 million
with the RM10,000 payment
imposed on each AP.
Mukhriz said the govern-
ment adopted the system
because it was in accord-
ance with agreements the
government had signed at
the international level.
Replying to the original
question from Datuk Ismail
Kasim (BN-Arau), Mukhriz
said the ministry had con-
ducted an audit of all the
AP holders to ensure that all
companies adhered to the
conditions of approval.
Ismail had wanted to
know what the government
was doing on the alleged
issue of APs to those who
did not even have a vehicle
showroom.
Muhkriz said the audit
showed up, among other
things, shortcomings in terms
of administrative manage-
ment and documentation.
‘Implement code of ethics’
VETERAN backbencher Datuk open policy instead of applying the He said should privatisation
Shahrir Abdul Samad (BN-Johor “first come, first serve” basis when projects fail, it was the people who
Baru) says there is a lack of code of granting contracts. would suffer.
ethics for MPs when addressing the Stressing on outcome or end re- Shahrir also cautioned the gov-
house as highlighted in the National sult as priority, he said “first come, ernment over the dependency on
Success Integrity Plan. first serve” would only provide those imported food because about 80% of
in Islamic “The code was introduced dur- close to the government an advan- the people’s demand were imported,
finance ing the last parliament term but it is tage over others. adding the inconsistencies of the
forgotten now. We often discuss and “To ensure success in privatisa- ringgit had also affected their quality
pg 14 debate about code of ethics for other tion, it should be implemented more of life.
institutions but not for us. I hope the openly through advertisements. “We should strengthen the value
speaker and other MPs would be And, all qualified candidates with of our ringgit. We must stop the situa-
involved in discussing how to have the right criteria should be filtered tion whereby we purposely cheapen
this code in Parliament. accordingly. it in our country. A strong ringgit
“The code is necessary to boost “This way, privatisation can value would give more purchasing
the image, support and honour of the be enjoyed by the rakyat and not power to the rakyat and increase
MPs here. We need a standard, what become a platform to create entre- their quality of life,” he said.
should and should not be done,” he preneurs without qualifications. In He also called on the govern-
said debating the Supply Bill 2010. this process, we must be fair and ment to extend liberalisation to
On the second wave of privatisa- limit it to only those qualified, not other goods such as coarse sugar
tion, he suggested the government those close to the decision-makers,” and wheat flour so that consumers
adopted an he added. would have more choice.
10 implicated
Gazette Malaysia Day ‘Cut the rhetoric, give
in PKFZ probe as public holiday answers’
MORE than 10 senior officials and THE Employment Act must be amended to DATUK Dr Makin @ Makcus Mojigoh (BN-
ex-ministers will be implicated in the gazette Sept 16 as a public holiday so that Putatan) urged Deputy Women, Family and
Public Accounts Committee’s report it is recognised by employers and private Community Development Minister Chew Mei
on the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) companies, says Abdullah Sani Abdul Hamid Fun ’to do away with rhetoric but to reveal
multi-billion ringgit fiasco to be tabled (PKR-Kuala Langat). the actions taken to address crimes involving
in Parliament today. “If it is not gazetted, those in the private children like rape, abuse and abduction.
PAC member Tony Pua told report- sector may not be able to enjoy it because “We want to know what actions have been
ers in the Parliament lobby that PAC employers can decide not to allow it, unless taken. The people want a positive answer,” he
knows the cabinet received a report
on PKFZ and that “many ministers are
they have a union. Otherwise, it will remain only
as lip service by the government,” he said in his
said when commenting on Chew’s reply to a
question by Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah)
accountable because no action was Supply Bill 2010 debate. who asked about the delay in hearing court
taken based on the report”. Salahuddin Ayub (PAS-Kubang Kerian) cases involving children and what measures had
“However, there are one or two said: “... it is not enough just to make Sept 16 a been taken to address the issue. – Bernama
(ex) ministers who had heavier and public holiday. The rakyat will not be charmed
specific responsibilities to act and did
not,” Pua said referring to the “leaked”
by rhetoric. People want substance. Higher education fund will
“How does the government translate it in
cabinet papers on the PKFZ showing the form of justice for all? The willingness of be RM48b in the red
that the government was aware of all Sabah and Sarawak to be together with Malay- THE National Higher Education Fund Corpora-
the problems. sia must be repaid accordingly.” tion (PTPTN) is expected to have a RM48 billion
Declining to name the officials, he deficit by the year 2020 if existing borrowers do
told reporters to wait for the report to not repay their loans.
be tabled first. Number of poorly Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Hou Kok
It was earlier reported that a performing schools declines Chung said the outstanding loans were now at
former transport minister was named THE number of primary schools failing to RM3.26 billion involving 780,000 borrowers.
for alleged criminal breach of trust, achieve the minimum passing rate of D “Of that total, students owing RM346 million
as were senior civil servants from the and E in their School Average Grade (GPS) had been given a postponement for repayment
ministry and the Port Klang Authority is declining – from 116 in 2005 to 110 in while RM1.54 billion had not been repaid,” he
(PKA), most of whom have retired 2006, 106 in 2007 and 98 last year. said in reply to a question by Tengku Razaleigh
since. Several members of the PKA’s Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Hamzah (BN-Gua Musang) who wanted to
board of directors were also named. Ka Siong said this to Datuk Dr Marcus Mo- know how much of PTPTN loans were in ar-
The findings, said to be up to 20
jigoh (BN-Putatan) who wanted to know the rears and what were the government’s plans
pages long, alleges the project had
number of schools recorded as zero failure for those who did not receive loans to pursue
breached several guidelines listed
for their Primary School Assessment Test higher education in local or overseas institutes
by the Treasury in 2001 and that the
(UPSR) in the past five years. of higher education.
evidence of overbilling by PKFZ turn-
key developer Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd Wee said the ministry evaluates the Answering a supplemnatry question by
were consistent with those revealed schools based on the GPS which has a scale Nurul Izzah Anwar (PKR-Lembah Pantai),
by a task force set up by the Transport of 1 to 5 whereby the lower the GPS is, the Hou said the fund faced financial difficulties in
Ministry to probe the project. better the school is. giving many loans.

Nov 23 hearing for Anwar’s sodomy trial

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court will
hear on Nov 23 the application by Parti
Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) adviser Datuk
Seri Anwar Ibrahim to strike out the
sodomy charge against him.
Justice Datuk Mohamad Zabidin
Mohd Diah yesterday also fixed the
same day for the sodomy trial to be
mentioned again.
Anwar, 62, who was in court with
his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan
Ismail, is charged with sodomising
his former aide, Mohd Saiful Bukhari
Azlan, 24, in a condominium in Bukit
Damansara on June 26 last year.
Solicitor-General II Datuk Mohamed
Yusof Zainal Abiden, who led the
prosecution team, had asked the
court to fix the hearing date for the
application.
One of Anwar’s counsel, R. Si-
varasa, suggested that the court fix
the application for mention pending
Friday’s outcome of appeals by both
the prosecution and defence before
the Court of Appeal pertaining to
documents sought by Anwar.
On July 16, Mohamad Zabidin
granted Anwar’s application to com-
pel the prosecution to furnish him
recorded statements of witnesses
Mohd Saiful, Dr Osman Abdul Hamid of
Pusrawi Hospital, condominium owner
Hassanuddin Abdul Hamid, and the
statements of three other witnesses
as well as other relevant documents.
The prosecution appealed against
the order and, on July 24, the court
granted a stay of execution pending
the disposal of the prosecution’s ap-
peal to the Court of Appeal.
Anwar also filed a cross-appeal on
the same order which had refused his
application to get a DNA sample taken
from Mohd Saiful.
The Court of Appeal fixed Friday for
the decision on the two appeals.
Yesterday, High Court (Appellate
and Special Powers Division) judge Lau
Bee Lan fixed Dec 15 for re-mention
of Anwar’s application for a judicial
review to quash a written statement
by the prosecution, relating to his
sodomy case, pending the outcome
of the Court of Appeal.
On June 24, Anwar received a
written statement signed by Deputy
Public Prosecutor Mohamad Hanafiah
Zakaria which stated that there were
no facts favouring the defence in the
(sodomy) case.
On Aug 3, Anwar filed the applica-
tion to quash the prosecution’s written
statement in the High Court (Appellate
and Special Powers Division), naming
Mohamad Hanafiah and the govern-
ment of Malaysia as the respondents.
In the application, Anwar also
sought an order of mandamus to
compel the prosecution to supply
facts favourable to him under Section
51A (1)(c) of the Criminal Procedure
Code.
Anwar also sought an order to pre-
vent the prosecution from proceeding
with the sodomy case until these
facts were made available to him.
– Bernama