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Media Statement (2)
by Lim Kit Siang  
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(Parliament, Tuesday):The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi reiterated yesterday that the “Government is practising what it preaches”.

In his monthly address to the  staff of the Prime Minister’s Department, he ordered all departments to trim their operating  expenditures and do away with wasteful practices.   He  reminded civil servants that delays and corruption would add to costs.  

Abdullah should realize that these are just  words, words and more  words, the very anthithesis of the government “practising what it preaches”, and why their tedious repetition without action and results are now unable to make any serious impression on the people or even the public servants themselves.

The very fact that Abdullah  must still say these things is proof that in his 28 months as Prime Minister, he has yet to “walk the talk” to lead a clean, accountable, transparent, trustworthy and  efficient administration with Ministers setting the proper  example for the nation.

When Abdullah has to remind government servants about a circular which had been issued against wastage, that “One should not switch on the lights of the whole floor just to use a room”, there can be no stronger admission and proof that hardly anything has changed in the public service ethos and mentality in  the 28 months he has become Prime Minister.

This is the  root cause why there is such great public outcry, anger and outrage against the 30-sen oil price hike, for Malaysians see double-standards where the government does not practise what it preaches as no one, from Ministers downwards, is walking the talk of a clean, incorruptible, accountable, transparent, trustworthy, efficient, just and good governance.

Malaysians do not want any more homilies from Pak Lah – what they want after 28 months of his premiership are  action against sloth, waste and corruption.

In keeping with the launching of the Ninth Malaysia Plan at the end of the month, Abdullah should salvage and launch his still-born anti-corruption campaign by elevating the Anti-Corruption Agency into an independent body answerable only to Parliament with untrammeled powers to arrest and prosecute the “sharks” and not just “ikan bilis” – with an united national vision and commitment for Malaysia to be ranked among the world’s top least corrupt nations.

(07/03/2006)