consumated ... maybe consummated
Maybe consummated, used or even secondhand. Its not nice to be called used, its worse still to be called second hand. But consummated, that is something else - there is romance attached to it. From the past, records, essays, writeups, by me, by others, already publically published. Maybe from past blogs. Maybe someone reading this may say, "I have read that before", so be it - Lias.
Retired. Lives in in the Far East, in Malaysia to be precise. Vision & Mission in life left too far behind; but who can crystallise the future?; now take the seconds, minutes, hours and days as they come by.
today
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From The Singapore Straits Times
26 September 2004
Culture of corruption
By Leslie Lau
IT WAS way past 3am when I walked into the club in a leafy suburb
outside Kuala Lumpur on a recent Friday night.
The drinks were flowing, the music was pulsating and two girls
dressed in nurse's uniforms were gyrating their hips provocatively at
hundreds of patrons. Outside, bouncers were having drinks with
customers, some of whom hardly looked like they were over 18.
Because it was very late and way past the official 2am closing time,
I asked one of the waitresses if they were still serving drinks.
'Of course, we are still open. At least until 4 or 5am. Nobody
disturbs you here. Sudah kau tim,' she told me as she took down my
order, clearly in reply to my bewilderment as to why the club was
still open at that time, one of many laws being openly flouted.
http://www3.malaysiakini.com/columns/30212
A reformasi narrative
Hishamuddin Rais Sep 22, 04 11:48am
'Anwar dapat bebas
Wan Azizah dapat suami
Nurul Izzah dapat ayah
Dolah jadi menteri
Kamu dapat apa?'
Anwar got his freedom
Wan Azizah got her husband
Nurul Izzah got her father
Dolah is now a minister
What was in it for you?
(This is an extract from some short staccato sentences, which someone tried
to pass off as poetry. It was read out in Rumah Pena on the second night
after Anwar was freed.)
How wonderful would it be if the Thousand and One Nights fable was true. And
I was given the opportunity to make a request from the genie that emerged
from Aladdin's magic lamp.
I would kneel, cry and plead for the thinking power of Malaysians, which has
become most emasculated over the last two decades, to become vigorous once
again.
The dulled Malaysian brain, which grows ever more emasculated, is no longer
capable of pondering intangible matters, things that cannot be held in one's
hands, things that cannot be put into one's pockets.
Its a very common word, used in all sorts of situation and on all occasion. I only learned the word when I was first in school learning English. The teacher used to tell us, that before we learned any word of English, he made us remember these words, "I do not know Sir, I don't speak English". He specifically emphasised on the word "don't", though later on he did not encourage us to use the short form 'n't' for 'not'; the reason being that he wanted us to speak the English in full. But for the start he allowed us, so that every time then when he asked anyone of us a question (in English) he expected and answer. Most of us then did not speak English, so we had to use that sentence often until we learned more English words and sentences. Of course after a couple of months we were proficient enough to answer him in English so we soon dropped that sentence which he wanted us to remember earlier from our daily conversation.
But don't is a very funny language. It has got a negative connotation, a warning, an instruction and probably an emphasise. "I don't speak English" probably has got all the above. Its negative because its a backward 'movement', you make the questioner using the English language go back to another system of communication, verbal or sign. Its a warning because you are warning the other guy not to speak in English, as you may not understand him/her and cannot answer him/her in that language. Its an instruction indirectly, telling him/her to use another mode of communication. Its an emphasis because to make it a pint that you 'cannot speak English'. So what the teacher taught us earlier had a very deep meaning. In fact I observe that many people trying to learn a language, not their mother tongue, has this sentence taught first.
Who will tell you if you have BO? Or a bad breath? These are things that people will not tell you. You find out for yourself. And if you find it out too late then you loose a friend or worse a girlfriend and at the worst end you wife (or husband as the case may be). Why do people won't tell? Is it because you will not accept the fact or because he/she is scared to tell you. Afraid of you reaction. Afraid of your denial. Afraid that you may become ashamed or worst still violent. Would you tell you friend if she/he has BO or a bad breath? Would you be still or continuing associating with him/her?
Would a lady tells you her age. At the most she will tell you her birthday, hoping that you will remember it and probably give her a present on the occasion. It is difficult to judge a lady's age. In the kampong they age faster than those in town, probably in the kampong they get married at a younger age and have many children (they dare not use family planning methods, its too cumbersome or too revealing or even a taboo. But in reality where would one throw the used condom after you have used it?). In town it is also not too easy to tell a lady's age as they use very thick make up or powerful perfumes. By the time you decide to ask or even to guess the age you forget about them, fascinated by the make up or overpowered by the perfumes. And in some advanced countries, 'make up' is so extensively used, you can hardly tell what the lady's age after the 'lifting'. In Malaysia today there is a famous lady who have worked in night clubs in the USA and now back here hosting a show. You can hardly guess her age. She sings and danced like she is in her 20s.
Free at last! Anwar's 2,174 days behind the high walls of Sungai Buloh Prison Raja Petra Kamarudin After 2,174 days behind the high walls of the Sungai Buloh Prison, Anwar Ibrahim finally walked free.well, wheeled free actually, for he is confined to a wheelchair due to a spinal injury.in a landmark Federal Court decision that took if not the whole world at least the country by surprise. Did you realise that today, 2 September, is the Anniversary of Anwar's sacking from Umno and the government? Poetic justice don't you think? The day that saw the beginning of the end for Anwar is also the day of a new beginning for him. Anyway, on Friday 13 (August 2004), a date made significant by Hollywood in their 'Friday 13th' movies, I sort of 'shutdown' the Free Anwar Campaign website. I say 'sort of' because I did not actually close down the website. The website is still there. I just stopped updating it with daily news updates. Instead, I launched a new news website, Malaysia Today, to take over the function of offering daily news updates to the Malaysian public.
Do we condone corruption? Part Three
There is something to learn from knowing what "corruption" is all about.
Years ago when I was a Contractor, I had to get some payment which I was told by my client that it was delayed at the Malaysian Treasury. After 6 months of not getting anything from the Department that I gave my services to I went to the Treasury to enquire. To my surprise the Treasury people was very helpful. An Officer helped me to go to all the relevant Departments to get my cheque prepared. And within one week I got my payment. Where did I go wrong? Was the user Department not helping or were they waiting for some offer from me? Until today I have not found out and I do not want to find out in case it involves corruption.
Also when I as a Contractor then and got some jobs from certain Department where I knew everybody inside it, I got my payments very prompt. In fact when I was late to collect my payments, the Officer used to remind me to collect my payment. Is this cronyism? Or was it just a good relationship?. I take it as good relationship. So if you are a Contractor, you have better have a good relationship with your client to get jobs given to you and to get early payments. But I knew of one Department where if you want to get early payments you have to pay a small percentage as a processing fee. This is genuine though and all is done above board. And I suppose you are paying for a genuine case. Its not really corruption as you need your money early. Again as a Contractor then, in some Departments where I gave my services or sold them items I had to suffer while the staff holding on to the payments as I refused to give them a percentage of my contract sum (this is not the case of a processing fee). This was in one of the Town (now City) Councils. In the end I gave up, I gave in to their demand. Was I wrong?
Corruption knows no boundary. You can be seen to be most 'alim' (religious) but you can still succumb to corruption. My daughter works for a trading Company. She always complained to me that her Company has to pay a large sum to certain people in the client Company they do business with. She says, "Even those who seems very mild and wear 'tudung' or a 'kopiah' ('tudung' and 'kopiah' are head dresses of Muslims who wants to look religious) wants a cut". And she cannot understand it. And according to her, the giving away of hand phones is very common, as these are common items which seemingly everybody can afford. Is receiving hand phones considered as corrupt? But she also tells me that sometimes the clients even asked her Co.to sponsor their childrens wedding feast. A bit much realy.
I have a friend in a large conglomerate who gives their top Executives credit cards for traveling, lodgings and entertainment purposes. I asked him how does he know which is official and which not official credit card expenditures. He says, "I don't, but I keep accounts". I asked him further on how the Company knows which is real ‘official’ and which is not real ‘official’. He says, "The Company trust those Officers holding the approval authority". Now isn't that something. The word "trust". That is power. And there is a saying, "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts absolutely". My friend is still in the Company and so far there is no problem with the credit card expenditure. Aren't they lucky?
There are people in this world who are absolutely (did I say absolutely?) honest. I may not be one of them. But again if look through them you can see the "pimples". Or am I being too critical?
Nepotism, cronyism (this is an old word used differently in the modern context) and corruptions are like brothers (or are they half brothers?) Kata orang Melayu "adik beradik anjing?" {The Malay says "Like dogs brothers" i.e. same mother but so many different fathers} But then I understand that it applies only to when you have a common mother not a common father. What about 'old school tie'? Aren't they not a half brother as well? In the UK, if you are from Harrow or Eaton you know where you will end up in the Civil Service, but if your are from a Comprehensive School somewhere you have better go for engineering apprenticeship Or you will end up as a "Scientist" in one of the Research Institutions.
I remember sometime back our YAB PM (Prime Minister then, now retired) said, "There is no free meal". He talked sense, does he not? So what do yo do when you are offered a meal or you offer someone meals? Is that corruption? And there is always the funny side to any situation. Years ago when I was working in a trading Co., a large claim for meals came, approved and paid. In the meal claim, it was stated ‘for the purchase of papayas'. It came to the notice of the Co. Chairman. The claimant was called in explain why 'papayas' were so expensive. He explained, "My Japanese client wanted them". The Co. Chairman was an understanding man, so he said, "Next time make the item more realistic". The case was closed.
But what about favours? What about using the office phones for your private use? Or using the office stationery? Or the office car not for official use? False mileage claims, false lodging claims, false traveling claims and other falses? If anyone of us is in those categories of ' misuse', may God forgive us.
Its a story without ending.
Do we condone corruption? Part Two.
I first met a sort of corruption when I first joined the service a few years after graduation (in 1968). A Contractor whom I have some dealings with gave me RM 150.00 cash. A Hari Raya gift he said. It was actually just before Hari Raya Puasa. He left rather quickly and I panicked. He left the money exposed on my desk when he walked out. I straightway phoned my boss, and I was rather surprised at what he said. He said, "Just take it". Now are all bosses like that? Now I thought, "I will land myself in jail, and that will the end my career". Anyway I reported the matter to ACA in Melaka, that was where I was working then. They came to the office and took away all sorts of files. The Contractor was charged and I became the main witness. Imagine having to face the guy in Court. I was very scared but in the end the Contractor was convicted.
Then as I progressed in my career I became more careful. At one of the places where I worked, the men took bribes (I did not know it then). I was told by some Contractor that they had to pay some money to my men as they normally said "Some money had to be paid to the boss". And I was the boss. Now are we sure that in our career our men do not receive bribes? Are we sure that they do not say the same thing about the boss?
I was then having a bit of power where I could recommend increase or decrease in monetry contributions by Contractors/Developers/Owners on their projects. It was a very simple system where I had the authority of increasing or decreasing certain technical factors and the monetary contribution went up or down likewise. As as for HQ in KL was concerned they trusted me and they trusted my judgement and decisions. They rarely questioned me. And Contractors/Owners/Developers were lining at my office door to negotiate on lowering of the monetry contribution. I could have made a bundle then and probably could own a few houses on the side but I did not take advantage of the situation. Regret? Looking at the situation and what is happening in the country now maybe I have a pinge of regret. Anyway its all over now.
Something funny that I remember well was the question of whether we could accept hampers from Contractors. This always happened near Hari Raya. And those hampers were big aand full of sweetie, drinks and goodies. Very tempting. I remember at one Hari Raya time, the delivery van came to my house. A good friend and a working colleague who happened to be my neighbour then watched the van coming to my house and I watched that went to his. Delivery of hampers were in progress. I cannot remember whether we took the hamper or not but now when we recollect the incident we always have a good laugh. But what happened to him after that was no laughing matter though. They handed money to one of his sons and he had to act very quickly to avoid disaster to his career. Can I find such a honest man nowadays?
Anyway as years go by, I was progressing further in my career. On one occassion I awarded a contract to a Contractor to erect fences around the office and around the Co. housing compounds. Soon one day my wife received a very nice ribbon tied box with a fruit cake inside. My wife was pleased. When she opened the box to take out the cake she saw rolls of RM notes underneath. She phoned me. I told her to return the cake and the money to the Contractor. I called the Contractor to my office asking him to explain. And he said "I do that every time I got a Contract". Now was that the common practice? Or am I out of touch with reality?.
I have heard of all sorts of stories when I progressed further up the ladder in my career. But I have always been very careful. When in Sarawak, I was told that there are many 'buayas' (crocodiles) over there. The bigger the 'buaya' the bigger is their 'ngap' (snap). Some even 'ngap' buffaloes, I am told. True? Well there must be 'angin' (wind blowing) or else how can the 'pokok goyang' (tree moves).
The danger with accusing people of their being corrupt is that it is very difficult to prove. In my first case, it was a clear cut proof. In all other cases, the hassle of trying to prove corruption will make you 'tawar hati' (discouraged). If you are not careful, the table will be turned against you, you may be brought to court by the 'other side', who will accuse you of giving false information and may even sue you in court. And if he/she wins, then you will get very 'malu' (ashamed).
Do we condone corruption? Part One
What is corruption? My Little Oxford Dictionary (new Edition) 1995 describes it as a noun for corrupt, and corrupt being defined as influenced by or using bribery; immoral, wicked.
What say if Policeman hinted at you when you cross a speed limit or even a double white line? A short time back, when driving through Kampong Awah (on the way to KL, before the Kuantan/Karak Highway was opened on 01/08/2004) , Temerloh, Pahang, my wife overtook a lorry and crossed a short double white line. There suddenly in front of us appeared a Traffic Policeman who signaled us to stop. On stopping he said to my wife "Cik Puan tadi telah melangkah garisan double white line. Cik Puan bolih di beri saman. Tapi mudah kalau Cik Puan selesaikan disini sahaja". (Madam you have crossed over a double white line. You can be served a summon. But if you settle it here it will be easier for you). Is that a hint of asking for bribery? I wouldn't know, but I told my wife, "Take the ticket and let us go" We took the ticket and went. It would have been cheaper if we were just to 'settle' on the spot.
On another occasion (just a year or two back), a Co. in which I was a Partner was given a Govt. Contract. This was a negotiated Contract. In the process of the negotiation my Partner said to me, "Leave everything to me and we will secure the Contract". I did just that. But after we signed the Contract my partner said, "Every time we get our payment, I want you to make a cheque for 10% of our collection to Company A". I have a rough idea of what had been happening, but having secured the Contract I did want to ruffle any feather. I did what my Partner said. Did my Partner double crossed me? No, he did not. He was paying somebody who had the decision making in awarding us the Contract? I have now left the Co., having completed the Contract.
I have related the two examples above just to indicate how difficult it is to prove bribery. And who gets the money, if there is really bribery? I wouldn't know but I was told of a case where it was almost water tight; they even got the recipients bank account. But tracing the bank account, it lead to a name of a GRO (a call girl, the nearest I can tranlate) in Labuan, an island off the coast of Borneo.
What causes corruption? I can only speculate. Greed? Living beyond ones means? Grudges for not getting what one expects in one’s career? The giver giving because of so much obstacle in his/her way to achieve his/her objectives? If one were to follow the court cases on corruptions, there seems to be a combination of most of these. In many cases, the accused goes scott free as there is no concrete proof that can be produced. Most of us can speculate but can one really prove anything, can we?
How do we know as who is corrupted/taking bribes? One can hardly tell. But bear in mind that the 'givers' talk. As the Malays proverb goes, "Mulut tempayan bolih di tutup tetapi mulut manusia, tiada siapa yang bolih menutupnya.". (You can shut the mouth of a jar but not a human mouth). OK, maybe the givers give false information, but again the Malays say, "Kalau tak ada angin, macam mana pokok bolih bergoyang". (If there is no wind, how can the leaves on the trees move). Bad faith maybe but the likelihood cannot be ruled out.
In Malaysia, if one were to look at those charged in court for corruption, one particular race stands out for small bribes and another race for big cheat. Both I interpret as corrupt practices, but only in terms of differential quontums and gains. It does not matter whether you are highly educated or not, corrupted does nopt transcent boundries, and they still get charged for such offences when caught and which when one thinks about it are too trivial, and need not had happened at all. Can I blame that to human nature? To the living environment? To work places?
How do we prevent corrupt practices? My friends consist of retirees, highly educated individuals, highly religious sometimes, fathers/mothers, husbands/wives, and grandfathers maybe. We must have our own thoughts if you care to read what I have written, provocative but true. I have no answer for the prevention of corruption, its too old to have any answer. Its like being a prostitute, its such an old profession that one can hardly find solutions to prevent anyone from prostituting himself/herself, so is corruption. Some of us have been there and most would let the situation RIP.
I have said my piece, some if not all about corruption. Just think about it, like the air its all around you but you do not see it.
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