On Thursday, 26th November 2009, Datuk Zakaria revealed that The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Sarawak has uncovered government projects in the state where up to 60 per cent of their funding were diverted elsewhere.
“Based on the investigations the Sarawak MACC carried out on specific and real cases (projects), only about 40 per cent of the allocations were spent while the remaining 60 per cent is ‘bocor’ (leaked out). Datuk Zakaria (MACC Sarawak)
Datuk Zakaria said one of the method used by the contractors (the MPs and assemblymen) to siphone the allocation by making double claims from members of parliament (MPs) and assemblymen.He explained that a project might cost about RM15,000, but the contractor would bid for that amount from both the MP and the assemblyman, thus the contractor would earn 100 per cent profit.
The diversion of development allocation was first brought-up by YB Chong Chieng Jen (Bandar Kuching MP) on 17th November 2009 parliament sitting. YB Chong tabled a motion to deduct RM10 from the salary of Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.He was dissatisfied with the distribution of the prime minister’s special allocation for Bandar Kuching, claiming that only six of the 50 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) listed as recipients were from his constituency.
YB Chong said :
"Based on the 2008 list, Bandar Kuching NGOs should be getting RM610,000 from the total allocation of RM1.5 million received this year. But contrary to the minister’s reply that 50 NGOs received the allocation, only six are from Bandar Kuching; the rest of the money going to others, including the mosque and surau committees of N6, Tupong which received RM30,000 and the N8 Satok mosque and surau committees, RM10,000. Among the Bandar Kuching NGOs which received the allocation were Maksak Sarawak (RM50,000), The Carnation Club of Kuching and Samarahan (RM60,000), Yayasan Kemajuan Insan Malaysia Sarawak (67,400) and Harakah Islamiah Sarawak (Hikmah) (RM60,000)".
Earlier the MACC had tried to suggest that the alllowance of the MPs and Assemblymen ought to be increase in order to prevent or reduce corruptions or the case of development allocations being abused by the government officers, MPs and Assemblymen.
In Sarawak, diversion of the development allocations is not something new. One of such case involved the construction of Technical School in Lachau. At planning stage, Betong Technical School was propposed in Lachau but after the project approved, it was diverted to Betong by the most popular Iban traitor. The diversion of fund is rampantly happened in Iban majority area as part of Taib Mahmud marginalisation of the Iban. That why if we do the survey thoroughly, we will see that most of the longhouses in the state are still 46 years behind compare to the development in the Malay and Bidayuh villages. These differences indicate that the possibility of the development allocations meant for Iban longhouses diverted to other places.
Based on the facts above, I strongly believe that the diversion of development allocations not only happened in sarawak. It might also happened in the other 13 states in Malaysia. The findings by Pakatan Rakyat governments in Selangor (through the state’s Competency, Accountability and Transparency committee (Selcat)and in Penang, indicated that misused of allocations were rampant among past BN assemblymen.
If the MACC really independent in executing their roles, based on the statistics indicated by MACC Sarawak, more than half of BN assemblymen and MPs are risked being charged in court.
Najib should seriously curb corruption among BN assemblymen and MPs other than concentrate and pull the goverment resources for his rethoric and the slogan of doom 1Malaysia.
To MACC.....We want to see those responsibled in siphone the goverment monies charge in court immediately.
Mupok aku
"Agi Idup Agi Ngelaban"
