Mr DPM, stop the patronising and excuses
LETTER
I have just read the Sunday Star of Sept 26, the article on page 4 ene titled DPM: I can't act against principals. Amongst others, you were reported to have said: 'There is no law in the administrative regulations and in the constitution providing for ministers to sack or suspend any permanent civil servant'
Come on now, Mr DPM, you may be speaking in your Pagoh parliamentary constituency and the folks present may be inclined to believe you. However, we, urban folks know better. Please do not insult our intelligence and our awareness of governance and government bureaucracy. Of course, you do not have the legal authority to sack or discipline civil servants.
That responsibility belongs to the chief secretary. However, who does the chief secretary report to? He is appointed by the prime minister, no? You mean no one can discipline or sack the chief secretary?? Perhaps, KJ John, the prominent former civil servant and Malaysiakini columnist would assist to clarify?
It is such a big disappointment to hear our country's deputy prime minister trying to pool wool over the public's eyes. As DPM, you are acting on behalf of the PM and any upstanding DPM would direct the Education ministry and chief secretary to expedite this case and to update the media so that the public will be informed as to what is happening.
As it is, it is more than five weeks since and all we know is from the DPM himself that the Education Department has submitted its investigation report to the chief secretary. When was that? Last week? Yesterday? When will the chief secretary decide the outcome?
You further said: 'Any decision reached should be accepted as well as respected by all parties.' Why should we if the decision is perceived to be not commensurate with the offence committed?
Firstly, we were not informed of the terms of reference of the task force investigating the case and secondly, why should you be asking us to accept the decision even when the decision has not been announced and on what terms?
The last paragraph attributed to you: '... ministers cannot take action against government officers just because of pressures and demands from politicians and political parties' is just the typical patronising response from you ministers of the government of Malaysia.
Unless you are still living in your ivory tower, the pressure and demand is from the rakyat which Lim Kit Siang is taking up on behalf since there has been no outcome for more than five weeks after the offences were committed.
So, Mr DPM, stop the patronising and the excuses. Be transparent and direct your little Napoleons to do their job. These incidents should have been settled within a month. It is just a case of an educator stepping out of line. The more you delay, the more the rakyat will perceive the DPM of Malaysia is stalling due to the race issue.
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