Is Tiong’s ‘expose’ just the tip of the iceberg?

FMT:

Is Tiong’s ‘expose’ just the tip of the iceberg?

Many immigration officials, especially those who man the country’s entry points, have been accused of corruption in the past.





Tourism, arts and culture minister Tiong King Sing, who came to the “rescue” of the tourist from China who was detained by immigration officials, has alleged that this was not his first intervention. However, the action of the minister, who is also the MP for Bintulu, has received mixed reviews.

On June 29, Tiong went to KLIA Terminal 1 at 3am accompanied by MACC officers. He claimed to have received a phone call from the consulate-general of Malaysia in Guangzhou about the detention of a Chinese national by immigration officials.

Both the home and transport ministers are investigating Tiong’s allegations about corruption at KLIA, which will be presented to the Cabinet soon.

Tiong’s action was supported by Khalid Harun, the president of the Malaysian Association of Travel Agencies (Mata), who praised him for showing concern in the fight against corruption at entry points in Malaysia.

Those who criticised Tiong included Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh, who demanded that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim take action against him for allegedly abusing his position by breaching security protocols at KLIA. Akmal said no individuals were above the law.

Cuepacs president Adnan Mat was also unhappy that Tiong may have violated national security protocols and interfered with the duties of civil servants.

Adnan was reported as saying Tiong had violated the immigration department’s standard operating procedures, and should have given full trust to the authorities while they discharged their duties.

Many immigration officials, especially those who man the country’s entry points or immigration offices throughout the nation, have been accused of corruption in the past.

However, often, the complaints would be swept under the carpet, or the victims would not bother pursuing the matter for fear of possible retaliation.

Many also agree that past efforts to stamp out corruption have been half-hearted, with the “ikan bilis” getting caught, but the “sharks” allowed to escape scot-free.

For decades, there has been a lack of political will to deal with corrupt civil servants. Unless the government is serious about eradicating it, corruption is here to stay.

On the one hand, we have to source for funds to pay for our bloated civil service and, on the other hand, we are unable to rein in corrupt civil servants who demand and accept bribes.

Meanwhile, a determined Tiong says he is prepared to face the Cabinet and answer questions related to his intervention.

He should not be surprised to learn that his action is supported by many Malaysians, who want firm, decisive action to tackle corrupt officials, and not empty promises.

The question that should be posed to the Umno Youth leader and the Cuepacs president is, “Which is the most corrupt government department?”

Actually, a better question would be, “Which government department is not corrupt?”