Get the right message across

Tun Daim Zainuddin’s call to the government to sack civil servants found to have wasted government funds as exposed in the Auditor-General’s report every year, is timely and should be welcomed.

Indeed, his call to punish those who have misused the funds would be the right thing to do, after the millions of Ringgit lost to unscrupulous officers.

The former finance minister’s call, if it is implemented, would sent the right message across – punishment in the form of sacking those responsible is the only way to curb such attitudes and action.

It will also bring back the people’s confidence and trust that the government is serious in addressing the issue of accountability, transparency and wastage of funds.

Daim said unless the government took action against the errant civil servants, wastage, leakage and embezzlement would continue.

But it is not going to be an easy task.

Identifying the culprits and charging them with abuse of funds or mismanagement with enough evidence is not as easy as one might think.

And the government will also have to face the possibility of being brought to court by the aggrieved party.

Which would probably explain the reluctance in taking action against those implicated in the AG’s report – lack of evidence, fear or just Malaysians' 'Tidak Apa' attitude.

The people too, seemed to have come to accept that such abuse of funds and mismanagement are a yearly affair, evident with the lackluster response from the people to the third installment of the AG’s report, released on Monday.

Only the Public Accounts Committee’s chairman, Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed appeared to be shocked over the leaks and announced that the PAC will have its inquiry sessions next year when Parliament meets.

Unless and until severe action is taken against those responsible, we can continue to expect not-so-shocking reports.