Luqman's musings

  Hello, everyone, Lately I’ve been reflecting on how easy it is to get swept up in the noise of daily headlines and official narratives. In a world that moves so quickly, we rarely pause to ask difficult questions or dig deeper beyond surface-level reporting. One piece that caught my attention recently is this article from The Star: ‘Swift and robust disciplinary action is needed to break the long-standing cycle of corruption and integrity breaches within the public sector, says Tan Sri Dr Ismail Bakar.’

  Picking up from yesterday's post, where Sarawak 's Minister Juanda Drowie shone a light on the " little Napoleons and Rasputins " poisoning public administration, let's zoom in on my personal trench warfare with Sabah's bureaucracy . With state elections looming at month's end, it's time to ask: Are our ministers asleep at the wheel, or just too cozy with the civil servants pulling the strings? My Vistana Heights ordeal screams for answers – and accountability. Reflecting on Malaysia's anti-corruption push at the Vienna IACA conference (shoutout to Dato' Sri Azalina and Tan Sri Azam Baki for their 15% drop in cases via awareness drives), I can't help but feel the disconnect. National pledges for transparency and whistleblower shields sound great, but down here in Kota Kinabalu? They're as effective as a screen door on a submarine. My reports to the MACC's regional office ? Polite nods, no traction. Over three years, a si...

  Insights from the IACA Conference and a Personal Call for Local Reform Last night, I tuned into Astro Awani for what promised to be a pivotal discussion: an exclusive interview titled IACA: Komitmen Malaysia Banteras Rasuah . It's not just diplomatic posturing; it's a forum for sharing best practices, forging international cooperation, and holding governments accountable for eradicating corruption in all its forms—from petty bribes to grand-scale embezzlement. Malaysia's delegation, led by figures like Dato' Sri Azalina and Tan Sri Azam , arrived in Vienna with a bold agenda: reinforcing our national anti-corruption strategy and pushing for stronger enforcement mechanisms. The interview on Astro Awani dissected this commitment, offering Malaysians a glimpse into how these pledges translate (or should translate) to tangible action back home.

On 6 August 2025, I received a call from BIGoNS inviting me to attend a meeting on 12 August 2025.The meeting proceeded as scheduled. During the session, the chairman assured me that the minutes would be provided by the following Friday. Drawing from prior experiences with other government officials, where such documents have often been delayed, I proactively sent an email to BIGoNS on 13 August 2025, outlining the key discussions to ensure an accurate record. The following matters were discussed: Attendees were: Puan Siti Fairuz , Puan Jennifer, Puan Andrea , Enc. Fauzi , my wife Mariam and me. The meeting was chaired by Puan Andrea.

  I was thrilled to receive the email from the Ministry of Local Government and Housing (KKTP) and decided to write to the integrity department (BIGoNS). LINK The following are my emails to BIGoNS in preparation for my meeting with KKTP. Please click on the Links attached to get a better understanding of what we see on our government websites and what we get from them.

  Yesterday I read a Tweet by a friend, Ir.Kumar @skumar176 quoting Clarence Darrow.   “True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else.” It suggests that a genuine love for one’s country isn’t about blind loyalty or flag-waving; it’s about holding your nation to a higher standard. True patriots, Darrow implies, are more outraged by wrongs at home because they expect better from their own people, their own system. It’s a call to focus on fixing your own house before pointing fingers elsewhere.

  The call for senior officials, such as those from the Occupational Crime and Corruption Investigation (OCCI) and even the Chief Police (CP), to temporarily go on leave during investigations into serious cases, as suggested in the Zara Qairina Mahathir case, highlights the need for proactive accountability. Daily Express  The activist’s point, suggests that such an investigation should be automatic when a case involves a minor’s death under questionable circumstances, especially with allegations of bullying and visible injuries like bruises reported by the victim’s mother. Similarly, in the Vistana Heights case, an automatic investigation should have been initiated upon my initial complaint to the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) and the Department of Land and Survey (LJS) regarding the fabricated as-built survey report.

 Tatal kebawah untuk Bahasa Melayu. Attendees were: Puan Siti Fairuz, Puan Jennifer, Puan Andrea, Enc. Fauzi, my wife Mariam and me. The meeting was chaired by Puan Andrea. What a coincidence that Puan Andrea is the daughter of Datuk Abidin Madingkir who was the mayor who authorized the development plan (DP) attached to my son Faisal’s Sales and Purchase Agreement. Read my email to Abidin Madingkir. LINK

  The post is by EAIC and the Sabah equivalent is Bahagian Integriti dan Governans Negeri Sabah (BIGoNS)

    Tatal kebawah untuk:  Translasi ke dalam Bahasa Melayu Other matters: The minutes: 2.12 Puan Mariam, wife of Mr. Luqman Michel (representative of Lot S9 owner), expressed discomfort with the condition of the access road to Lot S9 due to its steep gradient.   2.13 Madam Siti Fairuz from the Sabah State Integrity and Governance Division (BIGONS) informed that, following the discussions and explanations provided in the meeting, the complaint submitted to BIGONS has been closed.