Luqman's musings

  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...

  luqman michel   From: luqmanm2002@yahoo.co.uk To: pro@perpaduan.gov.my Thu 4 Sept at 11:46 Dear Y.B. Datuk James Ratib,   I am writing in response to your recent remarks at the Varsha Integrity Programme, as reported in the press , where you raised concerns about "dishonesty without intent" in the public sector. While I commend your commitment to fostering integrity and accountability through initiatives like the Varsha Integrity Programme, I respectfully disagree with the notion that certain instances of dishonesty in public service can be classified as unintentional. Drawing from my ongoing experience with governance issues at the Vistana Heights development in Kota Kinabalu, I believe some actions reflect deliberate misrepresentation or negligence that cannot be excused as lacking intent. Below, I outline specific examples to illustrate my concerns, which undermine public trust and contradict the integrity you advocate.

  I read the following tweet and commented on it. BFM News @NewsBFM Aug 26 The MACC has arrested 3 individuals, including a senior officer from DBKL over alleged corruption linked to an IT-related procurement project 11 years ago.     The officer is among DBKL’s “Top 5” management, while a company owner and a woman, were also arrested earlier, BH reports.  

  PUTRAJAYA:   Privatisation that ignores governance and accountability risks becoming "robbery by the minute," or what Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim described as "piratisation." LINK Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says the government must be open to feedback and criticism for the nation to progress. LINK  Here is my open criticism.  Empty Rhetoric in the Face of Bureaucratic Inaction

  Here is something I learned recently. Lembaga Jurukur Sabah is not under the jurisdiction of the Sabah Integrity Department. Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu (DBKK), despite not being classified as civil servants, is under the jurisdiction of the Sabah Integrity Department. The following is what I dug up from the internet and would like to share with my readers. As I have mentioned several times before: Huo dao lao xue dao lao which when translated means 'One is never too old to learn'.   While DBKK employees are not classified as federal or state civil servants, they are public sector employees working for a statutory body established by the state government.

                                                                  A recent article from Focus Malaysia dated June 20, 2025, titled “GRS-ruled Sabah state government puts public trust first as graft buster MACC acts,” highlights the Sabah state government’s commitment to clean governance. LINK

    Tatal ke bawah untuk terjemahan dalam Bahasa Melayu. After seeing no progress with my complaints to DBKK since 2022, I escalated the issue to the Sabah Integrity Department in February 2025. On 11 June 2025, two officers from the department attended a meeting at DBKK to address my concerns.

  In a Daily Express article , Datuk Roger Chin said:   ‘To enjoy full public confidence there must be non-interference by notifications in enforcement agencies and those like the MACC cannot be answerable to whoever is the Prime Minister but to parliament.’ I understand and agree with that statement.

  Someone asked me how the MACC is involved in the Vistana Heights case if I don’t have any proof that corruption is involved. That is an excellent question. We all assume that corruption is only when a bribe is involved. However, a closer look at the brochure from the MACC shows the following:                                                                                                                   Please click on the image above. ...

  The height of the No. 9 House Platform at Vistana Heights as per the development plan is 101 feet.                                                                                                                                                                          The Height of the House Platform as per the As-built Survey is  32.38 metres, 106.2 feet.                                                        ...