It is not just about closing one eye

Categories: Malaysia

The current spat between the MPs and the Custom officials brings some hope and disappointment at the same time. This saga went into hiatus when the Finance Ministry issued a gag order.

The spat started in May this year when the Custom Department revealed that MP for Jasin Datuk Mohd Said Yusof had asked the Custom Department to 'close one eye' on a consignment of timber illegally imported from Indonesia. This was followed by accusation by the MP that confiscated luxury cars by the Customs were only reserved by certain people when it should be done through open auction. Things re-ignited in August when Customs enforcement director Mohamed Adnan Ariffin alleged that the MP had sent a threatening SMS to him in May. This triggered a barage of criticisms leveled at the lavish spending of the Custom department in Parliament.

To the simple people like myself, there are three issues at hand. Firstly, the integrity of the MPs. Since 2000, the Customs Department had been allowed to auction off confiscated cars. Why had the MPs not revealed the close 'auction' used by the Customs previously when this had probably gone on for some time? Why was this only revealed after the Jasin MP felt slighted after he could not get the Merc he had wanted because 'it was reserved by somebody else'? Then there is the barage of attacks by the MPs alleging the exorbitant cost of the Custom uniform and the very expensive uniform accessories of the Custom's higher echelon. It is good for the MPs to question such costly practice, because this is of interest to the public and a matter of accountability. However, the ferocity and the vindictiveness of the way the issue was handled by the MPs smacks of arrogance and confrontations. This is because a few days before this incident, it was reported that the Custom Department had challenged the MPs as to their Parliamentary immunity to say whatever they wanted. Hence looking at the whole picture, it does seem that the MPs are self-serving and with an axe to grind.

Secondly, where can the Customs Department seek recourse when they had been victimised? This is important because any other governmental agencies could have faced the same pressure from MPs who tried to pull rank either for their constituents or themselves; the Customs Departments involvement was just coincidental. Of course the correct way is through the relevant Ministry, which in this case is the Finance Ministry; but if there is too much inertia to the investigations, what else can be done? Is it right to use the media? I do not have the answer and I hope the government will look into this. However the press do have a role to play because sometimes the government needs to be coaxed to look into any complaints. Otherwise, like many things in Malaysia, some complaints will just be lost within the bureaucratic machinery.

Thirdly, the conduct of the MPs themselves. When this saga first surfaced 4 months ago, despite the Jasin MP in admitting to his call to 'close one eye', calls for him to be referred to the Rights and Privileges Committee were rejected with Datuk Shahrir Samad, the leader of the Backbenchers Club, being the casualty. This was because he had gone against the Whip when he supported the Opposition's motion. However after this incident, the Prime Minister had agreed to a Select Committee to look into the matter. Four months since and the Committee is still looking. I would have thought that this is an opportunity for the government and the MPs themselves to outline a list of do's and don't so that they will not be wrongly accused, stay accountable and in the process maintain their moral authority. Unfortunately, so far the only decision made by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Integrity is to stop the practice of 'auctioning' of confiscated cars to politicians and senior civil servants. The one-eye case is still being looked at.

Has any good been brough about by this four-month saga? I think yes. Now the public know about the excesses in the Customs Department's budgetting and the abuse in the auctioning system for confiscated luxury cars by the Customs. But at the same time, this saga has shown the deficiencies of the MPs themselves. They maybe the lawmaker but they may not necessarily be guided by the laws they created themselves. They also show a weakness to correct any perceptions or wrongdoings if it involves their kind. This is a pity because a golden opportunity to redeem themselves and increase their moral authority had just been lost.