PBS queries delay in making political appointments
Monday, 12 April 2005 (Source: Bernama)

KOTA MARUDU: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Deputy President Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili on Monday called on the relevant departments and agencies in Sabah to implement, without delay, all political appointments, especially those that had been agreed to by the State leadership.

Speaking at the opening of the Tandek PBS annual general meeting here, Ongkili said there had been cases where appointments to such posts would take over a year to process and release despite having been approved by the Chief Minister, the Ministers and the Assembly members concerned. "This is the experience of all 13 PBS Assembly members. For instance, proposals by PBS Assembly members regarding changes of native chiefs, village chiefs and staff at the office of the PKR (people's development officer) have not been implemented despite such necessary changes being approved or agreed to by the Chief Minister or Ministers concerned," he said.

He said in the case of Tandek where he is the Assemblyman, the Chief Minister approved in July last year the recommendations about the changes of staff at Tandek's PKR office but until now the letters of appointment have not been issued.

"Similarly I have proposed changing certain native and village chiefs who have not performed their duties effectively, including committing indiscipline, supporting and harbouring illegal immigrants, committing breach of native laws themselves and spending more time at the Federal Sabah Development Department (JPPS) office rather than at the native courts," he said.

He said he had also proposed an Umno member to be appointed as the community development officer (CDO) but even then, the appointment letter had not been issued yet.

Besides the PKR herself, most of the existing staff in the Tandek PKR office seldom came to work and some were even running "private" taxi service or spending most of their time at the local billiards shop, he said.

"Again these agreed changes have not been implemented by relevant agencies," he said.

Ongkili said the "unfortunate situation faced by all 13 PBS assembly members does not augur well with the goal of efficient administration desired by the BN Government".

He urged the State Secretary to look into the matter urgently.

"Otherwise, we will have some sections of the state civil service being top on rhetorics and philosophy but hopelessly sub-standard in performance and delivery of goods to the people," he said.

The wonderful goals of the BN Government would go to waste if the civil service was unable to implement the decisions, especially those that were meant to be part and parcel of the power-sharing formula of the Government, he added.