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‘Based on what Idris Jala describes, we should be the best in Asia’
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YOURSAY | ‘My measurement is the food I consume becoming more expensive by the day.’

Pemandu unveils secrets to ensuring targets are met

Slumdog: If what Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) chief Idris Jala says is true - that (1) there are reports on the weekly performances of cabinet ministers on whether their targets have been achiever or not, (2) twice a year their performance would be assessed by the prime minister and (3) ministers also hold monthly meetings with civil servants to try and solve the problems that they face - why is it then that the administration of government agencies is well-known to be inefficient, ineffective, shambolic, embroiled in endemic corruption, projects not meeting deadlines, over budget and of poor quality construction and overpriced computer systems put in place that breakdown or never work?

If this is the result of weekly, monthly and bi-annually monitoring, I despair to see the outcome if there was no monitoring.

Quigonbond: That's well and good, Pemandu - all these inquisitions and making ministers sweat. Unfortunately, human rights and accountability are apparently not on the PM's agenda.

The PM is supposed to set the tone that can inspire a nation. One inspires a nation by making people feel that the government is fair and just, and no one is above the law. This PM only sets the tone of what suits him, seemingly working on periphery issues without restructuring the core.

In the end, there may be some improvement, but hardly anything to shout about because there is a trust deficit with the majority of Malaysians.

Jaycee: Seriously, based on what Idris had described, this country should be the best in Asia. But we know that it is not.

So, let us not confused many activities with measurable and quantifiable outcomes that really transform the country for the better.

Not Smart: What is the point of the Pemandu being in charge of monitoring the government's National Transformation Programme when no action is being taken against any ministry to date as a result of the programme?

With the recent incidents of many government officers being caught for corruption/money-laundering every other month, it goes to show that this programme is not only ineffective and an eyewash, but also a waste of people's money.

Abasir: Perhaps Pemandu can also enlighten Malaysians who don't visit the Pemandu website about the following ‘Non-Performance Indicators’, also known as the ‘Indicators of a Budding Failed State’ - allegedly lying to Parliament, altering a parliamentary report, refusing to answer parliamentary questions, regular absence from Parliament, the loss of billions by a Finance Ministry-linked, PM-headed enterprise, the steeply rising number of custodial deaths, kidnapping of pastors, the growing number of crudely-barricaded communities in almost all urban areas, the 30 percent of allegedly incompetent housemen in possession of medical degrees.

That's just for starters.

The Analyser: Can someone please tell me why the performance of ministers and elected representatives generally needs to be assessed?

Surely, the rakyat are the employers so it’s up to them to retain the right to hire and fire their elected reps.

The reality is that Malaysians have had all their rights taken away from them by a 'caring' (repressive?) government. They are simply allowed to do only as they are told, with no freedoms unless it’s the freedom to be as selfish and greedy as humanly possible.

Everything from their right to control how the nation is governed to their right to watch porn have been effectively removed.

Ericlcc: All these years, really what has Pemandu, or specifically the government, transformed our country into?

We are rated highly amongst ‘corrupted’ countries worldwide, we are also slowly but surely transforming into a failed state, all these targets for ministers amount to nothing so long as nothing addresses the root cause of civil service apathy and inefficiency, and what transformation has taken place to reduce our national debt.

Is there a single economic transformation that the people can be proud of under Najib Abdul Razak? What economic and financial burden has Najib transformed and passed on to our future generations to bear?

Thana55: The underlying problem is seeming incompetence coupled with no strong values or ethics, right from PM all the way down.

Have you had a chat with employers on the problems they face in recruitment to meet their respective specifications? Start there first.

The question that needs to be answered is, are we better off and are we competitive to face the challenges of the global market and the digital economy?

Straight Talk Joe 51: Now tell us how far are we from meeting the developed nation status based on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita income of US$15,000 per annum?

Anonymous 539281478077880: Idris, you expect us to believe your story of Pemandu's performance?

Many of the ministers apparently can't even perform their duties well and can't even answer questions raised by the opposition.

Whatever you've mentioned, Idris, if carried out correctly would definitely yield very good results and it would bring our country to greater heights. But this is not so in this case.

If the PM can assess the ministers, who is going to assess the PM of his ‘wrongdoings and mismanagement’?

Definitely we, the rakyat, have to take a strong stand to assess the government of the day through our votes.

Ipoh Pp: The country is sinking daily. As a man on the street, my measurement is the food and other items I consume becoming more expensive by the day and my purchasing power is shrinking.

What’s the use of all these numbers and KPIs when we are suffering?

Anonymous 2460391489930458: Last week I called a government department to get some things done. My call was only answered after the sixth attempt. The operator passed the call to the relevant department. The call was unanswered for (believe or not) 25 minutes.

There was an unbroken 25 minutes of waiting at my end. Save for multiple intervals of redials (probably by the operator), there is this continuous ringing tone for 25 minutes.

(Incredibly) I actually had time to make a nice drink and complete some paper work while I left the phone off the hook after, say, 10 minutes of no response.

After 25 minutes of ringing but zero response (I timed it just for curiosity sake), the phone finally got cut off. How is that for efficiency?


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