POWER must have really gone into Nga Kor Meng’s head.
That is probably the only logical explanation for his dismissive and arrogant reaction to the public’s scrutiny, criticisms and suspicions of overpriced kiosks under his Housing and Local Government Ministry’s MyKiosk initiative.
When it was suggested that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) enter the fray over the controversy, Nga was reportedly quoted as saying:
“I would like to invite Tan Sri Azam Baki (MACC’s chief commissioner) to my office for tea to discuss this further.”
It was not only a dismissive, but actually quite a contemptuous and patronising response when referring to a top officer of a Government agency entrusted to combat corruption, considered one of the most serious banes to the nation’s well-being.
It can, however, be argued that Nga was being dismissive or patronising when it involved the MACC, as it could have stemmed from the fact that he and the DAP, as well as others in the Pakatan Harapan coalition, were all contemptuous of Azam when they were the opposition.
Given their low opinion of Azam then, it could be deduced, that now Nga, the DAP and PH, are the Government, the contempt for Azam persisted – despite Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s keenness on Azam, and extended Azam’s contract, not once, but three times since he (Anwar) assumed the top post.
And Nga would not be the only one with a low opinion of Azam. Anwar’s daughter Nurul Izzah, who is currently vying for the deputy presidency of Parti Keadilan Rakyat, which her father is president, had expressed her readiness to present the protest to her father over the extension of Azam’s contract.
Nurul’s readiness when she is in the thick of a battle royale for the PKR deputy presidency against incumbent Rafizi Ramli could be taken as that the extension of Azam’s contract is unpopular and opposing it would contribute to her popularity quest.
Against this backdrop, it is therefore not surprising that for Nga, if there was any need for MACC investigation over his MyKiosk initiative, there was no necessity to be proactive and present his case, but rather, it could be discussed over tea.
In the same breath, it also meant that Nga was suggesting that the MACC did not have to trouble itself to send any investigating team as tea with Azam should settle it.
But Nga did not stop there.
He then up the ante, promising that his Ministry would lodge reports with the police and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) against individuals spreading false information on social media about the MyKiosk initiative.
In one sweep, Nga has effectively threatened to silence every critic of the MyKiosk initiative.
Indeed, it can again be argued that he was only going after those who had spread false information.
But if some logic is applied, every critic of the MyKiosk would be spreading false news given Nga’s adamance of the kiosk meeting expectations – from its price, design and what it was made for.
By that, it meant the MyKiosk project is everything it should be, meaning beyond criticisms, and if there are criticisms, they could easily be categorised as being false information and would then be easily reported and referred to the MACC and the police.
To avoid all these, the next best thing the public can do is to stop criticising the MyKiosk initiative and accept it as the best thing that had come Malaysia’s way, and only possible because of the leadership of the current government.
If the critics can learn to accept this, then they may be able to find some peace and stop making a nuisance of themselves.
Along the way, they may also be able to realise that what is most important is the peace and inner peace of the leadership so that they will not be distracted by the ‘buzzing flies and insects” that are out to raise issues with their initiatives for the citizenry.
Then, and only then, can the public expect more phenomenal initiatives from Nga and the Government.
After all, Nga is only picking up from his colleagues in terms of not wanting to be distracted by social media criticisms and unfavourable content.
This was reflected in Malaysia’s achievement to be the top nation in the world for requesting the removal of social media content.
Advocates of free speech and democratic rights can shout themselves blue, but this Government is unlikely to be ruffled, and if Nga’s recent behaviour is of the essence, the administration is obviously not keen to relinquish the global topping position.
Malaysians should then consider themselves fortunate as they have in their midst peerless leaders and organisations capable of keeping the national flag flying on the international stage.
Indeed, there is Nga and Nurul, and then there is Azam and MACC and the MCMC. So, the rest of the citizenry should hold their peace and stop raising issues.
The reformists need bliss, not the din.
- Shamsul Akmar is an editor at The Malaysian Reserve.
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