Federal govt officer hits back at ‘rude’ CM [video]

What so you expect from the Cheap Minister of Penang , except blame , blame , blame . No quality lah ! still thinking he is Mr Opposition . Better be in the Opposition bench after the next GE .

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:05

By Athi Shankar

GEORGE TOWN: A federal government officer here today called Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng “rude” for criticising the former over an alleged sand theft at a federal project site on the island.

State development officer Nik Ali Mat Yunus said it was unbecoming of the chief minister to make personal attacks on him by using terms such as “incompetent, unprofessional, useless and coward” over the sand theft controversy.

In a press statement, Nik Ali chided Lim for unnecessarily and wrongly dragging him into the alleged theft when “it had nothing to do with me, or my job functions and responsibilities”.

He took Lim to task for “undermining his own honourable position as chief minister” by launching unwarranted personal attacks on a government officer.

“Has anyone heard any other chief ministers, including those from Pakatan Rakyat, criticising a civil servant, except for Lim?” asked Nik Ali.

Yesterday, Lim dragged Nik Ali into the alleged sand theft in Kampung Kenanga in the southwest district, which was highlighted by Pulau Betong assemblyman Muhamad Farid Saad.

Farid has lodged a police report on the sand theft last week. Lim has blamed Nik Ali as responsible for his tiff with Farid.

'Looking after federal projects only'

The chief minister has said it would be difficult for the state government to probe into the alleged sand theft because the land comes under the federal Land and Mines Department.

Lim said Nik Ali was answerable for the sand theft but claimed that cooperation was not forthcoming from the government officer.

“If he was a state officer, he would have been fired a long time ago. He is not qualified to be state development officer,” Lim reportedly said about Nik Ali.

Nik Ali said his job was to ensure that all federal government development schemes were completed according to their respective time frame, policies, strategies and objectives, and not to tackle sand thefts.

He said the power to issue land and sand permits and monitor and enforce laws on such activities come under purview of the state government.

He explained that he was compelled to release the press statement to defend himself although he was tied down by the civil service code of conduct.

“I cannot go on being quiet and coward, and eventually be a scapegoat,” said Nik Ali.

He said this was the third time Lim had made personal attacks on him following the controversies over Botanical Garden arch and Penang Hill projects.

“Previously, the chief minister has called me lidah biawak, little Napoleon and incompetent.

“All this while, I have been patient in tolerating his attacks on me. But this is rude and unbecoming of a state leader,” Nik Ali said.

He also reprimanded state secretary Zainal Rahim Seman for failing to advise Lim properly on issues and forge close ties between federal and state public officers.

“This did not happen under the previous state secretary,” said Nik Ali.

Watch Lim Guan Eng's PC on Nik Ali Mat Yunus on July 18:

'Sand theft disease' has spread

At a press conference earlier, Farid and Umno state secretary Azhar Ibrahim slammed Lim for dragging Nik Ali into the sand fiasco when the whole affair was under the state jurisdiction.

Azhar said the “sand theft disease” had now spread from Selangor to Penang, clearly exposing the inexperience and incompetence of the Pakatan governments to resolve the issues effectively.

Meanwhile, the Penang Public Accounts Committee (PAC) would carry out an inquiry into the alleged sand theft in Kampung Kenanga project site, which was earmarked for a polytechnic institute.

Its chairman, Jagdeep Singh Deo, told a press conference that the nine-man committee would hold its first meeting on Wednesday to decide on who would be called for the probe.

The inquiry would probe into all aspects of the theft, including negligence of government officers and politicians.

“PAC views the theft as a serious matter and called on all parties not to speculate it anymore until its inquiry is over,” said Jagdeep, adding that a month would be an ideal time frame to complete the investigation.

Besides Jagdeep, the DAP Datuk Keramat assemblyperson, others in the PAC are Koay Teng Hai (DAP-Pulau Tikus), Mohd Salleh Man (PAS–Permatang Pasir), Sim Tze Tzin (PKR–Pantai Jerejak), and Maktar Shapee (PKR–Sungai Bakap).

Representing the Barisan Nasional bench are Syed Ameruddin Syed Ahmad (Umno-Bayan Lepas), Farid, Dr Hilmi Yahaya (Teluk Bahang) and Ariff Shah Omar Shah (Umno-Seberang Jaya).

Conflict of interest

Jagdeep said the meeting would also decide whether a conflict of interest would arise if Farid were to sit in the inquiry, given that he had lodged a police report on the theft.

“Farid would be given his due rights to decide on whether or not he should excuse himself from the sitting,” said the PAC chairman.

He said PAC would adopt a “wait and see” approach on other alleged sand thefts that happened in Batu Kawan constituency on the mainland.

Since a separate state-initiated investigating committee, headed by executive councilor Law Choo Kiang, was expected to unveil its findings in a week’s time, he said PAC would not want to conduct its own probe to avoid possible duplicity.

“Let’s wait for the report and we pick up from there,” Jagdeep said.