Friday 29 Mar 2024
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FORMER de-facto Law Minister Datuk Seri Zaid Ibrahim, who is from Kelantan, believes the lackadaisical attitude and narrow mentality of some politicians and civil servants are to blame for the lack of proper organisation of the rehabilitation process.

“There are many problems and those complaints are true. It is no longer possible to know what’s going to happen because there is no central body, no visible person in charge.

“I don’t know what the problem is but I suppose the different political parties and officers could be it ... It’s unfortunate if they let politics come in the way of helping people,” says Zaid.

“What I cannot understand is why they just can’t work together? Why can’t they have committee [members] working together. It’s not difficult. Even if the state government spearheads the process, it’s pointless if you still can’t cooperate.

“It’s all about attitude instead of structure. It’s unfortunate that help cannot be delivered on time. I think that’s something they have to sit down and work out.

“There should have some sense of urgency and it should be [beyond]party lines. Don’t get involved in politics. They should just work together,” he says.

Zaid says that in times of need, a civil servant should not be so hidebound with rules and regulations.

“There was an offer for 300 pairs of shoes? What’s wrong if they are white? We are in the middle of an emergency situation and instead of letting the school children walk around bare-footed, why not use the white shoes first for an interim period? Which is better: non-regulation shoes or no shoes at all?”

 

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on March 2, 2015.

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