Civil servants and the art of silence

Tags: The Nut Graph

Written by Deborah Loh of The Nut Graph

Thursday, 02 July 2009 09:57

INCREDULOUS. That's how a journalist feels when a senior civil servant responds to a request for information with a flat refusal to answer.

Following the commentary on the need for a Freedom of Information Act, it is timely to relate another story about failed attempts to get answers on matters of public interest from the government.

On 15 June 2009, The Nut Graph published a story on how Members of Parliament (MPs) are funded. We highlighted allegations of discrimination and selective approvals that were experienced by MPs on both sides of the political divide.

The funding in question was a special development fund for all parliamentary constituencies called Peruntukan Khas Perdana Menteri. This is an annual allocation. The maximum amount an MP can apply for varies from year to year.

MPs apply for funds on behalf of projects in their constituencies, but they don't receive the actual funds themselves. Instead, upon approval by the government, the funds are channelled to the state and district level at the constituency for projects to be implemented.

Visit The Nut Graph to read the rest of the story.

#Update* Full PKFZ report still out of MPs' reach< Prev		Next >DAP pulls out of Pakatan’s Kedah coalition

Last Updated on Thursday, 02 July 2009 10:07

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