30th March 2017
PRESS STATEMENT BY:-
TAN SRI DATUK ROBERT PHANG MIOW SIN.
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE.
CHAIRMAN – SOCIAL CARE FOUNDATION
It was reported in The Sun of 29th March
2017 on page 5 that Tunku Aziz said enforcement agencies such as police,
immigration, customs and the Inland Revenue Board have wide powers and prone to
corruption. It is timely to point out that equally, regulatory agencies such as
Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara (SPAN), SPAD, Securities Commission, JPJ,licensing
agencies and other regulatory agencies are open to corruption and abuse.
Some of the chairmen and members of
commissions, boards or committees of these agencies are helmed by politicians
and ex politicians. This must not be the case. There must be a clear segregation
between the lawmakers and the executive. Instead, the members of commissions,
boards or committees of these agencies should be filled by professionals who are
well versed in the respective industry coupled with the relevant skills and
experience.
Should an ex politician who is well
qualified helm a regulatory body, there must at least be a cooling off period
before taking up the position. Nevertheless, ex politicians should not be sitting
on such boards.
The front page of the Star on 30th March
2017 reported 13 officers from various
enforcement agencies were charged with
bribery. This does not bode well with politicians or retired politicians along
with members who have little knowledge, skills and experience to sit on the
commissions, boards or committees of these agencies.
We should emulate the professionalism
of BNM which is helmed by qualified professionals. BNM promotes and upholds
good corporate governance in regulating the financial services industry. No one
can even be appointed to sit on the board of a financial institution unless it
is approved by BNM.
Regulators are the bastion of good
governance in the industry or sector in which it
regulates. How can the regulator
promotes good governance when itself does not practice?
Recently, there was a well reported
case of MACC raid on the water utility body in Sabah. Is the state water
regulator helmed by politicians and in turn the Sabah utility body helmed by other
politicians? There is too much political intervention and participation in the
water utility sector at the regulatory level as well as in the water utility
bodies in both sides of the political divide.
It is time that the country works
towards proper governance especially with the regulators. Regulators should
regulate well and not have members of the regulatory bodies partake in projects
in which they regulate. Regulators must promote transparency and accountability
both in the industry or sector in which they regulate as well as within the
regulatory bodies.
“HUMBLENESS IS A GOOD VIRTUE, ARROGANCE SHALL FALL AND
THE MEEK WILL RULE THE WORLD”.
Tan Sri Datuk Robert Phang Miow Sin.
Justice of the Peace.
