MENTION the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), and one will get an image of fierce and stern-looking officers with shades escorting suspects at the courts to face corruption charges.
Also imprinted on the minds of Malaysians are images of figures of authority making raids on offices and business premises to nab corrupt dignitaries, officers or the ordinary man. Thus, it was a great surprise recently when MACC officials took time off their duties and went down to the ground to touch base with Negri Sembilan folk.
Led by their no-nonsense chief commissioner, Datuk Dzulkifli Ahmad, the graft-busters mingled with the people under the “Ziarah Kasih” programme to get to know the people better as well as spread the message that corruption is not all right.
Already in its third series, the programme at SM Triang Hilir’s field in Simpang Durian, Jempol, attracted 5,000 people.
Dzulkifli said the programme, first held in Baling, Kedah, and then Manek Urai in Kelantan, would be a permanent fixture in future.
He was obviously delighted as the programme had received good response in Jempol, which topped the 1,000-strong crowd in Baling and 2,000 in Manek Urai.
MACC distributed 4,000 packs of basic food essentials to the people. It also extended assistance to the poor and sick villagers as well as held cooking and colouring contests, organised lucky draws for villagers and prayed together at the mosque.
This is one of the rarest moments when the hardworking men and women of MACC let their hair down to chill with the people.
Dzulkifli said MACC would continue to defend the people against corruption and abuse of power, and nip the scourge in the bud.
He also pledged that MACC would diligently implement its policies so that the people would enjoy the fruits of its labour.
Some of the policies have borne fruit. Some government agencies and departments have shown a decline in corruption cases
ever since the commission stationed integrity officers as a deterrent.
MACC officers also took time to listen to the problems of the people of Great Alonioners Trading Corporation Bhd (Gatco) village, who claimed they were cheated of their land investments made in 1977.
Dzulkifli said MACC would set up a task force to investigate the 40-year-old Gatco estate land deal.
This is where MACC’s human touch excels as the case has been prolonged for too long and the residents of Gatco, now renamed Kampung Serampang Indah, have nowhere else to turn to.
The villagers paid between RM4,000 and RM7,000 to Gatco for a land scheme, but Gatco faced financial problems and went bankrupt.
The 2,000ha land was seized by Pengurusan Danaharta Nasional Bhd under a public auction and subsequently sold to Thamarai Holdings in 2007.
The residents were left in limbo, as they did not get their land nor their money back from Gatco.
Sure enough, Dzulkifli was a man of his word as no sooner than two days after that, MACC officials visited Wisma Negeri, Negeri Sembilan Economic Development Corp as well as several locations in Petaling Jaya, which included Thamarai Holdings, the National Union of Plantation Workers and a lawyer’s office in Plaza Pengkalan in Jalan Tiong.
The commission’s efforts are commendable.
**The writer, a former assistant news editor at BT, is NST’s Negri Sembilan bureau chief.