SRI AMAN: Tuai Rumah (longhouse chiefs) and village headmen have been warned against asking for any kickbacks from villagers under them for endorsing their applications for financial assistance from the government.Bukit Begunan assemblyman Mong Dagang, who gave this strong warning, said illegal practice of asking for kickbacks would only tarnish the reputation of the Tuai Rumah and village headmen.
He said as leaders of their respective villages, they should be genuine and honest in helping the people under them. (The Borneo Post dated 28 September, page 6).
It is a good advice and a timely warning coming from YB Mong. We all know that many Tuai Rumah and Penghulu have been asking for “kickbacks” or “commissions” or “kopi o money” from their anembiaks before they sign any application.
But can we blame them for asking such “kopi o money”?
I would have thought that YBs and political leaders should be blamed, because they are the ones who have been “teaching” the community leaders to be corrupted. Come election, the Tuai Rumah would be called to assist in bribing their anembiaks into voting for the BN candidates. Some money would be passed to the Tuai Rumah who distributed them to their followers. Of course being the Tuai Rumah, they would be given bigger “commissions”.
Other forms of corruption include promising the Tuai Rumah some businesses, penghuluship, pemanchaship, temengongship, and even councillor posts as well as minor rural development projects.
Some Tuai Rumah have also seen some YBs receiving some “kickbacks” from timber or oil palm plantation companies which wish to fell timber or plant oil palm in their constituencies. Some YBs have also been asking from 10 to 20% commissions from minor rural development projects from those who are lucky enough to be given the contract works.
Reporting such corruption to MACC is wasting our time. We have lodged a number of reports before with MACC (ACA then) until today no action has been taken.
No wonder the Tuai Rumah and other community leaders are getting bolder nowadays in asking for “kickbacks”. – The Broken Shield
Source: www.thebrokenshield.blogspot.com
