Spending Rakyat Funds Wisely

Tuesday, 4 August 2009

Spending Rakyat Funds Wisely

Firstly, congratulations to all the newly appointed MPSJ councillors. We hope this term would be a more fruitful and effective year of service!
My condolences to the family, relatives, friends and fans of Yasmin Ahmad for their sudden loss.
You would have heard about The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)’s investigation on the spending of allocations given by the State Government for the Subang Jaya constituency. Six other assemblymen have also been selected by MACC for investigation. This investigation has then led to the shocking death of Teoh Beng Hock.
Being clean is of utmost importance to me. That's the reason why I entered politics - to fight corruption. We were informed that MACC has gone to the Petaling Land Office to take away all our files on allocation. My special assistant who is in charge of the free health screening programs in Subang Jaya is given RM10,000 a year to organise two to three of such programs yearly. You can view all our previous health screening programs on my blog – www.hannahyeoh.com
When my special assistant received a call from MACC, he even invited MACC to attend our health screening project planned for Indah Court residents in PJS 11, Bandar Sunway. We did not see any MACC officer on that day.
I have even blogged about usage of the annual allocation before. We have diligently ensured that the allocation is spent only for the residents/organisations in the Subang Jaya constituency. All funds used for programs organised by my office are accounted for. For those who wish to view the receipts or breakdown of these funds or if you have any query pertaining to the allocation, please make arrangement to view it at our office.
That RM10,000 was used for the residents since the Federal Government has failed to provide a public health clinic/hospital for the people of Subang Jaya. I have complied with the requirement that allocation is purely used for residents/constituents and not used for DAP events. You can ask the residents of Subang Jaya who have benefitted from such allocation.
I believe this probe by MACC is to discredit me and to instill fear in the residents for seeking assistance from me. I am here to serve and not to steal from the people. I have not used the RM10,000 to pay for my hospital bills or to build myself a mansion. I have used the RM10,000 for my residents who find it hard to afford medical check-ups.
Thank you MACC for your energy and enthusiasm in curbing corruption. I think you are looking in the wrong places.
I'm going to now share a personal story with all of you. Back in 1990, when I was still in school, I received news that my favourite uncle (mom's brother) had injured himself from a fall while working. He was admitted to SJMC and hours later, he passed away. My uncle was only 29 when he left us. He was one month away from getting married. He had personally renovated his house and bought new furniture in anticipation of his wedding day. I was told that he cried when his engagement ring was removed from his finger, moments before he passed away.
On the day of his burial, his pre-wedding photographs taken at the studio were delivered to us. His fiancée wept uncontrollably. Their wedding did not materialise. Their dream of beginning their lives together was shattered. Photograph of him in his groom tuxedo adorned his coffin and hearse. His parents (my grandparents) also could not participate in the funeral, just like Beng Hock's parents. According to Chinese culture, the parents should not participate in the funeral of a child.
I can understand how Beng Hock's nieces and nephews feel. I spent so many nights crying, longing for my favourite uncle to return. I can imagine the atmosphere in Beng Hock's home now. My grandparents' home was no different. One night, I shared the room with my uncle's fiancée. I woke up to the sound of her weeping. She told me how my uncle wanted me to teach him English and that it was too late. How she was supposed to prepare soup for him for dinner but he never came home that day, it was too late.
Year after year, at every family gathering, I witnessed my grandmother crying. I saw my grandfather hiding in the kitchen, crying by himself. The loss of their son was too painful, too much for them to bear. Even on the dying bed in 2007, my grandfather was still thinking of his son - my uncle who left so prematurely at the age of 29, a month before his scheduled wedding.
Beng Hock's death has brought painful remembrance of my personal loss. Beng Hock was my friend. I last saw him in the Dewan Annex at the Selangor State Assembly last Wednesday during our lunch break. I never imagined that that would be the last time we chatted. I am 30 years old. Beng Hock was 30 too. He would not be at MACC if he hadn't accepted the call of public service. This race in which I have started to run to bring change in this land is not an easy one. I know some will stop running. Some may be injured running the race. I pray I will complete the race.
My sister who is indifferent to politics (like many other young people in this country) sent me a text message when I was at Nirvana Memorial Park in Semenyih the day Beng Hock was buried. She said: "Please teach me what to do in the event you are taken in by MACC too. I do not want to learn of it too late". She must have seen the agony of Beng Hock's siblings and realised that it could have been her going through it.
Just like how my family still remembers my late uncle some 19 years later, I know Beng Hock too would be remembered many years to come. Farewell, my friend.