YOURSAY | Customs scanners: Don't wait for auditor-general

YOURSAY | ‘What’s the point of audit after the mess has been created?’

Millions spent on Customs scanners which have trouble scanning

Headhunter: How did the Customs Department evaluate the functionality of the equipment during the initial interest to purchase?

Didn't they send someone to China for a couple of weeks to observe the reliability of the equipment? Or was it a case of watching a nice video and bullet points presentation by the supplier?

The whole system is sick. Instead of waiting for the auditor-general to reveal the details of the contract years later, it's time for the government to set up a statutory evaluation unit.

This unit should be under the auditor-general and would vet through all major projects and input their feedback before giving them an official approval and the budget.

What is the point of doing an audit after the mess is created? No one gets punished anyway. 

But trust me, they wouldn't do it because that would be cutting the very pipeline to corruption.

Public Transit Is Better Than Highways: This sounds like the manufacturers and tender awardee were in cahoots to get what they want to get past the Final Acceptance Test (FAT).

If the scanner report showed a 'staggering' rate of 50 percent successful scans for trucks, what’s going to happen to the other 50 percent?

There is no wonder as to why we still have a crisis of illegal goods in this country - half of the goods coming into the country may be illegal.

Annonnymous 080: The only way to achieve the effectiveness of such equipment would be to lease it and tie up KPIs directly with the manufacturer. That will put their reputation and the tainted Customs Department’s reputation on the line.

Public Transit Is Better Than Highways: @Annonnymouse 080, I agree that a leasing model is much more viable to test the waters of new equipment, especially of equipment that is untested and does not have a reputation in the market.

Though the problem is that you’re shifting the goalpost since now companies looking to compete in a tender can now approach questionable manufacturers to produce subpar equipment that lasts for the duration of the lease.

In all honesty though, these machines are probably chosen for their cheaper quality and after-sales support so that whoever is acquiring them stand to make a lot of money from the tender.

GreenWalrus8323: Warranty clauses should provide adequate protection and enable the government to compel the equipment manufacturer or contract holder to rectify the machinery. Hopefully, milestone and payment terms have been set up to allow this kind of leverage.

Notwithstanding the above, there is clearly a loose process to control FAT/acceptance of installation, for which someone should be held accountable.

PierceBrosnanJr: These scanners are critical to the nation's security. Why can't the politicians understand this and buy good ones as those being used in airports, such as the Heathrow Airport in London, England? Can you imagine Heathrow using cheap Chinese scanners?

Sahabat Alam: Tuan Ibrahim addressed COP26 in BM without translator

FairMalaysian: COP26 is not a forum to showcase or score political points on Bahasa Malaysia. It is where a minister representing the country explains the initiatives the country has been or would be taking to mitigate climate change.

It cannot be wrong to speak in our national language, as many others do in their own native language, but the crucial factor is in getting the message out. Pray tell, where does the translated text given to the delegates fit in?

If indeed the minister wants to flash our national credentials, he also ought to have showcased batik wear instead of the white man's suit and necktie.

Mazilamani: I for one am not against Environment and Water Minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man presenting his speech on behalf of Malaysia at COP26 Summit in Bahasa Malaysia, but why did he not go fully prepared with a translator?

Not many would have paid any heed to what he spoke, however good or well-written his speech may be, if they don't share the same language.

It would be no better than delivering a speech to a group of blind and deaf delegates, he might as well have sent someone who could have read the translated speech in English instead.

From an economical point of view, this was also a wasted and unproductive trip. The government must take responsibility for this embarrassing error or misjudgement.

As much as we see Bahasa Malaysia as a uniting language for Malaysians, the same criterion cannot be forced on delegates from other countries.

Siva1967: Yes, it does not matter in what language a particular speech is delivered.

The onus is on the speaker to prepare an official translated version to be distributed for the purpose of comprehension for the audience who may not be conversant in the language of the speaker.

Bad Feng Shui: Indeed, the issue here is not that Bahasa was spoken, but that no live translation was given. Malaysia missed out on a chance to be heard.

Just search online for “COP26 Malaysia” and “COP26 Indonesia” to see the difference. Our neighbour’s views were reported by all the major international news agencies, while there was nothing on Malaysia.

GrayDove8171: Tuan Ibrahim, you were supposed to address the global platform, not please your supporters back home. What's the point of “positive response from Malaysians” when your message to the international community is lost in translation?

There is a time and place to promote the national language. A summit where the main focus is on climate change and environment is not it.

If anything, it just means that your trip to attend the COP26 was a total waste of time and rakyat's money. As a Malaysian who speaks fluent Malay, I’m not proud of your stint at COP26.

Amon_Ra: I am not convinced one must be proficient in English. However, if I am a delegate, and the speaker drones on in a language I am unfamiliar with, and no translation is provided, I will either snooze or perhaps grab a quick Timah.

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