THIS is not about the mysterious deaths of the pygmy elephants in Sabah, sad as it is. We are referring to the news about the discovery of proverbial white elephants in Sarawak.
Last week, the media reported a finding by one Honourable Member of the Senate of the existence of some carcasses in the Baram. And what an uproar that sparked!
Coming from a politician of the same herd, the revelation must have caused some considerable embarrassment to his coalition colleagues. Naturally, the opposition lapped it up.
The Senator just spoke his mind. Apparently, he was sorry to learn that projects such as mini hydropower schemes were no longer operating after they had broke down; many electronic and telecommunication gadgets were badly in need of repair and people responsible for their maintenance or replacement of parts couldn’t or wouldn’t fix them.
That’s the trouble when community projects, though funded by taxpayers’ money, are treated as if they are owned by the ruling party. When they break down, it is expected that the government will come and fix them sooner or later. The YB of the area is regarded as the guardian of the project. If he or she does not appear on the scene, the blame game begins. The beneficiaries should be more responsible for the operation and maintenance of the projects – I’d say that’s well within the terms of reference of the JKKK (committee responsible for development and security)?
We have failed to inculcate into the receiving community the sense that any project carried out in their area is meant for the benefit of all members, never mind their political affiliations. All the stakeholders should be responsible for their upkeep always. They projects, once handed over to the community, shouldn’t be under the control of the activists of the political parties.
Back to the Baram – an exercise in damage control is being carried out there. The incumbent Member of Parliament for the constituency has to go down to the ground to explain to his flock that these elephants are not actually white. The delay in the completion of a couple of infrastructure projects should not be regarded as totally useless; at any rate, not his fault that these are incomplete. Blame the contractors; they make convenient scapegoats because they are not in a position to argue back if they want their retention money back. Blame late arrival of money from the federal government if the projects already completed have not been paid for in full. In a worst case scenario, blame climate change …
Following the Baram revelation, the MP for Kapit quickly forestalled any criticism from the opposition by declaring that no white elephants are trampling his territory. Other MPs may be thinking along a similar line in defence of their respective turf. Beware of the hordes of poachers eager to collect the valuable ivory tusks during this season.
There must be reasons why publicly-financed projects are not fully utilised.
My guess …
A mini hydropower scheme
Lack of the technical know how on the part of the recipients to operate and maintain the projects may be another reason why machines or structures could not last long in the rural setting. For instance, a mini hydro project having been completed and commissioned is entrusted to the care of the local experts to manage. Are spare parts or replacements readily available and is there enough money for their purchase?
A generator set
A diesel-powered generator set paid for out of the funds allocated to the YB breaks down. Are there enough funds for the fuel, and for repairs when necessary? The generator is a stopgap measure. It is the dream of any country to have the whole country fully wired. Ours has a similar vision. Hence the introduction of the Rural Electrification Scheme in the state.
At a house in a village I visited recently, I noticed that the belian posts had been erected, cable laid, meters and wires fixed, but the current had not been connected to the grid. The project has been going on in the district for the past 10 years. Obviously frustrated, the villager told me that he might as well do the wiring himself. I cautioned him against it, hinting that. he would be as useless as a dead elephant should he get electrocuted in the process.
A computer plus printer
A computer given to a longhouse chief for use by the inhabitants breaks down. How efficient is the after sales service? It requires sufficient power supply to be really useful for the purpose of surfing the Internet. It is useful to a literate longhouse chief or village head for the production of a report about the activities of the JKKK for submission to the DO regularly. For that a good printer and paper would be necessary. Without power supply, the gadget is pretty to look at but pretty useless in a longhouse or village without electricity.
If the printer breaks down, where is the nearest technician to have it fixed?
What about those computers in the school stores? How well have they been utilised?
A mulberry tree
In Sematan, the worms feeding on the mulberry trees at Sebat have morphed into fat caterpillars when they should have been producing fine silk for expensive shirts for the rich and the famous. We had great plans to export silk to the world but we hardly hear about the project nowadays. Is it in still in the cocoon?
A community hall
The community hall at Sebuloh near Pandan beach was converted into a goat shed but the goats have disappeared. The hall is now enveloped with creepers and the paddock is overgrown with lalang (Imperata cylindrica). Locals call it Skim Lalang Dan Belukar.
A telephone system
In some longhouses there have been installed a VHF telephone system to enable the residents to make calls or receive them. I saw some installation on the roof of a longhouse in Julau a few years ago. When I asked permission from the Tuai Rumah to use the phone fixed to the wall, he said it had not worked for three years because the prentah (government people) had not come to fix it.
Problems under the carpet
There are several more problematic projects in the state due to various causes and factors. It’s a matter of time, people will discover them. Dare they speak about them?
Tun Razak used to warn development officers in all the districts he visited. While under attachment with Felcra in early 1975, I befriended Zainal; he was relating to me how a district officer had to visit the loo once in five minutes while waiting for the arrival of Tun Razak because he was not fully prepared to brief Tun Razak. Apparently, the officer had slipped a project under the Red Book under a mat. But he had to disclose where it was when confronted by the VIP who minced no words. Naughty Zainal was giggling to himself.
You need some large carpets for those animals in certain parts of the country.
Like it or not, we have an elephant in the room.