He has lessened the opportunities for corrupt activities by improving the public service delivery system and increasing transparency and accountability in the public sector.

That is not all. Abdullah has set up institutions promoting national integrity to instil a culture that hates corruption. He has also pushed for the return of an open tender system, when previously selected companies only needed to submit their bids to the Economic Planning Unit which then makes its recommendations to the government.

Just two weeks ago, the public had their first detailed look at the level of corruption in the police force following the release of the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry.

Abdullah has taken the lead by heading a task force that would carry out the recommendations of the commission. His personal attention will certainly help to push the proposals through more effectively.

But Malaysians want to see more. They would like to see the Anti-Corruption Agency as truly independent and modelled after Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), to give our investigators more clout.

Giving the ACA a free hand to carry out its tasks is insufficient if the public have the perception that there is interference from powerful politicians, even if that is not true.

Enforcement of the laws must be carried out without fear and favour. The public should not be given the impression, rightly or wrongly, that selective prosecution is being practised.

Abdullah must be supported in his fight against graft because it must be accorded the highest priority. This sickness must not be allowed to become  deep-rooted, like in Indonesia and Thailand. Worse, Malaysians now complain about enforcement officers who openly demand for money because these officers no longer try to hide the fact that they are corrupt.

Our leaders only need to go down to the ground. Talk to the petty traders at markets, talk to people who have to seek approvals from government departments, talk to motorists who are stopped by traffic cops. The list is endless.

It is not a surprise that the commission found that next to the police, the municipal councils and Road Transport Department (JPJ) are perceived to be the most corrupt.

In fact, a commission should be set up to investigate these two bodies. Why should only the police be subject to a 15-month probe when their numbers, in proportion to the population, are much smaller than the councils and JPJ?

Last week, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said political parties must not allow corruption to exist, saying that they must be willing to take action against even the most prominent and highest official of the party.

There were indications, he said, that corruption might be getting to a point of no return and leaders were willing to pay money to get themselves elected. Although he did not specify Umno, he said that "everybody talks about money politics (in Umno)".

It is good that Dr Mahathir has come out strongly against corruption but personally, I wish he could have done more during his over 20 years in office, such as carrying out anti-corruption campaigns to create awareness of the debilitating impact of corruption.

With his strong leadership, authority and grip on Umno, he let slip the opportunity to introduce reforms including effective enforcement of laws against corruption.

Malaysians may remain grateful to Dr Mahathir for the economic boom they enjoyed during his tenure, but one source of unhappiness was the introduction of the negotiated tender, which lacked accountability and openness. In fact, for many, it was no tender at all.

Money politics in Umno did not rear its ugly head one year or two years ago but at least a decade ago, when we saw the big fights in Umno.  Leaders like then Umno deputy president Tun Ghafar Baba and present deputy minister Datuk Aziz Shamsuddin, who lost his divisional chief's post, were victims who openly tell their stories.

No fight against corruption can be meaningful unless there is a demonstration of political will and commitment from the public to reject all forms of corruption, not just in the public sector but also in the private sector.

The pressure from the Abdullah Administration and the public must continue if we are serious about the war against corruption. We are all waiting to see what the government intends to do next now that the commission's report is out.

More action, less rhetoric, please.

To be fair, such wastage of public funds by the local governments is not confined to the Penang Municipal Council. Malaysians who have travelled around the country would attest to similar fiascos in the name of art.

In Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur, one can find fountains that no longer function, presumably because it is just too expensive to repair them, or just a case of plain negligence.

The Subang Jaya Municipal Council, easily one of the richest councils, spent RM3mil more than three years ago to put up the Millennium Park in SS13 despite much criticism.

The council promised that it would be a top-class attraction but the park predictably became a top-class fiasco within two years after it was built in 2001.

A check by The Star in January found that the ponds had become stagnant, the Balinese-style cascades had run dry and the once-golden bird statue had turned drab grey. Worse, the toilets were filthy. The multi-purpose hall was littered with construction debris and looked more like an abandoned place.

The ratepayers have been proven right. Because of poor maintenance and the fact that residents largely ignored it, the park had to be closed down.

The council has handed the park to a private company with promises of turning it into a "happening place" which will also include a food court.

Well, as Subang Jaya assemblyman Datuk Lee Hwa Beng said, at least the council would be able to collect rental from the company but I have my reservations about the project.

But the damage has been done. The RM3mil could have been used for more useful projects including improving roads, pathways and installing more street lights.

The council did not get its priorities right and RM3mil has gone down the drain as a result of poor planning. I doubt whether any official has been hauled up to give an explanation for the dismal failure.

Over the past few years, local governments have come under scrutiny from ratepayers who know their rights better. They want to exercise their rights and they expect the councils to perform their duties effectively.

Running a council is not an easy task, especially in major towns, but civil servants entrusted with the responsibilities have to implement good governance.

Instant beautification projects are seldom successful. According to those familiar with the approval of such projects, they are often the decisions of the executive officer, the landscaping committee or councillors who propose the ideas.

The ideas are seldom brought up at the full council meeting and, as a result, even the councillors may not be aware of such projects until it is known to the media, which may highlight it. Or worse, after they are implemented.

They could be projects recommended by landscape companies or ideas borrowed from overseas after a study tour by council officials, who assume they can be equally appealing here.

But in all fairness, there are also good ones. The two City Halls in Kuching have impressed many Malaysians who visited the state. The streets and even the alleys in Kuching North and South are clean and properly maintained.

Our councillors do not have to travel far to study good ideas. They can get basic ideas, with plenty of common sense, from Kuching.

That is why I was a little disheartened when a retired senior Kuala Lumpur City Hall official told me recently that he had never visited Kuching.

We expect our Datuk Bandar and council presidents to be sensitive to the needs of the people. Ratepayers are not stupid. They know how to appreciate a municipal or a city that is well run.

There were no further details on the subject but the
matter was even commented on by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun
Razak yesterday.

Some had pointed fingers at a retired Selangor officer and said he had been
bold enough to declare his assets to the authorities.

The allegations of graft, as contained in pages 278 to 287 of the report,
included officers wanting food from expensive hotels delivered to their rooms
on a regular basis to policemen returning arrested guest relations officers
from China to their station lock-ups with "love bites" on their necks after
they had been taken out.

The allegations also included police officers offering to switch urine samples
taken during raids for between RM200 and RM2,000. It was even alleged that
those who tested negative were asked to pay to avoid being framed as urine
samples could be switched easily.

One reader e-mailed her disgust after reading the report while a few senior
police officers expressed their unhappiness privately that the media had picked
up little bits of the report which made the force look bad instead of analysing
the entire context of the report, particularly its needs and shortage of
manpower and equipment.

For example, the commission said it was not convinced that granting salary
increases to policemen would reduce corruption but said it "believes that in
addition to examining critically their training and development needs, their
service conditions must be reviewed regularly to ensure those conditions
reflect fairly the special demands and nature of police service."

But the police as the most important enforcement agency needs to ensure that it
operates with the highest standard of professional integrity. It cannot expect
public support if its members cannot reject corrupt practices.

It must also be emphasised to Malaysians reading the report that some of the
allegations mentioned are just allegations – not substantiated by
evidence.

Obviously, there are weaknesses in our system that need to be rectified. The
commission reported that "bribe givers who had come forward to complain to the
commission were unwilling to make police reports because by doing so they would
incriminate themselves and feared that action would be taken against
them."

The commission said whistle blowers should be encouraged, as one of the
greatest barriers "is the reluctance or fear among subordinates to report
misconduct of their superiors and colleagues."

"In a clean police service, whistle blowers are regarded as heroes, but in a
corrupt service they are treated as traitors," it reported, adding that whistle
blowers should be recognised and rewarded.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Bakri Omar must be credited for
accepting the report in the right spirit, describing it as balanced. It was not
easy as the commission had not spared anyone or, as one analyst said, "did not
try to sugar coat any of its critical findings."

This is a chance for the police to reorganise and redirect itself. It will be a
massive exercise, no doubt, as it should even move police in administrative
duties to do more crime fighting work.

The unprecedented report has been released. The police force's weaknesses and
shortcomings have been outlined in an open and transparent manner. It is time
to move on, not dwell on the past.

Malaysians need the police. Our men, despite the criticism, have done a decent
job in ensuring our lives are safe and even critical Malaysians will agree that
they solve serious crime cases efficiently despite the handicaps.

In the interest of fairness, we must support the force as it is a vital and
indispensable institution of governance. It is important that the morale and spirit
of the police force must not be undermined as that would be detrimental to the
public and national interests.

It has even tackled minor details, like suggesting that the police should
change its motto of Mesra, Cepat dan Betul (Friendly, Fast and Correct) to
Mesra, Cekap dan Beramanah (Friendly, Efficient and Trustworthy).

It's simple – Malaysians cannot be expected to trust the
police unless it is efficient and corruption-free. That is the general concern
of Malaysians, cutting across all races and religions.

The setting up of the panel was part of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi's pledge to improve delivery of services, reduce corruption and
enhance accountability in government.

Transparency and accountability, the cornerstones of the administration, have
certainly been reflected in the report and, as Inspector-General of Police Tan
Sri Mohd Bakri Omar admitted, it is a balanced report.

The report is comprehensive, covering almost every aspect of the force – from
the management of the organisation to raising awareness of women and children's
rights – but it would be the chapter on corruption that is likely to interest
the readers.

A corruption-free police service is crucial – the police force would be harmful
to the country, jeopardising the carriage of justice, if it is not
trustworthy.

There are plenty of juicy allegations in the report, from guest relations
officers from China who were taken out from police cells to a senior officer
with declared assets of RM34mil.

Then there is an allegation by a complainant that a promotion for his brother,
a superintendent, was possible for RM40,000. Yet another complainant told the
commission that "the traffic division is a lucrative branch".

Corruption can be an emotional issue, but finding the evidence has always been
the frustrating part, as the Anti-Corruption Agency is aware, because the
complainants are often the accomplices, too. Poison-pen letters can hardly be
regarded as evidence.

In the force, it is even more painful for whistle blowers because the reporting
procedure requires reports to be made through a chain of command, which may
include the superior officers complained of.

But it should be noted that the commission also reported that "there are many
police personnel in all ranks of PDRM who serve with dedication and integrity.
They do not engage in corrupt practices of whatever kind".

These dedicated officers, it said, "deserve our admiration," adding that
"corruption in PDRM is part of a larger problem of corruption in government
enforcement agencies".

The commission has correctly pointed out that "the drive against corruption
cannot be targeted at the police alone. It must be targeted at the entire
public service". Besides the police, public complaints against the local
councils and the Road Transport Department are among the highest.

The question of human rights, especially the Internal Security Act, has also
been deliberated at great length by the commission. It has cited the existence
of a range of "preventive" legislation that places restrictions upon
fundamental liberties.

The position taken by the commission is that preventive laws are undesirable
because they deny the individual his personal liberty without a right to an
open trial, but "special measures may be necessary to preserve the security and
well being of the people and the nation".

But its stand is that certain provisions need to be reviewed, such as the
period of remand. It also raised its concern over the use of the Police Act to
regulate assemblies and meetings, saying this was biased against opposition
parties.

While civil liberties in Hong Kong and Australia are often used as references,
we must be cautious that in Malaysia, with its multi-religious and multi-racial
make-up, a different approach needs to be used.

Religious, cultural and racial bigots continue to exist and even terrorists
with links to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network have been traced. In fact,
even before the Sept 11 attacks, the Malaysian police had tracked down these
extremists – long before the United States saw the dangers of the terrorism
network.

The police, which has a proven record in fighting terrorism, must be given a
certain flexibility as it would be naive to expect extremists to operate
openly. The police must not fight with one hand tied in the name of civil
liberty.

Sensitive files relating to the information of agents and sources of
intelligence should not be revealed to any agency, as suggested by the proposed
Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission. No police in the world
allows that.

The police, on its own, has already taken several measures and implemented several
recommendations of the commission even as the members were doing their
work.

They included measures to strengthen discipline, reduce corruption, increase
police presence in crime-prone areas, expand community policing and shore up
its commercial crimes investigation unit.

The Government must support the police by beefing up the force, which needs
40,000 more policemen, and improving their wages, allowances and housing needs
so our policemen can operate with pride and dignity.

It must be made worthwhile – financially and professionally – for our men and
women in the force, especially when the report has recorded cases of "serious
deficiencies" in its fleet of patrol cars; and even as we talk about the force
fighting crime in the 21st century, the police still have to use "dysfunctional
typewriters" and "bulky walkie-talkies that have long since been
discarded".

Worse, it said the bomb disposal unit still used equipment that was "obsolete
and insufficient for coverage throughout the country" and that "it has no
protective devices against chemical or biological weapons."

Shocking as it may seem, the commission said that the force only has "400
bullet-proof vests" nationwide and that the present loudspeaker devices used by
the Federal Reserve Unit were found to be "not loud enough to be heard above
the din" at demonstrations and "expose the police to allegations of not issuing
warnings before dispersal action is taken".

Besides the poor conditions of many police stations, of which 107 were built
between 1906 and 1992, the housing needs of the lower-ranking officers have
continued to be a major problem. Many constables, especially those in major
towns, have to live in squatter areas, which is not good for their morale and
image.

The question is where do we go from here. The commission has carried out a
credible task and Abdullah has promised to implement the recommendations under
a task force that he personally heads.

Equally important, Malaysians must remember that the strengths and
contributions of the police must not be overlooked as we read about its
weaknesses and shortcomings, as contained in the report.

It all started with presenter Stephen Sackur asking Anwar about his control of TV3 and a fleet of newspapers, suggesting that Anwar had used his political influence to control the media when he was deputy prime minister.

The point made was simple – despite talking about press freedom and civil society, Anwar, like many politicians, had used the media for his own political interest.

But Anwar refuted the allegations, pointing the finger instead at Dr Mahathir at least twice during the interview.

In turn, Dr Mahathir said he was merely a joint trustee together with the Umno deputy president and treasurer to assets and shares owned by the party.

The BBC interview, which was aired four times over Astro, has generated some interest among Malaysians, especially on political websites, but perhaps only among the politically-conscious.

The reality is that Malaysians are more interested in the increasing cost of living. The allegations and rebuttals by Anwar and Dr Mahathir may be a good read but much has taken place over the past years.

Dr Mahathir has retired, Anwar has been released from jail, the Keadilan party was badly defeated in the elections and Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has firmly settled in as prime minister.

Malaysians now talk about what the new administration has done or not done since the general election when the Barisan Nasional scored its biggest electoral success.

While not many people are prepared to write off Anwar from the political scene as he is relatively young at 57, it would be very difficult for him to make a comeback.

As a blogger wrote on his website, he has difficulty placing trust in what Anwar says and practises politically because Anwar was part of the political establishment for more than a decade.

Anwar, he argued, was not much different from many politicians, playing the Islamic image to conservative Muslims and the liberal, civil society leader to the non-governmental organisations.

Some would even blame Anwar for making Malaysia become more Middle Eastern, in the name of Islam, during  the time when he was in power.

But the blogger, echoing the sentiments of many Malaysians, also said that he had nothing but despise over the way Anwar was treated by the police and media when he was arrested.

Most Malaysians who watched the show felt that it harmed Anwar's image. He was unsure, hesitant and, on several instances, made reversals to his statements.

He looked like a jaded politician who has had his time and opportunity. His attempt to project a new look did not appear convincing.

But Westerners, who may not be too familiar with the Malaysian political scene, and those who still harbour anger against Dr Mahathir, could possibly sympathise with the statements made by Anwar.

Topics like civil society, a free society, reforms and the fight against corruption are issues that go down well with the people, regardless of where they come from, and Anwar has understandably used them as his platform.

But all politics is local, as the saying goes. That would be Anwar's predicament, now that he has been released from jail.

Reforms in government and the fight against corruption are no longer issues which are the monopoly of Anwar. They are also the agenda of Abdullah, who has made much progress in these areas.

All that the prime minister must do is to make sure that he continues to pursue these issues passionately. That is the hardest part for Anwar.

At a seminar on innovation and initiatives last week, the common theme among the speakers, all successful businessmen who had no subsidies and government contracts to rely on, was about the comfort zone which many Malaysians are still trapped in.

They were concerned, even alarmed, that while China and India – with their huge pool of trained and hardworking workers – were already competing strongly, many Malaysians had still not  woken up to face the changes.

Air Asia group chief executive officer Tony Fernandes, who took over a debt-ridden airline and turned it into a profitable company within five years, is certainly someone our economics and business management students should listen to.

The accountancy graduate spoke about how he had to mortgage his house and borrowed from friends to start a dream – owning an airline – even though he knew nothing about aviation. But the difference was that he dared to take risks.

More important, Fernandes is a prudent man and he runs his company like his no-frills flights. He does not put on a necktie and he often rolls up his sleeves to sit at the check-in counter to keep track of the situation on the ground.

Easily one of the richest men in Malaysia, Fernandes does not have a driver and he jokes about how the security guards still stop him occasionally, thinking that he is a Bangladeshi worker.

With no political connections, Fernandes relates how he  had to face the bureaucracy, powerful competitors, an unhappy Singapore government, SARS and the effect of the Sept 11 incident. But his company is today listed on Bursa Malaysia – all in five years.

Then, there is low-profile Penang businessman Chan Hong Saik. The e-Business Sdn Bhd chief executive officer travels around the world selling his homebred technology system to international clients like IBM, Citigroup and Deutsche Bank.

He has to convince the big clients to buy his products. He has done all this alone, with no assistance from anyone and certainly no subsidies.

But he lamented about the mindset of our graduates, especially the lack of competitive spirit and, worse, their poor command of the English language. Many e-mail and letters, he said, contained serious grammatical errors.

He shared an anecdote of how he called for a  meeting with a group of  fresh graduate workers. After his motivating words, he told his listeners "to get the ball rolling". One young man quickly put up his hand and asked, "Sir, where is the ball?"

"During my student days, when someone had three or five distinctions in an exam, it was considered very good. Now, we have people with 15 or 16As but where are they?" he asked.

Similar sentiments were expressed by scientist Dr Ishwar S. Parhar, who now teaches at the Nippon Medical School in Tokyo and Rockefeller University in New York. He spoke about the lack of personnel and expertise, questioning the wisdom of retiring scientists and academicians at 55 years old when Malaysia was facing a serious shortage of scientists.

He urged the scientific community to compete to have their findings published in international journals if they wanted recognition. The St Xavier's Institution old boy was too polite to say it but the fact is that it would be useless for any Malaysian university to publish a journal, for any discipline, if they were only read at home.

Worse, there is little point in winning awards, whether local or international, if these competitions were not recognised by the international academic community. It would merely be a case of syiok sendiri and pulling the wool over the eyes of Malaysians who have little information on these competitions.

The timing could not have been more perfect. Last week, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi correctly said that for Malaysians to be a developed nation, it must rid itself of three addictions – cheap foreign labour, subsidies and favours or connections.

Malaysians, he said, seemed to think that someone else, at the very least the government, owes them a living but he warned that the government could no longer sustain the cost of maintaining such "props" to competitiveness.

In what has been regarded as his strongest speech so far, the often diplomatic leader said that "the treasury's coffers were limited and with other countries becoming more competitive and innovative, it would be more difficult to rely on such strategies for incomes to grow".

But Abdullah has a huge task ahead to convince those who do not see these as "bad habits" but as "privileges". Some of our contractors have been so used to relying on government contracts that they do not even think of competing overseas. Worse, they then sub-let their contracts, which only inflate the costs of construction but some of them are so powerful politically it is difficult to see how Abdullah can change their mindset and attitude.

Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad spent two decades cajoling, threatening and even crying, but nothing has changed. He was bold and direct, hurting the feelings and sensitivities of many, but he could afford to do so because he was already politically entrenched.

A year after his retirement, my colleagues and I met Dr Mahathir. When we asked him about unemployed graduates, he asked why this situation only affected the Malay graduates. The reasons, he said, were simply because they chose the wrong courses and also because many could not speak English.

"I remember we got companies to hire unemployed graduates and pay them RM400 each but when they got the job, they refused to do anything because it was not their line and they didn't want to learn. They were just marking time. Obviously, these people do not have the right attitude towards work," he said in that interview.

Abdullah is certainly aware of the problems. He has identified the ills but it would not be easy for him to eradicate these addictions. And he has to do this without risking his political hold.

Getting rid of the crutches is difficult but trying to stop these addictions is going to be even tougher.

Last week, Abdullah cleared whatever doubts Malaysians may have by vowing to press on with the campaign against corruption through a two-pronged strategy.

He said the government would continue the anti-corruption campaign through "preventive" and "punitive" measures. From the preventive aspect, it means closing the gaps or opportunities for corrupt activities to occur by improving the public service delivery system and by increasing the transparency and accountability in the public sector, namely through the use of an open tender system.

For example, Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Lim Keng Yaik has just revealed that all bids submitted for new power plants, including those by Tenaga Nasional, will from now have to go through open tender. Although this will only apply to new tenders, it is a change from the previous system where selected companies submit their bids to the Economic Planning Unit which then makes its recommendation to the government.

On the punitive aspect, he said that he had given a free hand to the Anti-Corruption Agency to carry out its tasks, pointing out that the agency had made more arrests last year.

Abdullah emphasised that he would not make more arrests and prosecutions to raise his popularity as he subscribed to the doctrine of "innocent until proven guilty" and he could not interfere in the power of arrests of the ACA.

While public opinion is more concerned with arrests and convictions, it cannot be denied that elected representatives have never been so closely watched. The media has published prominent reports on indiscriminate development of land and, in some cases, questionable approval of land for powerful political individuals.

During a recent discussion with editors, Abdullah said leaders were aware that they were being "watched and scrutinised", and that he believed they would be careful with their actions.

But at the same time, it would also be wrong to go on a witch-hunt against politicians or businessmen on the premise of unproven allegations.  Abdullah has correctly cautioned the media about being quick "to capitalise on the public's curiosity and fascination".

In cases where the ACA has cleared those being investigated, it should be made known to ensure that the media and other interested parties have an accurate picture. That would also be helpful to the reputation of the person being probed.

But I beg to differ with the Prime Minister on the question of offering better wages to civil servants to help fight corruption. Abdullah said that if a person was corrupt, he would always be corrupt, even if he had millions in his pocket.

The civil servants in Hong Kong and Singapore are among the best paid in the world. Both economies have a reputation of having a clean and efficient civil service.

By offering better wages to our civil servants, it will attract the best to join the service. A well-salaried officer is unlikely to jeopardise his career and dignity by taking bribes.

Many of our enforcement officers, including police constables, earn less than RM1,000 a month. And the honest ones, especially those in Kuala Lumpur and Johor Baru, have to take a second job to feed their families. A trip to a fast-food outlet, which many of us take for granted, is regarded as a luxury for some policemen and their families.

The temptation for the lower and middle ranking civil servants, who have to deal with the public, will always be there.  Some of these officers have even asked sarcastically whether it was wrong to accept a small amount when "big fishes" seemed to have escaped, in their bid to justify their actions.

The government must certainly examine the root problems faced by our civil servants, especially those in the lower ranks, if we wish to tackle corruption effectively.

But Malaysians must be realistic about the fight against corruption. Let's not expect the Abdullah Administration to change the system overnight after just one year in office but we will back him to push his agenda.

For a start, the ministry will draw up a list of schools which are
100 years and above and which have produced students who have excelled
both in the classroom and outside.

The announcement has sparked
off a lot of excitement among former students of well-known schools
like St Xavier's Institution in Penang, the Methodist Girls School in
Malacca and the St Michael's Institution in Ipoh.

Unlike the
newer schools which are now named after districts and roads, old
schools like these had history and tradition and the students show
their loyalty and pride. The St Francis Institution in Malacca, for
example, is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year.

My alma
mater, SXI, started off as an attap hut which was destroyed
during  World World II. The 153-year-old school brings fond
memories to many.

We had much respect for the brothers despite
their uncompromising emphasis on discipline. We never dared complained
to our parents after a good whack from the fearsome Brother Michael
Paulin Blais, nicknamed lau hor or "tiger" in Hokkien.

The teachers were a committed lot and they gave us an all-round education where we were encouraged to develop our own potential.

Many
of us used to distinguish ourselves from our friends in the Chinese
schools because of our strong command in English and, most of all, the
freedom to express ourselves.

Despite being a Catholic school,
the brothers never stopped students from dancing to pop songs in the
annual talent show organised by the school's Literary, Drama and
Debating Society.

The school even had an editorial board which
produced a monthly newsletter. We were allowed to write critical
articles on the school. Many of the writers went on to become
journalists.

SXI produced distinguished sons such as the late
Tan Sri Wong Pow Nee, the first Penang Chief Minister, the late
composer Jimmy Boey and the late The Star journalist Datuk Khor Cheang
Kee.

The contemporary leaders include Finance Minister II Tan
Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, Deputy Heritage Minister Datuk Wong Kam Hoong
and DAP leader Karpal Singh.

Many of us can still recall the
rivalry we had with the Penang Free School, another premier school. The
intensity of our rivalry sometimes broke out into fights during
football and hockey matches.

But many of these schools have
suffered much neglect over the years, especially due to the lack of
funds. The roof in many parts of SXI, which is the first in the country
run by the La Salle Brothers, is leaking and there is a need to improve
the infrastructure.

Many fund-raising projects have been carried out by the old boys but it has not been easy.

Beyond
the physical problems, there is also the issue of the character and
tradition of these schools. In some schools, with the brothers and
sisters no longer in charge, changes are sometimes made for the
flimsiest of reasons or worse, the prejudices of the principals.

The names of sports houses, usually named after distinguished La Salle educators, for example, have been replaced by "colours".

But
the one thing that makes these schools stand out is the environment
that allowed us to make many good friends of all races and religions.

The brothers never made any attempt to convert us. All they wanted was to make us become educated, loyal and honest Malaysians.

Those of us who have watched the debates in the British Parliament on television, even for just a few minutes, must have wished that our wakil rakyat could do the same.

Last week, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Ramli Ngah Talib announced that 10 researchers would be appointed this year to help the MPs study the  issues raised, thereby enhancing the quality of the debates. He said priority would be given to masters degree holders with at least 10 years' experience in conducting research and in writing research papers.

These researchers would certainly be useful but the Dewan Rakyat may want to engage more part-time researchers as there are 219 MPs in all. Even if the MPs may not want to use the work of these researchers in full, the background and relevant points would help the MPs debate more intelligently.

But such support would be meaningless if our representatives cannot refrain  from making silly remarks, especially sexist ones, against women MPs.

Many of these remarks uttered over the past week are not only offensive but reflect badly on the MPs. For some strange reason, women MPs Chong Eng (DAP – Bukit Mertajam) and Fong Po Kuan (DAP – Ipoh Timur) are always targeted, presumably because they always fall into the political trap of reacting aggressively to such provocation.

Recently, one MP implied that Fong's assertive character was a reason why many Malaysian women prefer to remain single. The uproar had started innocently enough with Kota Melaka MP Wong Nai Chee talking about the rising number of divorce cases in Malaysia.

Not long after that, Datuk Badruddin Amiruldin (BN-Jerai) sought clarification from Wong, asking "what type of man would last with someone like the MP from Batu Gajah".

That was enough for the MPs from both the government and opposition benches to turn the Dewan upside down, with abuses being hurled as they shouted at each other. Yes, like rowdies in the school yard. The next day, the theatrics continued until Badruddin apologised and withdrew his remark.

The MPs presumably had a good time and a good laugh over it at the canteen while the reporters would have enjoyed the lively exchange of words. But Malaysians in general must have wondered what the point was about.

No one was left any smarter on how to cope with the rising number of divorce cases and why many Malaysian women chose not to get married but many would just remember the fierce verbal clash.

Another backbencher suggested last week that the Government abolish the Dangerous Drugs Act and instead provide free drugs to addicts, noting that the present death penalty had not deterred drug abusers.

Baharum Mohamed (BN – Sekijang) said drug pushers would be out of business if the Government started giving out free drugs, adding that the government could be the supplier.

We do not know the tone of this MP's suggestion and whether it was made in jest or in a sardonic manner but it is certainly mind-boggling. Surely Baharum is not suggesting that we follow the liberal stand of the Dutch government in dealing with drugs, including legalising marijuana.

Then there are the elected representatives from Penang, where the debates in the state assembly have always been lively even during the days of DAP representative Yeap Ghim Guan, notorious for his marathon speeches, and lawyer Karpal Singh, who once sent his pencil flying in the direction of then Chief Minister Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu.

Last week, Batu Uban representative Goh Kheng Sneah suggested that a casino be built in Penang, saying he spoke with a clear conscience, as such a move would woo tourists to the state.

His proposal is unlikely to become a reality from a political, religious and social perspective. In the same speech, however, he also suggested that Penang set up a theme park, similar to the ones in Genting Highlands and Sunway.

It is good to know that Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon has tried hard to make Penang shine again after the criticism against the state leadership. He has organised workshops on tourism and conservation, as well as made promotional trips overseas. Due credit must be given.

But Penang must be cautious about theme parks. Many state governments start off with great plans but along the way realise that cool weather is crucial to the success of such parks, as in the case of Genting, while in Sunway, it is a wet theme park.

The elected representative of the week must surely be Ariff Shah Omar Shah of Seberang Jaya who suggested that George Town be renamed Bandar Datuk Abdullah Fahim, the grandfather of the Prime Minister. He also suggested that Gurney Drive be renamed Tan Sri Wong Pow Nee Drive, after the former Chief Minister.

There is nothing wrong with his proposal but it is outdated for Ariff Shah, in this age, to talk about changing the road names in order "to get rid of the colonial past, for the sake of our future generation".

As a Penangite, I hope that Ariff Shah will not suggest next that we tear down the heritage buildings in Penang, as those too would remind us of our colonial past, or to stop speaking English, the language of the colonialists.

Maybe we should even discard the western suit and tie that elected representatives wear to meetings as this would also be emulating the West too much.

Instead of  normal classrooms, they are kept in a room with iron bars, as in any prison cell. The only luxury they enjoy are two fans. The warders, like protective fathers, have put them together.

At a meeting last week, these juveniles, being the teenagers they are, spoke about their hopes, dreams, ambitions and frustrations. Some of these feelings are expressed in their drawings. It is clear they have accepted the fact that they must face the consequences of their action.

There is a painting of a mosque, which is on display on the class-cell wall, and the boy responsible spoke of his hope to pray at his village mosque once he has served his jail sentence.

His fellow prisoner, the boy who killed a  teacher's child, imagined an encounter with aliens. He loves science fiction and idolises Harry Potter. Despite being in jail, he harbours hopes of becoming a Federal Reserve Unit officer. He passed the PMR despite the odds against him. He scored A1 in English and B1 in Bahasa Malaysia and C4 in four other subjects.

The nine former schoolmates appeared jovial last week as they were still in celebratory mood after passing the SPM. They had  help from five teachers from their previous school who came to prison to teach them twice a week for two to three hours each time.

Then, there is a girl who is being remanded as she awaits her case to be heard for allegedly killing her stepfather. She wants to be an accountant when she walks out a free person.

Additional Mathematics is her favourite subject but she has missed the SPM because she was not confident of taking the exam. Luckily for her, a lecturer has volunteered to teach her. Sitting next to her was another girl who is facing drug trafficking charges; her adult boyfriend faces a similar charge.

A colleague of mine promised to get her a job if she passed the SPM or STPM with good results, promising to keep in touch with her. A radiant smile broke out as she heard that. Her sister, also under remand on a similar charge, is in the same prison and preparing for the PMR.

There are currently 56 juvenile convicts at the prison, but only 19 are pursuing academic courses. Their convictions range from drug possession, murder to rape. The rest are either not interested in studying or are just serving out their jail terms.

Kajang Prison director Alzafry Mohamed Alnassif Mohamed Adahan has appealed for books, stationery, chairs, tables and personal computers for these young prisoners.

The prison, originally built for 2,500 people, is overcrowded with over 5,000 inmates. With space a major problem, Alzafry can only spare limited space for these youngsters, who study in a dormitory with a few tables.

Their families bring in textbooks and workbooks but there is no allocation from the prison for young prisoners who have no access to such things. For science subjects, they have to use their imagination to understand what they read from their textbooks; there is no practical session in laboratories.

Alzafry used to spend his free time in Kajang as a student in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in Bangi but never imagined that he would end up running the town's prison.

The 44-year-old social science graduate from Kedah talked about his hopes to do more for these students, including having a juvenile learning centre that allows teachers and trainers easy access without feeling intimidated.

"I am touched by their courage and determination to study. They don't know if they will ever leave prison but they want to do well. They still talk about their ambitions," he said.

As the visit came to an end, the prison officials and journalists talked about how they had to push their children to study while these teenagers want to study badly but have been deprived of the facilities and support.

That is human nature as we often take for granted our daily little blessings in life.