Khir Toyo and the rule of law

On Nov 4 2006 MB Selangor said if Zakaria Deros house is torn down, what bout the others? reported the Star

He also said "If I go strictly by the book instead of taking into account public interest and racial harmony, imagine the outcry if I were to execute the demolition orders which would include temples and illegal factories.”

The arguments made by Menteri Besar Selangor against the demolition of illegally built mansions of municipal councillors was not only unconvincing but also full of contradictions. I would have expected him to make a politically correct statement and avoid using racially loaded justification for not taking action against them.

One major implication of the statement is that people in Selangor do not have to get approval from the local authorities for new building or its alteration. Their illegal structure is unlikely to be demolished because of our people friendly government. Another consequence of this statement is the dilemma it creates for the administrator of the local authorities in carrying out their duties.

There are more law abiding citizens in this country compared to offenders, irrespective of race or religion, and it is their respect and trust of your correct judgement that is worth fighting for. The government must take measures to correct mistakes made in the past and let offenders know that the law will catch up on them. Any action to be taken must begin with offenders already caught in the act. The next step is to announce to the public to make good any breaches of the local council by-laws within a reasonable period of time before action is taken on them.

It is no wonder that the corruption index of Malaysia by Transparency International, which is based on perception of corruption, has dipped, and we must take every opportunity available to reverse the trend.