In his New Year 2025 address on Thursday (Jan 16), Housing Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming emphasised that honesty and sincerity were essential in carrying out the responsibilities entrusted to public servants.
He also drew parallels to the 1MDB scandal, using it as a cautionary example of the consequences when government officials fail to maintain transparency and truthfulness.
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He also drew parallels to the 1MDB scandal, using it as a cautionary example of the consequences when government officials fail to maintain transparency and truthfulness.
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NewsTranscript
00:00I would like to tell you a story from the classic poem, Misa Melayu.
00:15When I was the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
00:20many thought that I did not speak Malay fluently,
00:24but I was very good at it.
00:26IC03.
00:29Many people did not know.
00:32When I was the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
00:35I studied Malay Literature.
00:42Malay Literature.
00:47Islam History.
00:49Islam History.
00:51Alhamdulillah.
00:52I got A1 in all subjects.
00:56At that time,
00:57that was more than 30 years ago.
01:01I have shared a little about the classic poem, Misa Melayu.
01:06In the story,
01:08this is a joke,
01:09King Iskandar at that time became the King,
01:12was directing a palace's servant
01:16who had seven levels in the building
01:20using government funds.
01:24Realizing some problems,
01:27it was not easy to build the palace.
01:30The servant had seven levels at that time.
01:33Three Malay leaders,
01:36i.e. Bendahara,
01:38Laksamana
01:39and Temenggong,
01:41advised King Iskandar
01:43to stop the project
01:46because it was a waste
01:49of money
01:51and burdened the people.
01:54The three Malay leaders
01:57were willing to resign
02:00or put their reputation at risk
02:03because of their honesty
02:07and sincerity.
02:11In the end,
02:12King Iskandar admitted
02:15and the waste project was abolished.
02:21This story
02:23gives us an important message.
02:26The era where the government knows best is over.
02:31Where the people out there
02:34are much wiser than us
02:36as public officials.
02:38We need not only to be honest
02:42and sincere
02:43but when we see something wrong,
02:46we must have the courage to admit
02:50that we are a great human being
02:53who serves the people and the country.
02:56As a minister,
02:58if I make a mistake,
03:02I will also pay the price
03:04for this glorious month of Rajab.
03:09Rajab is not only about forgiveness,
03:12but it also raises the culture of truth.
03:19To err is human.
03:21To forgive is divine.
03:24But when a leader makes a mistake,
03:27he must have the courage to speak the truth.
03:33We take the example of the Megawatt MDB scandal.
03:37At that time,
03:39when we knew that it was not true,
03:41but none of the leaders
03:45in the government at that time
03:47were willing to speak the truth.
03:49Finally,
03:51now,
03:52all Malaysians
03:54are burdened by the Megawatt MDB scandal
03:57and we are forced to live
04:00until at least 2038.
04:03If that time does not happen,
04:05we can save 50 billion,
04:08we can build a lot of schools,
04:10hospitals,
04:12mosques,
04:13shrines,
04:14kindergartens,
04:15toilets,
04:16we can do all kinds of things.
04:18That is why it is very important.
04:21I am sitting here,
04:24not sitting in the ministerial office
04:26waiting for people to be served.
04:29I am here to serve.
04:38I am here to serve.