The Chipsmore syndrome

Have you seen the tv ad for Chipsmore the chocolate chip cookie? Their concept is that their chocolate chip cookies are so delicious it disappears as quickly as its laid out. So, their tagline is “Sekejap ada, sekejap tak ada!” (One minute its here, next minute is not!)

Now, I always say that our Governmental policies are like Chipsmore – sekejap ada, sekejap tak ada. Need proof?

Chipsmore syndrome #1 Toll rates to be raised

Day 1 – Works Minister announces that there will be an incease in the toll rates for 5 major highways. See the table for the increases. The increase was to have taken place March 1. As per usual, the people protest as they do every time an incease in on the cards. In previous times no one listens and the increase goes through anyway. Interestingly I cannot find any initial report of the Toll increase on the star online but I remember it was front page news on The Star newspaper so they can’t hide indefinitely right?

Day 2 – The “caring” Pee Em says that the increase should be deferred. Everyone falls over themselves to agree with him and the toll increase is deferred “indefinitely”. Do note that the Government then has to “make payment of compensation” to the consessionaires or so they say. Ooh mo’ money!

Chipsmore syndrome: Sekejap toll naik, sekejap tak naik!

Chipsmore syndrome #2 Using the Lord’s name in vain

Day 1 – On the day of the mention in Court in the case of the catholic newsletter The Herald on the use of the word “Allah” it was announced that the Government had gazetted the approval of use of the word provided that the masthead states that the newsletter is only for Christians so says The Star. Do note however this bit of news report:-

KUALA LUMPUR: The Catholic Herald magazine is permitted to use the word Allah provided the publication clearly states the words “For Christians only” in its masthead.

Herald editor Father Lawrence Andrew said this was stated in the recently gazetted Internal Security Act signed by the Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar on Feb 16.

“The next edition of the Herald will contain the word Allah, and we will print the words “For Christians only” on the masthead so as not to contravene the Act,” he said.

It is learnt the Act also forbids the use of the words Kaabah, solat and baitullah.

Meanwhile, the Home Ministry’s Quran Publication Control and Text Division secretary Che Din Yusoh confirmed the content of the gazetted Act.

The High Court will today hear the mention of the case about the use of the word Allah in the Herald.

With this bit of news, it effectively puts paid to the court proceedings. It is a “compromise” of sorts. Not everyone’s happy but at least we’re moving on.

Day 2 – Oops! I did it again! – It was a mistake! they cry. Sorry ah, don’t know who approved the gazette, it was not me. Yes the Home Minister signed the Gazette allowing the use of the word on Feb 16. But he might have been asleep and did not read nor check what he was signing. March 1, they say a gazette will be issued to cancel the previous gazette.

Sunday March 1, 2009
Mistake in gazette, Christians still can’t use ‘Allah’

KOTA KINABALU: A Feb 16 government gazette lifting a ban on Christian publications to use the word “Allah” will be rescinded.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said a gazette would be issued as early as tomorrow to cancel the earlier gazette.

He told reporters here yesterday that there were mistakes made in the drafting of the Feb 16 gazette which stated that Christian publications could use the word “Allah” provided the words “For Christians” were clearly printed on the front cover.

“The government’s stand on the ban has not changed.

“There is also a judicial review challenging the ban,” Syed Hamid said.

He said the government had no intention of pre-empting any decision of the courts on the judicial review brought by the Malaysian Catholic church publication, the Catholic Herald.

Acknowledging that more care should have been taken, he said since mistakes were made “we will now have to correct them.”

Syed Hamid said a gazette to cancel the Feb 16 gazette is needed to clear any misunderstanding over the matter.

Whoa! All this while I thought that a gazette was an important formal document that was drafted and proof read by at least 2 people and a committee before it could be signed by the minister. I though the Attorney General’s Chambers would draft the proper wording – after all its the ISA we are talking about not just some bylaw.

So, my question is: Who screwed up?! The AG chambers? The person drafting the amendment to the Act who was took wrong notes during the meeting to discuss this matter? The Minister for not checking what he was signing? The Government printers for printing something that was a “mistake”? Why did they release it the day the Court called the case up? Why backpedal after 2 days?

Chipsmore syndrome: Sekejap boleh guna, sekejap tak boleh!

Do expect more of these Chipsmore syndromes to abound as the handover of the Prime Ministership happens in March, as the UMNO elections draw closer, as we gear up for another 3 by-elections where I can see these topics being hotly debated during the campaigning period.

Next up on the cards: Sekejap petrol naik, sekejap tak naik!