Tuesday April 15, 2008

How could PSD let this happen?

I READ with utter disappointment and deep anger your report “Grads prefer to stay on overseas,” (Sunday Star, April 13).

Twelve hours after reading the article, I am still sore and disgusted with what was reported.

It is truly amazing and unbelievable that the Public Services Department (PSD) has condoned this fundamental breach of contract for so long and it is indeed very frightening to note that since 2003, 145 students from Britain and 85 from Ireland have not come back.

Can the PSD explain to the taxpayers why they have kept this matter under wraps for so long and, all of a sudden, chose to expose these irresponsible scholars?

Isn't the PSD (being the human resource arm of the civil service) supposed to be proactive and envisage this sheer waste of public funds?

Why is it that the penalty is a paltry sum of RM160,000 when RM1.1mil is spent on each of this errant scholars?

Has the PSD been under pressure to close both eyes?

These questions beg answers because all of you in the Government and PSD are public servants and the money is public funds and taxpayers’ money.

The rot doesn’t stop with medical undergraduates.

There are other scholars who extend their “honeymoon” in western countries including the US because it has been proven by past experience that PSD, Mara, the Higher Education Ministry and other government bodies do not take any serious action against errant scholars.

There are lecturers who go abroad to pursue their PhD on full scholarship and full pay but return empty-handed after their “honeymoon.”

They do, however, return, with a Mercedes-Benz because they are all entitled to an AP each.

They fail to complete their studies because they are busy working part-time and some even full-time to save enough to buy their dream cars which are comparatively quite cheap in Britain.

And after one year back home, they will sell these prized possessions to make more money!

Then there are lecturers who go on sabbatical but return after one year without completing their research and publishing; and they will need another year to publish.

There are also scholars sent to European countries to pursue undergraduate studies in foreign languages who abuse the system, too.

Thus, everyone is milking the system.

The errant and irresponsible scholars, their parents and guarantors have “mortgaged” their souls for personal gain. Don't they have any conscience?

Meanwhile, back home, our farmers, fishermen, estate workers and the middle-class taxpayers are bleeding and suffering.

Increasing petrol prices, food prices and everyday necessities are making the people poorer by the day while these privileged scholars are having a good time at the taxpayer’s expense.

Talking about medical graduates who refuse to return home and serve the nation, let us for a moment look at the plight of those who are serving as housemen and doctors here.

They serve with great conviction, constantly suffering great stress and being on call 36 hours each time for two to three days every week at the expense of their families.

And they are paid a pittance in salary and allowances.

Many of these doctors had pursued their studies with large loans from banks which will take them 20 to 30 years to repay.

Is this a fair and just society, let alone masyarakat penyayang?

I pray and fervently hope the Chief Secretary to the Government will step in and correct all these sheer abuse of power, taxpayers' money, inefficiencies and blatant disregard for the fundamentals of a simple contract.

DR ROZITA HJ SIRAT,
Penang.

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