YOURSAY 'Where did RM7.2bil in consultancy fees go to? Ask any Malaysians, they would chorus, 'In the pockets of middlemen as commissions.'

Where did RM7.2bil in consultancy fees go?

Ferdtan: Just from the list provided, it looks the setting up of the Performance and Management Delivery Unit (Pemandu) takes the bulk of the consultancy fees.

The RM51.5 million is computed from the following companies, excluding some with cost unknown - they include McKinsey and Co, Hay Group, Ethos & Co, Alpha Platform (M) Sdn Bhd, Tarmidizi, Boston Consulting Group, Provectis and Vision Technology Computing.

These were only initial setting-up cost but to include the running, maintaining and the advertising cost that Pemandu took would be in billions. No wonder unelected Minister in PM's Department Idris Jala, who also acted as CEO of the unit, defended and self-praised their department.

Pemandu sets KPI (key performance indicators) for other departments but have they set and achieved their own KPI?

Malaysiakini's headline screamed "Where did RM7.2bil in consultancy fees go to?" Ask any Malaysians, they would chorus, "In the pockets of middlemen as commissions."

Who are the middlemen? Tell us who are the ministers who signed the contracts - RM7.2 billion worth?

Anonymous_3f7d: The is a mere waste of good money. The RM7.2 billion is used to pay for producing reports only.

Whatever that is recommended by these foreign consultants won't be carried out because the ideas in those blueprints and what not are just way too sophisticated for the Malaysian minds and thus many of these plans fall flat.

A good example is the education blueprint. The people in the ministry and the teachers in general, including many school administrators, don't understand two hoots what it's talking about.

James1067: Instead, the funds should be diverted to the government servants as the lower-ranked officials can hardly meet their financial obligations.

Why should some cronies and foreigners get to benefit? There are many local consultants and senior civil servants who are more capable as they can understand the local landscape and problems better than these foreigners.

Face the facts - when the coffers dry it is not the foreigners and the cronies that will suffer but the average Malaysians.

Clever Voter: There is real value to be derived from external engagements. They can provide good basis before a final decision, or often they provide the discipline in project management.

However, when it comes to public sector, there are often flaws that can be anything from inflated fees, where someone gets a cut, or poor execution due to the lack of capability or resistance to change.

Onyourtoes: Seriously, I think it is time to get tough with people like Pemandu chief Idris Jala. His greatest achievement is to spend government's money lavishly on glossy consultant reports that no one reads, understands and implements.

What happened to all the KPIs (key performance indicators), Idris? Which departments use it? Which departments measure it and report it periodically? And what happened to NKRAs (National Key Result Areas) and NKEAs (National Key Economic Areas)?

Can we have some reports on these?

Odin: Consultants were needed to set up Pemandu. Consultants were needed to advise on how to run Pemandu.

Who were the consultants commissioned to advise Idris Jala and the rest in that outfit on how to pick lice off each other's hair, to scratch their armpits and backsides and then smell their fingers? And how much was paid to those consultants?

The Malaysian government is obviously run by brainless, thieving, lying vermin - including PM Najib Razak, of course - and the civil service is bloated with overpaid, underworked imbeciles.

Qingdao: Private consultants are hired to do what government employees (here we are talking about the senior ones) under the various ministries are paid to do.

Therefore, the government is paying two (about double?) salaries for what should be done by civil servants, who already are given good perks like generous housing and car loans; while there are hundreds of thousands of Malaysians who are wandering around the world trying to get a decent job.

Versey: Quote: "Anti-Anwar Ibrahim propaganda (jointly commissioned with FBC Media), 2008-2011 -RM1.2 million."

Though out of RM7.2 billion, the amount of RM1.2 million spent is insignificant, there is no justification for any government to spend taxpayers' hard-earned money on a propaganda programme against the ruling party's political opponent, the country's own citizen, isn't it?

Samurai: If this is the case, then any idiot too can be prime minister, even a three-year old kid. Just put her in the PM's Office's nice cushy chair, and hire a bunch of consultants to do the real work.

Doc: For RM7.2 billion, we could actually hire a reputable, intelligent and capable PM to run the country. Someone like former US president Bill Clinton or former British PM Tony Blair.

Why bother with consultants?

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