Inefficient, Incompetent and …?

On the 10th of August I received a ( red ) letter from LHDN ( Income Tax Department ) stating this:

Pemberitahuan Baki Cukai Tertunggak. It was addressed to me and no one else.

From its contents it said that I have to pay them a certain amount ( stated below ) in BAKI CUKAI TERTUNGGAK.

I went to LHDN in Shah Alam on the 17th of August to get it sorted out. They, the officer printed out another letter ( a white letter ) and gave it to me. This was actually a letter sent to the:

Bendahari
Bhg Pengurusan Belanjawan & Kewangan staff
Pejabat Bendahari
University Malaya
50603 Kuala Lumpur.

s.k.

Ketua Pengarah,

Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam Malaysia,
Bahagian Pencen
Block C1 dan C2, Parel C,
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Perseketuan,
62502 PUTRA JAYA MALAYSIA


This letter to the Bendahari of the University of Malaya was dated 26 April 2005. This was the year when I retired, in November 2005. It stated the outstanding amount.

To me it is very clear that the University did not comply to the rules of JPA for reasons best known to them ( the University ).

I went to the University ( of Malaya ) to sort this matter. I went to the Bendahari’s office and the woman at the desk ( Pn Yati if I am not mistaken ) spoke and acted like she is the Bendahari and wanted to see my letter. I told her that she had no right to look at it and I wanted to see the Bendahari. I asked her if this is the way she treated pensioners who served the University and the government for more than 20 years. I reminded her of the letter pensioners received to feel free to visit the University anytime we felt like doing so. She kept silent after that. I did have a hard time trying to tell her that it was an urgent matter and that I needed to see the Bendahari. I was told the Bendahari was on leave.

Then someone ( I believe her name is Pn. Zuraini ) who deals with Income Tax in the Bendahari's office came out and I told her about it and she was just as baffled as me because she said … when one retires, all monies due are deducted from one’s gratuity before releasing the gratuity and pension money.

All this happened past 11pm.

Then ( the practice of some government offices and officers ) I was told to go to the Pendaftar’s office.

I went there and found out that the Pendaftar was also on leave. So I spoke to Pn Bahiya bt Sujana who proudly said she is the Penolong Pendaftar. Good. So I thought.

I explained everything yet again. Puan Bahiyah too was puzzled as Pn Zuraini was and as Pn Zuraini Pn Bahiya also said all monies owing ( Pembayaran amaun pencen dan ganjaran adalah tertakluk kepada apa-apa potongan hutang kerajaan – as stated very clearly to the Pendaftar by the JPA ) should be cleared before one is given the gratuity and the pension.

Both, Pn Zuraini and Pn Bahiyah agreed that before I get my gratuity all monies due to the University must be settled and only then will I receive my gratuity and pension.

By the way, I received my gratuity and pension after I retired. But I am being harassed.

Then she made a series of calls. I asked her who she was calling and she said she didn’t know. So when she made another call, I told her to please ask who she is talking to. When she mentioned the name on the phone, I wrote it down. I then asked her who she spoke to, to confirm it. She said she was talking to someone from JPA by the name of Pn Maimun.

By now it was about 12pm.

Puan Zalihah was seated next to Pn Bahiya. I asked for her name as she was listening and wanted her to be witness to what was going on.

Puan Bahiyah also called En Zulkifli from the Bilik Record. Puan Bahiya actually told me to return later. I told her I will wait. Then after a while someone ( En Zulkifli I assume ) brought my file. She flipped through my file but still there was no proper answer as to why I received a red letter from LHDN.

Puan Bahiya asked me for the letter sent from JPA to the Pendaftar, Cc to me. I told her that the Pendaftar should have it as the JPA sent it to them and Cc’d me. She could not find the letter!
An important letter from JPA to the Pendaftar of University of Malaya is missing?

She also told me that I should have gone to see her as soon as I received the letter! How audacious can one get! So if I had gone right after I received that letter she would have solved the matter?

In any case, I should not have gotten the letter. They should have settled everything before releasing my gratuity and pension as stated in the letter to them by JPA.

It is then that I reminded her about YTM Raja Nazrin’s speech about incompetent and inefficient officials.

Now Pn Bahiya also said this: JPA please take note:

JPA is the one who needs to check my file because I retired a long time ago ( two years ago ) – end of November 2005.

She also said that cannot be captured by the computer system by JPA.

I told her that what she said – that JPA is the one who should sort this - is blatantly disobeying the JPA and its clear instructions to them.

They do not have the letter sent to them by the JPA!


Now this is very interesting.

The Letterhead says JABATAN PERKHIDMATAN AWAM MALAYSIA ( in Blue and in big letters )

BAHAGIAN PENCEN
Aras 2-5 , Blok C2 , Parcel C
Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Perseketuan
62510 W.P. PUTRAJAYA
MALAYSIA



JPA ( I have copies of the letters ) replied to:

Pendaftar
University of Malaya
Seksyen Perkhid & Saraan, Bhg Sumber Manusia
Aras 1 Bangunan Canseleri
50603 University Malaya

Tuan,

KELULUSAN FAEDAH PERSARAAN ( that is the heading ).

This letter was written by the JPA IN REPLY to the Pendaftar of University of Malaya. The University’s letter was dated 17/06/2005

The reply by JPA to the University was dated 05/09/2005. Almost four months.


The letter that JPA sent to the Pendaftar has all the details of me and how much gratuity and pension I should get when I retire.

Allow me to write the last sentence of the letter to the Pendaftar.

D. KENYATAAN KELULUSAN

BERDASARKAN KEPADA MAKLUMAT YANG DINYATAKAN, FAEDAH-FAEDAH PERSARAAN SEPERTI BERIKUT ADALAH DILULUSKAN :

1. GANJARAN RM ( amount ) SAHAJA.

2. PENCEN RM ( amount ) SEBULAN

* Pembayaran amaun pencen dan ganjaran adalah tertakluk kepada apa-apa potongan potongan hutang kerajaan.


DILULUSKAN OLEH

( signature )

( ROHIMAN BIN RAHIAH )

Jawatan : KPP ( P ) 02

Tarikh : 02/09/ 2005

This is a very clear letter to the Pendaftar. I am sure the Pendaftar has received numerous such letters when any staff who retires.


Let me remind what YTM Raja Nazrin said in his speech in the compounds of the University of Malaya:

He also said the eradication of red tape and bureaucratic procedures will help stave off high economic costs and inhibit opportunity for illicit payments.

YTM Raja Muda of Perak also said:

People without integrity, honesty and morality should be prevented from holding public office.

YTM Raja Nazrin also said ( FIRST MALAYSIAN STUDENT LEADERS SUMMIT ) that:
Only those who are capable, responsible and scrupulously honest should be allowed to serve in positions of leadership. Those who are inefficient, incompetent and, most importantly, corrupt, should be held in absolute contempt.

I absolutely agree with YTM Raja Nazrin. He is a man of admirable wisdom.

So, the all-important question is: Where is the BAKI CUKAI TERTUNGGAK to be paid to the LHDN?

Btw, the BAKI CUKAI TERTUNGGAK is more than RM11, 000, close to RM12, 000.

I have been given my gratuity and am receiving my pension every month. That simply put means I do not owe the government any BAKI CUKAI TERTUNGGAK.

Allow me to reiterate: Pembayaran amaun pencen dan ganjaran adalah tertakluk kepada apa-apa potongan potongan hutang kerajaan.

That in plain Bahasa Malaysia or Bahasa Melayu means - only if the University of Malaya has deducted any monies owing to the government can they release my gratuity and my pension.

Now, it’s a mystery. No one seems to know even after looking at my file.

I have 21 days ( from 9th August 2007 ) to pay the BAKI CUKAI TERTUNGGAK to the LHDN. If I do not - Tindakan mahkamah boleh diambil ke atas tuan dan sekatan perjalanan di bawah Sekyen 104 Akta Cukai Pendapatan 1967 dikuatkuasakan sekiranya tuan gagal menjelaskan cukai tertunggak tersebut.

I have to pay for their incompetence? According to the letter sent to the University of Malaya by both LHDN and JPA, they – the University of Malaya and its administrators - have to clarify and pay to the LHDN.

I too would like to know where that amount has gone to since LHDN did not receive it.

LHDN wrote to the Bendahari of the University of Malaya on the 26th of April 2005.

JPA wrote a letter to the Pendaftar of the University of Malaya on the 5th of September 2005.

The University of Malaya has caused me a lot of stress and nothing but problems.

This was when the previous VC was in charge of the University.

p/s It is very strange indeed that this has come about after I wrote an article which was posted in M-T about the case of the blind and my conclusion was … who next – the pensioners? Read Who says our authorities are not carrying out their duties?

Coincidence? Perhaps.

The Penolong Pendaftar informed me that she will contact me when they sort the matter. I have yet to receive a call from her or any of them.

According to LHDN I have five days left to settle the BAKI CUKAI TERTUNGGAK.

Wake up University of Malaya! Do what you are paid to do.

anon