10 ministers miss deadline, KPI one month late

By G. Manimaran and Neville Spykerman

Najib (centre) with his ministers in charge of KPIs, Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon (left) and Datuk Seri Idris Jala. — Picture by Jack Ooi

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 13 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s push for Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for his Cabinet has been delayed by a month — to end December — as 10 ministers have yet to submit their reports.

The prime minister said he will meet some ministers over the next few days to complete the task that was initially scheduled for November, six months after he named his Cabinet.

“I will meet some ministers tomorrow and next week, and the others after the climate conference in Copenhagen,” Najib said after chairing the third Cabinet retreat to finalise the KPIs.

The Cabinet had also discussed some 300 programmes proposed for the six National Key Result Areas (NKRAs).

“All submissions will be completed by the end of this month,” he added.

Sources told The Malaysian Insider that the Najib administration’s focus on the economy has precluded any talk of a cabinet reshuffle.

He hopes to stimulate economic growth to six per cent in 2010, leading to talk of snap polls a year later.

“The government transformation programme by the NKRAs is historic,” said Najib, who pointed out that this was the first time such move was being carried out so comprehensively.

Also with him at the joint press conference were ministers Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon and Datuk Seri Idris Jala, both in charge of the KPIs and NKRAs.

Najib also announced that the public will be able to view and give their feedback on the NKRAs and its 300 programmes in Bandar Sunway on Dec 18, a day after special guests and non-governmental organisations preview the event.

“I hope the public takes the opportunity to learn what the government is doing and see for themselves the targets which have been set,” he said, adding that the government was being transparent and committed to achieving the targets.

He thanked the ministers and government servants whom he said were working day and night in labs set up to formulate specific initiatives for each NKRA.

Idris, who is minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, had set up eight labs last Oct 5 for the six NKRAs and the 1 Malaysia concept for the various race communities in the country, whose relationships have frayed over several incidents involving the majority Malay-Muslims with the Chinese and Indians.

Complaints have also surfaced that some natives in Sarawak could not obtain scholarships or university openings because only one of their parents held Bumiputera status.

Detailed studies have been carried out on the needs of every village in the country; 7,000 primary and 3,000 secondary schools; and 44,000 lower income households, said Najib.

He added that the government had also issued MyKads to the Penan community in Sarawak, in line with the 1 Malaysia concept.

“The philosophy of 1 Malaysia runs through all the NKRA,” he said, adding that a comprehensive document on national unity will be produced in January.

However, he acknowledged that the government is unlikely to obtain unanimous consensus on all issues because they were dealing with a wide spectrum of society.

Najib has heard presentations from all six lead ministers involved in the NKRA and while generally happy, said there was still room for improvement.