malaysiakini and the CULTURE of NEGLECT

Malaysia is quite famous for our "tiadapathy" culture especially with respect to maintenance of buildings and other state assets.
No doubt many departments have paid for expensive ISO audits and some even proudly display their certificates.
A few years back, I took a trip to Putrajaya- the buildings look grand from afar but once you take a closer look, the signs of neglect are everywhere.
We usually have a grand ceremony with dancing laser lights etc to open an expensive white elephant (like the JB's CIQ) but then suddenly realise that many things have not been planned for.
For a simple thing like the CIQ, it is quite easy to rectify - all one needs is lots of dinero like the RM5billion stimulus package proposed for operational expenses. What that means is that the government gets to spend more money on flying executive jets and the like. No don't expect any goodies like a RM500 cash voucher for poor families.
What is more disturbing and damaging in our culture of neglect is when our multi-billion ringgit submarines have to go to sea without a high level of maintenance as indicated in this malaysiakini letter A construction company for submarine rescue? .
Given the bloody story of the submarines with the ghost of Altantuuya lurking in our courts, those navy men must be really brave to operate the submarines without a high level of back-up service.
The way I see it, the services that this proposed company can provide is probably more for recovery of the equipment and dead sailors.
Besides, I thought the government has already paid millions of ringgit for such services at the time the submarines were purchased.