GENERALLY, movements of senior government officials in Malaysia tend not to raise any eyebrows. But this is not the case with the unusually speedy removal of Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board (Tourism Malaysia) director-general (DG) Datuk Dr Ammar Abd Ghapar.
Ammar, who’s spent 36 years in the civil service, received his termination letter on Feb 23, with the effective date being three days later. The letter was signed by Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.
Today (Feb 24), Tiong said Ammar was demoted, not sacked, as the latter did not perform on his job. The minister did not elaborate on whether Ammar failed to meet his key performance index (KPI) or in which area the former DG had been slacking.
In his defence, Ammar, in The Star report said that he had repeatedly sought a meeting with Tiong but to no avail.
“If I am not performing, why does the number of tourists increase? Only the minister knows the reason he signed the letter.
“It does not say if I’ll be transferred to where, holding what post, or what grade. I also had no intention of going against any directive or instructions,” Ammar was quoted as saying.
Tiong has a public duty to explain in detail the reasons for the abrupt termination of a senior official who’s due to retire next February. And what warranted the speedy removal? A wishy-washy explanation would not cut it, as this is a matter of public interest.
But by remaining vague, Tiong risks raising more questions about his decision, especially as efforts to promote Visit Malaysia Year 2026 get underway.
It didn’t help that past efforts to promote tourism in Malaysia, especially involving Tourism Malaysia, have had a bad rap in terms of leakages. Just this week, a former aide to a Tourism Minister was ordered to defend himself against eight charges of receiving RM1.77 mil in bribes relating to a tender for an advertising campaign for Tourism Malaysia six years ago.
In 2019, former Tourism Malaysia chairman Datuk Siew Ka Wei was remanded over a RM100 mil contract awarded before the 14th General Election. Prior to that, former Tourism Malaysia DG was linked with accepting free dental treatment from a company that he allegedly gave a contract to.
Put another way, the huge promotional budget allocated to Tourism Malaysia has a way of tempting those in power to dip their hands into the kitty.
Whether Ammar’s removal is due to this or not continues to be a subject of public speculation.
And speaking of clearing the air, Tiong himself has come under scrutiny from the Public Accounts Committee chairman Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, who is also Masjid Tanah MP.
In a Utusan Malaysia report following the sacking of Ammar, Mas Ermieyati has urged the government to probe Tiong over the various allegations of abuse of power levelled against him.
She said the probe was crucial if Putrajaya was serious about upholding transparency and good governance.
“His attitude and conduct do not reflect the integrity and ethics expected of a minister, especially in a country like Malaysia which is renowned for a harmonious work culture.
“The allegations against him are varied, from appointing friends and family to important positions in tourism offices, which reeks of nepotism and cronyism, as well as arbitrarily transferring government officials without a concrete reason which raises questions about the motive,” she said.
Last year, Tiong barged into Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s arrival hall, allegedly to help a Chinese citizen who was denied entry into the country.
He reportedly scolded KLIA auxiliary police and immigration officers while trying to help the Chinese national. – Feb 24, 2024
All photos credited to The Star
