Simple Solutions

Customs tardiness blamed for losses - The report said the Customs Department did not have enough personnel for all major entry points. This could result in merchandise being brought in and out of the free trade zones without being checked. Tax arrears amounting to RM15.03mil was not collected as a result of the department’s delay in assessing imported merchandise (The Star, 7th Sept 2006)

Sometimes things don't look as difficult as they are.

4 simple root causes:

1. Corruption - Where is the anti-corruption-agency?
2. Lack of manpower - Was this being communicated? if this was not being done, then it is simply another lame excuse when shit happens
3. Lack of efficiency - Are the workers being slack?
4. Lack of verification - Who is auditing the department from time to time? What is the frequency?

4 simple solutions:

1. ACA got to work harder
2. Hire more civil servants, since there are still a lot of jobless graduates
3. What will a company do when you are inefficient? Fire them and hires a new one
4. Periodical audit on the performance

This sounds like how a company operates and what I normally do. Lesson learnt, please do a better job next time and stop complaining how much money you lose. The simple preventive action is..... is anyone going to look at other departments instead of stepping on the wounds of our "poor" Customs?

Lesson 1: What is a closed-loop-corrective action?

1. Contain the problem
2. Address the rootcause
3. Define the corrective action
4. Draft the preventive action
5. Verify the effectiveness