Malaysian contractor ‘driven to suicide’ in Kerala

For the communists and the Gandhiwallahs who bring down and make
governments quoting figures of farmer suicides this might not be
something new.

In November a Malaysian contractor working on a project in Kerala
killed himself due to heavy financial losses and mental agony. In his
suicide note he blamed the government in Kerala and said the system
was totally corrupt and it had become difficult for him to continue
working there.

Lee was in charge of a World Bank aided project for the Kerala State
Transport Corporation and was believed to be frustrated.

The project had been stalled for the past six to seven months because
the government hadn’t paid the company dues of about Rs 12 crore.

After the incident the government has followed the usual practice of
transferring a few employees and ordering a probe that will possible
be buried in time.

Lee Seen Ben used to supervise the project work from this office and
his colleagues here are yet to come to terms with the tragedy. Lee’s
colleagues, however, don’t want to speak on camera, as they have got
orders from above.

The project was scheduled for completion by April 2006, but is not
even near the halfway mark. The government is now thinking of
extending the project deadline to May next year.

While the project is vital for the state, Lee’s suicide and the
allegations he has made need to be investigated.