Kulasegaran said there were 1,970 such cases and they accumulated due to administrative problems.

“I don’t want to hear about these backlogged cases anymore.

“We are here to serve the people. Those who want to be around with us must be ready to do work so that we can move faster than everyone else.

“What has happened in the past doesn’t matter, now we move on with speedy disposal,” he told a news conference today.

He said he had already instructed the ministry’s officers to resolve the cases that were delayed.

“They may have to come back at night, Saturday and Sunday or public holidays to complete these cases.

“It is not fair for people to wait so long. This is a matter of people’s ‘rice bowl’ and their families. That is why it is very important for these issues to be solved as soon as possible.

“This weekend is Wesak Day, many of them (ministry officers) are not celebrating, they should come back and work,” he said.

Kulasegaran said the ministry has one of the best systems to ensure cases are disposed of without compromising quality.

“In my office, every letter that comes, I will make sure that they are attended to in 48 hours,” he said.