Media Statement (2)
by Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Saturday,
8th
November 2008:
Three reasons why I have no confidence in
Abdullah and that MCAC will not end up as another toothless tiger for
anti-corruption like Suhakam in promoting human rights
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi announced at the National Integrity Convention in Kuching
yesterday that the Cabinet had endorsed the formation of the Malaysian
Commission on Anti-Corruption (MCAC) and that the MCAC Bill will be
passed at the current meeting of Parliament to replace the
Anti-Corruption Act 1997.
He said the MCAC is modeled after Hong Kong’s Independent Commission on
Anti-Corruption and New South Wales’ Independent Commission Against
Corruption, “which are among the best anti-corruption agencies in the
world”.
I have no confidence that Abdullah has the political will to carry out
meaningful anti-corruption reforms, and that the MCAC will not end up as
another toothless tiger for anti-corruption like the Human Rights
Commission (Suhakam) with its statutory duty to promote and protect
human rights!
My lack of confidence that Abdullah is capable of one final fling with a
meaningful institutional reform before he ends his hapless five-year
tenure as the fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia is supported by at least
three reasons:
1. The setting for Abdullah’s “important”
announcement yesterday – the National Integrity Convention in
Kuching. On stage applauding Abdullah’s announcement to fight
corruption were leaders responsible for Malaysia’s relentless
plunge, year after year, in international rankings on
anti-corruption – whether Transparency International Corruption
Perception Index from No. 37 in 2003 to No. 47 in 2008 or the Hong
Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) annual
corruption ranking, with Malaysia in 2008 placed No. 6 in Asia and
getting the worst score of 6.37 (in a grading system with zero as
the best possible score and 10 as the worst) since 1996. Malaysia
was ranked No. 4 in Asia with a score of 5 in 1996!
2. Abdullah’s stance of fight against corruption – which has been
all talk but no walk – is not echoed or supported by other Barisan
Nasional leaders or Cabinet Ministers. I spoke on the corruption
issue in the 2009 budget committee debate on the Prime Minister’s
Department in Parliament on Wednesday, but the Minister in the Prime
Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz studiously avoided
answering issues I raised about corruption in his one-hour reply on
Thursday. This meant two things: firstly, lack of real political
interest, will or commitment to fight corruption and secondly,
defensive mentality on the issue, particularly with the serious
problem of corruption of money politics in the ongoing Umno party
elections.
3. Worst case of corruption and money politics in UMNO elections.
Nobody dared to respond to my challenge in Parliament on Wednesday
to stand up and deny my charge that the current Umno party elections
is shaping up to be the worst case of corruption and money politics
in the nation’s history.
I am not the only making this charge as top
Umno leaders have publicly confessed to this, like Tengku Ahmad
Rithaudeen, Umno disciplinary board charman, who has virtually thrown up
his hands in despair, declaring: “It seems to be getting worse with
every party election…We are trying our best, but it seems we can’t deal
with it completely. It is now rooted to the core.” And Tengku Razaleigh
Hamzah’s shocking “No money, no talk” expose, why he could not get even
a second nomination to contest for Umno Presidency because he refused to
respond to overtures and bribe delegates in return for their votes!
*
Lim
Kit Siang, DAP
Parliamentary leader & MP for Ipoh Timor
http://dapmalaysia.org