Media statement by Lim Guan Eng in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, 2^nd December 2011: 

Malaysia's worst score in the 2011 Transparency International Corruption Perception Index underscores the failure of PM's GTP 

Malaysia's worst score in 10 years under the 2011 Transparency International(TI) Corruption Perception Index(CPI) underscores the failure of Prime MinisterDato Seri Najib Tun Razak's GTP of fighting corruption. Failure to fight corruption will certainly lead to failure of his ETP of transforming Malaysia into a high-income economy by 2020.

Malaysia's Corruption Perception Index (CPI) score has worsened for the third year running, slipping to 4.3 this year from 4.4 in 2010. Worse Malaysia's country ranking also fell to 60 out of 183 countries from 56 out of 178 last year. In 2003 when Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi took over as Malaysia's fifth Prime Minister, Malaysia was ranked 37 in the survey covering 146 countries.

TI's survey of 1,000 respondents also found that the police and political parties were seen as the most corrupt institutions in the country, with most Malaysians believing that corruption levels would remain the same in the next three years.

TI Malaysia Deputy President Mohammad Ali even noted that Malaysia's CPI has continued to decline as "elements of state" that facilitated 'grand corruption' were still prevalent.

Such a damning indictment by TI explains UMNO's vicious attacks against DAP at the UMNO General Assembly centered on racism, sex, lies and vulgar language. UMNO's attack on soft targets like Christians, Chinese, Bersih Chair S. Ambiga, DAP as trying to dominate the country and oppress the Malays, and even calling voters of DAP as bastards is a desperate attempt to distract attention from UMNO's failure to address the hard targets of corruption, cronyism and abuse of power.

No criticism is levelled at the expose by the 2010 Auditor-General Report of over-expenditure of RM3.7 billion by government departments. No mention is made about the cows and condos scandal involving the family of a Federal Minister.

One wonders why is the ordinary Pak Chik in the kampong not given such an opportunity? No questions are raised why money from a RM250 million can be approved and released two years even before the agreement was signed by both parties. Every UMNO leader wants to cover up the scandal of using money meant to rear cows has been diverted to buy not one but two luxury condominiums.

Malaysians want integrity not corruption, open tenders not negotiated tenders, no toll hikes instead of toll hikes that benefits only the few toll operators, freedom not oppression and rule of law instead of injustice. There is only hope for corruption if we can successfully curb corruption. Corruption will be the main issue in the next general elections where the people can either choose to support BN that has stolen our future for the last 54 years or reject BN to prevent our children's future from being stolen again.

*Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary General & MP for Bagan