#RasuahBusters: Lawmakers fail to take things seriously to combat corruption

SHAH ALAM - The #RasuahBusters team stress for the ‘Six #MalaysiaTanpaRasuah Political Demands’ submitted last September to be tabled as the main agenda in Parliament.

The movement’s core team lead Datuk Hussamuddin Yaacub said despite many statements issued on integrity and corruption, the lawmakers failed to take things seriously.

After months went by after the demands were submitted and many meetings with lawmakers, there were lack of efforts in pushing for laws to combat corruption and strengthen integrity in the country up to this day.

“The message we want to convey is that we have lost our patience, and there are no changes for almost a year.

“Although statement after statement were issued, we do not see the seriousness of our lawmakers to amend the law.

“Corruption in Malaysia is becoming more widespread, I think this is an open secret and we cannot deny it,” he said.

Hussamuddin stressed that the team pressured all lawmakers to amend the laws as what was demanded last year.

“If we change the law, our country will be more conducive. Without the amendment in law, whatever steps we take will go back to square one.

“So please take us seriously. General Election is coming, if we don’t change what we demand within a year, I think we will be in a vicious cycle,” he said.

He also said that if the standards or barometers set by an individual against the value system were low, the problem of corruption and abuse of power would not be solved.

The six demands were the implementation and full support of the National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACP); to accelerate the tabling and implementation of Political Funding law; to ensure institutional freedom and independence of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC); to introduce a recall law to deal with party-hopping among elected representatives, implement and empower Undi18; and conduct Parliamentary reform.

Hussamuddin was speaking at a press conference organised by #RasuahBusters titled Six Political Demands #MalaysiaTanpaRasuah ‘Apa Dah Jadi?’ which took place at Kumpulan Karangkraf here today.

Other panellists present during the press conference were Executive Director at the Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) Cynthia Gabriel and Economic Affairs Chief Executive Officer Tricia Yeoh and The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) chairman Thomas Fann.

Other than that, also present were Undi18 co-founder Tharma Pillai, Gabungan Bertindak Malaysia (GBM) chairman Badlishah Sham Baharin and Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) president Dr Muhammad Mohan.