Reform MACC, split AG's powers, bring in whistle blower and financing act, Anwar told
Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
A
A
A
In a statement, the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Center) advised the government to approach reforms with greater conviction and simultaneously engage closely with members of civil society to strengthen public confidence in the government’s commitment to the battle against corruption.
It said that it is deeply troubled by Malaysia’s score of 47 points on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), which was revealed by Transparency International (TI) on Monday, as it highlighted the government's weakness in fighting corruption.
"The latest CPI released by TI was an eye-opener, highlighting the weaknesses of the government’s administrative framework and institutions in fighting corruption and potentially further permeating into the lives of the people," it said.
It stated that one of the main reasons for this was the lack of political will among lawmakers to strategically and effectively address corruption that has now become institutionalised.
Therefore, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has to "put action" into his words by carrying out long overdue reforms, as he has declared that corruption is the main threat against the nation.
C4 Center called on the government to look into any outstanding and critical reform efforts, particularly those aligned with the National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACP) 2019–2023 initiatives.
Among the efforts are the revision and amendment of the existing Whistleblower Protection Act 2010, the reformation of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), and the separation of the Attorney General and the Public Prosecutor offices.
In addition, the government should enact the Political Funding and Financing Act, legislate a Public Procurement Act, and mandate the practise of asset declaration.
The battle against corruption can no longer be taken for granted, as the continual slide in perceptions will also have a negative economic impact in terms of foreign investors’ confidence at a time when Malaysia needs all the support it can get to revitalise a troubled economy, the statement read.
The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) chairman Thomas Fann echoed this view, saying that Anwar has to bring in institutional reforms to make his government more accountable and totally transparent, especially when it comes to financial matters.
"Among the factors contributing to the decline in overall score in the CPI was the political chaos when a government that did not have the people's mandate overthrew the elected government," he said.
"There was a lack of transparency and accountability during that period where Parliament was suspended and restricted in its role as a check and balance institution, and a huge amount of money was disbursed with little scrutiny during the pandemic," he added.
He urged the government to take up a renewed commitment to fight corruption by making the MACC a truly independent body that is free from any political influence.
He also said that the policymaker must introduce laws such as the Political Financing Act and the Procurement Act to enhance transparency in the government, which will hopefully be reflected in an improvement in the CPI score for the coming years.
Yesterday, Transparency International-Malaysia (TI-M) president Dr Muhammad Mohan said Malaysia continued to drop points in Transparency International's 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index.
Malaysia's ranking in TI's 2022 CPI dipped further for the year 2022, with its score dropping to 47 points in its most recent assessment, a 6-point decline over the previous three years.
