MPs must not ‘toe the party line’ on corruption - Subang MP

SHAH ALAM – Members of Parliament should be permitted to speak openly about corruption and governance issues without being constrained by political considerations, according to Subang MP Wong Chen.

Wong claimed that elected representatives have a fundamental duty to raise concerns regarding the public interest, even when such matters involve politically sensitive figures or coalition partners.

The PKR veteran was responding to the public debate following remarks made by Puchong MP Yeo Bee Yin concerning former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Some critics argued that such discourse is being discouraged due to political sensitivities within the unity government, particularly regarding the ongoing cooperation with Umno.

Wong stated that while MPs should be mindful of political alliances, they must still be afforded the space to voice their concerns.

“I think every Member of Parliament has some leeway to speak their mind. That’s important,” he told Sinar Daily during the upcoming episode of Fireside Chat.

However, he acknowledged the complexities of the current political landscape, suggesting that senior leaders must navigate sensitive topics with care.

“I suppose she has to be a bit more nuanced in the future. We do have partners from Umno and a large section of Umno remains very supportive of Najib,” he said.

Despite these complexities, Wong stressed that MPs should not be expected to adhere strictly to party directives at all times.

“The core issue here is do we have to toe the party line every time? When it comes to corruption, I think we must be able to speak out on it,” he stated.

While he did not directly criticise Yeo’s specific stance, Wong maintained that politicians should never be discouraged from raising questions related to integrity.

“I would agree to some extent perhaps not necessarily with Yeo’s specific approach but she should have every right to question anything related to corruption,” added.

In December last year, Yeo, who is the DAP publicity secretary, posted a celebratory remark following the Kuala Lumpur High Court's decision to dismiss Najib's bid to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest.

Barisan Nasional secretary-general Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir and Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh and Jelebu MP Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias were among the politicians who criticised Yeo over her remarks.

Najib has been imprisoned since Aug 23, 2022, after being found guilty of misappropriating RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd.