'I no longer see the spirit of reform alive in PH' – PJ MP

SHAH ALAM – Petaling Jaya Member of Parliament (MP) Lee Chean Chung has claimed that Pakatan Harapan (PH) has failed to uphold the spirit of reform, hinting that Parti Bersama Malaysia (Bersama) could become the new "home" for that struggle.

He said the spirit of change, born out of the people's struggle more than two decades ago, is now "critically ill".

"It is being strangled by those who have grown too comfortable with power that they are willing to sacrifice the ideals of reform for short-term political interests.

"I no longer see the spirit of reform alive in Pakatan Harapan as it once was," he said in a Facebook post on Sunday.

He said the reforms once promised to the people have yet to materialise, with several key initiatives still pending, including the introduction of a term limit for the Prime Minister, the separation of the roles of the Attorney General and Public Prosecutor and the Freedom of Information Act.

He added that the Political Financing Act, regarded as crucial to ensuring a more transparent political system, has also yet to become a reality.

"We were outspoken in criticising Najib (Datuk Seri Najib Razak) and the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, as well as Muhyiddin (Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin) and Ismail Sabri (Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob) over Jana Wibawa and the 'Safe House' issue, yet we continue to ignore the root causes that have produced these scandals for so long.

"The political financing system remains opaque, unregulated and open to abuse of power and corruption. As long as the root cause is not addressed, new scandals will continue to emerge, regardless of who is in power," he said.

Nevertheless, Lee expressed confidence that the spirit of reform would not fade away, but would instead continue to find new platforms, spaces and leaders willing to champion the cause.

"I am here today to seek out, meet and stand alongside those who still believe that reform is not merely an election slogan, but a trust that must be fulfilled," he said.

Commenting on his current political standing, the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) member said he had previously been subjected to unfair treatment despite choosing to remain disciplined and respect the party's decisions.

"But in return, allocations for the people were withheld. There was no investigation, no opportunity to be heard and no fair process. Punishment was handed down without trial.

"If that is the standard to be practised, then by the same logic, I too could be expelled tomorrow or the day after.

"There is no need for an investigation. No need for a hearing. No need for an opportunity to defend myself. Just impose the punishment without trial. Go ahead," he said.