KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 27- The move by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to sign the Malaysian Transparency International General Election Integrity Pledge reflects the emergence of a new political era in the country.
The pledge, launched by Transparency International-Malaysia (TI-M) as political parties and potential candidates prepare for the 13th General Election (GE), is also seen as sprucing up the GE process as a political platform with hallmarks of dignity and integrity.
The action was apt, to see local politicians and political institutions corruption-free and transparent; it also showed Najib’s determination to uphold integrity and strengthen his commitment towards the national agenda in combating corruption, especially in the coming GE. Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (Malaysia Chapter) president Datuk Akhbar Satar(Pic) said, Najib’s leadership carried with it a shift in the culture of thinking towards realising a new politics of dignity and integrity.
“From there, we can see the prime minister’s determination and commitment to change and improve the national political perspective, especially on matters of national governance,” the former director of the Negeri Sembilan and Perlis Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) told Bernama in a recent interview.
He said, corruption in politics was the ‘mother of all corruption’ and a study in 2010 by Transparency International Global Corruption Barometer found that political parties were among the most corrupt sectors. The integrity pledge is a voluntary social contract with candidates who would be contesting in the GE, to encourage integrity, good governence, transparency and accountability in the government and uphold the law. The candidates who signed the pledge agreed to abide by the General Election Offences Act 1954 and its regulations; and ensure their actions were for the benefit of the public, and not for self-interest.
But, are the efforts of the prime minister and 17 other politicians, including those from the opposition, who had signed the pledge to date, sufficient to convince Malaysians and the world that they are determined to combat corruption? As the GE looms closer, Akhbar said, the people did not want to see candidates who led moderate lives, become filthy rich after winning at the polls.
Now, integrity has become one of the benchmarks of quality and stature of a leader and political institution. Commenting further, Akhbar said, numerous innovations and actions which were carried out by the government and the MACC, including vetting candidates, showed a desire and determination in combating corruption at national-level. As stated by TI-M president Datuk Paul Low Seng Kuan, the public is responsible in monitoring the level of integrity of politicians, specifically those who had signed the pledge.
“We will be having a special column in our website to accomodate the public sending e-mail to us about their observations, and once we have received the e-mail, that information will be published online, through www.timalaysia-electionpledge.org.my,” he said.
On the integrity of politicians and the transparencies of politicial institutions nationwide, National Defence University of Malaysia’s Leadership, Corporate and International Affairs Division deputy director, and senior lecturer Dr Jessica Ong Hai Liaw is of the opinion the people often decided without investigating, when faced with an issue involving integrity. The tendency of approaching or selecting the ideology of certain parties, without looking into the pros and cons, would influence someone’s integrity, she noted.
BERNAMA
