October 7, 2012
Walk the Talk on Corruption, Prime Minister
by Lim Guan Eng
Prime Minister Najib and MACC Chief Abu Kassim
MP SPEAKS: Will BN leaders pass the test to walk the talk in fighting corruption by making a public declaration of assets, implementing open competitive tenders, bar family members from being involved with government business and drop BN leaders with extravagant lifestyles?
Prime Minister Najib Razak’s speech at the opening of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities Conference urged leaders at all levels of society to exhibit the right values and ethical conduct in order to prevent corruption. Unfortunately Najib is long on rhetoric but short on action in fighting corruption.
The drop in Malaysia’s Transparency International’s (TI) Corruption Perception Index (CPI) from No. 37 in 2003 to No. 60 in 2012 is the most damaging indictment of BN’s failure to root out corruption.
Worse, TI Malaysia Deputy President Mohammad Ali even noted that Malaysia’s CPI has continued to decline as “elements of state” that facilitated “grand corruption” were still prevalent. Even Housing and Local Government Minister Chor Chee Heung admitted that corruption costs Malaysia RM26 billion every year.
Again, Najib has failed to walk the talk leading to not only the Malacca Chief Minister proudly showing off his son’s wedding with 130,000 guests, never mind who paid for it or how much it costs.
So far there are no answers to disturbing questions about the extent of the extraordinary wealth of Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud with allegations that his family is worth billions of ringgit.
The enormity of Taib’s family wealth is corroborated by the current divorce proceedings of his son Mahmud Abu Bekir Taib, in which his ex-wife has revealed that he is worth at least RM1 billion, with personal accounts all over the world.
If Najib wants Malaysians to take his fight against corruption seriously, then he must institutionalise public declaration of assets. This has been done in Penang where the Chief Minister and the entire state exco has made a public declaration of assets that has even been certified by an international accounting firm. If Penang can do it, why can’t the Prime Minister and his federal cabinet do the same?
At the same time, BN leaders with extravagant lifestyle owning luxury homes, cars and even number plates must be dropped. Family members must also be barred from being involved in government businesses to avoid another RM 250 million ‘cows and condos’ National Feedlot scandal.
Another necessary element in the battle against corruption is to institutionalise open competitive tenders. Without open competitive tenders, public projects are directly negotiated and awarded to cronies causing loss of public revenue such as the cheap sale of the Sungai Besi Air Force Base land.
Can the RM386 million for 57 KR1M stores in Sabah and Sarawak or RM6.7 million per store be justified? At RM6.7 million per store, are the KR1M stores selling basic necessities like sugar, salt and rice or luxury items like jewellery and designer handbags?
In Penang, open competitive tenders were implemented immediately after the change of government in 2008 and as a result the state government has been able to achieve surplus budgets every year since, with proceeds from the savings going back to the people annually in the form of an ‘anti-corruption dividend’.
This is a result of a zero tolerance of corruption policy where Pakatan leaders pass the test to walk the talk by making a public declaration of assets, implementing open competitive tenders, barring family members from being involved with government businesses and do not have leaders with extravagant lifestyles. Can Najib apply the same anti-corruption test?
LIM GUAN ENG is Bagan MP and Penang Chief Minister.
Najib is sleepwalking over the last 3 years and will wake up when the results of GE-13 are known. He rather sleeps than to take on the powerful corrupt leaders like Taib Mahmud and Mahathir or even Chief Minister Ali Rustam of Malacca.
By the way, I agree with the consensus on this blog that Abu Kassim should resign or face the prospect of being fired if Pakatan Rakyat comes to power.
Acha hei. Gum, Gum. Shall we send Gullbuttock Singh to take care of Red Lips Ah Jib Hor, Mr. Bean?
I just read this case of Miranda Swaray Goeltom.
“A total of 28 legislators have also been convicted and jailed for taking bribes in the form of traveler’s checks, although the central question of who put up the money for the bribes remains unanswered.”
I feel sad and painful. I am a Malaysian.
“Dr” LGE, the truth is the UMNO/BN patients know that they will go into political oblivion if they take the medicines you prescribed. Most people know the cause and effect of this cancerous malaise and how to end it in principle. But the reality is the opposite as evidenced from our CPI worldwide ranking from 37 in 2003 to 60 this year. I must say that the architect who destroyed our check and balance is the old goat himself and his successors and their contigent benefactors just perfected it.
Watch the the slide if UMNO/BN continues to hang on to power after GE 13 ( I suspect by foul means) or you and your PR colleagues use the instruments of state to strike when the iron is hot when elected to helm the country. Every ringgit siphoned off should be returned to the rakyat through enlightened policies and its transparent implementation, in particular on education and improving job skills.
Its Likened to a Murderer telling eveyone that Murder is Baddd!!!
i wonder if the PM house has any mirror? how does he wake up and look at the mirror and not be ashame for all the hypocrisy. but i guess thats between him and his maker.
enough said. once i retire (in a few years time) i guess my anger will mellow coz at least I aint gonna pay no more for the circus shows by BN.
“Will BN leaders pass the test to walk the talk in fighting corruption by making a public declaration of assets, implementing open competitive tenders, bar family members from being involved with government business and drop BN leaders with extravagant lifestyles?”
This is THE question isnt it.
As if they will. Too late.
Kathy,
If ye destruction of bn & umno deem necessary to save Malaysia, so be it & let it be done
Malaysians are known to be highly corrupted especially politicians where they got involved in projects that would help their runners to siphon out the money on their behalf. One can can look at their children’s assets that will determine the wealth of the family assets like the old goat. As what the former Welfare Minister Sharizat who mentioned that all UMNO ministers are also facing the same problems like her husband who allegedly involved with RM250 millions in NFC cowgate project. When the foundation is not strong in any tall buidings,they will not withstand an earthquake of great magnitude. It has become the way of life for some politicians.
Time to relax guys! Don’t let Najib get into your hair. Wash him out of your hair if you have some left.
http://dinmerican.wordpress.com/2012/10/06/your-weekend-entertainment-back-tojazz/#comment-167020
“Malaysians are known to be highly corrupted especially politicians where they got involved in projects that would help their runners to siphon out the money on their behalf. One can can look at their children’s assets that will determine the wealth of the family assets like the old goat.” Ricardo Lane
The rebel rouser that Mahathir Mohamad was in the late ’60s chose for himself a trajectory based on race to build his political career and it catapulted him to success beyond his wildest dreams. His family had emerged out of the shadows of the kelang ice in Sbg. Perak an obscure backwater of a sleepy hollow to become the country’s Emperor. Do you really think he could have done it alone?
Mahathir has always been a moderate Muslim. In the early ’80s he brought Anwar Ibrahim on board his bandwagon and added religion to race. I am not sure if that is a case of a strong visionary leader shaping the event or events abroad shaping him but Malaysia has never been the same again. Financial empire upon financial empire has been carved out. Through Malaysia Inc. a criminal enterprise he once headed, sold to us as Malaysia’s answer to the Japanese sogososha, the Old Goat chose winners and losers who then went on to milk the country dry.
Had he known George Soros earlier, he would be made aware of the seeds that he was sowing into a system that he could rightly claim to be the founder. Mahathir would have taken note of the forces of dialectical materialism that he had helped create.