KUALA LUMPUR – The names of corrupt politicians and the tales of their crimes should be published in school textbooks as a lesson for all, proposed a PAS leader.
Party information chief Khairil Nizam Khirudin said it frightens him seeing leaders getting involved in politics merely to make easy money, and that sharing these stories in schools could serve as a lesson to students from an early age.
The Dewan Negara senator recalled speaking at an anti-graft forum where he was the only member of a political party who took up the invitation, and where he first mooted the idea.
“The (moderator) had said that I was brave to accept the invitation (to attend an anti-corruption forum). I said: why should I be afraid when I am not involved in graft?
“This (question arose) because many people believe politicians like bribes,” he said in a podcast on HarakahTV.
“At the time, I suggested that any politician proven guilty in court should have their stories told in the school syllabus, so that people will know that even if you are a politician, you are not allowed to be corrupt and that action will be taken against you.
“Only then will our children know that politics is not to get rich, but rather to serve the nation and rakyat.”
While Khairil Nizam did not mention any names, this appears to be a swipe at Umno leaders currently embroiled in court cases.
Relationship between PAS and Umno has been deteriorating of late, with the two Muafakat Nasional (MN) parties openly attacking each other.
Last week, in a dialogue session with Bersatu information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan, Khairil Nizam had said that his party is currently considering cutting all ties with Umno, citing the betrayals committed by a certain faction within Umno that led to the collapse of the previous Perikatan Nasional government and triggering a number of state elections.
He had said that if there is a strong support from members to sever ties with its MN partner, PAS would then call for an emergency assembly, or muktamar.
“We will then table this to the PAS Syura Council to make it a policy. At the moment, we call on our members to be patient, because the action we are taking has to be strategised and not made too hastily,” he had said. – The Vibes, February 2, 2022
