CENTRE to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Centre) expresses grave concerns over the potential for unscrupulous and corrupt practices taking place among politicians and political parties as the political turmoil intensifies.
As these incidents have previously taken place in our political arena, they are not unfounded fears, as we watch with disquiet the political drama exploding in the face of a raging pandemic.
We urge the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to employ the strictest of actions if any politician is found engaged in underhanded means or are found in the business of putting up MPs for sale.
A time of turmoil like this provides opportunities for deals to be made, be it the trading of favours or funds, including plush political appointments to government-linked companies and statutory bodies.
Poignant and recent examples of questionable practices include how Kuala Langat MP, Xavier Jayakumar saw the investigation against him suddenly vanish after he resigned from PKR and threw his support behind the Perikatan Nasional (PN) government.
He also saw how reports by Sabah elected representatives are being offered bribes to the tune of millions of ringgit to switch sides from supporting Datuk Seri Panglima Shafie Apdal to allying with Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Musa Aman went by without the bat of an eyelid, let alone any serious investigations.
This rise in corruption, dirty money, and wanton abuses of power done in the frenzy of horse-trading must be checked and stopped, and we urge the rakyat to be the eyes and ears of the MACC, as these crimes will definitely come back to haunt us in coming years.
C4 Centre further adds to the growing calls for Tan Sri Dato' Haji Muhyiddin Yassin to step down as prime minister honourably, having lost the majority upon 11 Umno MPs retracting their support for the PN government, especially with Umno president Dato' Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi telling the press that “there were more statutory declarations” withdrawing their support for Muhyiddin as prime minister presented to the king.
Leading an unelected government for the past 18 months meant the burden of accountability should be of a higher demand for the Muhyiddin government. Instead, in true fashion, it demonstrated much indifference to the suffering of the people, enforced the law with double standards and brought Malaysia to the state of despair it is in now.
In hanging on to power, the nation will only see more turmoil as the political scuffle grows amid the rising number of Covid-19 cases in Malaysia. It is high time that the current administration, which had circumvented the will of the people in seizing power, be held accountable for its actions.
In the end, the political quagmire that has resulted from the Parliament sitting delays can only be solved with an immediate majority declaration. Each moment spent waiting is another step towards the death of democratic governance and the rule of law. – The Vibes, August 5, 2021
C4 Centre is an independent non-profit policy advocacy group dedicated to upholding good governance
