Monday, April 21, 2008

ICAC for Malaysia?

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badwi today announced that the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA)will become a fully independent body.

He also announced other reforms today to boost the fight against corruption, including passing new laws to protect whistleblowers.

In addition, the number of ACA officers would be tripled in the next five years to boost the agency capacity to fight corruption.

Source: ACA to be fully independent

Pak Lah has to act radically to put the nation of people fully behind him in support of his shaky premiership. He have most of the Umno warlords trying to dethrone him. He had to act sagaciously and he must discern mischief while it is still remote and in the germ.

Only a weak ruler is irresolute and undecided; and that the course he had to take will now be dependent more on necessity than choice.

He has promised a Judicial Appointment Commission (JAC) who must be given the power to appoint judges and also to decide on the promotion of judges; and JAC should not be required to get his approval, but will submit their proposal directly to the King for consent. Pak Lah must come clean on this JAC thing; otherwise it will be another folly.

According to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz, the agency had proposed for ACA to operate in ways similar to the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

The ICAC is one of the most esteemed anti-corruption watchdog in the region and is often touted by civil society groups and opposition parties as a suitable model for ACA, which currently reports to the Prime Minister’s Department.

If truly the government will make ACA in the exact mold of ICAC, then the ACA cannot report to the prime minister nor seek his advice to indict any person accused of corruption. To be wholly effective, the ACA must be made to report to parliament.

More to be done, dear Prime Minister. With an independent JAC and ICAC, it's a good start. There's still the IPCMC, Section 121 and 121(a) of the Federal Constitution; the freedom of expression and the reforming the laws that governed the media; the protection of the minorities and the dismantling of the 4th floor decemvirs.

More need to be done quickly and efficiently in the shortest period such as to cause the people to rally behind him and thus save the PM from being exterminated by his own political community.

Najib, you may have to wait a little longer!

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Every 2-year-old kiddie in this country knows: "What Dollah says, Dollah forgets." He does not only have big ears, bit also a big mouth and a big cannon(slang for bragging)

Anonymous said...

JUST BUYING SOME TIME & ONE WAY OF GETTING THOSE CORRUPTED WARLORDS TO BACK OFF.

BTW, ALL THIS JAC & INDEPENDENT ACA - LIKE ALL THOSE CORRIDORS HE LAUNCHED...

JUST WINDOWS DRESSING AND NOTHING BUT EMPTY PROMISES, BIG FAT ZELO! - STILL DON'T & NEVER WILL TRUST THIS GREAT LIAR.

...BEERANYONE

Maverick SM said...

Beeranyone,

Give him a chance to redeem himself. We must have hope as it is good for the citizen.

CK said...

just hope it's really being implemented. honestly i hav reservation. just look at the IPCMC. talk only...

on the other hand, if ICAC-like ACA being instituted, I guess Yusof Haslam vil come out in the same vein of Gerak Khas... maybe Gerak Lambat or Gerak Malas? hhaha

Anonymous said...

When?

Anonymous said...

moo_t,

hope he does it before Najib kicks him out. And if Dollah wants to keep his post..It will do well to set the ACA on Najib..

Yan said...

Doubtful on these promises. How many times had Badawi cakap tak serupa bikin?
He is just fighting for his survival.

Anonymous said...

So much Bolehland moral

Emperor new cloth
Animal Farm
and now

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

"The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means" -- Oscar Wilde

Jefus said...

thing is, he is grabbing straws to keep his political career afloat.

it is not because he cared, it is not because he has changed. it is because he is not ready to leave,..... nothing to do with turning a new leaf.

Anonymous said...

Not too long ago, our current director general of ACA said this "ACA is one of the best anti-corruption agency in the world. We are better than ICAC of Hong Kong. In fact, ICAC of Hong Kong learnt from us in terms of methods and modus operandi".

Now, why are we learning from someone who earlier learnt from us?

ISN'T THAT STUPID?

I wonder when are our so-called leaders gonna eject themselves from this self-denial mode or are they just trying to bullshit the rakyat into complacency?

Many years back, in a TV interview, there was this Malay guy who claimed that Bahasa Melayu is one of the best language in the world. He didn't explain why or how.

Are Malays suffering from "Ah Q mentality"? Knowing that you are lousy and stupid, you still proclaimed that you are the best in the world. That's Ah Q mentality.

Anonymous said...

hmmnn... It is wrong to say Malays suffering from Ah Q mentality. It should be certain Malays are suffering from Ah Q mentality. Correction here.

Maverick SM said...

CK,

I can understand the lack of belief from many regarding the reforms said by Pak Lah. He had promised more than what he had done. Still, we had to give him a chance as well as give ourselves a chance to hope that it will be done this time around. Let's give ourself a hope rather than being hopeless.

Moo_t,

Let's be a bit patient; hopefully before he retires or being kick out.

Artchan,

PM can do it if he wants; time is the essence and I believed he understand his own predicament.

Yan,

Please give ourself and PM the chance to do something right after 5 years.

Jefus,

He may be; but if he would do radical reformations such as what he now says, it would ultimately save his PMship.

Unknown said...

JUST BUYING SOME TIME & ONE WAY OF GETTING THOSE CORRUPTED WARLORDS TO BACK OFF.

BTW, ALL THIS JAC & INDEPENDENT ACA - LIKE ALL THOSE CORRIDORS HE LAUNCHED...
============================================

totally agrees with anon 12.24pm!

once talked COKC, forever talk COKC. will ever people take his words at face value?

Maverick SM said...

Ling Ling Chatt,

Give ourselves a chance for this reforms to work; lets wait and let PM do things.

Anonymous said...

If indeed he carries out the necessary reforms in ACA, that will be cause for celebration for the rakyat.

There are other obscure areas that need reform too. Wonder if anyone is unfortunate enough to have attended session court for Tax and EPF summons. I tell you, if you don't carry cash, that itself is a crime for you will go to jail and no compromise. It means, doing business and no money, you can negotiate with the suppliers but you cannot negotiate with the EPF. They will use your staff's identity to 'lodge complain' then initiate action.

But 'fortunately' for some, the EPF tend to close both eyes for those who are 'friendly$' to thier officers. These class of failed contributors can owe more than 12 months and no actions but others will get summons to court if they are not able to contribute for up to 3 months.

Do we call this diligent in enforcement or harassment?

Maverick SM said...

Msiaman,

Pertaining to EPF, I must say that I understand their system and people and I would like to add that it is EPF's duty to protect the employees' contribution and indict those errant employers.

There may be pocket of cases of unfairness but in general I firmly believed that EPF has perform reasonably well in the aspect of their fiduciary duties as stipulated in regards to protection of employees interest.

There are still weaknesses but continuous improvement is part of EPF's objective and I can affirm that.

Anonymous said...

i think it's just talk only, they have too much at stake to do something like this. their empire is build on corruption and cronies.

Anonymous said...

Mav,

While I agree with you that EPF has come along way. But not the same is true with the system of law in Malaysia.

Most of the time, you can see how these so called law enforcers abuse the system to the detriment of the naive citizen just because they think they can.

Like I say if you take a day to go see some session court cases and observe how ordinary citizen receiving a sommon gets automatically treated as criminals if they do not bring pocket full of money. The police there will not hesitate to handcuff you if you are fined and failed to conjure up the cash. Does that sound like a system of law for a country fast on the way of becoming a developed country?

Maverick SM said...

Msiaman,

The police were doing their job as per the procedures. We hope things will get better with Pakatan Rakyat's influence and pressure.