Friday 29 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (July 23): DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang has questioned if Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki’s criticism of Transparency International (TI)’s annual Corruption Perception Index (CPI) means that the anti-graft body now does not support the National Integrity Plan target for Malaysia to be among the top 30 countries in the world in public integrity with the least corruption.

Recently, Azam was reported as saying CPI by global anti-corruption watchdog TI does not necessarily portray the “real corruption situation” in a country.

“Even TI themselves say it is (based on) perception,” he was quoted as saying.

In a statement on Saturday (July 23), the member of Parliament for Iskandar Puteri said that under the premiership of Tun Abdullah Badawi, the National Integrity Plan 2013-2018 was formulated with a target to improve Malaysia’s score of 5.2 in 2003 to at least 6.5 by 2008 (10 being the best and 1.0 being worst), as well as improve the ranking of Malaysia from No. 37 in 2013 to at least 30th position in 2018.

“Instead of 'at least 30th position' in the TI CPI, we are now No. 62 in TI CPI 2021 and will be worse in the CPI 2022 when it is announced in January 2023.

“Is this the reason for Azam criticising the TI CPI series, as he has become the head of the country’s anti-corruption agency (whether MACC since 2010 or its predecessor, the Anti-Corruption Agency) who is presiding over two years with the worst TI CPI?” said Lim.

The DAP elder said the tragedy in the country’s anti-corruption campaign is that the MACC chief commissioner does not inspire Malaysians with confidence that he is the very symbol of public integrity, especially with his refusal to appear before the Parliamentary Select Committee to clear himself of conflict-of-interest and integrity allegations in the Azam-gate affair.

“And Azam dare not say anything about the 'Malu Apa BossKu' campaign which is a shame and disgrace to the country.

“Would Azam now volunteer to appear before the Parliamentary Select Committee on Agencies in the Prime Minister’s Department to clear himself of any conflict-of-interest and integrity allegations?” he said.

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