IT IS heartening to hear that Umno is stepping up its war on "money politics", the party’s euphemism for vote buying. Vote buying, so the party has acknowledged, is especially rampant during party elections, whether at branch, division or national levels. The dominant partner of the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition has also acknowledged that money had been used during elections for a long time even before the landmark elections of 1981 when Tun Musa Hitam defeated Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah in the fight for the deputy presidency.
To show that there is no let up in the effort to root out corruption and discipline those involved in it, party disciplinary board chairman Tan Sri Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen Ismail, said the board is being strengthened with new members so that it could go about its business effectively. He is sad but not discouraged by allegations that the board is not doing enough to confront and investigate those against whom reports of vote buying have been lodged.
Despite the commitment and determination of Rithauddeen and other members of the board, who say they can investigate the hundreds of complaints it receives, it is, however, generally agreed that the agency is swamped beyond its capability of investigating thoroughly. Thus the board should be happy that the Anti-Corruption Agency is now allowed to help. Already the agency has announced that the outcome of several cases that it is investigating would be known soon.
There is no doubt about it the party disciplinary board and the ACA or its successor, the MACC, must step up efforts to clean up Umno of money politics, especially when it is still an important component of the ruling coalition.
It should be done quickly before more people begin to ask about the ruling coalition’s credibility in its professed commitment to root out corruption when its dominant member is riddled with corrupt practices and its leaders involved in money politics. Questions like "how can you rid the country of corruption when the government members are corrupt" and "how can you say you want to rid the country of corruption when you are corrupt" should not be asked. It is thus very important for Umno and its partners as well as other political parties in the country to cleanse themselves of corrupt practices.
Surely we do not want to be like a neighbouring country where its MPs top the charts when it comes to corruption. The media refer to them as kucing garong, or tomcats, as their habit is to prowl their constituencies and the country looking for something to steal and opportunities to make money. We may not have that many tomcats of that kind yet but we should reject parties that allow them to breed.
The Sun
26/12/08
There is no doubt about it the party disciplinary board and the ACA or its successor, the MACC, must step up efforts to clean up Umno of money politics, especially when it is still an important component of the ruling coalition.
It should be done quickly before more people begin to ask about the ruling coalition’s credibility in its professed commitment to root out corruption when its dominant member is riddled with corrupt practices and its leaders involved in money politics. Questions like "how can you rid the country of corruption when the government members are corrupt" and "how can you say you want to rid the country of corruption when you are corrupt" should not be asked. It is thus very important for Umno and its partners as well as other political parties in the country to cleanse themselves of corrupt practices.
Surely we do not want to be like a neighbouring country where its MPs top the charts when it comes to corruption. The media refer to them as kucing garong, or tomcats, as their habit is to prowl their constituencies and the country looking for something to steal and opportunities to make money. We may not have that many tomcats of that kind yet but we should reject parties that allow them to breed.
The Sun
26/12/08
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