By Gomen Man | February 27, 2012
The Malaysian Insider
FEB 27 — Memo to the prime minister: There is no need to wait for the next general election to revamp the discredited Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
According to The Malaysian Insider’s report, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said that if the Barisan Nasional wins two-thirds majority, his government would legislate the setting up of a service commission for the MACC so that it can have its own powers to hire and fire officers.
You don’t need to wait for the polls. If you are honest and sincere about change, I am sure you will have to support of the opposition to make the changes as early as next month when Parliament meets.
And I am not even sure you need a two-thirds majority because this is not some constitutional change. I can only assume that you threw the “two-thirds majority” line in as a carrot for the electorate.
And instead of setting up a service commission, my suggestion is to disband the MACC because its reputation cannot be salvaged after the deaths of Teoh Beng Hock and Ahmad Sarbaini while in its care. The power to hire and fire is the least of its problems.
Only a smattering of people believe that the MACC is honest or serious about tackling corruption. I mean these guys have not charged any minister or government politician despite overwhelming physical evidence that many of them are living beyond their means.
Najib today said that the asset declarations from ministers and deputy ministers will now be made available to the MACC chief. And just what is the MACC chief going to do with it?
Charge a minister for having a stake in a billion-ringgit infrastructure project? Charge a minister for having a luxury apartment in London?
There is just too much hot air about fighting corruption in the higher reaches of government. And today we were treated to another chapter.
#1 by SENGLANG on Tuesday, 28 February 2012 - 12:26 pm
This was another black mail to the voters. even 2/3 is a requirement there is no reason why the opposition will not support. If will be to the opposition disadvantage if they do not support such revamp of MACC that they have all this while talking and shutting about.
Thus the request of 2/3 support in the next GE tell us BN has another ulterior motive.
Najib is not sincere in his call and he always black mail voters. Another was his famous you help me I help request.
#2 by PoliticoKat on Tuesday, 28 February 2012 - 12:29 pm
How odd, Najib can only do thing when he has a 2/3 majority to ramrod a bill through parliament.
Maybe Najib needs to learn how democracy and parliament works. You propose a bill, your members of parliament discuss it and vote on it. Wheel and deal your way though the opposition to get the bill you want passed. Use public sentiment if you have too.
Malaysian politics must be a very dull affair after decades of 2/3 majority.
“BNman proposed Bill A. Every opposition member opposes. 2/3 majority.. passed.”
All this shows is that Najib doesn’t really care about reform or for that matter taking any action that would benefit the nation, simply by its own intrinsic value.
He is saying I will reform once you give me total power over parliament. Else I am not going to do a thing. Give me more power or I won’t work.
Politician in other nation would reform first and say, ‘I have made improvements to the nation, vote me in again.”
Have BN-UMNO politicians come to expect power without doing their job?
#3 by Kampong Orang on Tuesday, 28 February 2012 - 12:52 pm
If they, BeEnd, wanted to act and be clean, they would have acted long ago including getting Taib into jail.
The only way is to change the federal government, then change the MACC and be like Hongkong ICAC, real independent and have power.
Then investigate all former chief ministers, menteri2 besar and confiscate their property.
They . the Polis, even do not act on minor thing (like helmet law), how do you expect them to act on more macro thing.
They, MACC and Polis, don’t act on pro active as we could see in Penang recently about those kurang ajar UMNOputra.
This could possibly be the directives of Najib “Dont show up there and let other members (UMNO) to act”.
Don’t call him, PM, to act. You are wasting your time. He himself said in Sibu “You help me, I help you, If Robert Lau win, I give RM5 million”. Look at his speech for proof at youtube. Just type “You help me, I help you”.
#4 by Kampong Orang on Tuesday, 28 February 2012 - 12:59 pm
First change the federal governmet. Get those money belongs to Malaysia back to Malaysia, like Taib’s billion Ringgit property in overseas (www.sarawakreport.org) .
2nd fire and change the people at MACC, Polis, Attorney General, etc.
3rd, change the laws and acts for MACC, Polis, Judiciary, etc.
Form a new MACC a multicultural and independent organisation and learn from Hongkong ICAC. Exchange and have resident and visiting Anti Corruption Officers from ICAC to be based in Malaysia, etc..
#5 by cseng on Tuesday, 28 February 2012 - 1:06 pm
If you trusted Najib, then go ahead give them 2/3. I would urge all m’sian to give them 1/3 so that PR can revamp MACC.
Tell me, what make you think, after half a century under BN, they would seriously revamp MACC to bite all their old wrong doing.
You want to revamp MACC, give them 1/3.
#6 by Cinapek on Tuesday, 28 February 2012 - 1:09 pm
“……Datuk Seri Najib Razak said that if the Barisan Nasional wins two-thirds majority, his government would legislate the setting up of a service commission for the MACC so that it can have its own powers to hire and fire officers….”
What sick logic is this? BN, of which you are a part of, created this monster to terrorize and harm the public and now you want to use this monster to blackmail the public into giving you the votes? If there is a shred of decency in your conscience, you should have taken immediate action to put things right the moment TBH “fell” out of the MACC office. Instead you tried everything in the book to abet the delay and thwart the investigations. Coroner’s inquest, RCI etc. And to what ends? Even the officers fingered by the RCI are going scot free.
And now you tell us you will tame this monster ONLY IF we give you the votes??? I would rather believe you will make this monster even more brutal IF we give you the votes.
You had several watchdog committees to watch over them. This even drew praise from a former ICAC officer. And what happens? Zilch. At the end of the day, no system will work if you do not take the lead to show that you are sincere and committed to make things right. But I suppose you have a problem with this too going by what Sharizat has declared that “which UMNO leader has no problem?”.
#7 by yhsiew on Tuesday, 28 February 2012 - 1:14 pm
Mr. PM, You got the order mixed up. If you want people to buy your goods, you give them a free sample to test out first. You don’t let them buy first and later give them the sample. Similary if you want people to cast their votes to you, you have to make the first move – reform the MACC first. If the rakyat think that you have done a good job then they will support you.
#8 by cseng on Tuesday, 28 February 2012 - 1:24 pm
Yhsiew, this is Umno mentality. They will ask money first before they work, NFC opeates as such…
#9 by cseng on Tuesday, 28 February 2012 - 1:31 pm
Revamp MACC, that is the last thing Umno would do in their to-do-list. Without money, can they survive another day?..
#10 by k1980 on Tuesday, 28 February 2012 - 1:36 pm
Here is a better and sweeter deal—-Just give PR a simple 51% majority in Parliament and old uncle Jibby will be packed off to Mongolia to face trial there for Al-Tantuya’s murder
#11 by negarawan on Tuesday, 28 February 2012 - 11:31 pm
MACC and PDRM are literally useless and are political eunuchs of UMNO. After several months of so-called “investigation” into NFC, they are still dragging their feet obviously to protect Salizat and family. PKR has done a great job in investigating the NFC scandal, and MACC and PDRM should be truly ashamed of themselves. Instead of protecting the rakyat’s interest, MACC and PDRM are protecting the interest of UMNO. We must vote UMNO and BN out in the coming GE!