I have described Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s Cabinet announced three days ago as the most unimpressive Cabinet of six Prime Ministers in the nation’s 56-year history.
I maintain this judgment despite the surprise appointment of the Transparency International-Malaysia President Datuk Pau Low as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Deparment, whose portfolio should be on Integrity and fighting corruption in Malaysia.
This is because Low has not been able to give any assurance that his appointment marks a tectonic shift in the Najib government’s commitment to make anti-corruption top priority, and not just “more-of-the-same salesmanship and gamesmanship” under the tutelage of Idris Jala’s sloganeering National Transformation Programme in the past four years – which saw Malaysia’s international standing on the anti-corruption front plunging to new lows.
To convince Malaysians that Paul Low’s appointment is not going to be another repeat of Idris Jala appointment of “more of the same” of the past four years, there are five things which Paul Low should immediately address in the first week as Minister, viz:
Can Paul Low deliver on these five counts in his first week as Minister, by getting agreement by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to implement them?
When was Paul Low first informed by Najib of his intention to appoint him as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department to be responsible for the government’s programme on integrity and anti-corruption?
Did he raise any of these five issues to get Najib’s agreement before agreeing to the Cabinet appointment?