A VETERAN DAP lawmaker has criticised Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri for remaining mum over the recently-released Transparency International Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2021 which saw Malaysia dropping five spots to 62nd position out of 180 countries in terms of public sector corruption. 

“It has been two weeks since the release of the devastating news but Ismail Sabri has not uttered a single word. Is he not surprised and shocked by the CPI 2021? 

“Does he expect the dismal situation of anti-corruption in Malaysia to improve next year under his premiership?” said Lim Kit Siang.  

The Iskandar Puteri MP further questioned the Government’s actions to ensure that the CPI 2022 result will not be worse than CPI 2021 for the country. 

“Has his Cabinet had a discussion on the CPI 2021? What are the decisions that had been taken? 

“Is the Prime Minister and his Cabinet completely impotent to ask Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki to go on leave until he has been cleared of the conflict-of-interest allegations that had been made against him more than three months ago?” 

According to Lim, there were two matters of public concern that should be addressed. 

“The first is Azam using the courts to avoid being an example of integrity, probity and accountability in public service. 

“This is followed by the Pahang state government’s threat to file a defamation suit against environmental group Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam Malaysia (PEKA) president Datin Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil for several statements critical of the state’s logging policy,” he said. 

“I would advise the Pahang state government not to follow Azam’s bad example in initiating legal proceedings against Shariffa but to engage PEKA and to answer the environmental charges made against the Pahang state government.” 

Lim went on to criticise Azam for going after whistleblower Lalitha Kunaratnam when he should be protective of whistleblowers in the first place.  

“Azam wants to set a bad example of retaliating against whistleblowers but he cannot use the court action to avoid being an example of integrity, probity and accountability in the public service, especially as he is the MACC chief commissioner,” he pointed out. – Feb 11, 2022 

https://focusmalaysia.my/kit-siang-to-ismail-sabri-why-the-continued-silence-over-countrys-dismal-cpi-2021-ranking/