TRANSPARENCY International Malaysia (TI-M) has urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and all political parties to prioritise the economic and political stability of the nation by honouring the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the federal government and Pakatan Harapan (PH).
Failure to comply with the MOU will lead to a major trust deficit on the Government not only by the rakyat but also among international observers, said TI-Malaysia president Muhammad Mohan.
“Hot on the heels of the Johor state election, triggered by party-hopping and political jostling, some parties have been urging the hasty dissolution of parliament and thus triggering the 15th General Elections (GE15) in hopes of furthering their political ambitions at a time when the nation needs to prioritise getting back on her feet,” he commented.
“It is important that we take stock of the events that have unfolded after the 14th general election.
“The nation has gone through three prime ministers and four state elections, the economy has been in a slump for over two years and Malaysians have even been urged by the Government to withdraw their retirement savings on more than one occasion.”
According to Muhammad, fundamental reforms have been skewed, shelved, postponed repetitively and ignored by various leaderships of the nation despite the presence of a national action plan and announcements of commitments to fight corruption and abuse of power.
“There is more to democracy than elections and campaign treats or threats,” he noted.
“The Parliament must uphold its commitment to the rakyat and the laws it sought to reform since the last change of leadership and the signing of the MOU for transformation and political stability between the federal government and the PH coalition.
Muhammad added that key reforms such as limiting the prime minister’s tenure to a maximum of 10 years, anti-hopping law and parliamentary reforms were promised but none have been tabled.
“Was it all a farce or play-acting to avoid a political downfall? The rakyat deserve better; victory in polls is pointless if leaders are not held accountable for the security and stability of the nation.” – March 21, 2022
