A Bersatu vice-president got a roasting from critics unhappy with his call that government contracts be given to division chiefs so that they have resources to win elections.
The remarks by Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman during the party annual general meeting on Sunday led to Bersih 2.0 questioning if the Pakatan Harapan government and Bersatu specifically are committed to electoral and institutional reforms.
Bersih 2.0 said it was “shocking” for Abdul Rashid to suggest that the party use its position to channel resources and projects to division chiefs so that they can win elections “by hook or by crook”.
“Has Abdul Rashid and also the cheering delegates forgotten so quickly why Malaysians rejected the previous Umno/Barisan Nasional government just seven months ago. The abuse of power by the ruling elites through the channelling of government resources, corruption and political patronage was such a revolting stench that Malaysians united to say ‘enough is enough’ on May 9,” it said yesterday.
Abdul Rashid appeared to have taken aim at Bersatu Youth chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who had called for a halt to the culture of awarding contracts to personal associates.
“We will have to win (the next general election) by whatever way possible, by hook or by crook,” Abdul Rashid had said.
In its statement, Bersih said to be the government was “not a reward, but a responsibility entrusted to politicians by the people.”
“Serve diligently, effectively and honestly and the people will renew the contract every five years. Abuse your power to enrich yourselves and those you favour, and the people will take that power away from you and the law will be brought to bear on you,” it said.
Bersih 2.0 also urged Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to enact an Administrative Neutrality Act to deal with the abuse of government resources and public power for partisan purposes.
They also called for him to enact the Political Financing Control Act to introduce transparency in political financing, which was promised in the Pakatan manifesto
The Bill, Bersih 2.0 said, would act as a measure against the misuse of funds belonging to the government by political parties as was what happened in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission must be made answerable to Parliament, it said, as was promised in the Pakatan manifesto.
Bersih 2.0 also said the Election Commission must be given prosecutorial power so that the government machinery cannot be exploited to win elections and that political parties will comply with election laws.
“Without these reforms, the battle against political corruption is a losing battle and it would be a matter of time before we have more scandals where we will see our government-linked companies (GLCs) being used to enrich politicians and those connected to them, and see more national institutions like Felda, Tabung Haji, 1MDB and EPF being plundered.”
DAP’s Youth wing Dapsy said a new political culture must be instilled in the New Malaysia whereby government contracts are awarded through open tender. FT Dapsy secretary Chen Yen Shan said Pakatan members should not feel entitled to ask for contracts.
“Contracts must be awarded based on the rule of law, merit and transparency. Even if a company which is owned by Umno, MCA or MIC shows competency and offers a better deal to the government than other competitors, it should be awarded the government contract too,” said Chen in a statement.
Chen lauded Syed Saddiq and Armada information chief Ulya Aqamah Husamudin for objecting to Abdul Rashid’s statement.
“The Pakatan government should uphold the governing principles of Competency, Accountability and Transparency (CAT),” said Chen.
Ulya Aqamah told reporters on Sunday that the Youth wing could not accept Abdul Rashid’s comments.
“What we don’t tolerate or accept at all is if there is an abuse of power or granting of contracts through direct negotiation,” he said.
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