'No' to lie detector tests - BN leaders

POLYGRAPH TESTS- Many feel no such mechanism is needed for political candidates

KUALA LUMPUR: Political parties are not all keen on making it compulsory for those going for important positions to take a lie detector test.

Malaysian Institute of Integrity president Datuk Dr Mohd Tap Salleh had suggested that those assuming critical posts in the public or private sector should be made to sit for such a test.

He said yesterday that officers privy to national secrets could be made to sit the test to reduce the risk of security being compromised, corruption and information leaks.

Barisan Nasional secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (who is also Umno secretary-general) however, said it was unnecessary for politicians or candidates to take polygraph tests.

"No such mechanism is needed. The reason for entering politics is to help the rakyat and the country, not yourself," he said, adding that in BN, the coalition had its own tests for choosing candidates.

Tengku Adnan explained that the coalition picked their candidates according to the people's wants and not theirs.

Meanwhile, Umno Youth permanent chairman Datuk Abdul Fattah Abdullah said the use of a polygraph machine in selecting candidates was a good idea.

"Whether it's for the central, state or division committee -- the tests can be used. Even though we can swear on the Bible, for instance, as human beings we are susceptible to lying and this test can act as a preventive measure."

He suggested that top government servants could also incorporate the use of the polygraph machine in their recruitment process.

Pas vice-president Salahuddin Ayub said that the use of polygraph tests in political parties should be discussed thoroughly.

"There is a need for a special research team to understand how the test works and find out how effective its use has been in countries which have incorporated it in their administrative system."

PKR vice-president N. Surendran said making people take lie detector tests before assuming "sensitive positions" was a "poor idea". "Lie detector tests are used very limitedly, in certain jurisdictions in criminal investigations for example," he said.

He explained that PKR chose its candidates based on their track record and commitment.

He said if a lie detector should be resorted to in order to assess a candidate's character, then that person was not a good candidate.

- New Straits Times