Refusal to ink polls pledge shows opacity, says Zahid Hamidi

BAGAN DATOH, Feb 22 — The reluctance of opposition leaders to sign Transparency International’s Election Integrity Pledge shows that they are not transparent, said Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on the other hand had proved his transparency by signing the pledge.

“The question is if opposition leaders and candidates do no want to sign, Transparency International should bear in mind that the opposition does not want to be transparent but it wants the government to be,” he told reporters after presenting 1 Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) to 1,000 recipients in the Bagan Datoh Parliamentary constituency, in Parit 4, Sungai Sumun here today.

Ahmad Zahid (picture) said Najib’s action in signing the pledge was a good example which proved the transparency of the government.

“But how can the opposition claim it is transparent when it does not want to sign the declaration?” he said.

Newspapers reported that PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) president Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had declined to sign the pledge.

Najib signed the pledge on Wednesday and made an open declaration to uphold integrity and strengthen his commitment on the national agenda in fighting corruption in the coming 13th general election.

The Transparency International Election Integrity Pledge is a voluntary social contract in which the candidate contesting in the general election pledges to promote integrity, good governance, transparency and accountability in the government and uphold the sovereignty of the law.

Candidates who sign the pledge agree to abide by the Election Offences Act 1954 and its regulations and ensure their actions would benefit the people and not for their own interests. — Bernama