Voters need to show who is boss, say watchdogs

 

Anti-graft advocates said the only way to punish politicians for wrongdoings is to vote them out of office.

PETALING JAYA: Anti-graft advocates have urged the rakyat to show politicians who is the boss by rejecting those involved in corruption and without integrity during GE15.

Aira Azhari of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs said politicians are still under the impression that all they need to do to stay in office is build relationships with their constituents.

“In Malaysia, politicians feel that if they take care of their constituents, go house to house or have coffee with them, voters will keep them in office,” she said during a webinar titled “Anti-Corruption in Malaysia: What’s the Progress” organised by Undi18.

She said she spoke to an MP who has been in office for 30 years and he said that all he has to do is have a good relationship with his constituents to keep winning.

“Since voters keep them in office, they are the ones who need to punish politicians involved in corruption,” she said.

Aira added that Malaysia was undergoing challenging times and the rakyat needed to have higher expectations and standards for their politicians.

“We should not (vote for politicians) who sit down for coffee with us, who make us happy.

“Instead, we need to elect morally capable candidates with a sense of right and wrong,” she said, adding that it is one way of voting for better politicians.

Cynthia Gabriel of the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) said it was still difficult to encourage politicians to carry out various reforms.

“If voters do not punish politicians (for wrongdoings), we are in trouble,” said Gabriel.

She said for GE15, the rakyat need to call out politicians who may be holding bogus Masters and PhDs degrees.

Mohamad Tarmizie Abdul Manaf from Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission said the only way to punish politicians who tarnish the image of the country is to vote them out.

“We have the power to choose. The right candidate will bring the country back to the right direction,” said Tarmizie, who is the commission’s community education division officer. - FMT