G25 renews call for parliamentary oversight committee following Najib's verdict

 

The G25 has renewed its call to establish a Parliamentary Oversight Committee to prevent abuse of power in the ministries, statutory bodies and government-linked companies.

In a statement today, the group said a parliamentary committee is not only authorised to hold meetings and public inquiries into a financial scandal but also to name and shame those responsible for any wrongdoing involving the ministries or GLCs.

The civil society group said this should be the lesson the country learned from the 1MDB and SRC International Sdn Bhd scandals.

G25 noted it was inadequate to rely on the Auditor-General's Department or Parliament's Public Accounts Committee to keep ministries and GLCs in good behaviour.

"The guilty verdict for former Prime Minister Najib Razak in SRC International was an affirmation that the country's judicial system remains strong and independent.

"The court proceedings on Najib's case reveal that civil servants and GLCs can be exposed to political interference, leading to corruption and embezzlement of public funds," it said.

G25 said that both 1MDB and SRC International are Minister of Finance Inc companies with Treasury officials represented on the boards.

"As board members, they have a fiduciary duty and responsibility under the Companies Act to protect these companies from political actions which are wrong in law and advise their ministers accordingly.

Watchdog for the public

The group said the lesson learned from Najib's case is that the country's system of checks and balances needs to be reinforced with closer parliamentary surveillance over the functioning of ministries and GLCs.

It said this could be achieved by empowering select parliamentary committees to become the watchdog on behalf of the public.

"Any prime minister will think twice if the person is subject to parliamentary inquiries and investigation.

"Also, if the parliamentary proceedings reveal criminal behaviour on the part of a minister, a civil servant or a GLC executive, the committee can issue a resolution to call for the Attorney-General's Chambers to take the necessary action.

"And the parliamentary committee should also call upon the authorities in the civil service to take the relevant action against the officers found to be negligent in performing their duties," said G25.

It said such scrutiny would put the fear into cabinet ministers that their every action is being closely watched by government and opposition MPs sitting in the various parliamentary select committees, in full view of the media and the public.

In 2016, G25 said parliament should carry out its oversight function on a regular basis by establishing parliamentary select committees in the wake of the 1MDB scandal.

On Dec 8, the Court of Appeal dismissed Najib's appeal to reverse the guilty verdict and sentencing over seven charges encompassing abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.

The court also maintained the 12 years imprisonment and RM210 million fine that Nazlan had imposed against Najib, saying that they were not excessive given the facts of the offences but allowed the Pekan MP's application to have a stay of execution pending his appeal at the Federal Court. - Mkini