Ministers must abide by a code of conduct, says Zaid

 

Seven principles set out in Britain’s Ministerial Code. Former law minister Zaid Ibrahim says Malaysian ministers should abide by a similar code of conduct.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia needs a ministerial code of conduct by which ministers will be kept in check and be required to behave with the highest standards of propriety, says former law minister Zaid Ibrahim.

The code would require ministers to be professional in their statements, precise in their answers, and not mislead the public on any material points.

“In our beloved country, the PM and his ministers are not governed by any code. Some ministers and advisers can get by, talking nonsense every day and still keep their jobs,” Zaid said in a Facebook posting.

He said ministers in Britain are governed by a Ministerial Code which sets out the standards of conduct of those who hold the position of government ministers and how they discharge their duties.

“They are expected to tell the truth and be transparent with the subject matter under their portfolios. They must never tell half-truths or fudge on materials that are important for the public to know,” Zaid said.

“The code directs ministers to “behave in a way that upholds the highest standards of propriety”, not to mislead Parliament, and to avoid conflict of interest at all times.

It also regulates the appointment of special advisers and special envoys, which must follow proper procedures and not be done at a minister’s whim and fancy, he said.

Britain also has a Cabinet Manual which sets out how the government should be run and the standards expected of a minister.

Zaid said that if finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz was a minister in Britain, he would have been asked to explain all the inconsistencies and contradictions in his announcements about petroleum payments to Kelantan.

Last week he said the federal government had paid the Kelantan state government RM400 million in petroleum payments for 2020 and 2021 based on 5% of the state’s petroleum revenue. Zaid pointed out that in November, Zafrul had said no states in peninsula Malaysia would get such payments.

“Should we have a ministerial code here that is a public document so the rakyat knows what to expect from their ministers? Of course we should,” Zaid said. - FMT