TI did not give GTP thumbs-up, says local wing
By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 — Transparency International (TI) did not give a “grade A” in assessment to the Government Transformation Programme (GTP), the president of the group’s Malaysian chapter said today.
Datuk Paul Low, president of Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M), today categorically denied that the anti-graft watchdog group had ever given any endorsement to the GTP.
“We are not in the position to give a ‘grade A’ to the GTP,” said Low today.
Low was disputing a report by The Star earlier today, which quoted TI co-founder Michael Hershman as giving the GTP a “grade A” for its achievements in the past year.
“He (Hershman) is not representing TI. Yes, he is a co-founder but his comments are on an individual basis.
“He is giving grade A according to his own expertise,” said Low curtly.
The Star had carried the story today with the title “TI co-founder gives GTP an A”.
“Any impartial observer will agree they (the government) have made tremendous progress. If I give report cards, I will give an A and I do not term report cards lightly,” Hershman was quoted as saying when commenting on the first-year progress of the GTP. Hershman had also commended the Najib administration’s effort to “think out of the box” and for being accountable and transparent by asking the public to judge it through its actions.
“It is one of the few governments I have seen where they are telling the public to grow with us and not look at our words but our actions and be the judge,” said Hershman, who is also the Fairfax Group president and expert on transparency and accountability.
