Transparency International – Malaysia terminates sec-gen Josie Fernandez’s membership

(NST) – KUALA LUMPUR: Transparency International – Malaysia (TI-M) has terminated secretary-general Josie Fernandez’s membership following its 7th Executive Committee meeting on Monday.

Its president, Datuk Akhbar Satar, said the exco deliberated at length on her show-cause letter reply, which was issued on Aug 16.

“With careful consultation with its secretariat in Berlin (TI-S Berlin), the exco unanimously agreed that it would be in the best interests of the Malaysian Society for Transparency and Integrity to terminate Fernandez’s membership with immediate effect in view of her actions and conduct, which the exco deems to be against the interests of the society,” he said in a statement earlier.

He said the termination was decided based on Article VIII: Suspension and Termination of Membership Clauses (3) and (4).

It is learnt that following the exco meeting on May 24, which saw Akhbar elected as the president, Fernandez had been unhappy, as she had also contested the post.

Meanwhile, the secretary-general position was replaced by TI-M’s new secretary-general, Loi Kheng Min, in the same election.

Fernandez claimed that there were discrepancies in the manner which Loi had been registered as the TI-M secretary-general.

Disagreeing with the new appointment, Fernandez then alleged that RoS’ new electronic system was abused to accommodate TI-M’s new secretary-general, who was registered at the Putrajaya RoS, and herself at the Selangor RoS office.

In her reply to the Aug 16 show-cause letter, Fernandez said she was the rightful secretary-general by virtue of the RoS declaration as of July 25.

Akhtar said hereafter, Fernandez was prohibited from officially representing the society.

“She is also strongly advised to cease using an email account she created herself (“Transparency International ([email protected])”) or referring herself as the sec-gen of TI-M,” he added.