PKR warns of rally if MACC does not charge powerful individuals
(TMI) – A rally will be held if influential and powerful individuals investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) are not charged after an amendment to the MACC Act, warned an opposition lawmaker.
The amendment is expected to take place in March.
PKR’s Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli said due to loopholes in the Act, MACC claimed its hands were tied in charging these individuals.
“Hundreds of thousands of people were on the street (during Bersih’s push for) electoral reform, but corruption is the Number One enemy of the country and many problems are rooted in corruption.
“This is an early warning to the government and the MACC. If they do not handle (corruption) well, people will get sick of it and march on the streets.
“We start in a consultative way but by March, after the law is amended and (if) ministers are still not charged, I am sure a few us will be instigators (of a mammoth rally),” he was quoted as saying by online news portal Malaysiakini at an anti-graft forum last night.
Organised by the National Oversight and Whistleblowers Institution, the forum also featured Bar Council secretary Richard Wee, Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia president Amadi Manan and Transparency International-Malaysia president Akhbar Satar.
The amendment to the MACC Act is expected to be tabled to Parliament when it convenes in March.
Rafizi said the “consultative way” included having forums to get feedback to the drafting of an alternate amendment to the Act.
“Previously, we were checkmated as the (Bill) would be given a day before debates. This time we feel an amendment is coming in March. So, we are starting tonight to propose our amendment to be a comparison (during parliamentary debates),” he said.
