‘Let voters decide on Kajang move’

(The Sun Daily) – Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan (pix), still unhappy over how the Kajang by election was “forced’ upon constituents, wants voters to decide whether the reasons for the “Kajang move” are valid.

The former Bersih 2.0 chairman said she had made her position on the matter very clear from the start.

“I’m not so naïve to see that these things do not ever happen. What I said was they must give a good reason (on why the by-election is necessary) and I think they’ve given some reasons,’ she told theSun.

Ambiga said she knows all too well why the Kajang by-election is being held but added that voters should accept the reality of the situation.

“I urge the Kajang voters to use the by-election as an opportunity to voice their grievances by casting their ballots on polling day set for March 23,” the former Bar Council chairman told theSun.

The by-election follows the sudden resignation of former assemblyman Lee Chin Cheh on Jan 27.

It is expected to be a six-cornered fight with four independents and MCA vice-president Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun going up against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the de facto PKR leader.

Ambiga, who is now the legal adviser for the Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4), also called on the government to be more serious in combating corruption and for perpetrators to “face the full force of the law”.

“They should make it clear that there is zero tolerance for corruption, which means if anyone is caught, they would be charged and face the full force of the law.

“But, above and beyond that, leaders must show leadership. They need to show that they won’t indulge in any of these practices and abuses of power that we’ve been complaining about in the past. Therefore, strong leadership is important,” she said.

She added that educating the public and conducting anti-corruption programmes at the state or national level would benefit the nation.