isu semasa

TI-M calls for more public participation in fighting graft

Posted on 9 December 2012 - 01:10pm
Last updated on 9 December 2012 - 02:02pm

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 9, 2012): With Malaysia's improved standing in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2012, Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) has called for enhanced public participation in efforts to combat graft.

TI-M president Datuk Paul Low said Malaysians should join in the struggle by educating themselves on the implications of corruption to the nation as well as individuals.

Stressing that society should be the watchdog against corrupt practices, he said they should renounce the action of giving and accepting bribes.

"I hope every citizen will be convinced about the need to fight corruption and the importance of upholding their integrity," he told reporters after launching TI-M organised 'Walk Against Corruption' here today.

About 230 people took part in the event aimed at demonstrating public support for the fight against graft.

Transparency International had announced that Malaysia had improved its position in the CPI to 54th spot this year from 60th last year. Malaysia scored 49 out of 100 on the survey which gauged the perceived level of public sector corruption among 176 countries. – Bernama

Accounts for Olympic expenditure not for public

Posted on 7 December 2012 - 05:24am
Last updated on 7 December 2012 - 12:39pm

Tan Yi Liang
newsdesk@thesundaily.com

Zolkples Embong

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 7, 2012): The pledge of openness on the expenditure for the London Olympics by Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek has been turned into a hollow promise by National Sports Council director-general Datuk Seri Zolkples Embong.

In August, the minister at a packed press conference declared that there would be full disclosure of the records of the RM20 million spent on Olympic preparations if the public wanted to see the records.

Yesterday, at the National Aquatic Centre where both men were present, the minister asked Zolkples to explain after he was asked about the undertaking he had given.

Zolkples took the view that the public does not have access to the expenditure and deemed it non-obligatory: "We cannot give to the public every detail of the accounts. It is not necessary."

He explained that the accounts have been tabled to the National Sports Council board and have been audited by the auditor-general.

He said there was no procedure in the National Sports Council Act to allow accounts to be presented to the media.

The issue was first raised by theSun columnist R. Nadeswaran immediately after the Olympics, asking for full disclosure of how the RM20 million allocation was spent in the run-up to the 2012 Games as well as the Olympics proper in July-August.

Following Ahmad Shabery's statement, he wrote to Zolkples on Nov 6 asking to inspect the accounts but there was no response. In a subsequent column last week, he lamented that he did not even receive an acknowledgement of his letter, let alone a response.

Zolkples was adamant that the public cannot access the accounts despite the promises made by the minister.

"Our accounts must be presented to the cabinet first, and then to parliament. You just tell me what you want to know, we will tell you what you want to know. The questions must be valid," he said.