LETTER | Use of public funds must adhere to highest accountability standars
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LETTER | The latest emergency ordinance, which amended the National Trust Fund Act 1988, is part of a disquieting trend in the ordinances passed thus far since Jan 13 this year. With a common theme of being able to tap into funds without check and balance, this raises concerns about the potential for serious abuse and corruption, especially in this time of crisis for Malaysia.
The National Trust Fund is reported as having RM16.9 billion in assets as of the end of 2017, with Petronas as its most notable contributor. While, under the original act, the funds can be utilised in the name of the Development Funds Act 1966 to purchase public health supplies, the funds still needed to be disbursed through Parliament, a key element for check and balance.
COMMENT | If only political funding reform was sexy
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COMMENT |
Political funding reform may seem like a boring topic, unlike spicy and sexy stuff like the leaked audio bromance and the Sandakan hotel sodomy video. And of course, racial/religious issues like Zakir Naik always get us hot and bothered.
But political funding may be much more important than these melodramas. It’s a crucial topic to determine if our politicians really represent our interests - or that of tycoons who have “donated” to them. We get hung up about voting for the “right” politicians during elections, but what policies do they pursue after we give them a blank cheque once every five years? After all, if money talks, big money shouts and it may then become hard for our politicians to hear us.
SHAH ALAM: The Rasuah Busters initiative has launched its 100 Million Steps Against Corruption campaign in a bid to recruit the rakyat in the fight against graft.
Karangkraf Media Group chairman Datuk Hussamuddin Yaacub said the campaign was intended to act as a call to action for members of the public to say no to corruption. We want to raise awareness among all Malaysians of the moral decay that corruption causes. The whole family can get involved simply by registering for the event which is scheduled to run from Tuesday (April 13) to June 30, he told reporters after launching the campaign at Karangkraf headquarters here on Monday (April 12).