DAP said Umno was trying to divert attention from its dismal corruption perception index rating by hitting out at “soft targets” such as the opposition and Bersih.

azlan “Malaysia’s worst score in 10 years under the 2011 Transparency International Malaysia's (TI-M) Corruption Perception Index (CPI) underscores the failure of Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s GTP of fighting corruption.

“Such a damning indictment by TI-M explains Umno’s vicious attacks against DAP at the Umno general assembly centred on racism, sex, lies and vulgar language,” said DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng in a statement today.

“Umno’s attack on soft targets like Christians, Chinese, Bersih chairperson S Ambiga, DAP as trying to dominate the country and oppress the Malays, and even calling voters of DAP as bastards is a desperate attempt to distract attention from Umno’s failure to address the hard targets of corruption, cronyism and abuse of power.”

Busy covering up?

Lim, who is also Bagan MP and Penang chief minister, noted that the Umno AGM had not addressed issues of corruption instead, following TI-M’s poll.

“No criticism is levelled at the expose by the 2010 Auditor-General's Report of over-expenditure of RM3.7 billion by government departments.

“No mention is made about the cows and condos scandal involving the family of a federal minister.

“One wonders why is the ordinary pakcik in the kampong not given such an opportunity? No questions are raised why RM250 million can be approved and released two years before the agreement was signed by both parties,” said Lim.

Adding that Umno leaders were only too keen to cover up the scandals, Lim said corruption will be the main issue in the next general election.

 

“People can either choose to support BN that has stolen our future for the last 54 years or reject BN to prevent our children’s future from being stolen again,” he said.

 

TI-M findings released yesterday revealed that Malaysia’s CPI score has worsened for the third year running and its world ranking fell to 60 out of 183 countries from 56 out of 178 last year.

The NGO noted the prevalence of "elements of state” that facilitated “grand corruption”.