YOURSAY ‘It is like a person going to a doctor with a heart attack, but the doctor is more interested in the boil on the patient's behind.'

TI-M to name and shame pledge violators online

LittleGiant: A pledge is just a pledge, it has no legal binding at all. Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak knows this very well.

As far as his BN government is concerned, the Election Integrity Pledge of Transparency International-Malaysia (TI-M) is just a piece of paper, and signing that was an audacious act to mislead the people by ‘showing' that BN believes in clean and fair elections.

The atrocious revelations being made at the ongoing Sabah royal commission of inquiry (RCI) on the ‘citizenship-for-votes' scam offered by government agencies to thousands and thousands of illegal immigrants - who then became legal voters - is proof enough that the BN government has absolutely no regard for the country's laws, including the election laws and regulations.

What integrity does BN have to sign the Election Integrity Pledge? I don't think that TI-M could actually name and shame the pledge violators, especially those from the BN coalition. And even if TI-M proceeds to do it, the BN politicians who are beyond redemption could not be bothered about it.

Milosevic: Many people turn to Transparency International for information on a country's state of corruption.

It has become a trusted source, even if in some instances, one might quarrel with the methodology used. However, everything gets perverted and becomes a farce when it arrives onto Malaysian shores.

TI-M president Paul Low's approach to ensuring clean elections in Malaysia is like a person going to a doctor with a heart attack, but the doctor is more interested in the boil on the patient's behind.

TI-M does not have a clue what is really required to secure fair and clean elections. Worse still, it pretends to be concerned about fair elections when in fact, it is abetting with the Election Commission to carry out a very dubious electoral process.

At Malaysia's 13th general election, TI-M would serve the citizens better by doing nothing, rather than pretending to do something, for it is providing - as many have mentioned - a cover for highly irregular practices already being unleashed in the country.

Smalltowner: I don't think that TI-M was wrong in getting Umno to sign their pledge. Having done so, TI-M has the moral ground to criticise them for breaking the pledge.

I don't think that TI-M had been used by Umno. The Umno leaders may like to think so, banking on the mileage they think they are getting from it and hoping that nothing will come back to sting them.

Indeed, it is too early to write off TI-M. We should see how critical this anti-corruption NGO is against those who have undeniably broken its pledge.

It is not too late if we judge them later, so there is no need to jump the gun. Who knows, this may even come back to haunt Umno at GE13? Let's wait and see.

Starr: It's a welcome assurance that TI-M will publish the names of the violators of the integrity pledge, along with the description of their violations.

This should serve as a disincentive for politicians to violate the integrity pledge and to shame them publicly.

In spite of all the criticisms, it's a good start for TI-M's efforts to stamp out corrupt practices in elections. Corruption and abuse of power are the biggest enemies of the state (not Australian Senator Nick Xenophon), one should not discourage any efforts in curtailing such ill-practices.

Hermit: Najib could not withstand the test of truth, integrity, ethical conduct and accountability.

A true leader in any democratic country must be able to withstand these tests. Even a mere hint of sexual demeanour would necessitate him to bow out gracefully from the public office.

In the case of Najib, he has been slandered with the cover-up of a murder and those who have the evidence have come out into the open to offer their assistance to the relevant agencies to initiate criminal investigations against him.

Nes: The above photo shows the height of hypocrisy in this country. Najib is signing the pledge of integrity while surrounded by corrupt politicians (both morally and materially). Can you beat that?

Jaycee: Another EIF (exercise in futility).

Taikohtai: Malaysia doesn't need any more violators walking around incognito in black hoods, Mr Paul Low.

Transparency: The pledge is an attempt by TI-M to bring to the forefront the issue of corruption, integrity and governance, not only for the GE13 but also for what is expected of lawmakers.

The pledge clarifies the benchmarks that are expected. TI-M is an NGO and has no enforcement authority but it tries to facilitate accountability. The PM by signing the pledge has put himself under greater scrutiny by the voting public.

For those politicians who have not signed up, what standing do they have to criticise those who have signed when they themselves do not commit to these integrity benchmarks? The reasons may be they are either not able to meet these standards or they are too proud to subject themselves to public scrutiny.

With the PM signing and creating such controversy, it is an indication that these issues of integrity must be taken more seriously than in the past and he must walk the talk. So as fellow citizens, please persuade all GE13 candidates to sign up.

Clearwater: How can TI-M shame the utterly shameless? Many Malaysian politicians are shameless creatures with hides several centimetres thicker than the piece of paper they signed.

They are also fully aware that the public generally has a short memory. Therefore, they know that they can simply sign the pledge and never be condemned for their misdeeds.

Not Convinced: Imagine Sarawak CM Taib Mahmud and Sabah CM Musa Aman both signing the pledge. What a farce.

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