GE14 | Ahead of the upcoming 14th general election, a coalition of civil society groups today launched its good governance agenda calling on all political parties to adopt five key reform measures.

Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) executive director Cynthia Gabriel said the GE14 agenda's five key reforms are fundamental to ensuring that Malaysia would function with high standards of integrity, openness, and transparency.

Among others, the groups collectively called Giat (Governance, Integrity, Accountability and Transparency) urged all political parties to endorse legislations that would affirm the independence of institutions such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Attorney-General's Chambers.

"In bringing the GE14 agenda forward, Giat had (managed to meet) with five political parties, namely Bersatu, DAP, Warisan, MIC and PSM.

"These meetings sought to advocate for the key reforms embodied in the GE14 agenda to be incorporated into the parties' election manifestos," Cynthia said during a press conference at C4's office in Petaling Jaya this morning.

The GE14 agenda also called on political parties to enact a national Freedom of Information law and review the Official Secrets Act 1972 (OSA); implement mandatory public assets declaration for all elected lawmakers and public officials; improve participatory democracy within all levels of government; as well as require by law that all political parties publicly declare all forms of income and expenditure.

From among the parties that had responded to their call, Cynthia singled out PSM as being the only party to explicitly commit to restoring local government elections.

She also credited Bersatu for having proposed the adoption of Giat's good governance agenda in Harapan's GE14 manifesto launched last month.

"We however wish to register our disappointment with Umno and MCA, as they have yet to respond to our request to meet and discuss the key reforms agenda," she said.

Money politics worrying

When met later, Cynthia noted that while the official GE14 campaigning period will only begin after nomination day on April 28, both BN and Harapan leaders have been making various promises seen as a manifestation of money politics.

"We are very concerned on how money has taken centre stage in GE14.

"We have heard, 'I will double up BR1M', 'I will give three months' bonus'...this has come from both sides," she said.

Apart from C4, Giat's good governance agenda was also endorsed by Sinar Project, Transparency-International Malaysia, Society for Promotion of Human Rights (Proham), Friends of Kota Damansara and MyPJ.