SUPP, PBDSB chiefs agree to vetting by MACC

KUCHING: Sarawak United People’s Party ( SUPP) president Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian said he is fi ne that prospective candidates for the coming general election be vetted by Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission ( MACC) for clearance.

The Local Government and Housing Minister even said such procedure was standard.

When asked if all of SUPP’s prospective candidates had been cleared by MACC, he only gave the thumbs- up sign via WhatsApp, suggesting that all of his nominees were good personalities.

Dr Sim said: “It is standard procedure but to double make sure, not only they should be vetted by MACC but also by the Police and Insolvency Department.”

When contacted, Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru ( PBDSB) president Cobbold John welcomed the idea and said he too agreed with the need to get all prospective candidates or nominees, including from the opposition, cleared not just by MACC but also the Police and Insolvency Department to avoid complications during nomination day.

The MACC has told political parties from both sides of the political divide to provide them with the name list of their prospective candidates for their vetting though the offer is just optional.

According to a report in a Malay national paper, Barisan Nasional is the only coalition that has provided them with the name list.

However, MACC did not say if all were cleared from possible disqualification.

Efforts to get comments from leaders of state DAP and state PKR as well as BN components like PBB, PRS and PDP were futile at press time.