Call for rigorous checking, screening of opposition leaders wanting to join PH

KUALA LUMPUR: Pakatan Harapan ( PH) Youth has urged all PH component party leaders to carry out rigorous checking and screening of individuals or former opposition party leaders wanting to join the coalition.

In a statement yesterday, PH Youth said strict conditions should be imposed to those individuals, such as to pass the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission’s (MACC) screening, to transparently declare their assets and to not be appointed to hold any important office at the federal and state levels, before they could be accepted to join PH.

“Most importantly, they must be compelled to apologise publicly for supporting the previous government before and during the 14th General Election (GE14). They must also become Independent Member of Parliament first.

“PH leadership should only accept these groups if they managed to meet those conditions. Meanwhile, PH Youth would also like to stress that swapping parties will not exempt anyone from being investigated for any form of misconduct or leakage,” the statement said.

The statement was jointly issued by PH Youth Chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who is also Bersatu Armada chief, and three PH Youth deputy chiefs, namely Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir ( PKR), Mohd Sany Hamzan (Amanah) and Howard Lee Chuan How (DAP).

According to the statement, the implementation of the screening process should be clear, transparent and made compulsory for all the four PH component parties — Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia ( Bersatu), PKR, DAP and Parti Amanah Negara (Amanah) — before they made any decision to approve the membership forms submitted by political leaders and members who quit their parties to join PH.

PH Youth also reminded the government not to forget the mandate given by the people in the GE14 as it was proof that the young people wanted a government of high integrity and dignity and not a government that craves for power and political mileages.

“PH is not a licence to obtain wealth and power. PH needs to reject any form of kleptocracy, corruption and abuse of power which were associated with Umno or Barisan Nasional (BN).

“There shall be no compromise on that. The PH government should remain committed to uphold the principle of servant leadership in which the people’s interests and needs shall be given priority and placed above the interests of the party,” the statement added. — Bernama