Law applies to ALL
PUTRAJAYA: Amendments will be made to the government’s code of ethics to make those in power – the prime minister, his deputy, Cabinet members and MPs from the ruling party – more accountable and answerable to the law, said Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
They will be regarded as public officers holding public office and will be liable to the country’s anti-corruption laws, compared to their current status of “member of the administration”.
This is among several changes that are to be made to the code soon to hold those in power more accountable.
In a landmark judgment in April last year, the High Court ruled that the prime minister is not a public officer but a member of the administration. The court had then struck out a lawsuit against then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak for misfeasance.
“There was a decision previously that the prime minister is not (a public officer). But we have now decided that the prime minister, the deputy prime minister, ministers and government MPs will be public officers,” said Mahathir.
“The courts of law are not god. Their rulings can be changed. If they make rulings that are not in keeping with the times, then we can amend the law.
“If the court previously said the PM and DPM are above the law, we can change it. They will not be spared,” he told a press conference after chairing the Anti-Corruption Special Cabinet Committee meeting here yesterday.
Mahathir said those mentioned would also be required to declare their assets as well as any gifts they receive while in office to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
“However, we will give leeway to those who receive presents such as flowers, food and plaques.”
Mahathir said a new law on political funding would also be drawn up soon and the government is looking at practices in other countries.
In pointing out that the formulation of such an Act was necessary, he said part of the items to be included in the law was not to allow parties to grant favours to their donors.
“When supporters give donations to a
party, they will hope that if the party wins, they will be favoured. That amounts to corruption,” he said.
Earlier in his speech at the Prime Minister’s Department monthly assembly, Mahathir said a “certain previous administration” must shoulder the blame for the country’s failure to achieve developednation status by 2020.
“We introduced Vision 2020 (in 1991) and were on our way towards achieving that. But when we (government) forget about the power that we have and the reason we were in power, then that road comes to an end.
“And now, we no longer believe we can achieve that goal. We will not be a developed nation by 2020,” he said.
Mahathir, who mooted Vision 2020, said Malaysia would still achieve developednation status in the coming years after 2020, with the vast potential the country has.
“But what we need is sincerity, accountability, hard work, effort and most importantly, we must be satisfied with our work and not with what is given to us,” he said.
At an event in Japan last month, Mahathir said he no longer thought Vision 2020 was achievable but if Malaysians worked very hard with the right policies in place, it could be achieved by 2025.