No-gift policy should be specific — Jannie

KOTA KINABALU: Receiving gifts like fruits is ‘very healthy’ but the future federal no-gift policy should specify what ministers could receive during official working events, said Assistant Law and Native Affairs Minister Jannie Lasimbang.

Jannie said Prime Minister and Pakatan Harapan chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s newly announced plan was in line with the coalition’s efforts to slingshot corruption out of Malaysia.

“It goes in line with our Pakatan Harapan’s commitment to stamp (out) corruption. (Though), I think we need to be a little bit more specific about what you call souvenirs (received during official working events),” said Jannie here yesterday.

“The whole idea is that we are not swayed in our decisions for any persons or any companies, whatever. But, I think most important is our own stand.

“Coming from Pakatan Harapan, I would like to stand behind what Tun M has said and I personally think getting flowers and fruits are very healthy,” she added.

Jannie hoped Pakatan Harapan’s adopted no-gift stance will contribute to the anticorruption culture and penetrate through till the people at the grassroots level.

“I know a lot of people have been complaining, how under table money has been going on. I certainly hope that this will not just trickle but really be something that everybody will impose or implement from all the rank and file,” said the assistant minister.

“But we need to be actively telling our staff because you can’t stamp (out) corruption overnight. You (people) really have to be monitored, you have to implement the culture. It has to be made the culture,” concluded Jannie.

Mahathir, after chairing the first Special Cabinet Committee on Anti-Corruption meeting in Putrajaya yesterday, announced that the Pakatan Harapan government is planning to impose a no-gift policy on ministers to their political secretaries.

Currently, this regulation only covers civil servants.

The Prime Minister stressed that should there be any gifts, it would be limited to flowers, food, fruits and nothing else.

He said the giver and the receiver of other gifts will be in the wrong.