SHAH ALAM: The #RasuahBusters movement along with over 400 groups unveiled six anti-corruption demands to the government and politicians in the country.

       The movement’s core team head Datuk Hussamuddin Yaacub said these demands were long overdue to weed out graft in the country.

       “We want to reignite the call for awareness and rejection of corrupt practices that have been plaguing our country for decades.

       “We are trying to save our country from corruption that will only make the people poorer and cause instability if inaction continues,” he said during a ceremony to unveil the demands at the Karangkraf Media Group headquarters here yesterday.

       The demands were for the implementation of and full support for the National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACP), acceleration of the tabling and implementation of a political funding law, assurance of institutional freedom and independence for the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Attorney General’s Chamber (AGC), the enactment of a recall law to deal with party-hopping and the implementation of Undi18 and parliamentary reforms.

       Hussamuddin, who is the media group chairman, said that #RasuahBusters would act as the eyes and ears of the people and as a pressure group.

       He also called for political parties in Malaysia to support younger leaders and field only “clean candidates with no baggage” in elections.

       Centre to Combat Corruption & Cronyism (C4) executive director Cynthia Gabriel said the NACP must be taken seriously after the change of three governments since 2018.

       “Leaders need to realise they are being watched and that we have no tolerance for corruption,” she said.

       Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) chief operating officer Tricia Yeoh said the recent court cases of politicians over party funding showed that the country’s political financing system needed an urgent overhaul.

       “Currently, political financing is not regulated. As long as it is so, there will continue to be a lack of clarity as to what’s allowed and otherwise,” Yeoh added.

       Transparency International Malaysia president Dr Muhammad Mohan said the MACC should be under the Federal Constitution and answerable to Parliament, its chief commissioner’s appointment must also be made by Parliament and the tenure should be fixed.

       He also called for the separate roles of the Attorney General and Public Prosecutor, where the Public Prosecutor is also appointed by Parliament with his tenure fixed.

       “So when there’s a change in government or the prime minister, their tenures cannot be simply ended to anyone’s favour,” he said.

       Bersih 2.0 chairman Thomas Fann said the practice of party-hopping among elected representatives would go on in the absence of a recall law that would allow voters in a constituency, who were dissatisfied with their respective elected representatives, to withdraw their mandate.

       “There have been leaders who quit the party due to principle differences. That’s why we need a law to address such situations,” he said.

       Undi18 co-founder Tharma Pillai said the movement would keep pushing for the amendments of the Constitution to allow 18-year-olds to vote in the next general election by the end of this year.

       Gabungan Bertindak Malaysia chairman Badlishah Sham Baharin said Parliament called for the revival of the Parliament Services Bill, which was abolished in 1992, to give a greater check-and-balance role to the august House.

       He also called for the Parliament Select Committee to include more Opposition leaders to provide counterbalancing influences, especially in the appointment of roles in government-linked companies.

       #RasuahBusters is aimed at uniting civil society against corruption, while promoting good governance.

       Malaysians can start their own Rasuah Buster movement by registering at https://bit.ly/3ctmxSy.

       Interested volunteers can WhatsApp 019-382 3635 and complaints can be lodged at 019-668 0920.