Put a stop to money politics-- Paul Low

Combating corruption in the country will be severely impeded if the rampant practice of money politics, especially relating to party elections, continues unchecked.

Monetisation of the election process undermines the very core of democracy, the base upon which this nation was founded and established at much cost and sacrifice to key stakeholders – the rakyat themselves.

Therefore, voters or participants in the various upcoming party elections must reject any form of enticement to influence their stand, and demonstrate integrity in reporting any corruption practices detected to the relevant authorities, including the MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission).

More parties are today expanding their voting process to allow a wider number of members to directly elect their principal office bearers. This is a commendable effort and helps improve transparency in the election process and significantly reduce the potential influence of money politics.

Because every vote counts, all the more delegates need to be reminded of their duty to vote conscientiously as they have a responsibility in charting the future of their political party, and – by extension – the country itself.

Key points to note:

• Reject illegal advances at all costs, and report them to the relevant authorities including the MACC.
• Detected violations or abuses should not only be limited to action within the party.
• Political parties should be open enough to also work with MACC to firmly address any reported cases of money politics, as the MACC Act allows for strong action to be taken against perpetrators – the full weight of the law can and should be brought down on them.By doing so, we will be sending out a strong message that money politics has no place in Malaysiaʼs future.

By first putting into office cleanly elected leaders with integrity and the mandate of administering the nation for the holistic wellbeing of itʼs people – rather than just the selfish gain of a small, select group – we will be firmly on track for national transformation in line with the immense potential of our resources and people.

From the other perspective, such political leaders who are elected to office through a legitimate process devoid of money politics will also naturally enjoy more trust and cooperation from the electorate in all their future undertakings.

* Statement issued by: YB Senator Datuk Paul Low Seng Kuan

** All views are the writer's own and does not necessarily represents that of Astro AWANI.