Media Statement by Tony Pua, DAP National Publicity
Secretary and Member of Parliament for Petaling Jaya Utara in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday,
6 July 2013 in Kuala Lumpur
For the second term running, Barisan Nasional (BN)
state assemblymen are again abdicating from their duties to the rakyat to act
as an effective opposition to check and balance the Pakatan Rakyat state
government.
For this new term, the unconditional offer to chair
the powerful Public Account Committee (PAC) has been offered to the state
Opposition Leader, Datuk Mohd Shamsuddin Lias.
However the latter has indicated that he will not take up the position
giving the ridiculous excuse that the offer was “politically motivated”.
BN has also rejected the PAC chairmanship offer in
2008, after initially accepting it then.
However, after being firmly entrenched to the state opposition with
fewer numbers for the second term, it is time for them to accept their role and
perform their functions dutifully.
There is no point in the BN opposition making all
sorts of wild allegations against the state government when the Pakatan Rakyat
are giving the PAC chairmanship to BN on a silver platter. As the chairman of the PAC, he will be able
to set the agenda for the PAC meetings, review alleged misconduct and
controversies, secure all relevant documents and interview any officer involved
including State Executive Councillors.
Hence we find it completely inexplicable that BN is
rejecting the position for the second time, unless the rejection is
“politically motivated”. BN is rejecting
the position because it does not want to endorse the practice of transparency
and accountability.
Despite the slew of rhetoric and slogans in the
Government Transformation Programme (GTP) to increase transparency and
accountability, the BN government led by Datuk Seri Najib Razak has
consistently refused to accept the first world parliamentary best practice of
an opposition leader leading the PAC.
Hence even though the unconditional offer of the
PAC chairmanship is to promote first world legislative assemblies, Datuk Seri
Najib Razak has instructed that the position not be accepted because it will
make him look bad in the Parliament.
It appears that Datuk Seri Najib Razak will not be
able to live down the fact that a Pakatan Rakyat government accepts a BN PAC
Chairman, while he is unable to practise what he preach in the Parliament. The Prime Minister obviously fears a
Pakatan-led PAC in Parliament which will be more pro-active and meticulous in
uncovering various abuses, scandals and corruption in the BN government.
We call upon the Ministers in-charge of GTP, Datuk
Idris Jala and Datuk Paul Low to play their part to push the Government to not
only accept the PAC chairmanship in Selangor, but also to offer the
Parliament’s PAC chairmanship to Pakatan Rakyat. Datuk Seri Najib Razak must realise that he
lost the trust of 51% of the rakyat in the last general election due to a poor
record in transparency and accountability.
By offering the PAC chairmanship to Pakatan Rakyat, he will be able to
prove that he is indeed walking the talk about fighting corruption and abuse of
power.
However, regardless of whether the Parliament’s PAC
chairmanship position is offered to Pakatan Rakyat, Datuk Seri Najib Razak must
at the very least instruct Datuk Mohd Shamsuddin Lias to accept the Selangor
state assembly’s PAC chairmanship, to act its role as a responsible opposition
in ensuring transparency and accountability.
There is no more valid excuses that Selangorians
can accept in the rejection of the role.
In fact, the failure of accepting the role will only permanently cement
BN as the opposition in Selangor for the 14th General Election. The rakyat will be able to tell that Pakatan
Rakyat governments practice what we preach, while the BN Governments led by the
Prime Minister is only good with the song and dance, with no earnest effort in
making real transformation.
Tony Pua
Tiada ulasan:
Catat Ulasan