Segerakan reformasi proses pelantikan pengarah syarikat berkaitan kerajaan (Malay/English)

[ENGLISH VERSION BELOW] Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih) mengecam dua pelantikan jawatan syarikat berkaitan kerajaan yang baru diumumkan oleh Timbalan Perdana Menteri Zahid Hamidi.

Dua pelantikan tersebut adalah:

• pelantikan mantan ketua pemuda Umno Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki sebagai pengerusi Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara)
• pelantikan pengerusi perhubungan Umno Kelantan Ahmad Jazlan Yaakob sebagai pengerusi Felcra.

Tambah lagi, pelantikan terkini iaitu Husam Musa selaku pengerusi Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd (SPNB).

Pelantikan-pelantikan ini diumumkan ketika Umno sedang menjalani pemilihan parti mereka dan sebelum pilihan raya negeri akan datang, justeru pelantikan ini boleh dilihat sebagai penaungan dan ganjaran untuk mendapatkan sokongan.

Kami mengingatkan Perdana Menteri Anwar Ibrahim tentang usaha awalnya untuk menyelaraskan proses pelantikan syarikat berkaitan kerajaan dan memerangi kronisme.

Pada 2021 Bersih menerbitkan satu kajian lengkap fenomena ini yang menunjukkan bahawa syarikat berkaitan kerajaan dan agensi berkaitan telah digunkan untuk mendapatkan sokongan politik.

Laporan tersebut “Reforming the appointment process of directors in GLICs, GLCs and commercially related statute bodies”, yang ditulis oleh Fikri Fisal, menunjukkan bahawa sekurang-kurangnya 25 ahli politik telah dilantik sebagai pengarah dalam syarikat berkaitan kerajaan atau badan berkanun semasa pentadbiran Pakatan Harapan (2018-2020). Bilangan ini bertambah teruk semasa pentadbiran Perikatan Nasional di mana sekurang-kurangnya 53 ahli politik telah dilantik.

Sementara kami tidak sepenuhnya melarang ahli politik untuk memegang sebarang jawatan dalam syarikat berkaitan kerajaan atau badan berkanun, proses pelantikannya perlu direformasi supaya mana-mana pelantikan yang dibuat dengan telus selepas calon-calon menjalani penelitian agar mereka mempunyai kelayakan dan kemampuan yang tepat, dan bukannya sekadar ‘ganjaran politik’ untuk mendapatkan sokongan. Hal ini akan berterusan sekiranya tidak ada reformasi proses pelantikan.

Kami mencadangkan tindakan berikut yang berdasarkan amalan terbaik demokrasi negara lain untuk diambil bagi mereformasi pelantikan jawatan tertinggi syarikat berkaitan kerajaan, syarikat pelaburan berkaitan kerajaan dan badan berkanun:

• Larangan melantikan wakil rakyat ke dalam syarikat berkaitan kerajaan, syarikat pelaburan berkaitan kerajaan atau badan berkanun. Hal ini telah dilaksanakan di India dan Korea Selatan, dan perundangan yang serupa boleh dikaji dan diteladani
• Penubuhan jawatankuasa pilihan khas parlimen untuk memantau dan menapis pencalonan. Penubuhan jawatankuasa ini dapat menambah ketelusan dan memastikan bahawa hanya calon yang layak dapat dilantik melalui satu proses berbanding pelantikan secara wewenang
• Penggubalan akta yang akan mentakrifkan syarikat berkaitan kerajaan dan syarikat pelaburan berkaitan kerajaan secara jelas yang akan terpakai di kedua-dua peringkat persekutuan dan negeri. Sebagai alternatif, undang-undang yang sedia ada seperti Akta Syarikat boleh dipinda untuk mencapai tujuan ini

Bersih menggesa kerajaan untuk melaksanakan reformasi ini dengan segera meletakkan mekanisme yang diperlukan bagi mewujudkan proses pelantikan yang lebih telus, sekali gus meningkatkan keabsahan pelantikan tersebut. – Bersih

English version

Reform the appointment process of directors in government-linked firms immediately

The Coalition for Clean and Fair Election (Bersih) reprehends the two appointments recently announced by Deputy Prime Minister Zahid Hamidi for two government-linked companies.

The two appointments were

• the appointment of former Umno youth chief Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki as the new chairperson of Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara)
• the reappointment of Kelantan Umno chief Ahmad Jazlan Yaakob as the chairperson of Felcra.

Most recently, Husam Musa was also appointed as National Housing Corporation (SPNB) chairman. These appointments were announced in the middle of Umno’s party election and ahead of the upcoming state elections, and thus may potentially be perceived as patronage and ‘rewards’ in exchange for support.

We remind Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of his initial attempt to streamline the appointments process in government-linked companies and to combat cronyism.

In 2021 Bersih commissioned an extensive study on this phenomenon, which demonstrates that government-linked companies and related bodies have been used to secure political support.

The report “Reforming the appointment process of directors in GLICs, GLCs and commercially related statute bodies”, which was authored by researcher Fikri Fisal, showed that at least 25 politicians were appointed as directors in government-linked companies or statutory bodies under the Pakatan Haparan administration (2018-2020). It was even worse under the Periktan Nasional administration when at least 53 politicians were appointed.

While we may not completely ban politicians from holding positions in in government-linked companies or statutory bodies, there must be reforms to the appointments process so that any appointment is made transparently after the candidates have undergone scrutiny to ensure they have the right qualifications and abilities. Such appointments should not merely be a ‘political reward’ in exchange for support.

This will continue to occur without a serious reform targeting the appointments process. We recommend the following actions based on best practices from other democracies to bring about reforms in the appointments of top positions in government-linked companies, government-linked investment companies and statutory bodies:

• Prohibition of appointments of elected representatives in government-linked companies, government-linked investment companies or statutory bodies. This has been done in India and South Korea, and similar legislation can be studied and emulated
• Establishment of a parliamentary select committee to monitor and vet nominations. It will allow greater transparency and ensure that qualified candidates are appointed through due process, instead of by arbitrary appointment
• Enactment of an act that provides clear definitions of government-linked companies and governent-linked investment companies that are applicable at both federal and state levels. Alternatively, existing regulations such as the Companies Act may be amended to achieve this purpose

Bersih calls upon the government to commit to these reforms urgently and to put in place the necessary mechanisms to bring about a more transparent appointments process, which will boost the legitimacy of the appointments. – Bersih

The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.

AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama

1. Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
2. Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
3. Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
4. Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
5. Lawan rasuah dan kronisme

Support our work by making a donation. Tap to download the QR code below and scan this QR code from Gallery by using TnG e-wallet or most banking apps: