Pelantikan kabinet yang dipersoalkan menggariskan reformasi perlu disegerakan (Malay/English)

[ENGLISH VERSION BELOW] Gabungan Pilihan Raya Bersih dan Adil (Bersih) mengalukan pengumuman kabinet baharu oleh Perdana Menteri Anwar Ibrahim.

Kabinet tersebut mencerminkan komposisi ‘kerajaan perpaduan’ namun masih mengekalkan janji pilihan raya untuk mengurangkan saiz kabinet.

Namun kami kesal kerana Anwar telah melantik dirinya untuk memegang portfolio kewangan yang mustahak, di mana ianya akan melemahkan semak dan imbang yang diperlukan bagi menjamin kita tidak kembali kepada zaman pentadbiran Najib Razak di mana PM sebagai menteri kewangan hampir membankrapkan negara melalui skim 1MDB

Kami juga kecewa kerana Zahid Hamidi, yang sedang menjalan perbicaraan 47 pendakwaan rasuah, telah dilantik menjadi Timbalan Perdana Menteri, dan memengang jawatan Menteri Kemajuan Desa dan Wilayah. Walaupun kami memahami politik disebalik pelantikan ini, ianya mengecewakan apabila prinsip telah dikebelakangkan.

Kedua-dua pelantikan yang dipersoalkan ini mengancam usaha dan komitmen Anwar untuk melawan korupsi.

Untuk mengunci kelayakan sebagai reformis, Anwar perlu menggandakan usaha untuk memenuhi janji manifesto Pakatan Harapan untuk melawan rasuah dan mengukuhkan integriti institusi utama negara. Anwar dan kabinet baharunya perlu segera mengutamakan tiga tindakan berikut bagi menghapuskan sebarang keraguan campur tangan kes mahkamah dan konflik kepentingan:

1. Menjadikan peguam cara negara untuk mengambil peranan pendakwa raya dengan segera sehingga pindaan perlembagaan dibuat untuk memisahkan peranan tersebut daripada peguam negara
2. Melancarkan reformasi parlimen seperti pengembalian akta perkhidmatan parlimen, mengukuhkan jawatankuasa pilihan parlimen dan memberi sumber kepada pembangkang untuk membentuk kabinet bayangan
3. Mereformasi proses pelantikan dan pemecatan pegawai awam utama seperti pengerusi Suruhanjaya Pencegah Rasuah Malaysia, Suruhanjaya Pililhan Raya dan pesuruhjaya Suhakam. Proses ini perlu dibebaskan daripada eksekutif dan dimasukkan peranan Parlimen, masyarakat sivil dan pihak berkepentingan yang lain yang lebih bermakna.

Bersih juga mengalukan pelantikan MP Pengerang Azalina Othman sebagai Menteri Undang-Undang. Kami mengharapkan beliau akan memacu reformasi yang dijanjikan di dalam kedua-dua manifesto PH dan Barisan Nasional, meneruskan pelbagai reformasi yang dimulakan oleh pendahulu beliau iaitu Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar dan mendiang Liew Vui Keong.

Kami juga gembira Azalina adalah antara lima wanita yang dicalonkan untuk menerajui kementerian utama seperti pendidikan, kesihatan, belia dan sukan, serta wanita dan keluarga. Walaupun kabinet ini mempunyai perwakilan wanita sebagai menteri paling ramai, ianya masih jauh daripada kesetaraan gender dalam kabinet.

Dengan pembentukan kabinet baharu, tugas mentadbir dan berkhidmat kepada rakyat bermula. Menjadi harapan kami dan harapan rakyat bahawa kestabilan politik akan wujud dan pentadbiran kali ini akan diberikan peluang untuk mentadbir sepenggal penuh dan semua parti, termasuk pembangkang akan memainkan peranan konstruktif dalam pembentukan negara.

Sebagai ahli masyarakat sivil, Bersih akan terus menjadi suara non-partisan dan akan terus mendesak reformasi yang akan memperkukuhkan demokrasi negara. – Bersih

English version

Anwar’s cabinet: Questionable appointments underline need to expedite reforms

The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) welcomes the announcement by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of his cabinet line-up last night.

It is reflective of the composition of his ‘unity government’ and yet keeping to his election promise to reduce the size of the cabinet.

However, we are dismayed that Anwar has appointed himself to helm the important finance portfolio, which weakens the checks and balances that are necessary to ensure that we do not return to the days of Najib Razak’s administration where the PM as the finance minister almost bankrupted our country through the 1MDB scheme.

We are also disappointed that Zahid Hamidi, who still has 47 ongoing corruption charges has been appointed as deputy PM and to helm the Ministry of Rural Development and Federal Territories. Though we understand the politics behind his appointment, we regret that principles took a back seat.

Both these questionable appointments threaten to undermine Anwar’s commitment to fight corruption.

To cement his credentials as a reformist, Anwar has to double down on efforts to fulfil Pakatan Harapan’s election manifesto promises to fight corruption and strengthen the integrity of our key institutions.

Anwar and the new cabinet must immediately prioritise the following three actions to remove any doubts of interference in court cases and conflicts of interest:

• Make the solicitor general assume the role of public prosecutor with immediate effect until the necessary constitutional amendments are made to remove that role from that of the attorney general
• Promote political stability and parliamentary oversight by giving meaningful roles to opposition and government backbenchers in shadow cabinet and parliamentary special select committees, with commensurate salary, policy research support and access to government information for shadow ministers as well as chairs and deputy chairs of the special select committees, further enhanced by the enactment of a new parliamentary services act and the establishment of a parliamentary budget office
• Reform the process to appoint and remove key public officers such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief and the Election Commission and Suhakam commissioners. The process should grant them more independence from the executive and include meaningful roles for Parliament, civil society and other stakeholders

Bersih also welcomes the appointment of Pengerang MP Azalina Othman Said as the law minister. We hope that she will drive the reforms promised in both the PH and Barisan Nasional manifestos, continuing with many of the reforms started by some of her predecessors such as the late Liew Vui Keong and Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

We are also pleased that Azalina is among five women appointed to lead key ministries such as education, health, youth and sports, and women and family. While this cabinet has the highest representation of women as ministers, it is still far from a gender-balanced cabinet.

With the formation of the new cabinet, the task of governing and serving the people begins. It is our hope, and the hope of the people that there will be political stability and this administration will be given the opportunity to govern for a full term and all parties, including the opposition, will play constructive roles in nation-building. As a member of civil society, Bersih will continue to be a non-partisan voice and will continue to push for reforms that will strengthen our democracy. – 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

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