by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for , Tanjung , Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Friday, February 25, 1994:
The Attorney-General should present to Parliament a Bill for a comprehensive new law to fight corruption instead of piecemeal amendments like mandatory minimum sentence for corruption as a result of Joseph Pairin’s sentence
The Attorney-General Chamber has announced that the Public Prosecutor is considering recommending to the Government to amend the law to provide for mandatory minimum sentences for corruption and related offences.
The Attorney-General should present to Parliament in April a proposal for a comprehensive new law to fight corruption instead of piecemeal amendments like the proposed mandatory minimum sentence for corruption as a result of the sentence of EM1,800 fine imposed on the Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan.
DAP will not be agreeable to any piecemeal amendments which fail to address the grave problem of corruption in high political places in the country.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers had received a draft for a new comprehensive law against corruption from the Anti-Corruption Agency in 1992, and I call on the Attorney-General, Datuk Mohtar Abdullah to table a Bill for a new and comprehensive anti-corruption law in the April meeting of Parliament based on the ACA draft.
The Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrhaim, had promised Parliament last December that all the proposals of the ACA to strengthen, anti-corruption laws would be considered.
In the Sabah state general elections, both the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir and Anwar Ibrahim, had made corruption as a major issue.
Malaysians hope that the April meeting of Parliament will address the serious problem of corruption by treating it as the Public Enemy No. 1 in the country by enacting the toughest anti-corruption law in the world.
The Cabinet should realise that public confidence in the seriousness of the government to fight corruption is at an all-time low, and the credibility of the Anti-Corruption Agency had never been lower since its formation.
There will be no way to restore public confidence either in the ACA or in the government’s commitment to fight corruption in high political places if the Government is only interested in introducing piecemeal amendments like mandatory niiaiuraiim sentences for corruption and related offences.