Najib verdict proof nobody above the law, says institute

Such a verdict emphasises why strong and independent institutions are the bedrock of any democracy, and also helps to restore trust and confidence in the nation’s democracy, said Ideas. – Bernama photo

KUCHING (Aug 27): The Federal Court’s verdict on former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s case is proof that nobody is above the law, and it reaffirms the importance of independent institutions, said Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas).

Such a verdict emphasises why strong and independent institutions are the bedrock of any democracy, and also helps to restore trust and confidence in the nation’s democracy, Ideas pointed out.

“The Federal Court’s decision is significant, but we must also remember that in every political system, there will always be men and women who resort to corrupt practices.

“Najib’s case further shows the need for our institutions to be independent and free from partisan influences. We need to continue strengthening the independence of this institution,” the institute emphasised in a statement yesterday.

Ideas said one of the reforms needed for this purpose is having a Political Financing Act that regulates how political parties earn and spend money.

It said the Act should also contain a provision for public funding of political parties, where the government allocates a certain amount of money to be distributed to political parties.

This is an important step to ensure that parties are less reliant on private sources of funding, and for parties to compete on a more level playing field, the statement added.

“In the Private Members’ Bill that was submitted by the APPG (All-Party Parliamentary Group) on Political Financing, which Ideas is the Secretariat to, we proposed the amount of RM130 million to be distributed to parties that meet a threshold of votes. Ideas believes that public funding is non-negotiable if we are serious about truly preventing political corruption.

“We welcome the Minister of Law’s plan to table the Political Financing Act in the October Parliamentary session. However, we want to reiterate our call to the government to include consultation with all political parties and think tanks and civil society to ensure multi-party support of this important piece of legislation”, commented Dr Tricia Yeoh, CEO of Ideas.

Ideas urges Malaysians to view the Federal Court’s verdict and the entire 1MDB scandal as examples of why independent institutions are urgently needed, with comprehensive laws and good governance.

“The restoration of trust in our democracy is an undertaking that needs persistent efforts by all members of our society,” it said.

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