JULY 30 — The Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) recognises the High Court decision on former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in the SRC International case as a watershed moment in Malaysia’s battle against corruption, which sends a signal to the international community that transparency, accountability and rule of law remain the pillars of our democracy. IDEAS welcomes Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s assurances that the government will always uphold the rule of law.
Regardless of the verdict, this strengthens the fundamental principle that everyone is equal before the law. The political implications of this judgment and speculation over what will happen next will dominate discussion, but the long-term success of Malaysia’s political system depends on an independent judiciary that upholds the rule of law — the independence of that process matters more than any judgment or the fate of any one politician.
“I understand that the defendant will proceed with an appeal process to the Court of Appeal, so the case is far from over. However, I am confident that the Malaysian justice system will handle all future legal proceedings fairly in accordance to the rule of law, which is a fundamental principle of our constitutional system,” comments Aira Azhari, Manager of the Democracy and Governance Unit.
In light of the 1MDB case, in 2016, we published a Brief IDEAS paper that outlines recommendations for better governance and oversight of GLCs, some of which include the creation of a registry of all GLCs currently in operation and setting clear limits on how much GLCs can borrow. IDEAS has continued work on improving GLC governance and will remain committed to research and advocacy work that contributes to a more transparent, accountable and just Malaysia, where institutions are independent and work for the interests of the Malaysian people.
* This is the personal opinion of the writer or organisation and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
