APPLE POLISHING - BANGLADESH DOES IT BEST!

August 31, 2006 on 7:14 pm | In General |

(Original posted on 29 August 2006  8:31pm)

JG comments on the goings on and from the sidelines of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) - Anti Corruption and Enhancing Integrity Forum!

I nearly fell off my seat when I read the statement and speech from a participant from Bangladesh that they want Malaysia to be their ‘role model’ in fighting corruption and is optimistic that both countries can work very well in sharing information, expertise and knowledge in that area.

Yes - Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission of Bangladesh, Justice Sultan Hossain Khan, had stated he was also confident that the cooperation between the two countries would be a stepping stone in eradicating corruption more effectively in Bangladesh.

Just note his statement:

“As far as we are concerned, both countries are bonded with similarities in religion, historical experience and culture. This would be a plus point to us…we want Malaysia to be our role model.

“Malaysia’s experience in combating corruption would benefit us in various ways, where Bangladesh would be able learn the strategies, methods and specialisation in crippling corruption,”

Really this chap claimed and stated that - it was proven that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency’s (ACA) mechanism in the minimising corruption rate in Malaysia had worked well and without a doubt would benefit his country.

Proven what yaar?

For the record - Transparency International (TI) survey last year indicated Bangladesh as the most corrupt country where it was ranked at 158th, the last position, in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) with 1.7 points.

Perhaps, my learned friend should ask the rather pertinent question as where Malaysia was on the same evaluation index?

For the record - the CPI score ranges from 10 (squeaky clean) to zero (highly corrupt), and a score of five is considered by TI as borderline, distinguishing countries that do and do not have serious corruption problem.

When he was asked on the form of cooperation he had in mind, he said he would like to send Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission officers to train at the recently-established Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy (Maca).

“Maca, which caters as a training centre for Asia Pacific, has become a centre for international experts in graft prevention and integrity enhancement. So if we send our officers to this academy, I’m very sure there will be a brain-drainage between us…hope Malaysia will assist us,” he is to have said.

I just rest my case!

Apart from Apple Polishing - His speech was a nightmare and a bad reflection of the Malaysian reality!

By the way he did say that Bangladesh, had recently initiated a bold step by making the Anti-Corruption Commission an independent body to ensure that more pro-active methods were taken in combating corruption.

“Previously, our anti-corruption body was under the Prime Minister’s office and we had limited power in our decision making. This prevented us from shining as an effective entity.

“Now we are truly independent and we have the power to prosecute without any barrier. Previously, if a minister is caught taking bribe, we will get an order to release him but now no one is above the law,” he added.

If this is true - then my learned friend, we in Malaysia should be learning from Bangladesh not the other way around, yaar?