As people had lost confidence in the government's fight against graft, its multi-million ringgit Government Transformation Plan (GTP) must also now come under closer scrutiny, opposition MP Teo Nie Ching of DAP said today.
 
She urged two key reformer ministers in Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's cabinet to answer why Transparency International Malaysia's (TI-M) survey results revealed that only 28 percent of people surveyed believed the government was effective in tackling corruption. This is the lowest mark since 2009.
 
Teo said Pemandu chief Idris Jala has some explaining to do since his department's budget had ballooned nearly four-fold over the same period, while governance and transparency minister Paul Low (left) also had to prove he was not merely "window-dressing" for PM Najib's administration.
 
"Pemandu was set up in September 2009 with RM66 million. Its operation costs ballooned to RM250 million in the year 2013.
 
"The time has come for Pemandu CEO Idris Jala to explain to the taxpayers how their money was spent and if Pemandu is still capable of doing its job," Teo, the MP for Kulai, said in a press statement.
 
She also urged Low, a former TI-M president, to ensure the government walks the talk in tackling graft.
 
"The latest survey is either evidence to prove that Najib is not sincere about combating corruption or Low is not capable to do his job.
 
"Whichever it is, if Low is a man of integrity, he should follow the footstep of P Waythamoorthy," Teo said, noting that the Hindu rights NGO Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia chairperson quit the government after feeling that the government had not kept to its GE13 promises.