SHAH ALAM - The proposal to emulate Hong Kong’s 1970s anti-corruption policies to be implemented in Malaysia is deemed unsuitable for the country.
Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) president Dr Muhammad Mohan said the idea suggested by former CIMB Group chairman Tan Sri Mohamed Nazir Razak was not in line with the current situation in Malaysia.
He said the anti-corruption law in Malaysia was already good, it only needs to be tightened in terms of its enforcement.
"The proposal by Nazir to introduce an anti-corruption system like in Hong Kong where corruption is given amnesty.
"We have to understand that the system was created in Hong Kong in the 1970s because corruption, especially among the police at that time, was an endemic and involved gangsters.
"So they are given a period for amnesty before action is taken.
"But in Malaysia, we have laws and the rule of law system is still practised. So it's good that the system is now maintained. But the law can be tightened further,” he told Rasuah Busters recently.
Commenting on whether Malaysia should impose severe punishment on corruption offenders up to the death penalty, he said the punishment was unsuitable for the country.
"As for the hanging sentence, I do not agree, this is not a suitable punishment for bribery.
"The current anti-corruption law could be tightened, such as if found guilty of corruption, imprisonment should be made mandatory immediately even if the perpetrator appealed to a higher court,” he said.
He added, it could be imposed especially on corruption cases which involved people's money.
"Besides that, when the perpetrators are found guilty in court, punishment should also be imposed to confiscate the property of the briber even though their case is still under appeal. This will have an immediate impact.
"The current law gives space to corrupt people who are found guilty to roam around and give a negative perception to the people that anti-corruption laws in Malaysia are weak," he said.