BRITISH MP SHOWS US THE WAY

NST Saturday, November 21, 2009 (World page 33) reports, ‘MP quits over expenses scam’.

The above report refers to a British Conservative party lawmaker David Curry who quit his post as head of the House of Commons committee charged with policing lawmakers’ expenses, after the media raised allegations concerning his own expenses. Curry is alleged to have ‘claimed almost 30,000 British pounds (RM 170,000) of public fund to maintain a second home that he was barred from using’.

Can we not see the difference here i.e. a British MP quits his post in the House of Commons merely upon a media allegation, while in the Malaysian scenario, a state legislative member will vehemently deny any wrong doing, even if he is unable to justify his excessive lifestyle (outrageously spending money that does not belong to him), and the ownership of some palatial home (the Khir Toyo case).

Here lies the difference between some of our lawmakers and this particular British MP. By quitting merely based on a media report, the latter has proven himself to be gracious and upright in facing public allegations, and that the righteous recourse to take is to resign. What he did is unselfish and honourable, rather than be shamed by his constituents who will now view him in abject disapproval. And there isn’t a single MP from his party who would want to side him, or to raise a protest against the media allegation.

Can we not see the maturity in the way the British lawmakers react to a case of abuse, in comparison to our lawmakers? If this was to happened to our MP or state legislative member, I am quite sure a ‘mini rampage’ would have started by their party supporters. And have we not seen such ‘mini rampage’ happening, and of all places, in the august house of Parliament (like what happened to Karpal Singh) or State Legislative Assembly itself (the fracas in the Perak State Assembly)?

We have seen too much of denials of abuses by our MPs and state assemblymen from both the political divide, and I am yet to see one, just one that has proven himself/herself to be righteous, upright, honest and sincere to be called the Yang Berhormat (Honourable); probably with the exception of the Menteri Besar Kelantan Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz, and maybe a few others.


CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION