A response to Lim Kit Siang on Latheefa’s appointment

LETTER | As the appointment of Latheefa Koya to helm MACC gathers more controversies, I am seeing more and more spurious arguments being put forward.

Lim Kit Siang, a long-time respected politician, is now labelling the appointment as “right” in law and constitution but “wrong” in politics. 

He even asks whether the opposition will support constitutional amendments on the MACC chief's appointment and make the anti-graft commission truly independent, in line with other commissions as provided for in the Federal Constitution.

With all due respect, I think he is making spurious and irrelevant arguments after seeing a predicament that is most difficult to explain.

As a non-politician, I can easily spot the fallacy of this. If the new government desires good governance and reforms, it can always “move ahead” of constitutional or legal provisions.

Although the PM has the absolute power to appoint the MACC chief, it does not mean he has to exercise it. 

If there are no provisions for consultation or parliamentary oversight before a major appointment is made, it does not hurt if consultation and oversight are carried out.

Is this not what we the people, together with PH politicians, were fighting for during the last general election? 

Was it not opaqueness, dictatorial tendencies, cabinet complicity and a sense of helplessness that caused great repulsion among the people?

Worse still, why second guess whether or not the opposition supports constitutional amendments to implement PH’s manifesto to improve MACC’s transparency and independence? 

 As mentioned earlier, the government needs no permission or approval from anyone to practise good governance, empowerment and transparency. Second guessing the opposition’s support is irrelevant.

The appointment of Latheefa is more than just about her being competent, fearless or independent. This is not just about her membership within PKR.

The signs that her appointment is causing division within PKR can be seen as her supporters and critics emerge from within the party.

Not only that, I think this division will gradually extent to the rest PH. Sometimes we just can’t handle the truth staring right at us.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.