Suaram : Protect whistle blowers instead of targeting them

The Steering Committee to Free the Judiciary, comprising of various organizations, political parties and individuals, views with increasing serious concern and alarm the recent development concerning the video clip scandal and the independence of the judiciary.

We are outraged and appalled that the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) has threatened PKR (National Justice Party) vice-president Sivarasa Rasiah and assistant to Anwar Ibrahim, Sim Tze Tzin with prosecution under Section 29(c) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997, if they fail to reveal the source of the video clip. If convicted, under Section 58 of the same Act, they face a fine of up to RM10,000 or two years imprisonment.

The source of the video clip should not be the ACA’s utmost concern. The ACA, instead of targeting the whistle blowers, should instead investigate the content of the video clip and the persons mentioned in the same, as very serious allegations of corrupt practices and abuse of power have prima facie been committed. As the ACA is generally not able to protect whistle blowers, Sivarasa and Sim have every right to protect the source of the video clip and they have been proven right by the ACA’s action. This development has once again reinforced the long held perception that while influential officials and businessmen are able to get away with serious crimes, whistle blowers are instead made to pay for daring to expose the wrong doings.

We further view this scandalous and disgraceful threat as politically motivated and done in bad faith. It is an act calculated to intimidate and silent Sivarasa and Sim, and also to send a strong message to other potential whistle blowers and human rights defenders. This trend of targeting whistle blowers and human rights defenders will unfortunately bring about a chilling effect and discourage others from coming forward and exposing the wrong doings of influential officials and businessmen.

If the ACA is serious in combating corruption and salvaging whatever little credibility and confidence it still retain, it must immediately revoke the threat of prosecution against Sivarasa and Sim and protect whistle blowers. The ACA instead must investigate the content of the video clip and the persons mentioned in the same.

Yap Swee Seng
Executive Director
SUARAM

http://malaysia-today.net/blog2006/letters.php?itemid=8887