THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has invited parties to submit the names of prospective 14th General Election candidates to be vetted.

Chief commissioner Dzulkifli Ahmad said although there was no law or compulsion for the parties to do so, vetting could be done to ensure that candidates were “clean” and not tainted by corruption and abuse of power.

“MACC is open in this matter, and it is up to the parties (to take up MACC’s offer),” he said at a press conference in conjunction with the state-level Anti-Corruption Road Tour 2017 in Kampung Panggas, Padang Bear in Perlis today.

He said Barisan Nasional parties were the only ones to have submitted names of leaders and would-be candidates to be vetted in the past, and that opposition parties had never done so.

He gave an assurance that the vetting process was confidential and it was up to the parties whether to take further action upon receiving the commission’s findings.

“I advise parties contesting in GE14 to get their candidates vetted as the public will be gauging their integrity.” – Bernama, September 26, 2017.