PUTRAJAYA will find it difficult to keep climbing the Corruption Perception Index as Pakatan Harapan does not have majority to push through reforms that need constitutional amendments, said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Dr Mahathir tied this to Pakatan Harapan’s difficulties to fulfil its election manifesto, saying that the government is facing obstacles with promises that required constitutional amendments.

“We have delivered many of our promises but when it comes to law amendments we need two-thirds majority. The government does not have enough seats and we need the backing from opposition parties and that is not easy.

“For example, we agreed to accept Malaysia as a combination of three regions, but when we bring this to Parliament, Sarawak does not agree,” said Mahathir after attending a Chinese New Year open house at Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.

However, he did not cite which laws Putrajaya was having difficulty changing in parliament.

On Wednesday, Malaysia moved up 10 places in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2019.

Malaysia, scored 53 points and now ranks 51 out of 180 countries surveyed by the international graft watchdog. 

TI-Malaysia president Muhammad Mohan said the improved ranking is due to a number of factors, such as swift action by the new government on scandals involving 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), SRC International Sdn Bhd, Felda and Lembaga Tabung Haji.

CPI scores countries from 0 to 100, where 0 is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.

Last year, Malaysia was at 61, with a score of 47. In 2017, it scored the same points but ranked 62.

Comparing this latest score to past years, this is Malaysia’s best since 2012, when the scoring was rescaled from 0 to 100. 

Before 2012, countries were rated on a scale 1 to 10.

Former TI-M president Akhbar Satar urged the government to take a more serious approach combating corruption, especially in governance transformation.

“We need to remember that the Pakatan Harapan manifesto contains many things that can continue to drive Malaysia forward and it can improve the CPI.”

“The document outlines that the power to appoint important posts is no longer in the prime minister’s hands, but is instead transferred to a parliamentary select committee.

“If many more can’t be achieved, Malaysia’s position on future valuations may be compromised because it is driven by the perception of the people and stakeholders who clearly want transformation.” – January 25, 2020.