THE recommendations made to the prime minister by the Council of Eminent Persons should remain classified according to a former member and prominent economist Jomo Kwame Sundaram.

On whether the report submitted to Dr Mahathir Mohamad last week should be made public, Jomo said: “I don’t think so because right now, some issues should not be publicised.”

“On some issues the government has already made some decisions. Why embarrass or why contrast? Then people will say… We never wrote it with the intention to get it publicised.

“Our intention was always to provide advice to the prime minister, which we expect he in turn would share with the relevant ministers for them make their decisions,” Jomo told reporters after speaking at a forum in Kuala Lumpur Monday night.

Dr Mahathir today said the council, which was disbanded two weeks ago, was to investigate economic matters affecting the country and to report to him. The prime minister said that it was not necessary that the details of the report be made public.

In the course of its 100-day tenure, the council interviewed some 350 people from 200 organisations and submitted its recommendations to Dr Mahathir last Monday.

“Some of the items are sensitive,” said Jomo, a former United Nations assistant secretary-general and visiting fellow at the Khazanah Research Institute.

“And the government must be capable of getting advice, there are many things that are delicate. You cannot publicise everything you do.

“Information can be abused. There are details that may affect businesses. We have to be very careful about them because likewise there are things that affect other countries.

“We have to be very careful about them. It is very important to realise that while this government must be transparent and accountable, that does not mean you must know everything.”

Last week, Dr Mahathir reiterated the need for the council to continue, perhaps in a new form, to support the government.

On whether the CEP is still operating, Jomo replied: “No the letter was very clear. 100 days,” adding that its members, such as CEP chairman Daim Zainuddin, may continue to serve the government but in other capacities such as special advisers.

“We can continue but not as CEP. There are too many people who has misconceptions about CEP. Too many criticisms. No point answering all the criticisms. Just close it down.

“The CEP itself has become controversial. And the government should not be distracted by controversies,” he said.

Jomo also confirmed that the CEP is not funded by taxpayers.

“We have never asked for money. In fact, I used my own money for tambang (my travel fare).”

Dr Mahathir formed the five-member council, led by Daim, immediately after becoming prime minister following GE14 to help formulate a report on economic and financial policies for the new Pakatan Harapan government.

Other members of the council were Jomo, former Bank Negara governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz, former Petronas president Mohd Hassan Marican and tycoon Robert Kuok. – August 27, 2018.