Anti-graft watchdog chief comes clean on why he quit

Datuk Paul Low ... “The buck stops here.”

By Debra Chong - The Malaysian Insider

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 — A day after quitting as president of the Malaysian branch of Transparency International (TI-M), Datuk Paul Low said he really did it to stop the growing criticism over his suitability to lead the anti-corruption group and its motives.

“There are some people who think I’m the problem,” Low told The Malaysian Insider over the phone this afternoon.

He admitted that there has been growing opposition against his leadership even from within TI-M’s executive committee because of his ties with MCA and the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM).

Some still accuse him openly of being partisan even after he pulled out as a life-member of the Chinese political party earlier this year.

The final straw was the threat of a lawsuit against TI-M over the recent Global Corruption Report 2009 (GCR 2009) published by the international anti-graft watchdog based in Berlin, which is said to highlight the multi-billion ringgit Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal.

Low, who led a task force investigating the controversial project, had been hauled up by some of his colleagues for failing to consult them on the report before its release.

Despite the criticisms, he stands by TI’s analysis, which he described to be “an accurate assessment” and today repeated his vow to take full responsibility for the report, including being sued.

“The buck stops here,” Low said. He accepts that he is fallible.

“We need to deal with integrity in this country,” he added.

He explained that he resigned because he did not “want to see discord in the organisation” but bitterly noted that the local chapter of TI did not appear to have pulled up their socks and work as one body even after his decision.

He said he did not quit suddenly though the move had taken some of his colleagues by surprise.

Low, who had been president only since March, thought long and hard about it for the past week before going public with the decision.

“I believe TI is a reputable organisation. Our core mission is to fight the abuse of power for personal gain.

“I think TI should stand fervently and voice its opinion on what is the right thing to do and actively engage with civil society to educate civil society to be more concerned with issues like this,” Low said.

The vice-president of FMM remembers the overwhelming support he received when he stood for the TI-M president job; and again when he consulted his colleagues there when he was asked to head the PKFZ task force.

“I got unanimous support. I told them I can help from the inside rather than criticise from the outside. I can participate and be accountable to my excos.

“I also said 'Have two excos from TI-M to sit with me as observer. They can sanction me.' Have you heard of a president who would ask to be sanctioned?

“What else do you want me to do?” he asked, hopelessness mixed in with exasperation ringing loud and clear even over the phone.

But not all of TI-M’s executive council members are against Low’s leadership. Its secretary-general, Dr Loi Kheng Min told The Malaysian Insider that Low had been “fairly objective” in his job.

The next round of elections is scheduled for April 2011. Datuk Mohamed Iqbal has been appointed acting president in the meantime.

The central committee will meet next Monday to decide on its next move, said Loi.