14.03.2012
Women's rights groups have gathered at Malaysia's parliament demanding a clean government.
This comes just days after Women's Affairs Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil announced she is stepping down after her term ends.
Her husband Mohd Salleh Ismail has been charged with the alleged misuse of public funds of some US$20 million.
The chairman of the National Feedlot Corporation has pleaded not guilty to using the funds, meant to raise cattle production, to buy luxury properties.
Women handed out white gloves - a symbol of clean government, free from corruption - to elected MPs from both the BN government and the opposition in parliament.
It is part an ongoing campaign to advocate women's rights, in conjunction with International Women's Day.
Ivy Josiah, executive director of Women's Aid Organisation (WAO), said: "We want a clean government. It is ironic that we are surrounded by scandals. Almost everyday, a scandal is coming out regarding corruption. The message is...candidates - whether assemblymen or members of parliament, whichever side they come from - must be clean."
The group feels that it was right for Ms Shahrizat to resign, despite claims she had nothing to do with the scandal surrounding the National Feedlot Corporation. But they said her decision to step down four months after the scandal first broke has dented Prime Minister Najib Razak's pledge to clean up his government.
Irene Fernandez, executive director of Tenaganita, said: "He should have acted earlier, he should have called for a total review of the NFC and see what the problems are and not wait for it to mature with every revelation and it reaches a peak where people have lost confidence and pushed Shahrizat to resign and believe that the problem is solved. No, it hasn't."
An emergency motion to discuss the scandal was rejected by the Speaker of Parliament.
BN lawmakers also came to the prime minister's defence.
Abdul Rahman Dahlan, BN MP for Kota Belud, said: "I don't think so, four months is a reasonable time, it is not four years, four months is reasonable to assess the situation, we do have to let the law to take its course, the investigation is being done."
Meanwhile, Mr Najib has commended Ms Shahrizat, who is also the ruling party
This comes just days after Women's Affairs Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil announced she is stepping down after her term ends.
Her husband Mohd Salleh Ismail has been charged with the alleged misuse of public funds of some US$20 million.
The chairman of the National Feedlot Corporation has pleaded not guilty to using the funds, meant to raise cattle production, to buy luxury properties.
Women handed out white gloves - a symbol of clean government, free from corruption - to elected MPs from both the BN government and the opposition in parliament.
It is part an ongoing campaign to advocate women's rights, in conjunction with International Women's Day.
Ivy Josiah, executive director of Women's Aid Organisation (WAO), said: "We want a clean government. It is ironic that we are surrounded by scandals. Almost everyday, a scandal is coming out regarding corruption. The message is...candidates - whether assemblymen or members of parliament, whichever side they come from - must be clean."
The group feels that it was right for Ms Shahrizat to resign, despite claims she had nothing to do with the scandal surrounding the National Feedlot Corporation. But they said her decision to step down four months after the scandal first broke has dented Prime Minister Najib Razak's pledge to clean up his government.
Irene Fernandez, executive director of Tenaganita, said: "He should have acted earlier, he should have called for a total review of the NFC and see what the problems are and not wait for it to mature with every revelation and it reaches a peak where people have lost confidence and pushed Shahrizat to resign and believe that the problem is solved. No, it hasn't."
An emergency motion to discuss the scandal was rejected by the Speaker of Parliament.
BN lawmakers also came to the prime minister's defence.
Abdul Rahman Dahlan, BN MP for Kota Belud, said: "I don't think so, four months is a reasonable time, it is not four years, four months is reasonable to assess the situation, we do have to let the law to take its course, the investigation is being done."
Meanwhile, Mr Najib has commended Ms Shahrizat, who is also the ruling party
UMNO's Women's chief, for her sacrifice in quitting the cabinet in the interests of the party and the government.
The 58-year-old will officially step down when her senatorship expires on April 8.
The 58-year-old will officially step down when her senatorship expires on April 8.
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