Low re-elected TI-M president

2009/11/07

By Alang Bendahara

PETALING JAYA, Sat: Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) members unanimously voted anti-graft civil organisation former president Datuk Paul Low back into power during an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) at Armada Hotel here today.

There were four elected new faces - Prof Datuk Mohamed Ali Hasan as deputy president; Ngooi Chui Ling as secretary-general and two new executive committee (exco) members; Fahri Azzat; and Lee Swee Seng.

Richard Wong was re-elected treasurer along with four exco members - Datuk Murad Mohamed Hashim; Dr. Y.K. Chin; Mohamed Raslan Abdul Rahman; and Amu Tharmarajah.

Speaking to the press after the EGM, Low said his return, uncontested, at the EGM had given him a fresh mandate.

“I believe members want continuity, which is why they think I should come back as president. It also shows their confidence in me as president,” he said.

Low said the EGM also passed three resolutions :
- that TI-M endorses and supports the Global Corruption Report 2009 (GCR 2009);

- that TI-M endorses and supports the words and actions of the then president Datuk Paul Low relating thereto, and accordingly pledges full financial and other support of the society in claims, suits and proceedings arising from or relating to the GCR 2009 and the words and actions of the then president relating to GCR 2009; and
- that TI-M authorises the establishment of a legal defence fund to be raised, inter alia, from donations from the public.

On the lawsuit TI-M and he faced from Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd, the contractor for the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ), Low said: “We at TI-M will stand united against any suit that is brought against us as we believe that what we are doing is right and for the interest of the public.”

He appeals to the public to support the setting up of a legal fund to support himself and TI-M in relation to the lawsuit filed by Kuala Dimensi.

He said TI-M needed the public’s support as the strongest weapon to fight corruption.

TI-M’s next general election is scheduled for 2011.