Release the report and charge the culprits

I refer to the Malaysiakini report on the Royal Commission of inquiry, in which Chairperson Haidar Mohamed Noor was qouted as saying :

Picture courtesy of Malaysiakini .

“Personally I think the report should be made public. However, that is not for me to decide. The last word is still with the Prime Minister.”

I think the Commission’s report on ‘Lingam Tapes’ should be made public.

reasons:

1. To practise Transparency: If the report can be made public wholesome, it would show the public that the government is really sincere in reforming to pursue better governance with total transparency and accountability.

2. Pak Lah should have nothing to fear since this judicial black dot happened during the previous administration. By going public, the Prime Minister can win a lot of points and show his sincerity to reform the judiciary.

3. The Commission is set up using government money ( which means your money and my money), and so the government has a duty to the Rakyat to make the report public since public fund is used to set up the Inquiry.

4. As I have always mentioned, the world is being flattened now and the hierarchy of those who rule and those who are ruled is being blurred, due to the advances in knowledge, communication and internet. The people are as well educated as, some are even better informed than, the government  leaders. If the report is withheld, there would be a big cloud over the whole thing, and there would definitely a perception that the government is trying to sweep something under the carpet.

5. Politically, since the Commission has already been set up due to public pressure, it would be politically wise to make public the report. It would be politically stupid to set up a commission and yet to make the report private and confidential.

I look forward to read what is inside the Commission report, and in the name of justice, any wrongdoers , no matter how high the person is or was sitting, must be charged and tried.