The Star - January 28, 2008

Transparency International Malaysia wants to keep tabs

KUALA LUMPUR: Transparency International Malaysia plans to monitor the financial spending and character of candidates in several constituencies during the general election.

TI Malaysia president Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam said it plans to deploy “bright, able, young, concerned Malaysians with no vested interest” in certain constituencies to assess the candidates and improve transparency in the elections.

“They will go to the candidate to find out how much was spent on banners, hiring of cars, paying election workers and if the expenditure was more that the permitted limit,” Navaratnam said after a workshop on Free, Fair and Transparent Elections.