Press statement of Group of Concerned Citizens on the General Election

We are a group of Malaysians from diverse ethnicities, religions and backgrounds including military, academic, business, professional and the not-for-profit sector. We have been drawn together by our love for our country and our concern that this general election may see further setbacks in our aspiration for a better society.

Malaysians need a better government and good governance, especially in these tumultuous times of heightened racial discord and religious hatred and extremism.

If we succeed, we can be a modest example for the rest of the world in the way we tackle our racial and religious differences and in our resolve and actions to ensure social justice and the fair distribution of the wealth of our land.

Past governments and politicians have too often failed us by abusing the public treasury for private gain, by concentrating wealth and power in the hands of a few, and by debasing our democratic rights. For some years now, we have been one of the top countries in the world in terms of illicit outflows of money. According to Global Financial Integrity, the total 10-year estimate of financial outflow for Malaysia was RM871.4 billion for 2000-2010. No country in the world can afford such a high level of capital flight.

The coming elections provides us an opportunity to exercise our individual and collective right to decide on who will lead this country in the next five years and manage our finances, economy and society in a fair and just manner. If we choose badly we will have only ourselves to blame.

We wish to share with voters in this election pamphlet, which is being disseminated throughout the country, our concerns as well as our position on the principles and values that can propel our country towards that better society that we seek and which all Malaysians deserve and can be proud of. We believe that most Malaysians share not only these concerns but also our expectations of the high moral and ethical standards from the parties and politicians that will soon come into power. 

We hope that this election message – a non-partisan one – will be etched in the minds and memories of those who will shortly take political office as well as of all voters so that the promise of moral and good governance is in the forefront of national priority, not just during the election campaign period and particularly on election day but every day during the next four or five years.

Other citizens and civil society organisations wishing to endorse this or a similar message are free to adopt or adapt it, and disseminate in their own names.

Civil society leaders endorsing this message:

Ahmad Farouk Musa
Arshad Raji
Azmi Sharom
K J John
Koon Yew Yin
Lim Teck Ghee
Masjaliza Hamzah
Raja Petra Kamarudin
Ramon Navaratnam
Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh
Thasleem Mohamed Ibrahim
S Thayaparan
Zaid Ibrahim