Citizen Nades takes anti-corruption fight to a new level

PUTRAJAYA: Two media practitioners are among five new faces in the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) independent advisory panel.
theSun's R. Nadeswaran and Karangkraf managing director Datuk Husamuddin Yaakob received their letters of appointment from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak today.
The panel is headed by another media practitioner, Media Prima chairman Tan Sri Johan Jaaffar.
The other members of the panel are Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing, Datuk Dr Marimuthu Nadason of Fomca, Datuk Dr Chin Yew Sin, Datuk Zuraidah Atan, Datuk Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz, Datuk Khalid Ibrahim, Datuk Sharifah Mohd Ismail, Datuk Anar Fazal, Prof Dr Syed Noh Syed Ahmad, Assoc Prof Dr Ismail Sualman and Walter Sandosam.
Nadeswaran, who is editor (special and investigative reporting) of theSun and writes a column twice a week as Citizen Nades, has been addressing issues of good governance and corruption for more than three decades.
After all these years, he said, it is time to do "national service".
"Having written extensively on the subject, the time has come to channel some of my ideas and thoughts through this panel and see it to fruition.
"With other media people who receive and investigate complaints on corruption, we have a better picture of how corruption affects society as a whole," he said, adding that the tenure of his appointment is for a year under the consultative and corruption prevention panel.
The other two panels are the complaints committee and the operations evaluation panel.
Najib said the role of the panel members is crucial and significant in boosting the abilities of the MACC as an independent commission.
He said the members are those with extensive expertise and represent people of all walks of life.
"We are satisfied with the role and contributions of the panel members. The government will try to realise the views and recommendations put forward by panel members to forge the efforts in fighting corruption."
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamad said with the independent panels, the MACC is confident its effectiveness will be beefed up to realise its goals.