Malaysian opposition says government not sincere in cleaning up graft

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 28 (AFP) - A Malaysian opposition leader said
Tuesday the reappointment of some ministers allegedly involved in corruption
showed the government was not sincere about cleaning up graft.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has told ministers and their deputies to
declare their assets to him, and members of his new cabinet have been
ordered to give up business interests.

A cabinet committee on good governance has been set up.

But Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, head of the National Justice Party, said none of
these measures would convince people the government was serious.

She said ministers should publicly declare their assets and called for the
Anti-Corruption Agency to be reconstituted "as a truly independent body
answerable to parliament."

"How can the man in the street be persuaded that the government is truly
committed to the eradication of corruption when senior ministers who are
allegedly involved in corruption and abuse of power are reappointed to the
cabinet?" she said in a statement.

Wan Azizah's husband, the jailed former deputy premier Anwar Ibrahim, has
alleged ministerial corruption during court testimony and in police reports.
Ministers have denied the allegations.

Mahfuz Omar, youth chief of the Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS), hailed the
order by Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to curb corruption and
abuse of power.

"But PAS doubts the instruction by the deputy premier ... the order is
merely to politicise the government's efforts to portray a transparent and
clean image," he said in a statement.

Mahfuz said if the government were sincere, it should take immediate action
against a number of leaders whom he said had been accused of graft.

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