Ti M Calls For Addressing Public Perception Of Double Standards In Law Enforcement

---

 
TRANSPARENCY International Malaysia (TI-M) President Dr Muhammad Mohan emphasised the need to eliminate public perceptions of double standards in law enforcement.
He pointed to the DNAA (Discharge Not Amounting to an Acquittal) issue, where people associate it with high-profile cases, reinforcing the belief that laws favor the elite over ordinary citizens.
“For example, in the issue of DNAA, which we often see associated with high-profile cases. We do not dispute the law or the Attorney General’s authority, as they have the legal power to discontinue a case,” he said.
“But what is the public’s perception? Today, even a street vendor selling banana fritters understands what DNAA is, even if they do not know its exact legal definition,” said Mohan.
According to him, when DNAA is mentioned, people immediately associate it with certain parties. That is the public perception now—they believe that the law is applied differently for the common people and the elites, even though that may not be the case.
To address this, he recommended accelerating digitalisation in government agencies to minimise bureaucracy and interference.
He also highlighted Singapore’s approach, where swift anti-corruption actions and QR code-based immigration services contribute to its high Corruption Perception Index (CPI) ranking.
Malaysia’s CPI score of 50 (ranked 57th) remains unchanged for 2024, but a further decline could put the country in a “danger zone” for corruption.
Meanwhile, Dr Yusri Mohamad Ramli clarified the difference between gifts and bribes, stating that legitimate transactions are clear from the start, while unclear or hidden exchanges indicate potential corruption. —Focus Malaysia

---