Why submerge water deal under OSA, C4 asks

An NGO says AG is abusing his powers by hiding details of water deal.

PETALING JAYA: A non-governmental organisation C4 (Centre to Combat Corruption & Cronyism) is demanding that the Attorney-General make public the details of the hurriedly signed water deal by previous Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim just before leaving office.

Its executive director Cynthia Gabriel said, “C4 views this latest action by the Attorney General as an outright abuse of power”.

She said the NGO also supported the call by current MB Azmin Ali who has demanded “a formal and written reason why public disclosure cannot be exercised”.

Stating her disappointment over the issue, Gabriel said, “Now why should the deal be tucked away under the OSA (Official Secrets Act)?”

Gabriel also warned that as long as the OSA was used “as a shield” by the government, “the greater the trust deficit will be between the people and the government”.

Accusing the government of using the OSA as a means to conceal “thousands of sins”, Gabriel also said the OSA “has paved the way for corruption to fester.”

She added that the AG and by extension, the government, should “stop treating its citizens like its enemies” and instead embrace more openness so society can mature.