Picking on a few won't stop graft
Our society is abuzz with the possibility that corrupt politicians will be hit with a lifetime ban. Few, if any, would disagree with such a harsh measure.
Published: 23/10/2015 at 04:25 AM
Writer: Umesh Pandey
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After all, it is our hard-earned money that is falling into the cracks of corruption and we, as taxpayers, are left high and dry.
The issue was highlighted by Privy Councillor and former premier Tanin Kraivixien in his reform proposal he put forward to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Mr Tanin pointed out that the fight against corruption has been a failure because politicians who are barred from politics for five years are allowed to return.
He proposed that these people should not be given a second chance even if they performed good deeds for the betterment of the country.
There were a host of other proposals including revamping the extradition laws to enable the seizure of assets of corrupt politicians even if they are living outside of Thailand.
Needless to say, if Thailand can implement even a few of these proposals it would be a leap forward for future generations. But, hold on, before we jump the gun, can we just take a step back and think about the realities here?
The proposal to ban corrupt politicians for life is good. But take the current example of a similar situation: A politician was banned and has been in self-exile for seven years, yet through nominees and proxies this politician was able to control what went on in Thailand. Despite his absence from Thailand, his party won an outright majority in the polls and most likely would be the winning party if elections were held tomorrow or within the next couple of years.
The seizure of assets has also had little impact, given that some of this former premier's assets, worth more than US$1 billion, were seized by the state.
To be frank, Mr Tanin's ideas are not earth shattering. In fact, we in the media should take little notice of such issues unless there is a hidden agenda or it is taken to the other extreme whereby all the politicians of the so-called "111+109 houses" who were banned from politics are to be blocked from politics for life.
I am saying this because many of these 220 politicians who were banned between 2006-2008 are people who have the vision and drive to push the country forward. Despite their affiliations to different parties that are close to allegedly corrupt politicians, their banning from politics could be a loss to the nation.
Even today many of the members of the Prayut government such as Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, and Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam were part of Thaksin Shinawatra's dream team cabinet.
Even Bowornsak Uwanno, head of the panel which saw its charter draft rejected recently, was secretary-general of the Thaksin cabinet in 2006. Many of the people who are advising the government were part of this 220 group of MPs who were banned.
So the question arises of whether such a blanket ban on politicians is the right step or not.
Burning the house down to catch the mouse is not the way. Even though many of those who faced the previous ban may be corrupt, there are some who had no clue what was going on. Is it fair that they are included in a political massacre?
Now it's up to the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) to make the recommendations. But even if they do undertake the recommended measures and are smart enough to only include politicians who have been convicted of corruption, what is there to ensure that these politicians will not use their proxies to continue as power brokers behind the scenes?
What CDC chairman Meechai Ruchupan needs to do is try to find ways to have checks and balances rather than undertake this blanket measure.
Come to think about it, it is not just a group of politicians who are corrupt but the fact that corruption is in the veins of society from the policeman on the street up to the highest levels.
If corruption is to be fought, I suggest the new charter drafters make all segments of society be responsible for their actions. From civil servants sitting in the customs department up to the people procuring the equipment for the military, to state-owned enterprises and the granting of loans to companies by state-owned financial institutions -- all have reported some form of corruption.
So why not take this opportunity to eradicate corruption by stating what should be done and what is unacceptable for the entire nation rather than pinpoint a single group.
Umesh Pandey is editor of Asia Focus, Bangkok Post.