COMMENT | The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has urged governments around the world to ensure accountability is practised as they allocate unprecedented amounts of funds to manage the Covid-19 pandemic.

As reported by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), some political leaders have relied on the pandemic to increase their power, impose more restrictions on already limited access to information, eliminate transparency requirements from public procurement, and avoid public accountability mechanisms.

Like many other countries, Malaysia has announced large fiscal initiatives to address pressing issues such as rising unemployment, boosting social-welfare programmes, and meeting our urgent healthcare needs. At this time of economic uncertainty, the public is expecting much-needed support from the government.

According to KPMG, as of December 2020, the Malaysian government unveiled various packages totalling RM305 billion to weather the impact of Covid-19. These include an Economic Stimulus Package (RM20 billion), Prihatin package (RM230 billion), Additional Prihatin Package (RM10 billion), National Economic Recovery Plan (RM35 billion), and Kita Prihatin Package (10 billion).

In the face of this unplanned and unexpected pandemic, countries will tend to loosen existing procedures for public procurement and checks and balances to deliver support and assistance as quickly as possible...