OTTAWA (Yosefardi) – Parliamentarians from Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Brunei Darussalam committed to the common goal and common action of achieving a corrupt-free Southeast Asia, during the closing of the General Assembly of the Southeast Asian Parliamentarians Against Corruption (SEAPAC) in Medan, Indonesia, 24 October 2013.
During the two-day event, participants discussed: political patronage; the effects of gender and culture on corruption; collaboration between anti-corruption stakeholders; and restoring public trust. Each of these issues was reflected in the Medan Declaration which was passed unanimously at the closing session.
Members also adopted a regional action plan and elected two members: Mr. Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang (Malaysia) and Dr Ir Pramono Anung Wibowo (Indonesia), SEAPAC’s two representatives on GOPAC’s global Board of Directors.
SEAPAC, a regional chapter of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC), is composed of national chapters in Indonesia, Timor-Leste, the Philippines and Malaysia. The meeting also laid the ground work for establishing new GOPAC national chapters in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.
GOPAC is a worldwide alliance of parliamentarians working together to combat corruption, strengthen good government, and uphold the rule of law. Based in Ottawa, Canada, GOPAC has 48 national chapters on 5 continents.