Nacc's wicha Calls on assembly to 'set high ethical and moral standards'

“By punishing high-ranking public officials, you will set standards for future leaders and remind them of the necessity to possess higher moral and ethical principles than ordinary people,” said Wicha Mahakun, who represented the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
The NACC member ended his closing statement before the NLA by saying, “I would like to urge NLA members, let us make history together.” Wicha also portrayed the significance of the case in a historical context, as he said it would represent the most visible indictment of policy-fraud since the country began cracking down on graft.
He said Yingluck was accused of dereliction of duty because she had plenty of opportunities to order an investigation or end the scheme but she refused to do so, despite several warnings from the NACC itself and other agencies. As a result, the scandalous scheme caused severe damage to the country.
He pointed out that the rice scheme had caused losses of more than Bt500 billion, according to the Rice-Pledging Scheme Accounting Committee. He said the panel is the most credible source of reference because it consisted of experts in the field, including the director of the Comptroller-General’s department, the director of Public Debt Management Office, the director of Marketing Organisation for Farmers, amongst others.
He said the severe fiscal damage would take future governments up to 20 years to fully repay the debt. “Members of society, including our grandchildren, will have to pay for the damage caused,” said Wicha.
Summing up the scandalous rice-pledging scheme, he described it as “the scheme that pledged rice, when farmers pledged their lives and the country pledged her debt”.
The NLA has been criticised by Yingluck’s sympathisers as lacking legitimacy to impeach the former prime minister, as its members were handpicked by the National Council for Peace and Order.
However, Wicha insisted on the NLA’s legitimacy, arguing the current interim constitution had given them the responsibility of a Senate, hence he said, “without any doubts or debate, NLA has the legitimacy to rule in the impeachment case”.
Another key area of debate circled around the question whether impeachment and the punishment of corrupt officials could hurt the junta’s ongoing reconciliation and national reform effort where participation from all sides is needed.
Some argued that seeking the truth and serving the cause of justice, where those found guilty must be punished according to legal principles and rule of law, would be the most significant step to heal the country’s political conflict, and lead to a sustainable reconciliation.
People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) spokesman Akanat Promphan earlier warned the NLA members not to use “reconciliation” as an excuse to acquit Yingluck, as they are entirely different issues.
Some people believe that reconciliation involves compromise and forgiveness for all sides, and “not politically going after one particular faction”. They feel a decision to impeach the former premier could infuriate millions of her supporters and heat up the country’s political climate.
Wicha, however, insisted that during a time of deep-rooted conflict and the ongoing efforts for national reconciliation, upholding legal principles and the rule of law is the most importing thing to unify the country.