Burying your head in the sand won’t solve anything, Mr PM


Dzulkefly Ahmad

WITH the latest filing of DoJ that puts the embezzlement fund of 1MDB at US$4.5 billion, with the US seeking to forfeit US$1.7 billion of it back, the callous response of the Malaysian Attorney-General labelling it as “insinuations of criminal wrongdoing against Prime Minister Najib Razak” is simply incredulous.

Him not wanting to initiate any legal measure, with the ever-damning expose, is surely scandalous, to say the least.

As if that wasn’t sufficient to humiliate us as a sovereign nation with at least some semblance of rule of law, the PM’s aide and 1MDB deemed it fit to add insult to injury. Accusing the DoJ of having ulterior motives (beyond just asset forfeitures), it was alleged not to be backed by ‘evidence’ of improprieties and any wrongdoings.

Prosecutions and convictions of international banks and their top officials in other jurisdictions across the globe abound. One wonders whether cabinet ministers are outlawed from reading the latest 251-page complaint document from the DoJ, and for that matter, many other news reports and writings on 1MDB.

With this latest expose, it has become a total infamy and shame for Malaysia and Malaysians everywhere. Najib and his cabinet with the entire gamut of government institutions are likened to have now buried their heads in the sand.

Very regrettably, they are oblivious of the fact that the DoJ’s latest complaints have exposed his kleptocratic government’s not-so-good side in the air.

Most deplorable arguably is when DoJ finally sheds light on the much hyped US$620 million “returned donation” to the donor (of the US$680 million that MO1 received). The 251-page lawsuit, inter alia, mentiond that the US$27.3 million that was used from this “returned donation” to buy inter alia, a 22-carat pink diamond and necklace for ‘MO1’s wife”.

What and how else could this helpless nation’s citizenry do or resort to? Much to the chagrin of the rakyat, are they expected to sit back and take this huge disrepute and ignominy lying down?

Surely there must be some ways to get this much-beleaguered nation out of this extremely disgraceful impasse. One is also reminded of the issuance from the Conference of Rulers as to the need for an effective legal resolution to this 1MDB debacle. To date, it has also come to naught.

Should there be any moral compunction left in the cabinet or the MT of Umno, then they must immediately act to mitigate the nation from experiencing a perfect storm of scandals or into a tailspin of sort.

Removing Najib is surely an option, though arguably not in the best political and electoral interest of the opposition fraternity.

If all else fails, the rakyat must resort to the ‘Apex Court of the People’, ie the 14th general elections, to convincingly and decisively reject this kleptocratic government that has long overstayed their welcome. – June 18, 2017.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.


Sign up or sign in here to comment.


Comments