SMEAR campaigns against public officials, such as the one directed against Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Dzulkifli Ahmad, are distasteful, say activists.

G25 member and former civil servant Noor Farida Mohd Ariffin is one such person against dirty tactics being used to discredit politicians or others holding public positions.

“But at the same time, such people should exercise care in the conduct of their personal and private lives so as not to allow themselves and their office to be compromised,” Noor Farida told The Malaysian Insight.

Video clips allegedly showing Dzulkifli in the midst of an extramarital affair with a married woman surfaced earlier this month, prompting him to blame quarters who had become uneasy with the MACC’s recent arrests of high-profile politicians and civil servants.

Another video allegedly showing Dzulkifli with a woman in Bali was uploaded on YouTube on Wednesday. 

Similar tactics have been used to ruin the careers of politicians, such as former MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek, whose extramarital affair was exposed by sex tapes.

“I think people are increasingly inured to these sorts of things. Such tactics have been part of our politics for the past 20 years,” said Ibrahim Suffian of opinion pollster Merdeka Centre.

“In most cases, it has affected politicians. It’s rare that it has implicated high-ranking officials.”

Ibrahim said what effect this issue will have on Dzulkifli’s career would depend on how long the incident plays out in the media.

“Over time, people will move on, but they won’t forget.”

Bersih 2.0 secretariat manager Mandeep Singh said smear campaigns should not become the norm in Malaysia.

“Although it is necessary to have government officials, including (those in) independent commissions, under check and review, trial by the media should not become the norm. 

“Questions of ethical misconduct should be filed before the appropriate authorities,” he said. 

The Attorney-General’s Chambers had set up a special task force on Monday to monitor police investigations into the allegations against Dzulkifli. 

While acknowledging the public’s right to know the truth, Mandeep said public discourse should focus on the substantial aspects of governance and avoid creating a circus out of personal issues.

Dzulkifli broke his silence on Tuesday, saying he would not allow these “dirty tactics” to sidetrack him from his fight against graft but stopped short of denying or confirming the affair.

The woman alleged to have had an affair with Dzulkifli came forward last Saturday to say that she accepted the blame but would not reveal the real reason behind her divorce last month.  

She had apologised to Dzulkifli and his family in a Facebook post.  

She and her former husband also publicly criticised those behind the smear campaign for dragging their children into the matter.

The first three-minute video that emerged implicating her and Dzulkifli had included pictures of her family, including two young children. – October 22, 2017.