MALAYSIANS should not legitimise the new government despite Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s overtures to voters, said Cynthia Gabriel.

In a statement, the Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Centre) executive director said the public should never be taken for fools with assurances that things are “normal” or can be made so.

“It bears reminding that this unelected government came about with the collusion of forces that lost the last general election because of entrenched grand corruption, abuse of power and bigotry.

“The internal coup conveniently paved the way for these very parties and their dark horses to seize power from the people by trampling on the mandate given in the last general election.

“All this was, of course, done in a clandestine manner, keeping everyone in the dark, and causing massive levels of betrayal of and mistrust by the people.”

In light of the country’s “harrowing” political reality, she demanded that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigates allegations of horse-trading and the movement of money to buy the support of MPs.

“C4 Centre hopes to work with MACC and other institutions to strengthen the need for accountability from politicians.”

She urged the constituents of MPs locked in the power struggle to “flood their service centres with protest notes and letters; head over to the centres and demand your rightful explanations from them for betraying your trust”.

“To the MPs who are being approached to cross over, please be courageous enough to withstand it and report it publicly. That is the only way we can curb money politics.”

In a message to Pakatan Harapan, she said: “We trust that the lessons from being in the government will ensure you work closely with the people to live out your manifesto and reforms.”

Cabinet members with questionable past

Gabriel criticised Muhyiddin’s anti-graft rhetoric, saying it rings hollow due to the chequered history of his cabinet members.

“The heavy rhetoric around leading a clean government through anti-corruption policies such as asset declarations sounds awkward, as the very cabinet members appointed into the Perikatan Nasional government have gone on record to resist declaring their assets during PH’s reign of power.”

She questioned the appointment of Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Sabah and Sarawak affairs Hanifah Hajar Taib, the youngest daughter of Sarawak Governor Taib Mahmud.

“Her family, including herself, are the major shareholders in Cahya Mata Sarawak Bhd, notorious for capitalising on Taib’s position to scrape off lucrative state contracts, such as the construction of the Sarawak Legislative Assembly building, Borneo Convention Centre, Kuching’s Darul Hana, Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy, and Pan Borneo Highway.”

Also mentioned is Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, who was allegedly involved in corruption during his time as head of the Defence Ministry.

The ministry had paid RM300 million for six MD530G light-scout attack helicopters through direct negotiations, and the deal was spared from value-management checks. The aircraft were never delivered to the army.

The proposal was approved by former prime minister Najib Razak, who also held the finance portfolio.

Gabriel said newly appointed Environment Minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man tried to defend logging in Kelantan by citing its International Organisation for Standardisation certification in 2012.

However, the certification for sustainable logging expired in 2016. The same year, the state’s certificate for forest management was revoked by Sirim QAS International Sdn Bhd.

“Are we heading for deforestation or sustainable forestry with the new environment minister?” said Gabriel.

She questioned, too, the choice of former CIMB group CEO Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz as finance minister.

“He is talented for sure, but maybe on the musical side, as he showed off his talent as a chief executive in a politically motivated music video. Dubbed ‘Hebat Negaraku’, it sings the endless praises of Najib Razak.

“Tengku Zafrul was part of the CIMB team when Nazir Razak, chairman of CIMB and brother of Najib, was exposed as having dispensed RM29 million in support of Najib in the 2013 general election.

“How would the people have any shred of confidence that these anti-corruption pledges made by Muhyiddin are not empty rhetoric?” – March 14, 2020.