ACTIVISTS, politicians and Malaysians took to Twitter today to condemn the royal commission of inquiry (RCI) report on Bank Negara Malaysia’s forex scandal as a politically motivated “sham”.

The report, which was tabled in Parliament today, pinned the blame on former BNM adviser Nor Mohamed Yakcop, while also implicating former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former finance minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Dr Mahathir and Anwar are now both heading the opposition Pakatan Harapan coalition which aims to oust Prime Minister Najib Razak in the next general election.

Human rights lawyer and executive director of Lawyers for Liberty Eric Paulsen slammed the RCI as a “shambles of an inquiry”.

“Why inquire the Bank Negara forex scandal now after nearly 30 years have lapsed?” Paulsen questioned in a series of tweets.

“This RCI only took 9 days to complete. Seriously? Further very little documentary evidence was adduced, it mainly relied on the memory of the individuals involved at the time. Almost 30 years ago,” he said.

Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who heads the youth division of Dr Mahathir’s new party Bersatu, compared the forex losses with the more recent 1MDB scandal.

(A case of losses 25 years ago is being investigated now. 1MDB corruption case involving a personal account. Case closed. Attorney-general changed. Those who report on it thrown into jail using SOSMA, an act for terrorists. The saddest is Anwar Ibrahim who is in jail is also being investigated again.)

A Twitter user Adam Radzi (@princeofutara) echoed Syed Saddiq’s sentiments in his own tweet: 

The RCI was set up to investigate allegations of estimated losses of RM30 billion in BNM’s forex trading activities between 1991 and 1994. The panel was headed by Mohd Sidek Hassan Md Said.

During its nine-day hearing, 25 witnesses submitted 42 documents and testimonies. Among some of the witnesses included Dr Mahathir, Anwar and former finance minister Daim Zainuddin.

Another Twitter user eddydaud (@eddydaud) said that the RCI report will only further highlight the current administration’s scandals.

“This is akin to political witch-hunts!” said Chong Beng Lim (@ChongBeng).

Another user @HidupBer1 said that the RCI serves as a “political instrument” for the government to silence opposition.

“Royal commission & similar investigations are in the first place political instruments used by the government of the day for its own ends! Be that to exculpate itself, to nail political enemies or to clean up an Augean stable in a government bureau or department. That’s it!” – November 30, 2017.