THE Perikatan Nasional government is misusing the law for undemocratic and unjust purposes, said former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“We are going to see criminals enjoying a free life according to the law,” he said in a blog post today.

“It seems that the rule of law can be so abused that justice will not be done.”

A democratically elected federal government was replaced by parties that were rejected in the elections, while elected reps in Sabah were bought resulting in the dissolution of the state assembly, he said.

“The losers rule. The winners form the opposition,” he said.

“You would think this is wrong. But the law says it is legal. It is therefore a part of the rule of law. We must accept,” he said.

“In Sabah, assemblymen who were supporters of the government suddenly left the government. Why? The only explanation is that they were bribed,” he said.

As a result of the defection, the Sabah government was dissolved, fresh polls were called and the government which was previously rejected returned to power.

Dr Mahathir said corrupt leaders were let off from standing trial for their crimes, and suggested that more would similarly escape punishment.

Without naming the person but clearly referring to Musa Aman, the Langkawi MP said the attorney-general had seen fit to withdraw 42 charges of financial wrongdoing against “a former chief minister”.

“In another case, the accused gave back some of the money he was alleged to have stolen. He was discharged on the promise that he would return the rest of the money later. This is also legal,” he said, referring to Najib Razak’s stepson Riza Aziz.

“And now a man who bribed a minister was fined after he admitted to doing so. But the minister who accepted the bribe was discharged,” he said, referencing the recent discharge not amounting to an acquittal of Tengku Adnan Mansor

“Maybe later on even a man convicted of stealing millions of government money will be pardoned. This too would be according to the law.”

He said democracy required that the government and the people subscribe to the rule of law.

“We all believe that if we do this, we will enjoy good governance and the people would be protected through the application of laws.”

Yet, in accordance with the law now, criminals could go unpunished while crimes were committed with impunity, he said. – December 16, 2020.