Written by Stan Lee, Politics Now!
KUALA LUMPUR (Politics Now!) - Burning questions were raised as Little Napoleons in Malaysia's government rushed to please Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, even to the extent of ignoring core principles of professionalism, as he fights what has been described as the battle of his life - his crusade whether for personal revenge or to really rid the country of corruption - against his two greatest foes Daim Zainuddin and Mahathir Mohamad.
Indeed, why hasn't Anwar gone after Taib Mahmud, known for his family's fabulous wealth perhaps just as much or even more than Daim, a two-time former finance minister, or Mahathir, the legendary two-time former prime minister?
Is it because Taib, described by some media as the local 'White Rajah', is now the head of state of Sarawak - a key state whose support in Parliament Anwar needs to cling onto the PM's post? A former chief minister, Taib was among the main figures endlessly highlighted by Anwar and his Pakatan Harapan coalition for years as the epitome of the endemic corruption that ailed the country when it was ruled by the Umno-BN coalition.
And what about Hishammuddin Hussein, the cousin of the disgraced and jailed former prime minister Najib Razak, who reportedly threatened to move at least 10 Umno MPs over to the Opposition - which if and when it materializes will signal the collapse of Anwar's unity government. Why has not further action been taken over the Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) procurement - a corruption scandal that took place when Hishammuddin was defense minister.
"Given the investigation into Daim based on the Pandora Papers, should the MACC not investigate Taib, given the Sarawak Report disclosures?" NST reported Haniff Khatri Abdulla, the senior lawyer often associated with Mahathir, as asking.
"Failure to address concerns about Taib's case could cast doubt on Anwar's commitment to combating corruption, appearing more as political manoeuvring."
"The failure to continue a thorough investigation into the LCS scandal could undermine Anwar Ibrahim's anti-corruption stance, appearing as mere political rhetoric," Haniff added.
UPHILL TASK TO PIN DOWN DAIM WITH 6-YEAR RECORD-KEEPING RULE?
Haniff was commenting on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) seizure of Ilham Tower, which is owned by Daim's family members, allegedly as part of an investigation initiated against the former minister. Was this "sincere dedication or driven by personal interests"?
"The truth will be determined in court based on evidence and legal principles. It's crucial for the public to understand that initiating an investigation differs greatly from gathering evidence for a successful prosecution in court," Haniff said.
He slammed the case for reeking of political interference, pointing out that the collection of evidence, especially in commercial crimes like corruption, heavily relies on banking and financial records.
"However, such documents are typically discarded after six years, making it challenging to obtain evidence for older allegations," said Haniff.
"Hence, it's essential for authorities to initiate investigations promptly without any political interference, avoiding blame for older allegations where gathering sufficient evidence is almost impossible.
"Political interference, whether to stall or direct investigations, is unacceptable and can be seen as politically motivated actions or revenge," he added.
HAS ANWAR FORGOTTEN WHY MALAYSIANS BOOTED OUT NAJIB
There is already much public suspicion as to Anwar's motives. While most Malaysians, including Malays who make up the predominant electorate, are supportive of anti-corruption campaigns especially against the political bigwigs including Taib, Daim and Mahathir, they are angered and turned off by the methods perceived to be adopted by Anwar and his Little Napoleons.
"Anwar seems to have forgotten why Malaysians and the Malays booted out Najib and Umno in 2018. They couldn't stand the corruption anymore and the more that Najib tried to use his power to cover up the 1MDB debacle, the more determined they became to kick him out. That's how the great Umno hegemony collapsed after 60 years," a political analyst told Politics Now!
"So if Anwar now gets too swell-headed by his own power or too desperate to see he is plunging the country into a political crisis because he is so eager to survive that he himself breaks all the rules to the extent investors start to panic and flee, then his day of reckoning has come."
WHITHER 'BAD TO WORSE' MALAYSIA - WITH NO BOTTOM IN SIGHT
A day ago, lawyers representing four individuals summoned in relation to the Daim probe had harsh words for the MACC, after it barred them from accompanying their clients during questioning.
Lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan described MACC’s decision to prohibit entry to the lawyers as “oppressive, unlawful, and high-handed”.
“In particular, one of the lawyers representing the individual was with the client in the interview room when suddenly MACC officers rushed in and forced the lawyers to leave.
“MACC thus prevented us from representing and advising our clients,” Rajesh said in a statement to Free Malaysia Today.
When asked why, the MACC officers allegedly replied that it was “an order from a higher-up”.
“The right to legal representation is sacrosanct and it is completely unacceptable for a person to be denied the right to consult his lawyer. The MACC is acting in an abhorrent manner,” said Rajesh.
MACC chief Azam Baki, who himself was hit by a shares scandal, has yet to respond. The identity of the four individuals - whether they are Daim's family members, staff or business associates - is also not known.
So whither Malaysia? In bad shape and deteriorating fast after 60 years of high-handed and non-accountable rule by the corrupt Umno-BN, pushed further down by the Muhyiddin Yassin and Ismail Sabri administrations, will Anwar puncture and set a new record depth for the once-promising country?
Written by Stan Lee, Politics Now!
Politics Now!
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