Malaysians are fast becoming blunt to the sexual imbroglios of their politicians, but this is not a good sign of any growing maturity but rather a negative signal that unless the authorities take steps to arrest it, dishonesty, obscenity and an "anything-goes" mentality will soon be the hallmarks of Malaysian culture.
“I am not shocked by whatever happens now. How is anyone to know if Shazryl is or is not Datuk T? Let the police carry out investigations without fear or favour to find out who the scoundrel is,” Ramon Navaratnam, chairman of the Centre for Public Policy Studies, toldMalaysia Chronicle.
He was referring to businessman Shazryl Eskay, who together with former Malacca chief minister Rahim Thamby Chik and Perkasa treasurer Shuaib Lazim, have confessed to screening a videotape allegedly showing a man who resembled like Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim having sex with a prostitute.
The three men had called themselves the Datuk T trio, claiming their motive in making public the video as well as their demands for Anwar and wife, PKR president Wan Azizah, to step down was because they wanted leaders of good morality to lead the nation.
Lackaidaiscal police
Speculation is rife the Datuk T trio was just a front for the Umno elite, who have been plotting to topple Anwar and his PKR party. The former deputy prime minister of Malaysia is well regarded throughout the nation as well as overseas. He is considered the most viable political personality capable of overthrowing the ruling BN coalition.
“We don’t know who is to blame for the sex video but it will give rise to conspiracy theories including all parties – BN as well as others. That is why the police report must come out soon,” said Navaratnam.
He was referring to the statements the police have taken from the trio.
But Navaratnam may have been too optimistic in expecting transparent and neutral action from the police, who have been aligned to Umno since independence from British rule in 1957.
No arrests have been made so far, and with Inspector General of Police himself saying, “What offence (did they commit) you tell me”.
'Manufactured set-up'
Yet the Datuk T trio had publicly confessed to screening the pornographic tape at the Carcosa Seri Negara Hotel last week to a batch of journalists and senior editors. Keeping and screening pornography is an offense under the law that is punishable up to 5 years in jail.
The half-hearted police efforts have lent credence to the conspiracy theory despite denials by the Umno elite.
Political analyst Ong Kian Ming, said that to outsiders, it seems that the Datuk T trio were people closely associated with Umno leaders, especially Rahim Thamby. Actually, all three men are Umno members.
Ong also said the story that the Datuk T trio gave to the public as to how they came across the videotape and their reasons for screening it to journalists was "not credible".
It reeked of a "manufactured set-up", and there was a possibility of a ‘body-double’ used to play part of the man alleged to be Anwar. Or the tape itself could even be ‘doctored’.
“Malaysian voters will feel disgusted with this dirty tactic. It is also surprising that the court made a sudden decision to accept evidence for the sodomy case,” Ong told Malaysia Chronicle.
He was referring to the High Court’s recent decision to U-turn on a ruling to not accept personal items illegally taken from Anwar. The items are a water bottle, towel and toothbrush, from which DNA samples had been lifted for matching with a Male Y sample obtained from the complainant, Saiful Bukhari Azlan’s anus and underwear. Anwar's lawyers have expressed fears of DNA tampering and fabrication to hammer through a guilty verdict.
Far-reaching and negative impact on youth and society
According to Ong, it is difficult to tell if more of such scandals will surface in the future, given that there were many ‘warlords’ within BN who had personal “incentives” and motivation of their own to see Anwar locked up and unable to challenge them for political power.
On Sunday, influential cleric Dr Asri Zainul Abidin led a call for a “large gathering” to protest the use of obscene and sexual politicking on the basis that this would have a far-reaching and negative impact on Malaysian youth and society.
“All politicians, regardless of which party they belong to, should end the practice of revealing the character flaws of their enemies when these do not amount to injustice against the people,” said Asri. - Malaysia Chronicle
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