Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad take the first and second spots in N Surendran's list of subjects for the polygraph machine.
PETALING JAYA: With the ruling coalition drowning in a sea of allegations with regard to corruption and abuse of power, the challenge to an opposition leader to undergo a lie detector test is nothing short of foolish.
On the contrary, PKR vice-president N Surendran said it should be Barisan Nasional leaders and high-ranking civil servants who must be wired to a polygraph machine.
“I think thousands of lie detector tests must be administered considering the extent of corruption and abuse of power in BN,” he told FMT.
And taking pole position on Surendran’s list of potential test subjects was none other than Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.
“The prime minister should be posed with questions, among others, pertaining to the Scorpene submarine scandal, the murder of [Mongolian national] Altantuya Shaariibuu and the Ampang LRT extension project, in which he is said to have a hand in,” said the PKR leader.
Coming a close second on the list behind Najib was former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who ruled the nation for 22 years until 2003.
Surendran said Mahathir should be subjected to the lie detector test for countless financial scandals and allegations of abuse of power such as the infamous Internal Security Act dragnet in 1987.
IGP and AG as well
Apart from the politicians, the PKR leader said Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar must also undergo the test to determine to what extent he was a tool of Umno and BN.
Surendran stressed that Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail cannot be spared either.
“He is the subject of various police reports and allegations, including his role in the case of [Opposition Leader] Anwar Ibrahim and the cover-up of Anwar’s black-eye incident,” he said.
He said that former chief justices, including Zaki Azmi, and various other figures in the judiciary must also have their pulse and blood pressure recorded by the polygraph machine.
“Zaki can be questioned on how he managed to obtain a billion dollar highway contract for his wife,” he added.
Surendran was responding to the suggestion from MIC’s R Ramanan that Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and his wife undergo a lie detector test.
Ramanan, who claimed that it was a suggestion made in the best interest of Lim, said it would help the latter clear his name over an extramarital affair allegation.
His suggestion drew brickbats from the opposition as well as MIC central working committee member S Vell Paari.
Test ‘rich’ MIC leaders too
Meanwhile, Surendran said Ramanan should propose the idea to MIC leaders first with regard to the Maika Holdings and other financial scandals.
“They should be subjected to the test considering that MIC leaders are well off and rich while many of the Indians they claim to represent continue to live in poverty,” he added.
If the BN leaders agreed to undergo the lie detector test, Surendran said the opposition would not have any qualms in following suit since the former had more to account for.
Advising his political opponents not to conjure absurd ideas, the PKR leader said: “BN leaders should stop grandstanding and coming out with foolish statements.”
“They should offer concrete proposals to address the grievances of Malaysians instead.
“This is why the country is in this state because of the complete inability of BN leaders to grapple with bread and butter issues,” he added.
Trouble brewing in MIC
In a related development, Vell Paari’s criticism of Ramanan’s proposal had prompted him to question the former’s stand in a Tamil daily.
Ramanan had also cast aspersions on Vell Paari’s political allegiance given the latter’s defence of Bersih chairperson S Ambiga.
Commenting on this, Vell Paari said dissent should not be confused with disloyalty.
“I would like to state that I am not going to be dragged into a mudslinging match with him, to quote Guan Eng ‘When a person is ridiculous, there is no need to ape him’.
“With regard to the personal attacks that I have been subjected to by Ramanan, I would handle that legally through the process of court,” he told FMT.
As for the accusation from Ramanan that he was anti-MIC and BN, Vell Paari said he would request that the party disciplinary committee investigate this matter.
“Should this allegation against me be proven true, then the party is free to sack me or I am willing to hand over my resignation.
“If I am cleared of any wrongdoings then the party has to decide what action must be taken against Ramanan,” he added.
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