No witch-hunt but heads will roll

In the event of a Pakatan Rakyat victory in the polls, the heads of cronies will be on the chopping block.

COMMENT

The ultimate moment has arrived: the people will be heading for the polling booths in this 13th general election with great expectations of change or pushing for continuity, with opposition supporters calling for a witch-hunt.

Though Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim said on many occasions that he did not want to launch a witch-hunt if Pakatan Rakyat were to win on May 5, he stressed that heads will roll.

Anwar also said that his government, once formed, will hunt the money that he says is missing from the government coffers.

Speaking at the extraordinarily huge crowd in Seremban on April 30, Anwar asked the people whether they want Pakatan not to act on the financial crimes committed by former finance minister Daim Zainuddin. The response was a massive “No”.

Then Anwar said he would not go on a witch-hunt against his enemies and opponents but would urge them to return the money they allegedly siphoned off from the public coffers.

Anwar also said throughout his campaign across Malaysia that he would stop the protectionist policies of the Barisan Nasional and cut off Petronas deals with the son of Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said that it is impossible for a country like Malaysia to give business handouts to the rich and filthy and promised he would give the contracts to the general public.

“We will stop the oil deal contracts for the son of Mahathir because we want the contracts – the money – to go back to the people,” he said to loud cheers from the crowds.

BN cronies

Anwar is all bent on targeting BN cronies who he said had amassed billions while the masses are struggling to earn a decent living.

While Anwar refused to carry out a witch-hunt, he promised heads will roll but in a just and fair manner.

Anwar cited Malaysian tycoon T Ananda Krishnan as one of BN cronies, whose net worth is currently estimated at US$11.7 billion (according to Forbes’ latest annual list).

He also pointed out that almost all Bumiputera contracts are handed to Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary who is said to be the richest Bumiputera corporate figure in Malaysia with a net worth of US$2.75 billion according to Forbes.

Throughout his campaign, Anwar made it clear that he will never jail Mahathir, his former boss, out of respect for his age.

However, among the heads that would surely roll after the GE13 in the event of a Pakatan victory, would be those of top civil servants and possibly the heads of the pro-BN media.

KL-based Amir Ali works for an Indonesian NGO called the Warisan Melayu Riau, which is based in Bengkalis, Riau.