1MDB: burying a festering deep wound by treating it as a simple sore – J. D. Lovrenciear

The expose on the seemingly acrimonious sale of one-and-half acres of land to the Muslim pilgrim fund organisation, Tabung Haji, has lit up like flash-flares.

Thanks to the whistleblower for spilling the story into the public domain – although frowned upon by the police with a looming Official Secrets Act charge,  one or two Umno top guns are now slowly crawling out of the mysterious shroud hanging over 1MDB, and only now are they calling for investigations.

While initially, and with lightning speed, the Tabung Haji Board defended the purchase, the citizens’ outrage together with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad claiming that this was in all probability yet another mega bailout for 1MDB, they soon changed that line of defence.

 Hot on the heels of defending the decision, the same full board now desperately hopes to placate the public’s anger with its latest announcement that they are now re-selling the parcel – in record time, by next week.

Apparently and as claimed by the Tabung Haji Board, the Prime Minister had directed them to do so.

Never mind the fact that the Board also slipped-in a sharp threat, namely, that the members of Tabung Haji should not later complain if the purchased plot was sold to a non-Muslim. Well we can deal with this offending and irresponsible statement from the Board, later.

Going by a Paretto Analysis, what we need to question is are we dealing with a deep and festering wound or is the 1MDB debacle to be treated for superficial sore?

The sacking of the entire Tabung Haji Board is not an ultimate cure; the re-selling of the plot is not going to remedy the root cause; even the inevitable resignation of the leader of the 1MDB pack is not going to stop the hidden cancer in our midst.

There are other investigations that must be concurrently effected if we are serious about national development.

But does the government under the current leadership and pack have the courage and resolute will to act decisively in the interest of 30 million citizens, is yet to be seen.

These then are the salient questions that we need to muster the strength and commitment to ask:

1. We need to know how come none of the Cabinet members or the various captains within the Barisan Nasional fold knew about the 1MDB issues but are only now slowly crawling out after the Tabung Haji land deal expose.

2. Why did Umno members stand up for 1MDB in the first place when Tun Dr Mahathir went to town with his concerns. Should they not have immediately demanded for answers from their Number One in the first instance?

In fact long before Dr Mahathir opened his mouth, opposition politicians were already spilling the beans. Why was there only denials after denials and counter allegations instead?

3. Do we need this monstrous and mysterious 1MDB to be conceived in the very first place to help create "endless possibilities"? And who benefitted from the 1MDB summersaults these four-plus years?

Is all our decades of oil and crop wealth and healthy export advantages incapable of supporting any national transformational programmes? If so, then where did all that 60 years of wealth go to? Who managed it for the citizens all these years? Was it the opposition political parties?

4. How come the prime minister was heading the 1MDB despite the fact that he was also having his thumb on the nation’s finance ministry? Did none of the MPs from Umno, MCA and MIC see a need to raise the matter for prudence sake and best practice standards?

5. The fundamental global best practice is that an implicated or alleged leader who holds the highest office cannot remain in his or her seat if impartial investigations have to be carried out on entities that come under his purview and leadership. He or she immediately resigns or hands the reigns over to resolve and unearth the truth.

But how come the Finance Minister and the Prime Minister and the Advisor of 1MDB – all held by one person, refuses to step aside to facilitate the needful? Would PriceWaterhouseCoopers have the strength to bulldoze for the truth?

These are important questions that we need to confront and seek enlightened answers and acceptable justifications.

This premise is vital if we want to save this country from becoming the first Asean Greece-in-the-making.

It is not about making amends here and there, like treating a sore on the surface. We have to get to the root of the festering and deeply buried wound.

If anyone thinks that it cannot be done lest Umno or BN collapses, let the truth be told. We save the nation first not any political party.

* J.D. Lovrenciear reads The Malaysian Insider.