IT TAKES A THIEF TO CATCH A THIEF: Dr M more effective than opposition in shining light on 1MDB, says Politweet

KUALA LUMPUR - Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been more effective than the opposition in keeping public interest alive on the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) controversy, a Politweet study has shown.

The pollster also noted that allegations against the state-owned investor were not widely shared on Twitter until May when news broke about Muslim pilgrims fund Lembaga Tabung Haji’s purchase of land in the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX) from 1MDB, which Twitter users perceived as a bailout for the state investment company that is RM42 billion in debt.

“Tun Mahathir’s repeated criticism of 1MDB is what really helped to keep people interested in 1MDB. He was more effective in increasing public interest compared to opposition politicians,” said Politweet in its latest study to Malay Mail Online last week.

Former Prime Minister Dr Mahathir has repeatedly called for Najib to resign, citing the 1MDB controversy.

Politweet said it found that Twitter users often blamed Najib for the rising cost of living, the ringgit plunge and the bad economy.

“The issue of 1MDB’s finances has grown to the point where any conversation on 1MDB has to include a conversation on Najib Razak,” said the pollster.

Dr M

The Politweet study showed that sentiment towards the prime minister was affected by Tabung Haji’s TRX land purchase, his absence at the #Nothing2Hide forum in June, the Wall Street Journal exposé in July about how RM2.6 billion was moved around companies linked to 1MDB and ended up in his personal bank accounts, the Cabinet reshuffle where Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was dropped as deputy prime minister, and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s statement that the RM2.6 billion came from donations, and not from 1MDB.

“Influential Twitter users alone cannot be blamed for this increase in negative perception. The events that we listed ― Tun Mahathir’s involvement; the falling value of the ringgit; the way Najib publicly defended himself and cost of living issues have all served to erode public confidence,” said Politweet.

The 90-year-old had on July 31 told reporters he would no longer discuss 1MBD as it was now a “crime” to do so, but appeared to have paddled back on this assertion last night.

In his blog post, Dr Mahathir painted a bleak future for the country, claiming the economy is likely to collapse under the weight of the 1MDB issue and its debt pile said to near RM42 billion, and pointed to sliding value of the ringgit of over 4 points against the greenback and likely to dip further. - Malay Mail