Shahbudin: Mahathir not in ‘psy war’ against AG

The former Prime Minister’s statement on the Attorney-General may be more in line with the fears of the people on the twin mega scandals.

KUALA LUMPUR: The question that arises in the wake of the public spat between former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and Attorney-General Mohd Apandi Ali, said a political analyst, was whether the latter was right in saying that the former was engaging in “psychological warfare” against him on Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s twin mega scandals. “We have Apandi’s assurance that he will act without fear or favour on the investigation papers sent to him by the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC). He wants Mahathir to stop trying to spook him.”

“Is it true that Mahathir was putting pressure on Apandi through psychological warfare? The former Prime Minister’s statement may be more in line with the fears of the people on the twin mega scandals.”

Mahathir thinks that Apandi will probably declare that there’s no case based on the investigations papers sent to him by the MACC on the twin mega scandals, said Shahbudin Husin the analyst. “Apandi, in rebutting Mahathir, said the whole world knows that he’s a man of the law and knows what law is.”

Again, said the analyst, the jury may not be out on whether people can place their hopes on the Attorney-General doing the right thing on the twin mega scandals i.e. the right thing meaning that MACC would not send him investigation papers if there was no case. “We can pray for Apandi that the blessings of God will always be upon him if it’s really true that he would go through the MACC investigation papers fairly, without favouritism, without any fear, and in accordance with the laws and that no one can put pressure on him.”

Several recent incidents explain Mahathir’s statement and public fears to dismiss Apandi’s assurances, pointed out the analyst. “This is apart from the fact that Apandi himself, as the new Attorney-General, dismissed not once but twice the investigation papers sent to him by Bank Negara on 1MDB.”

Shahbudin referred to the fact that in the wake of the RM2.6 billion political “donation” controversy, the RM42 million SRC International case, and the RM42 billion 1MDB scandal, there have been sackings in the Cabinet and the Attorney-General’s Chambers, MACC officers came under pressure, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was virtually disbanded, and the special Task Force on the twin mega scandals was dissolved. “Yet despite all this, it seems that the public have to place their hopes on Apandi, who replaced sacked Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail, to do the right thing.”

In any case, said Shahbudin, as much as the people have grave doubts about Apandi, the Attorney-General should be given the benefit of the doubt on the investigation papers sent to him by the MACC. “This is at least until he announces his decision on the MACC investigation papers.”

Until coming to the bridge to cross it, continued the analyst, the people should pray to God that the almighty would open the Attorney-General’s mind and heart so that he would stand up for the truth in line with his statement. “In fact, we should be praying even harder after Apandi’s statement to rebut Mahathir.”