Will the corruption case against former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng be dropped, now that he is to be sworn in as the finance minister, asked Mohd Puad Zarkashi.
In a statement, the Umno Supreme Council member and former director-general of the Special Affairs Department (Jasa), pointed out that Lim's swearing-in for his portfolio, next Monday, falls on the same day of the hearing of his graft trial.
Lim is being tried for alleged corruption over the purchase of his bungalow on Jalan Pinhorn in Penang, at a value below the market price.
Puad said earlier assumptions that Lim's appointment as the finance minister-designate may not be final, due to his ongoing trial, was destroyed following Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's press conference earlier today, in which he announced the formation of five ministries, including the Finance Ministry.
"This shows that the prime minister is bold enough to make such decisions in such a short period of time. The prime minister is seen running the country solo, as he is the only one who has been sworn in so far.
"In that short time, he has ordered the attorney-general to take leave, shortened the tenure of the Treasury secretary-general, struck out the Registrar of Societies' decision to not register Pakatan Harapan, and also okayed the recognition of Bersatu, which was previously slapped with a provisional suspension," Puad said.
"Does this mean that the country will go back to autocratic rule, like it was, previously? Don't be surprised if, after this, Umno will be declared illegal due to expected technical reasons," he added.
A lawsuit has previously been filed by former Umno members, seeking to declare Umno as illegal, following the party's failure to hold its party elections within the stipulated time. However, the suit has been dismissed.
Raid 'untimely and excessive'
Puad then called the ongoing police raid at the private home of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, "untimely and excessive".
It was deliberately done to shame Najib, and shows that the current administration is high-handed and vengeful, he claimed.
"The act of keeping Lim Guan Eng as the finance minister is bound to send out various signals. Among them are, is integrity being pushed aside?" Puad asked.
He also said PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's alleged hesitancy to join Mahathir's cabinet shows that he does not want to get involved in more "controversial acts" by the prime minister.
Anwar, following his release from jail yesterday after receiving a full royal pardon, had said that he is in no rush to become the prime minister, as he wants to spend time with family and go on the lecture circuit.
Anwar had also said that former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, whom he had previously accused of crony capitalism, is welcome to work with the Mahathir-administration now, but that he should be mindful of past scandals.
With both Anwar and Daim being on the same side now, does this mean that the former's fight against crony capitalism will die off, Puad also asked.
"May Anwar keep his promise of investigating crony capitalism during Mahathir's time (in ruling the country) of 22 years. Now he (Anwar) is free and his party is the ruling party, so it is only fair for him to push for the wealth of the prime minister's children to be investigated, as he had always advocated.
"Anwar, walk the talk," Puad added. - Mkini
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