Anwar slams hypocritical criticism over his response to Najib’s apology

 

Anwar Ibrahim said his critics must be consistent and be tough against all that’s corrupt.

PUTRAJAYA: 

Anwar Ibrahim has trained his guns on critics of his response to Najib Razak’s apology over the 1MDB scandal, which the prime minister had said that he welcomed.

Anwar questioned why some of these critics of his were not as vocal when it came to the corrupt deeds of others.

“I think the sheer hypocrisy is when you, for example, place only Najib as the only issue (when it comes to corruption),” he told FMT in an interview at his office.

“These people, the so-called anti-corruption forces, those involved with these so-called liberal views, have then been completely muted when it comes to the huge corruption of (other) ex-leaders who have amassed billions of ringgit. I’ve not heard one statement, one concern expressed. If you really want to combat corruption, you must be consistent … be tough against all that’s corrupt,” said the prime minister.

Anwar acknowledged that Najib’s apology was “probably limited”, but defended his reception of the former prime minister’s statement.

“I think it’s always good to thank and welcome anyone who says ‘yes, I’m sorry,’ for a number of reasons,” he said, without elaborating further.

Najib’s unreserved apology to Malaysians was made on Oct 24. He said it pained him that the 1MDB scandal, involving billions of ringgit, occurred when he was the prime minister and finance minister. Najib is now serving a jail sentence after being convicted in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case. However, he insisted that he was innocent, and denied being the mastermind or collaborating with fugitive financier Low Taek Jho in the scheme.

In response, Anwar said he welcomed the apology, which led to brickbats from several quarters, including Amanah’s ex-deputy law minister Hanipa Maidin and former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Latheefa Koya.

Anwar said in the interview that his government had empowered enforcement agencies to take tough action on corruption, pointing out that they would charge people in court or conduct investigations every other day or week.

“Sometimes it’s in the academic field, sometimes in agriculture, sometimes in the boards of agencies, there’s too many of them.”

The prime minister said some have accused him of going too far in combating graft, but he maintained that corruption was systemic in Malaysia. This required the government and graft busters to “go far enough” to get to the root of the problem.

“Fortunately, I have the help of many of my colleagues and the heads of the civil service, who are quite determined to make sure that we have a legitimate, efficient (public service) force with integrity,” he said. - FMT