Insinuations, innuendo abound regarding Tengku Zafrul, Azam Baki’s alleged “strong cables”

 

“STRONG cables” in local parlance denotes having serious connections with the powers-that-be or even unseen hands that have the ability to shape the national narrative.

This seems to be the insinuation targeted at a couple of personalities that have been hogging the limelight of late.

Making the very loaded (but vague) claim is UK-based journalist Rahmah Ghazali (@rahmahghazali) when declaring on X that the “strongest cable in the history of cables (in the context of Malaysian politics) belonged to Tengku Zafrul (Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz)”.

The Trade and Industry Minister has been in the headlines for his decision to abandon UMNO after three decades in favour of PKR. This has led many to question his motives as well as his loyalties.

More recently, following the expiry of his senatorship after having served as a Cabinet minister in that capacity since 2020 – first as a finance minister under the Perikatan Nasional (PN) then under the UMNO-PN governments – Tengku Zafrul was made the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) chairman effective Dec 3.

It was also insinuated that the banker-turned politician was a proxy for royalty. One commenter surmised that PKR needed such connection within its ranks to reach out to royal institutions.

Editor’s Note: Tengku Zafrul has close ties to the Selangor royal family through his marriage to Raja Datin Seri Johanna Adrina Raja Arshad who is a member of the Selangor and Negeri Sembilan royal families, thus making him brother-in-law to the Selangor royal family.

Even the DAP that is supposedly anti-royal has members representing royal interests, it was alleged. A government without a majority makes it even easier for the royals to manipulate.

In fact, this observer argued that the only way to keep the bluebloods in check is to give UMNO a big majority at the next polls as it was the only party capable of reigning in their influence.

Another name that was mentioned in the same thread was Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki.

In fact, a commenter suggested that the graft buster’s head huncho who has been in the news for alleged strongarm tactics and lacking in transparency when conducting investigations “possess even stronger cable for his contract has continuously been renewed (three times to date past the mandatory retirement age of 60).

Responding to Rahmah Ghazali’s post, editor-in chief of media outlet cilisos.my, Iqbal Cilisos (@Iqtodabal), posed the million-dollar question – what skeletons in the closet of the rich and powerful is Tengku Zafrul privy to, thus enabling him to be in such a position of power.

One commenter reasoned that bankers always have had special relationships with the elite classes.

Alongside the wealth, it was implied that the former UMNO supreme council member was seeking greater power and control to better serve as proxy for more powerful elites.

Again, whispers of royal connections were rampant on this thread with many commenters linking the Fellow Chartered Banker with the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers with royalty by using the colour yellow which every Malaysian knows is the royal colour.

It was also argued that being a proxy had plenty going for it, especially if the person backing the proxy is “untouchable”.

Again, alongside Tengku Zafrul, Azam’s name keeps popping up in this discussion involving “cables”.

However, there were a few that believed that Tengku Zafrul’s rise to prominence has nothing to do with cables, connections or back-scratching of any sort. Rather it had to do with his skill set and qualifications.

Amid all the innuendo and insinuations that both individuals – Tengku Zafrul and Azam Baki – of having strong cables, could the truth be more prosaic? That they are in the positions they are in because of merit and no small amount of blood, sweat and tears. –  Focus Malaysia