Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli claims the government's decision to delay establishing a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) into the MACC "corporate mafia" allegations is a clear ploy to buy time.
He said there's no reason why the RCI can't run in tandem with the attorney-general-led investigations into MACC chief Azam Baki's shareholdings scandal, as the two issues are quite separate.
"So to say that it (RCI) has to wait for the (shareholding) investigation before the RCI can be considered, it’s quite obvious that it’s a ploy to delay.
"They want to buy more time, and deflate DAP building pressure for the RCI," Rafizi (above) told Malaysiakini.
DAP's call for the RCI was discussed in the cabinet meeting on Friday. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil later told the press that it was decided that an RCI would only be considered after the shareholding investigation is concluded.
Fahmi said the findings of the shareholding probe are expected sometime this coming week.
The so-called "corporate mafia" refers to allegations that the MACC colluded with private individuals to shake down business rivals.
Azam is in the spotlight over shareholdings that are believed to have exceeded limits imposed on civil servants.
The MACC and Azam have denied wrongdoing.
Distraction tactic
Besides buying time by delaying the RCI, Rafizi believed that the government is using another tactic to distract the public from the MACC scandal.
He said this in reference to a revelation the day of the cabinet meeting, that police were investigating an alleged attempt to destabilise the country.
The case is being investigated under Section 124B of the Penal Code, activities deemed detrimental to parliamentary democracy - an alleged crime that was once regularly investigated at the height of the 1MDB scandal.
The statement later prompted a rare statement from the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC), urging a comprehensive and independent probe into the allegations.
The purported mastermind behind the plot is Na'imah Abdul Khalid, the wife of the late former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, who had held a meeting last year to discuss a purported plan to use international media outlets to mount pressure on Anwar and Azam.
Na'imah has rubbished the allegations.
Deprioritising MACC scandal
For Rafizi, the timing of the police revelation is uncanny and is an attempt to deprioritise the MACC scandal and focus on a "national security issue".
He said that it’s the same playbook used by the Najib Abdul Razak administration during the 1MDB scandal.
Puzzled at first as to why Anwar believed such tactics could sway public sentiment, it then quickly dawned on the Pandan MP that the PKR president had a very different experience of the 1MDB scandal than many others.
"During the 1MDB scandal, he was in prison; he wasn't at the forefront of (the issue), so he probably isn't that sentimental about it.
"He doesn't have the trauma of 1MDB, like the people in the media, Malaysiakini, (former MP) Tony Pua, myself, and the public - who were deeply traumatised by it (1MDB).
"Because he didn't have that collective memory, maybe he thought this (destabilising government allegations) would be able to sway the public," Rafizi posited.
Anwar was imprisoned in April 2014 over sodomy allegations, which he continues to deny, and was only released in May 2018 after receiving a full pardon, following Najib's ouster on the back of the 1MDB issue.
The 1MDB scandal primarily centred on allegations that billions were siphoned out of the fund, some of which were then channelled into Najib's own accounts.
Najib, enabled by the authorities at the time, denied all allegations against him while police cracked down on attempts to pressure the then-premier to be investigated.
Najib has since been convicted in the 1MDB corruption case as well as the related SRC International case.
Commenting on the issues of today, Rafizi said all should continue to focus and pressure for the MACC RCI.
Remain patient
Hulu Langat MP Sany Hamzan struck a different tone on the RCI matter when asked for comment, urging all to remain patient.
He said the government was just following due process and that there must be a reason why they are waiting for the shareholdings probe to be concluded first - such as possible connections with the collusion allegations.
However, he said once the findings are out, the people are free to disagree with them.
"Those of us on the outside, if we feel the investigations don't fulfil our desires, we can suggest to the PM to establish an RCI.
"But we must wait first," Sany told Malaysiakini. - Mkini
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