A decade ago, at the height of the 1MDB scandal, multiple police reports were filed against individuals and organisations over an alleged conspiracy to unseat the “democratically elected government of Najib Abdul Razak”.
Among the accusers were cabinet ministers, politicians and wannabes, spin doctors, and sycophants who never missed a chance to pose for press photographers, holding their police reports outside station doors.
A few opposition lawmakers - notably Tony Pua, who was barred from leaving the country and investigated for allegedly plotting to destabilise the government - stood steadfastly, rebutting such claims.
Now, more than 10 years later, another conspiracy theory has made headlines, this time supposedly targeting the sitting government.
The wife of a former cabinet minister found herself in police crosshairs after a report claimed she was plotting to topple both the government and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
On Feb 27, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail said an “influential individual” was being investigated for attempts to “destabilise the country”.
According to a copy of the police report, which has since gone viral, among others, the woman allegedly held an online meeting in July last year, during which she discussed a plan to use international media outlets to pressure Anwar and MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki.
It did not take long for Na’imah Abdul Khalid, the wife of the late former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, to dismiss the allegations and deny any effort to topple the government.
In a statement, Na’imah said any attempt to suggest she was behind the Bloomberg exposé involving Azam was not only irresponsible but also an insult to the journalists concerned.
“The claim that I am trying to destabilise or topple the government is laughable,” she said, “and brings to mind past accusations faced by the prime minister himself, when he used to declare having the ‘formidable numbers’ to seize power”.
Na’imah described the police report as a clear case of “conduct of a disgruntled man”.
“The individual who lodged the report approached me and offered his services in July 2025 as part of a proposed communications team. Due to his poor performance, he was terminated. After his termination, he attempted to make further monetary demands.”
She added that the contents of the police report were false and preposterous, and that the timing pointed to a desperate attempt to distract the public from growing calls for Azam to be removed from his office.
Deafening silence
Two months have passed since the news made headlines, reverberating across the country and even crossing borders. Yet, to date, there has been silence.
The New Straits Times reported that the police called for public patience, with the IGP stating that the claims required thorough examination before any action could be taken.
He emphasised that investigations would be conducted professionally, based on facts and evidence.
“Investigations into the alleged plot and sabotage are ongoing. I hope everyone can be patient,” he said, adding that updates would be provided as the case progresses.
The probe, handled by the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department’s Classified Criminal Investigation Unit, is being conducted under Section 124B of the Penal Code for activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy.
But to date, no updates or progress reports have been released, leaving citizens to question whether a conspiracy ever truly existed.
Same script
Ten years after the 1MDB scandal, Malaysia finds itself replaying the same tired script of conspiracy and counter-conspiracy.
The names change, the accusations shift, but the choreography remains depressingly familiar: police reports brandished like political weapons, headlines that flare and fade, and investigations that vanish into silence.
What is truly destabilising is not the alleged plotting in online meetings, but the erosion of public confidence when institutions appear more interested in theatre than truth.
When allegations can be lodged with ease, amplified by viral reports, and then left to rot without resolution, the public is left to wonder whether democracy is being defended or merely performed.
The real danger lies not in whispered schemes to topple governments, but in the steady corrosion of accountability - when the law becomes a shield for the powerful and a sword against lesser mortals.
Malaysia cannot afford another decade of unanswered questions and selective enforcement.
If the system continues to treat truth as optional and transparency as negotiable, then the real conspiracy is not against any prime minister, but against the people themselves.
And that betrayal, more than any alleged plot, is what truly destabilises a nation. - Mkini
R NADESWARAN is a veteran journalist who strives to uphold the ethos of civil rights leader John Lewis: “When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.” Comments: citizen.nades22@gmail.com.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.
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