Not one minister cares about right or wrong, says DAP

DAP national publicity chief Tony Pua says there is no moral conscience or integrity left in ministers who remain mum in the face of 1MDB’s multibillion losses and the scandal surrounding the state investment firm. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, July 25, 2015.

DAP today asked if there was no integrity or moral conscience left in any of the ministers as Putrajaya abused the country's laws to protect criminals.

Commenting on the suspension of The Edge Weekly and The Edge Financial Daily,  the party's national publicity chief Tony Pua said the people expected at least some ministers to see through Putrajaya's facade of lies.

Pua singled out Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin and Pemandu CEO, Datuk Idris Jala, who he said appear to be "more intelligent" than the rest to realise the sheer scale of shenanigans committed in 1Malaysia Development Berhad.

"However, despite some presence of intelligence, there is clearly no moral conscience or integrity left in the souls of these ministers.

"They may not be stupid, but they no longer care for what is right or wrong," Pua said in a statement today.

He also said that it did not matter to them that the country was being robbed or that eyewitnesses and whistle-blowers were being sacked or punished.

"They will not speak against corruption and injustice because they are only interested in preserving their own political status and power," Pua added.

The Home Ministry announced yesterday the suspension of the publishing permits of The Edge Weekly and The Edge Financial Daily for three months, beginning July 27.

Earlier this month, The Edge was given seven days, through a show-cause letter, to explain why action should not be taken against it under the Printing Presses and Publication Act 1984.

The Edge was accused of publishing articles on 1MDB which were said to have created confusion and doubt about the Malaysian government and financial institutions.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has also been implicated in the scandal, with money from 1MDB-linked entities allegedly flowing into his personal accounts. 

He has not addressed this claim directly but only denied taking funds for "personal gain".

DAP asked today how an expose of a multibillion ringgit financial scandal involving 1MDB, could be against public interest.

Pua said that it could only be prejudicial to national interests if it were based on lies and fabricated information – but added that to date – 1MDB has never disputed or provided the “undoctored versions” of any alleged tampered evidence.

Speaking out against the suspension of the publications, Pua said not once had 1MDB refuted the allegations by The Edge, whistle-blower site Sarawak Report or those made by him.

The Petaling Jaya Utara MP said 1MDB executives had instead only provided blanket or vague denials.

"As a matter of fact, the 1MDB president even lied to Malaysians that there was US$1.1 billion sitting in a bank in Singapore, when in reality it was merely illiquid assets presented as ‘units’ of indeterminate value," Pua said, in reference to Arul Kanda Kandasamy.

He said despite this, draconian action against the media and whistle-blowers was being carried out although clear facts have been established against 1MDB.

For example, the Malaysian government was forced to grant 1MDB an emergency loan of RM950 million to service its mountain of debt in February this year.  

In March, the government gave 1MDB another “letter of support” which effectively guaranteed another RM540 million of loans from Bank Exim. 

And last month, the Ministry of Finance had to be a party to an agreement with Abu Dhabi’s International Petroleum Investment Corporation (IPIC) to indemnify the latter of its advances of at least US$1 billion to 1MDB.  

Pua said this desperate move was to enable 1MDB to repay its US$975 million debt to a consortium of lenders led by Deutsche Bank.

"All of the above proved beyond doubt that 1MDB has been disastrously managed.  

"Documents leaked and published widely only provided additional corroborating evidence of misappropriation, embezzlement and criminal breach of trust."

- TMI