CONGRATS MAHATHIR – YOUR NEW BERSATU WARLORDS ALREADY AS CORRUPT AS NAJIB & CO: RIGHT TO HIS FACE, BERSATU MEN WARN DR M THEY WON’T WORK WITHOUT ‘BRIBES’ – PERHAPS DR M SHOULD TAKE AWAY THEIR ‘CRUTCHES’ BEFORE LECTURING THE MALAYS

A couple of moons ago, 93-year-old Mahathir Mohamad proudly declared that corruption in Malaysia has become a thing of the past following the change in government. The world’s oldest prime minister won the country’s general election in May on promises of fighting corruption and reforming institutions, blaming the previous Najib Razak regime for plunging the country into heavy debt.

Najib son of Razak has become the poster boy of corruption and money laundering, thanks to his 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Berhad) scandal. After the downfall of the previous corrupt administration, Mahathir has been telling all and sundry – “Corruption is almost no more as there is a fear of the law. This is a major success. We don’t hear about corruption anymore.”

Interestingly, about 2 months after the premier tried to convince the world that the new Malaysia is a different country with zero corruption, he dropped a bombshell – that corruption and bribery have become the culture of ethnic Malays, who no longer care for their race, religion and country in their desire to satisfy their greed. Again, he blamed the Najib regime who believed “cash is king.”

Can Mahathir make up his mind – is Malaysia a corrupt-free country because bribery had miraculously vanished overnight, or because bribery has already become part of the Malay culture, therefore, such culture cannot be considered as corruption anymore? The PM should realise the youth and new generation cannot be hoodwinked easily today, unlike his first era from 1981 to 2003.

It would be extremely stupid of Mahathir to think the young Malaysians would accept whatever he said as gospel when his actions or the actions of some warlords within his party – PPBM (Bersatu) – shows a different picture. For example, the old man announced corruption is no more, but at the same time, he has no issue welcoming crooks from UMNO, the same party he had condemned for corruption.

In yet another proof that his party is being transformed into a new re-branded corrupt version of UMNO, Mahathir’s lieutenant – Vice President Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman – openly demands for government contracts. Heck, Mr. Rashid, who is a former Election Commission chairman, even said that it would be “stupid” to deny PPBM leaders access to lucrative government projects.

The PPBM VP said – “If we have won, we will have to win (the next general election) by whatever way possible, by hook or by crook”, suggesting that Mahathir government should grant tenders and contracts to party division chiefs of PPBM so they could defend their victory in the next election. In other words, the party’s leaders should be enriched the same way UMNO crooks had grabbed contracts for themselves.

Abdul Rashid, one of the most corrupt Election Commission (EC) chiefs, was made one of PPBM’s vice-presidents in 2016. He joined the extreme Malay rights group Perkasa in 2013, and was famously quoted as saying that the three redelineation exercises during his term at the EC were specifically designed to ensure the continued political dominance of the ethnic Malays.

At the just concluded PPBM (Bersatu) general assembly, Mr. Rashid also demanded for the functions of the Federal Development Department (JPP) to be reinstated for the benefit of the party’s division and branch chiefs nationwide. He argued that by doing so, the leaders would be able to secure more projects,with the funds going back to their respective communities.

Amazingly, Rashid’s idea of getting government contracts – even using the crook way – received standing ovation and applause from the thousands of PPBM participants on the last day (Dec 30) of the party’s general assembly. Wait a minute. Does not this scenario look very familiar? Yes, it had happened previously during the past UMNO general assembly.

It appears the same corruption story is about to repeat itself, looking at how PPBM chiefs shamelessly asking for easy contracts to enrich themselves, family members and cronies but disguised under the pretext of helping the Malay community. Like UMNO, PPBM warlords like Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman are sending a message that they won’t work unless their hands are greased.

Of course, PM Mahathir has downplayed the demands for government contracts and positions. Yet, he cunningly said if his party members are awarded government contracts, people should not assume that it is because they are from the party. Seriously? Had Ahmad Zahid Hamidi not insulted his Indian ancestry – calling him the son of Iskandar “Kutty” – perhaps Mahathir might accept the crook too.

Amusingly, Mahathir conceded that there was no way to ensure the awarding of government contracts and projects to his party members would not be abused. The premier knew precisely that the idea of giving away contracts goes against the concept of a responsible and accountable government. And he knew UMNO did exactly the same before the Malay nationalist party collapsed.

Already, Mahathir’s political party has taken a page out of UMNO’s book – incapable and greedy warlords or chiefs blocking the rise of promising talents in an attempt to protect their own positions. And now one of the vice presidents has suggested going full-blown UMNO and adopts the practice of favouritism, cronyism, nepotism and even corruption.

Perhaps the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) should be roped in especially after the PPBM vice president has openly asked for contracts and projects. More importantly, Mahathir has to clarify why his party is unable to function without abusing and stealing the government contracts and projects, even though they are the federal government?

Like it or not, Abdul Rashid appeared to have given Mahathir a slap in the face for suggesting that PPBM would lose the next general election without free flow of money, when the premier has earlier whined, cried and bitched until foaming at the mouth that Malays cannot continue to depend on the government for financial aid as it was a form of “crutch”.

Mahathir would be seen contradicting – even humiliating – himself for scolding and lecturing the ordinary Malays for being lazy and weak and depended on the government, but yet at the same time agree to give “crutches” to his party’s lazy chiefs and corrupt warlords. Its plain arrogant and stupid to think people don’t know the demand for contracts is a form of corruption similarly practiced by Najib and Rosmah once.

– Finance Twitter