Kit Siang - For his father's sake, will Hisham reveal all?

Lim Kit Siang is wondering if Hishammuddin Hussein is prepared to expose all in relation to the land swap deals involving the Defence Ministry, which the latter had helmed from 2013 to 2018.

The DAP veteran raised this question after the former minister stated that past leaders must be accountable with regard to the alleged misdeeds.

However, Hishammuddin said the allegations must be proven in court and not be subjected to a media trial.

“The question now is whether as a responsible citizen and even more important in memory of the great reputation for integrity of his father, Hussein Onn, the third prime minister of Malaysia, he would volunteer all information of corruption and malpractices whether under his watch or those of other ministers to the MACC?” asked Lim.

The DAP leader also questioned Hishammuddin's years of silence regarding his cousin and former premier Najib Abdul Razak's 1MDB scandal.

“Why did Hishammuddin support Najib's sacking of Muhyiddin Yassin and Shafie Apdal from the cabinet and Abdul Gani Patail as attorney-general that infamous week in July 2015?

“And when the various national institutions including Parliament were neutered to protect Najib from any fallouts of any expose of the 1MDB scandal?” he added in a statement this morning.

Lim said as a former senior minister, Hishammuddin should not hide behind legal loopholes but set an example by revealing the alleged improprieties and illegalities with regard to the land swaps during his watch.

“It is all right and proper for him to expose the faults of previous defence ministers, as he is not only entitled but has a duty to do so, but he should not apply double standards and spare himself from such exposure of irregularities and illegalities of land swap transactions during his tenure

“Hishammuddin's self-incriminating statement was his cryptic advice to Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu and deputy Liew Chin Tong that 'if they live in glass houses, don't throw stones'.

“I for one would like to know if Mohamad or Liew are alleged to be involved in corruption or malpractices as to live in 'glass houses',” he added.

Hishammuddin had singled out a particular land swap in Johor in 1996, which he claimed was far more serious than the others.

This was during Dr Mahathir Mohamad's first tenure as prime minister. Bersatu member Syed Hamid Albar was the then defence minister.

A recent Defence Ministry report had revealed that the government suffered some RM500 million in losses from the 16 land deals sealed between 1997 and 2018.

Five of the 16 land swaps were approved during Mahathir's first tenure as prime minister. The remaining 11 took place during the administrations of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Najib.

Among the most serious allegations was that under Najib, the then-government utilised land swap deals to commission army camps with the intention to alter demographics of constituencies contested by top Umno leaders. - Mkini