Last year, it was the son - Mohd Nizar Najib who compared his father’s imprisonment to that of Nelson Mandela’s experience.
He said his father would rise above the challenges like what the South African anti-apartheid leader did.
How do you compare a statesperson who stood up against an oppressive regime with a thief who plundered the nation’s wealth?
Mandela fought for the end of apartheid and his work inspired and continues to inspire others to stand up against oppression and fight for freedom.
What will Najib Abdul Razak be remembered for? He was already described as “kleptocracy at its worst” by former US attorney-general Jeff Sessions, and by The Economist as a “brazen kleptocrat”. At home, the Court of Appeal described him as a “national embarrassment”.
Yesterday, his wife, Rosmah Mansor - a convicted felon herself - urged Umno members to continue with the push for his release and hoped they will continue to appreciate Najib’s struggles and contribution to the nation as prime minister.
Rosmah urged Umno members to continue with the push for his release and hoped they will continue to appreciate Najib’s struggles and contribution to the nation as prime minister.
“I hope my husband is brought out as soon as possible. I can now feel party members appreciating my husband’s struggles,” she told reporters in a rare appearance at the Umno general assembly.
Their daughter, Nooryana Najwa, had previously admitted feelings of guilt while grocery shopping because her father cannot have his favourite Starbucks caramel macchiato in prison.
What justice?
Joining the fray at the assembly, Umno president and deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi pledged that the party will continue to fight for Najib’s release.
Zahid said Najib’s “spirit” remained with Umno although he was behind bars.
“We demand justice for Najib,” he said to chants of “Bossku” from the delegates.
What justice, Mr DPM? Is he not paying the price for using money from SRC International for expensive personal gifts and expenses? Was that money not used to top up his bank account when he blew his credit cards?
Details of Najib’s expenditure and transactions running into several million ringgit were laid bare in court and he could put an explicable and justifiable defence for the money he spent.
The evidence presented before the court was more than sufficient for a conviction which was affirmed by the Court of Appeal and two panels of the Federal Court.
Najib is currently serving a 12-year jail sentence after he was convicted in the SRC International corruption case. His lawyers and supporters claim he was not granted a fair trial.
The “fair trial” theory is utter bunkum and has been demolished. Harping on it just reflects the mentality of the people who are advancing it.
They argue that his contributions to the country must be appreciated but they must also remember the bad old days when the word “1MDB” could not be published under Najib’s watch.
But more importantly, Najib committed the cardinal sin of using money which did not belong to him.
Where were the people demanding justice when journalists were arrested and media outlets closed and newspaper licences were suspended under his watch just to prevent news on the 1MDB scandal from being published?
Where were they when the dreaded Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) was used to arrest and silence those who spoke out on 1MDB?
They do not remember the days Najib curtailed press freedom, targeting news portals covering the 1MDB scandal.
In 2014, The Malaysian Insider was forced to close down after the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) blocked local access to its site. In 2015, MCMC blocked two publishing/blogging platforms, Sarawak Report and Medium.
The licences of The Edge and The Edge Financial Daily were suspended. Police and MCMC officials also raided Malaysiakini’s office and seized their property after it published an article about a public prosecutor’s sudden transfer from a unit probing 1MDB allegations.
Unforgivable crime
Najib was and is no angel. As the 1MDB trial is ongoing, more will be revealed but he has yet to express regret or an apology for the monstrous loss of money which the taxpayers must continue paying.
He committed an unforgivable crime - a crime against his state and the nation’s people, and rightly, he has done the crime and he must do the time.
The manner in which Zahid and his flock are proceeding and campaigning to “free Najib” is a reminiscence of the past when Umno got what it wanted.
It was par for the course in the past to use public money for private purposes which created a brood of rent-seekers.
Those were treated as an entitlement that could never be questioned. From some menteri besar to divisional warlords, they had long innings to enrich themselves illegally or as rent seekers.
A few who tried changing their wayward traits were dumped by the roadside.
The public outcry for a clean government resulted in changes taking place. The government no longer has a place for them and the word “entitlement” is no longer applicable.
If anyone tried something unacceptable, the long arm of the law will get to them and the law will take its course. The rule of law is firmly entrenched. - Mkini
R NADESWARAN is a veteran journalist who writes on bread-and-butter issues. 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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