Come GE16, don't forget the 'good deeds'

 At a panel discussion last November to mark the coalition government’s first year in office, I expressed disappointment over the lack of commitment to the many reforms promised but not delivered.

I gave the coalition government - the prime minister included - a D- based on its performance to date and remarked: “The only thing Anwar is consistent about is his oratorical skills.”

I got flak from some quarters, especially the cronies and hangers-on, but many right-thinking Malaysians remarked that I had been generous with my grading.

One even suggested in jest that I had used the guidelines issued by the Education Ministry to grade selected students.

In Malaysia, there is a tendency to find a fall guy or scapegoat when unpopular decisions or things go wrong.

Remember the “my brother did it” ploy by MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki when his share trading became public? Now, the ongoing 1MDB trial has several, notably Jho Low’s “fault”.

Last September, when charges were withdrawn against Umno chief Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, it was the outgoing attorney-general Idrus Harun.

Idrus’ conscience, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told the Dewan Rakyat, dictated that Zahid should be given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal before he retired.

Dismal reaction

This time around, his erstwhile communications conjurer Fahmi Fadzil had the Pardons Board to use to justify the “50 percent” discount given to former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s 12-year jail term.

Even DAP, whose stalwarts - Tony Pua, Lim Kit Siang et al - were so vocal and instrumental in exposing the 1MDB scandal, has found itself in the same position as the MCA back in 2014 when it was part of Najib’s government.

Ex-DAP MP Tony Pua

Its leaders’ silence, dismal reaction and defence of the defenceless contributed to its showing at the polls.

That was before a few political minions were rewarded with crumbs and chose to remain silent. They too were recipients but money, it is said, is a great mover.

The word “democratic” in DAP is a misnomer of sorts when it has called for cool heads to prevail over sentence reduction.

“We understand that some Pakatan Harapan supporters are upset over Najib’s sentence reduction. But the Pardons Board decision is final and the cabinet is not in any way involved in the decision,” said DAP secretary-general Anthony Loke.

Cool heads in the DAP context are “shut up”.

But Pua was defiant in his tweet: “Can someone send me to jail for one year and in exchange, pay me RM50 mil (million)?” This was in response to the time Najib would have to spend if he did not pay the fine.

Explain decision

In June last year, Loke rebuked Pua for labelling BN and Umno as “corrupt”.

“The speech, which is an attack on the coalition government’s main coalition partner, is uncalled for. Any provocative statement against coalition partners is not in line with the stance and direction of the party.”

Isn’t free speech something that the DAP has been fighting for all these years? When political expediency is the destination, the journey can be mired with direction changes.

The new mantra is not saying anything to upset Anwar and other political leaders, how wrong they can be.

Questions as to how the Pardons Board arrived at the decision remain unanswered. The government spins the tale that the normal process was followed but what is the normal process?

Please do tell us, the lesser mortals - so that we can store the information until the next election - how the political elite decided to use their power to be lenient with a convicted felon.

Was there an admission of guilt or remorse for the actions and omissions that led this country into its deepest hole?

It is common knowledge that Najib’s family and Umno continue harping that “Najib is innocent” and “did not get a fair trial.” But we all know it is utter bunkum.

How could the Pardons Board even consider an appeal from a man still facing four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering?

By precedent, such an application would only be considered after one-third of the sentence is served and this express route, unless clarified leaves a bad taste in the mouths of ordinary Malaysians who do honest work to put food on the table.

Lest we forget

Have we forgotten the carnage - for lack of a better word - caused by Najib and abetted by Zahid had its fair share of casualties in the war of disinformation and to prevent the truth from emerging?

PM Anwar Ibrahim

The Edge was suspended and its editor arrested; the attorney-general and the MACC chief lost their jobs overnight; hooligans attacked cartoonist Zunar but instead, the victim became the accused, and other unacceptable events made the events.

Former diplomat Dennis Ignatius wrote in his blog yesterday: “The courts did their job without fear or favour; the politicians could not find the courage or the conviction to do the same.

“One prime minister (Najib) brought shame upon the nation with the 1MDB scandal; another prime minister (Anwar) has disgraced us all by putting politics before justice.

“At the end of the day, this whole affair should also tell us something about the man we elected to the highest office in the land amidst so much hope.

“There’s no running away from the terrible truth now that he is far from the sincere and dedicated reformer he claims to be. And that is putting it mildly.”

So, should I change my assessment given the recent happenings? Should it remain D- or should it be a “F” on review? - Mkini

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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.