“I will forgive those who have sent me to prison but l will not forgive people who steal money and betray the Malays.”
- Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim while speaking at the Jelajah Perpaduan Madani event in Marang on July 24, 2023.
Save for the canaries in the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, the buffaloes on the paddy fields in Kampung Mat Sirat in Langkawi and the legendary spotted dogs outside the Royal Selangor Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysians have openly or privately expressed their views on that discount of sentence, partial pardon or whatever they call it for Najib Abdul Razak.
And people from all walks of life expressed shock and even disbelief on the matter.
Others saw it as a relief, and Najib’s daughter Nooryana expressed disappointment that he did not get a full pardon – forgiven and allowed to walk as a free man.
Umno members were happy and even thanked the Pardons Board like grateful motorists who often enjoy the fruits of the regular “discount season.”
Except for former MP Tony Pua, who is currently being investigated under the Sedition Act for addressing the decisions of the Pardons Board.
Even Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has given his take, drawing the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as chairperson of the Pardons Board and citing among others, compassion.
However, former MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya did not share his views.
“Don’t blame the king. His Majesty is bound by the advice of the Pardons Board,” said Latheefa in response to Anwar’s remarks.
Rebuffing Anwar, she cited Article 40(1A) of the Federal Constitution, that the king “shall accept” the board’s advice.
Like many Malaysians, I too believe in compassion for the right and deserving people. I will certainly empathise with a single mother who steals a tin of milk to feed her starving children but not with a leader who stole billions from his own people to lead a life of extravagance and opulence.
Umno Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh gave a contrarian view and claimed that the party was taken for a ride following the Pardons Board's decision.
“We were played. Don’t think we don’t know what happened. The time has come,” he was quoted as saying in a cryptic post on Facebook.
If I had put on my thinking cap as suggested, I would have interpreted it as saying that they were short-changed - an undertaking was given or a promise made, but not delivered.
That phrase “the time has come” may be taken as a threat, depending on who it was meant for.
Free country?
However, for observers and non-partisan commentators, the curiosity is unbearable as to who made the promises and as to who failed to deliver.
So, it is a free country where one can express his or her views on current happenings - even if it is against the country’s numero uno.
So, why then has Pua been singled out for investigations?
Was it not Pua who told millions of truth-starved Malaysians the magnitude of the 1MDB scandal Malaysians are continuing to pay billions of ringgit on the debts incurred as a result of this scandal?
I dread to think of the return of the tumultuous days when everyone from lawbreakers to journalists and from civil servants to enforcement officers were harassed - to keep the truth on 1MDB emerging.
It started with the unceremonious removal of then-attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail on July 27, 2015, and ended on May 9, 2018, when Najib and his BN government were booted out.
Over this period, it was the “law of the jungle” as almost all state agencies discarded their standard operating procedures (SOPs).
I then wrote: “What started as a fortnight-long exercise of destroying systems, establishments, procedures and even law and order, extended for almost three years. It ended only when the BN regime under Najib was booted out of office.”
Some of our politicians must learn that justice is not a commodity or a political chattel that can be sold or bartered.
The adage, “If you do the crime, you must do the time” is often forgotten for political expediency.
Yesterday, former trade minister Rafidah Aziz gave a subtle reminder on treating everyone equally.
“A society devoid of equitable policies, which applies different standards to the people in all aspects of governance, will only lead to public dissatisfaction and disharmony, she said.
Public governance, Rafidah said, must be unbiased and built on fairness and equitability, whether it involves social and economic policies or the application of the law.
“These are continuing to be troubling times, as we are confronted so often with news and happenings that are distressing and upsetting,” she said in a social media post, in an apparent reference to the current debate on the reduced jail sentence.
The country is undergoing problems with issues of the doing of our leaders. Some are apt at creating problems while some are part of the problem.
We are continually being drawn into debates for something that only the leadership has control over.
It started with a few personalities having cases against them withdrawn. Then more importantly was the decision to acquit Anwar’s deputy, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi of 47 charges after his defence was called.
How long can this continue?
By the way, what has the quote at the beginning of this story got to do with this commentary?
It is certainly not a “hiasan” (decoration or illustration) but a reminder of the many promises that were made but never kept. - 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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