“Talking much is a sign of vanity, for the one who is lavish with words is cheap in deeds.” - Sir Walter Raleigh
Last Tuesday, MACC chief Azam Baki was not exactly in his element, throwing ideas on how he hopes to deal with the scourge of corruption.
He said RM1.3 billion in criminal assets had been handed back to the government, the bulk of which came from forfeitures from foreign government authorities.
He said that if all law enforcement agencies mobilise their energy, criminals’ stolen property can be confiscated, in addition to arresting and prosecuting the offenders.
“I want to make them bankrupt (corrupt criminals), and this can bring a ‘scare factor’ to them, so they think many times before committing crimes related to corruption,” Bernama quoted Azam (above) as saying.
No one can be declared for having taken bribes or involved in financial mismanagement. An application can only be made by the creditor (in this case the MACC) if that person does not make restitution or return the monies as ordered by the court.
How many made bankrupt?
Words of bravado, indeed. But can his words match his deeds? How many people has the MACC bankrupted involving financial mismanagement?
Was anyone made bankrupt in two of the biggest scandals in Malaysia, the 1MDB and the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ)? So, what scare factor?
Azam, there is nothing to write home about. We have seen so many convicted personalities who, having served their sentences or paid their fines, continue to embrace luxurious lifestyles with their ill-gotten gains.
The only cause célèbre in the recent past was that of former Port Klang Authority (PKA) general manager Phang Oi Choo@Phang Ai Tu, also known as OC Phang, who was made bankrupt on Aug 17, 2019, following a petition from 21 former PKA directors.
According to records from the Insolvency Department, the bankruptcy petition was moved by a group that included two former ministers, Ting Chew Peh and Chor Chee Heung.
Her status means that the PKA will not be able to recover the RM2.6 billion and over RM200,000 as costs assessed by the court after Phang was found liable for, among others, breach of fiduciary duties and mismanagement.
And the MACC can claim neither the credit nor the acknowledgement that usually follows for such accomplishments.
Azam must be reminded that in the PKFZ case, there was an internal task force, a multi-agency task force, and then a super task force headed by the chief secretary to the government.
Ten years after the scandal broke, there has been nothing to show. No one has been convicted, no money has been recovered, and some perpetrators are rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous in faraway lands, cocking a snook at our law and order system.
Insolvency Department records show that 233,483 Malaysians were bankrupt as of December last year.
Among them are those who dress in Saville Row suits, are accompanied by a horde of bodyguards, are chauffeur-driven in Bentleys, and fly on private planes.
Having amassed millions illegally without batting an eyelid, some will proclaim innocence and blame the judicial system, but some will wear bankruptcy as a badge of honour. - 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.