The Attorney-General, Tan Sri Mohd Apandi Ali’s rejection of the investigations and recommendations of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and exoneration of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak of any crime or wrongdoing in the RM2.6 billion donation and RM42 million SRC International scandals have convinced the overwhelming majority of Malaysians that they cannot get to the bottom of the Najib scandals from the ordinary government investigation and enforcement agencies and processes.
After the “purges” at the end of July last year, where Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Senior Minister for Rural and Regional Development, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and the Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail were sacked; arrest or immediate transfer of key officers in major investigative agencies like the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Bank Negara, the MACC and the Police associated with demands that there should be full and fearless investigation into the twin mega scandals; and the four-month derailment of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) investigations into 1MDB and the subsequent appointment of a “cari makan” Chairman for the PAC, many entertained doubts that the truths about the Najib twin mega scandals could be uncovered by normal investigative and enforcement agencies and processes.
The last nail in the coffin of those who still harboured “hope against hopes” that the normal investigative and enforcement agencies could produce results in the probes into Najib’s twin mega scandals was the Attorney-General’s decision to reject MACC’s recommendations and to exonerate Najib of any wrongdoing by deciding that no charges would be brought against the Prime Minister.
Apandi’s decision shocked not only Malaysians, but also the international legal and juridical community, with the Swiss Attorney-General openly expressing his dismay at his Malaysian counterpart’s decision.
Those who had tenuous hopes and expectations that full discovery about Najib’s twin mega scandals have come to the end of the road, and it is no exaggeration to say that the Attorney-General’s decision has opened the eyes of those who had thought that the Rule of Law would be fully respected by the Attorney-General and the ordinary justice system in the country.
In the circumstances, the time has come for the next stage for the demand for full accountability of Najib’s twin mega scandals, viz call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry to conduct a public inquiry as nobody expects the truth to be revealed if the matters are left solely to normal government investigations or even the PAC.
(Speech at the DAP Malacca “Solidarity with Lim Kit Siang & Mana RM2.6 billion?” ceramah kopitiam in Bukit Rambai, Malacca on Sunday, 31st January 2016 at 11 am)
I have no faith in Royal Commission either. Fact is the issue is a NATIONAL DISGRACE and in particular a MALAY DISGRACE. Truth is its not just Najib that is the problem – all of UMNO and most of PAS are immediately complicit. There is a connected tissue between Najib’s doing and many Malays maybe most of them. If they truly object, not even all of Najib’s horses and men could do it.
There is no chance of that happening. The PAC hearings will become a farce, and discontinued once you start asking relevant questions. The basic tenet here is that any hearing that exposes these goons to criminal charges will not be allowed to take place. Why do you think the NSC bill was hastily passed ?
Our only hope lies with the authorities overseas like the Swiss AG who obviously believes in calling a spade a spade. We can’t even rely on Singapore since they are more intent on preserving cross-border harmony than exposing the truth.
Kit should request, from Swiss A-G Michael Lauber, a copy of “significant evidence” document which detailed illegal financial transactions involving Malaysian companies, as a basis to call for the RCI to clarify things for both the Malaysian government and the Swiss A-G.