KUALA LUMPUR – The frontrunner for the post of Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi has already run into controversy as the public is reminded about his involvement in the 1MDB’s (1Malaysia Development Bhd) false narrative.
Onn Hafiz, the nephew of Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, was the operator of the now defunct portal Malaysian Digest.
The portal had received payment from then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak as part of the latter’s media and public relations blitz in support of his administration as well as the doomed 1MDB venture which eventually cost Malaysian taxpayers upwards of RM20 billion.
On April 23, 2019, Onn Hafiz told the Kuala Lumpur High Court that his company Vital Spire Sdn Bhd received a cheque for RM240,000 from Najib to launch the Malaysian Digest portal.
Testifying in Najib’s SRC International Sdn Bhd trial, Onn said he received a cheque for the amount from Najib on Jan 30, 2015 “disseminate news and combat fake news”.
The portal shut down in July 2018 after Barisan Nasional (BN) lost the general election.
Najib was found guilty of seven counts of money laundering, abuse of power and criminal breach of trust involving RM42 million of SRC money; and was sentenced to 12 years jail and fined a total of RM240 million.
Today, Onn Hafiz is one of three Umno politicians for the top job in the Johor government alongside Umno Supreme council member and Rengit assemblyman Datuk Mohd Puad Zarkashi and former menteri besar and Benut assemblyman Datuk Hasni Mohammad.
However Hasni, the Johor BN chairman seems to exclude himself from the race saying that the position should go to someone young in recognition of the youth who are vital for the state’s future.
As magnanimous as it may seem, it is in fact deemed a face-saving gesture for Hasni after the Palace intervened with its choice of menteri besar.
This has put Onn Hafiz, 43 in the forefront. A close associate of Tengku Mahkota Johor Tengku Ismail Idris from the former’s stint as exco for tourism, youth and sports, Onn Hafiz is said to be the preferred candidate of the Palace.
Speculation that Hasni is not going to be re-appointed was confirmed by Umno Johor Baru chief Tan Sri Shahrir Samad who said he will not be attending the Umno General Assembly tomorrow out of embarrassment as Umno was unable to nominate its own candidate for menteri besar despite winning 40 of the 56 state assembly seats.
“During the campaign we laughed at PN and PH for not naming its candidate for menteri besar. Umno was certain about Hasni.
“But this was not to be and Umno Johor cannot do anything about it,” he said in a Facebook post last night.
Meanwhile, Onn Hafiz’s candidacy is further buoyed by his pedigree – being the great-grandson of Datuk Onn Jaafar one of Umno’s founding fathers; and the grandson of third prime minister Tun Hussein Onn.
Onn Hafiz is also the nephew of Najib as both Tun Abdul Razak (Najib’s father) and Hussein Onn married sisters.
Another factor is Onn Hafiz’s own performance in the recently concluded state election where he won the Machap seat by a majority of 6,543 votes against Pejuang’s Shahruddin Salleh and Muda’s Sangaran Rawisandran.
Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar is expected to swear in the new menteri besar today.
Aside from the purported Royal preference which translates into pressure for Onn Hafiz, it is learnt that Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi – himself facing corruption charges – is said to be now throwing his support behind Onn Hafiz, questions will be raised about the influence of Umno’s court cluster on the young potential Menteri Besar-elect. – The Vibes, March 15, 2022
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