KUALA LUMPUR – Civil society groups are hopeful Malaysia’s scandal-tainted reputation can be restored following the high court’s guilty verdict of Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor on three counts of corruption, just nine days after her husband Datuk Seri Najib Razak was incarcerated.
This marks the fall from grace of what was once arguably Malaysia’s most powerful couple, who lived a lavish lifestyle for years off the millions of ringgit of public funds that the court has established to have been siphoned.
While the Pekan MP began his 12-year prison sentence on August 23, Rosmah, or the self-styled First Lady of Malaysia (FLOM) as she was officially known during Najib’s administration, was brought to her knees yesterday, having been found guilty of corruption involving a solar energy project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak worth RM1.25 billion.
She was sentenced to 10 years in jail and a whopping RM970 million fine, an amount her defence lawyers called unprecedented eclipsing the RM210 million fine imposed on Najib. She has been given a stay of execution.
Speaking to The Vibes, civil society organisations commended the judiciary for remaining independent in carrying out its duty without fear or favour, amid strong political and public pressure, particularly from supporters of the disgraced couple.
Transparency International Malaysia president Muhammad Mohan said the latest guilty verdict of Rosmah is a testament to the fact that even the most powerful individuals in the country are not free from the long arms of the law.
“It proves, for the second time in a week, that our judiciary is independent and that we must have faith in our court system,” he said when contacted.
“In a nutshell, I’d say the verdict sends a strong message to the corrupt that they can’t run, and this augurs well for Malaysia.
“Another positive thing is that there was no interference from the government. This is a good sign, and it must be sustained.”
Mohan said while several high-profile cases remain pending, including two more that Najib faces involving the multi-billion ringgit 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal, the court’s decisions on him and Rosmah have restored confidence in the judiciary.
He said he also believes that these developments would help slightly improve the country’s corruption perception index. Malaysia was ranked 62 in the latest index, a drop of five spots compared with the previous year.
Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism executive director Cynthia Gabriel said the fact that two individuals previously of the highest government positions were found guilty of stealing millions of ringgit of public money is an absolute disgrace to Malaysia.
“Their criminal acts have had terrible consequences for ordinary Malaysians. As fish rots from the head, it is now plainly obvious that the entire system of governance was damaged by corruption at every level.”
Gabriel said the long line of “crooks and felons” still roaming free must now similarly face justice, and that this is needed to restore faith in the justice system.
Plug loopholes to avoid repeat of abuse
Persatuan Patriot Kebangsaan’s (Patriot) vice-president (social and economy) Zokhri Idris said with the verdict in Rosmah’s case established, the next step would be to plug loopholes in the government’s procurement system that has allowed abuse by the former FLOM.
He said while yesterday’s outcome proved that the rule of law remains intact, the question of how the wife of a prime minister can be involved in dealing with public projects must be addressed.
“How was Rosmah able to get involved in the project? We must investigate this loophole and look at the interference of VVIPs in other procurements and projects.”
Zokhri said Najib and Rosmah’s verdicts made him sad and ashamed that such blatant corruption could involve top level government officials.
“These are not your ordinary citizens. It has tarnished our image. We are talking about a former prime minister.”
Meanwhile, Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs CEO Tricia Yeoh said Rosmah’s case emphasises the need to adhere to public procurement standards, which should be strengthened by way of a standalone act.
She said with the right legal frameworks and punitive measures in place, tenders and contracts would be more transparent and accountable, effectively minimising instances of bribes in exchange for an award of a project
“All in all, if we strengthen our institutions, we would be able to avoid such political interference in public contracts,” she said. – The Vibes, September 2, 2022
