KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has challenged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to reopen files on criminal cases during the Pakatan Harapan (PH) era to prove his claim of selective prosecution.
The opposition leader said he noted Ismail Sabri’s remark in Parliament yesterday, which insinuated the existence of such a practice in the past.
Anwar said while it is public knowledge that selective prosecution was rampant when Barisan Nasional was in power, Ismail Sabri should get the Attorney-General (AG) to revisit cases during PH’s time if the latter’s statement was made in reference to the opposition coalition.
“Be it selective or malicious prosecution, it is known to the public. It has been raised by the Bar Council and criticised by international legal fraternities. This has been a serious issue from the past.
“But if the prime minister is insinuating that it exists under the PH government, I have no problem with the AG reopening the files,” he said in the Dewan Rakyat today when debating the royal address, of which about half of his 90-minute speech was focused on corruption.
“Stop giving excuses and being sarcastic, as though this practice exists. If it does, then please reopen the files.”
Yesterday, after being questioned by Anwar in the lower house about corruption, Ismail Sabri had asked if selective prosecution was existent previously, and gave his commitment that this will never happen under his stewardship.
“We don’t know about the past, whether there was selective prosecution or not, but today, there won’t be any. This is my government’s promise,” he had said.
Anwar disclosed that when PH was in federal power, he was visited by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officials informing that some of the coalition members were being monitored on suspicion of amassing huge wealth.
“What was my answer, then? I said, please carry on. Don’t use the party or your position in the government (to commit graft). If others are protecting (the perpetrators), that’s beyond me.”
If only you had listened…
On the ongoing cases related to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), Anwar said the issue would not have been blown out of proportion had the government and authorities acted as soon as the first bit of information showing unscrupulous activities surfaced.
The PKR president claimed that he had first raised question marks over dealings involving 1MDB in Parliament as early as 2010, but was condemned by the government bench for supposedly spreading lies.
“If only the prime minister, finance minister and the cabinet then were concerned, the problem could have been resolved,” he said.
“If there are those (from the government) saying they are now taking action, it is not true. Because while we are making exposés, there are some who are still defending (their leaders).”
Anwar said it bothered him that some are still treating the case of 1MDB very lightly and questioned if the key institutions have been compromised to have allowed corruption of such a scale to happen.
“That is why I have said that MACC, Bank Negara Malaysia, Inland Revenue Board and police must be of the highest integrity. No matter which party is the government, corruption must be rejected.
“Those who can’t see (that 1MDB is a serious issue), they must be short-sighted.
“If you are a responsible leader, regardless of your party and race, you will never be a bootlicker to those involved in graft.”
The Port Dickson MP said the recent revelations made by former Goldman Sachs banker Tim Leissner in the ongoing 1MDB trial in the United States should be enough reason for the rakyat to reject corrupt leaders and government.
He added that based on the 1MDB case alone, which has been linked to numerous institutions and individuals, it is clear the culture of corruption in Malaysia is systemic.
“It is impossible for 1MDB to happen if the whole system is not corrupted and damaged,” he said.
He also issued a scathing attack on the Finance Ministry (MoF) to have allowed the scandal to carry on, saying that based on his experience helming the ministry in the past, it is known to be a very meticulous job.
“MoF would have constantly advised if there was anything wrong. But the ministry is now defending (corruption) and becoming a tool for the leaders to enrich themselves,” he claimed. – The Vibes, March 2, 2022
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