What is the process involved in being appointed to the board of government agencies and statutory bodies?

Does one apply for the job when a position becomes vacant? Is a recommendation made by an independent body which is apolitical? Are head-hunters involved? Or is the old boy network still in place?

This is where individuals are nominated into important positions of public office via a system of favouritism and entitlement which operates among people of a privileged background, especially among former senior political party members.

On 16 October, the controversial appointment of the convicted felon, Najib Abdul Razak’s daughter on to the board of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) set tongues wagging.

The announcement was made by Matrade Chairman Reezal Merican Naina Merican, who congratulated Nooryana Najwa Najib on her appointment and said she had taken an anti-corruption oath alongside two other newly appointed board members.

He probably did not realise the irony of his remark. Perhaps, as former PM, Dr Mahathir Mohamad once said, “Melayu mudah lupa”.

As Reezal knows, Najib is the world’s worst kleptocrat. His corruption mantras “Cash is king” and “You help me, I’ll help you” set a bad example to ordinary Malaysians, especially its youth.

Najib lied to the Cabinet claiming that the billions of ringgits he pilfered was a donation from an Arab prince.

He treated the rakyat’s money as his own. He almost bankrupted Malaysia and forced the country to its knees.

Having completed her first degree, Nooryana interned at the global equity firm TPG for 11 months before working as an analyst at TPG Hong Kong.

As was later revealed, her internship had been secured by the disgraced former Goldman Sachs banker, Tim Leissner, who helped Najib siphon off billions of ringgits in the 1MDB scandal.

As Nooryana herself admitted, her training at TPG included preparing PowerPoint presentations, photocopying and making coffee.

She then worked in investor relations with TPG Hong Kong for over a year until August 2014, when she left to further her studies.

When her father was the Minister of Finance, she became a management associate for eight months at the Finance Ministry start-up incubator Cradle Fund before she left for her MBA at Wharton.

Malaysians accused Reezal of “nepotism” when he announced Nooryana’s appointment, and said that there were more deserving and experienced Malaysians for the role. Why hand over important posts to children of politicians?

Moreover, the financial baggage of Nooryana’s father, her mother, her brother and herself, made her appointment very concerning.

Why should these positions be given to the privileged and wealthy?

Matrade is a government agency that showcases the best of Malaysian companies to the world. What sort of message was Reezal giving the world with the controversial appointment? What sort of messages were both local and overseas companies receiving?

On her wedding day, a few million ringgits worth of flowers were specially flown in to deck her wedding dais.

Her profligacy is an abomination to many struggling Malaysians and businessmen who struggle to keep their companies afloat in the current economic climate.

Also on the personal front, the income tax department (LHDN) claimed that Nooryana had failed to pay her income tax of over RM10.3 million from 2011 to 2017.

Anyone who owes the LHDN money is hounded, and barred from overseas travel. So, what arrangement transpired between the LHDN and her, that she was let off the hook with the tax arrears?

Would LHDN be as accommodating and understanding with ordinary members of the rakyat who owe lesser amounts of tax?

Like her father, Nooryana failed to acknowledge Najib’s role in 1MDB.

She denied he stole taxpayers’ money. She was disappointed he was not pardoned. She claimed that he did not receive a fair trial.

How could she be a director of Matrade when she refuses to accept that her father is corrupt?

People wonder about Harapan and their election promise of ending nepotism and cronyism but promoting meritocracy?

What happened to the efforts to end non-political appointments for GLCs, government agencies and statutory bodies?

Although Nooryana is not a politician, her father is the world’s worst kleptocrat who almost bankrupted the country and tarnished our reputation on the world stage.

For many onlookers, Umno-Baru appears to be on the rise again and wonder if Nooryana’s appointment signals the party’s return.

Umno-Baru is continuing its core tradition of cronyism and nepotism. The poor have to do menial jobs or do Grab for a living. Children of politicians continue their high-profile lifestyles with government posts.

Was Nooryana’s appointment discussed in parliament? Did the DAP, the party which many ordinary Malaysians relied on to fight for the rights of the common people, object to this controversial appointment?

Is Najib still wielding power from his vantage point in Kajang Prison? Was this part of the terms of his settlement for having a reduced fine and jail sentence for his crimes?

Perhaps Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is beholden to Umno-Baru, the party synonymous with corruption which also knows that without it, Anwar cannot form a government.

So, is this for Anwar a small price to pay for being in power?

Perhaps Matrade should try and answer one question from the rakyat: On what basis was Nooryana’s appointment as a Matrade director justified?

Sources:

1. The Star: Najib’s daughter appointed to Matrade board
2. Malaysiakini: Najib’s daughter appointed to Matrade board
3. BBC: Ex-Goldman banker: ‘Bribes’ made 1MDB business possible
4. The Vibes: My father isn’t a thief, explains Nooryana Najib in exclusive interview
5. The New York Times: Ex-Goldman banker testifying in 1MDB trial says he ‘lied a lot’
6. New Straits Times: Nooryana let off by taxmen over RM10.3 million arrears

(Mariam Mokhtar is a Freelance Writer.)