After GE15, the rakyat had high hopes that corrupt politicians would be punished.

In the past, when taxpayers’ money was stolen, no one would be found guilty.

In 2018, Pakatan Harapan may have been slow to implement their reforms, but they did initiate the investigation and arrest of some corrupt politicians.

The rakyat were euphoric when politicians received travel bans, surrendered their passports, endured raids on their homes, made daily trips to MACC offices for detailed questioning, and had their bank accounts frozen.

Then came the Sheraton Move and other subsequent political betrayals, all in the name of clinging on to power.

These politicians used the coronavirus scare and the Movement Control Order to push their plans to consolidate their hold on power.

What of the rakyat? They knew what was going on but they were powerless to act.

If truth be told, they have been powerless for a good part of the past six decades.

Our actions are controlled by draconian laws, like the Sedition Act

Four years ago, on 9 June, the former Chief Minister of Sabah, Musa Aman, was granted a full acquittal for 46 charges relating to dirty money.

These involved 35 corruption charges for which he allegedly received bribes of between US$28,500 and US$16,148,547, and 16 money laundering charges for allegedly receiving US$37 million from various individuals and timber companies.

The spotlight then fixed on the new Attorney-General (AG), Idrus Harun. He faced the wrath of the rakyat.

Despite the official statements issued by the AG and the former CM, it behoves us to read between the lines to find the motivations of each man.

Idrus said that prosecutors withdrew all 46 charges against Musa on 9 June because former Attorney-General Gani Patail had issued the affidavit in support of Musa’s application to strike out the charges.

In 2012, Gani decided to take no action against Musa because investigations showed that the money was for political funding.

So, is political funding the catch-word for corruption?

Was Idrus unable to think for himself? Couldn’t he scrutinise and give a fresh airing to these high-profile cases of national interest?

He used the decisions of former AGs to issue the final verdict. He failed to give a good impression of his work performance and judgement.

In 2020, Malaysians wondered if Idrus had been placed under tremendous pressure from the then PN administration, especially as most of the corrupt politicians in Umno-Baru had been rewarded for their loyalty despite their tainted past.

After decades of institutionalised corruption, racism, extremism and injustice, the rakyat is eager for a fresh start, but the AG may have compromised their ideals.

A euphoric Musa, his family and supporters must have breathed a huge sigh of relief when he was freed.

No one would have missed the connection that the affidavit was provided by the former AG, who is also a Sabahan.

Sadly, the powers that be have again betrayed the rakyat and especially the people of Sabah with this latest appointment of Musa as Governor.

Sabah is the poorest nation in Malaysia. Crooks steal from the people of Sabah, but no one is found guilty despite the wealth gained from petroleum, oil-palm, timber and tourism.

Musa played to the Muslim crowd and immediately thanked God for ensuring justice was served and that it was by God’s will that his name had been cleared.

He said God had put him and his family through a test and that God was fair and rewarded his patience.

He said his innocence of the graft charges was “very clear” and “indisputable”; but the rakyat would like to know how.

Malaysians recall the cowardly Musa sneaking into Brunei to take a flight to Singapore and thence to England. He was filmed in London by Malaysians who recognised him, but he then claimed he was abroad for medical treatment.

If he was confident of his innocence, why did he have to go through the drama of running away, hiding and playing on the heartstrings of the gullible public by returning to Malaysia on a stretcher?

You may recall the rakyat’s fury because a few days before Musa’s spectacular acquittal, a Terengganu man was jailed for 15 months for stealing petai from a farmer.

Is God fair, they may ask? Is God testing this man, too?

The rakyat compare theft on a grand scale by politicians and their children, and the punishments they receive.

They note that the poor, who struggle to scrape a living to feed their families and are forced to steal, are given harsher punishments. The thief suffers, along with his family.

On the other hand, corrupt politicians who escape punishment, mock the courts and give the metaphorical two fingers to the rakyat.

Is the whole judicial system compromised? Or are there two sets of laws – one for the elite, and another for the ordinary man?

Musa’s acquittal did not bode well for the nation. As it is, the convicted felon had his sentence and fine reduced. There are allegations he is working his way towards a house arrest.

The rakyat will not be surprised if the former self-styled First Lady of Malaysia (FLOM) Rosmah Mansor will also be cleared of all charges, as have the others such as Zahid Hamidi (former DPM), Abdul Azeez Rahim (Tabung Haji) and Isa Samad (Felda).

For many Malaysians, our AGs have failed to uphold justice, as they were trained to do in their legal profession.

They failed to protect the integrity of their office and their public role in the interests of the nation and the rakyat.

Sadly, the powers that be have again betrayed the rakyat and especially the people of Sabah with this latest appointment of Musa as Governor.

Sources:

1. Malaysiakini: Musa Aman appointed as Sabah governor
2. Malaysiakini: Ex-AG Gani’s affidavit helped secure Musa’s acquittal
3. Malaysiakini: Musa: Evidence of my innocence indisputable
4. Free Malaysia Today: AG tells why charges against Musa ‘untenable’
5. New Straits Times: Is this man spotted in London Musa Aman?
6. Sinar Harian: Kerana petai, dipenjara 15 bulan
7. Sinar Harian: Kronologi kes-kes berprofil tinggi di Malaysia
8. Transparency International: Separate powers of Attorney General and Public Prosecutor to restore trust in Malaysian judiciary

(Mariam Mokhtar is a Freelance Writer.)