1. What is happening in Malaysia today is unprecedented. The rule of law has been turned upside down and the people seem powerless to do anything to put it upright again.
2. This is because the very leader entrusted with upholding the law has become the subject of the due process of the law. It is alleged that he has broken the law. As no one is above the law, it follows that he must be investigated to determine if indeed he had broken the law.
3. Although this is unprecedented in Malaysia, this had happened in many other countries, including in the developed West.
4. Recall the case of President Nixon of the United States of America. He had used Government officials to spy on his political rival. This was considered as abuse of power in the U.S.
5. Eventually he was impeached and was forced to resign as President of the U.S. The Vice President took over and in due course elections were held. The Vice-President won. End of problem.
6. In other countries more violent methods are used to remove an unpopular president, whether elected or imposed by the military or other politically powerful groups.
7. Now Malaysia would not want to see violence used. So the instruments or the institutions of Governments were expected to investigate and determine whether the allegations against the P.M. are true or not.
8. The institution that is normally expected to do this is mainly the police. Other institutions with the capacity to investigate are also expected to do this. In cases involving money, the Central Bank are expected to investigate and report.
9. Then there are special bodies created to oversee how Government money is managed. These are the Auditor-General and the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament. Additionally there is the Anti-Corruption Commission.
10. They are however limited to investigations and preparation of reports. They themselves have no power to prosecute. For this, the Attorney-General must decide and initiate legal proceedings. If the A.G. decides there is no case to answer, even the most blatant crime will not be tried in the court.
11. The only other process for the removal of a PM is a vote of no-confidence in Parliament. It needs a simple majority. With the fall of the PM, the whole Government would fall. But by majority decision in Parliament, a new Government may be set up. It may be the same party or a different party. Alternatively an election can be held.
12. These are the avenues of legal redress provided in the Malaysian Constitution and laws.
13. Due to the serious nature of the allegations against the highest leader of the Government, a task force of four, consisting of the Attorney General, the Inspector General of Police, the Governor of the Central Bank and the head of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission was formed to collect all relevant evidence for the Attorney General to decide on the action to be taken.
14. All these agencies and institutions were in the midst of their investigations when the PM struck. He first sacked the A.G. and appointed his man to the post. Then he literally disbanded the Public Accounts Committee by appointing the Chairman and three other members as Deputy Ministers and to other posts. Members of the MACC who were continuing to investigate the case were harassed by the police who accused them of leaking secrets. Two were transferred to the PMO.
15. Rumors were rife that the Governor of the Central Bank was being investigated for corruption. Although she remains as Governor, the staff of the Central Bank were harassed and accused of leaking information to the press.
16. The Edge, the paper that had exposed the 1MDB scandal was closed. The owner of The Malaysian Reserve paper was told to sell it back to the previous owner.
17. Najib also sacked the Deputy Prime Minister and one of the ministers who had been vocal in questioning the financial records of 1MDB and the RM2.6 billion found in Najib’s personal bank account.
18. With these actions, Najib has effectively stopped investigations on the disappearance of billions of Ringgit invested by 1MDB and the appearance of 2.6 billion in Najib’s account. Now no legal action can be taken against Najib as the allegations cannot be proven. But his very actions prove that there is substance in the allegations made against him.
19. Public opinion therefore remains strong in wanting Najib to resign as PM. Consequently there is talk about moving a vote of no-confidence against him in Parliament.
20. This is very difficult as almost all the UMNO members seem beholden to him. And the opposition does not have enough members to pass the motion.
21. So there is a stalemate. But the economy is reacting in its own way. The Ringgit has depreciated to below its old fixed rate of RM3.80 to the USD. It is now at 4 Ringgit plus and is likely to drop further. The effect is to make the country poor. Paying debts by 1MDB in USD would cost more. Already 1MDB is unable even to service its debts.
22. The stock market has all but collapsed. Investors, especially foreign investors are taking out their money to safer places abroad.
23. The Government is short of funds. It has to cut budget allocations to all ministries. The introduction of the GST has only resulted in increasing the cost of living making the depreciation of the Ringgit more acute.
24. Najib may be able to buy his way through in the next election but he will not be able to acquire funds to sustain his purchase of popularity. The Government he leads will not be able to borrow. The country’s economy will collapse. And the people will suffer. This is the grim picture that lies in store for Malaysians because Najib has basically stolen the Government.
Versi BM
MALAYSIA 2
1) Apa yang berlaku di Malaysia pada hari ini tidak pernah berlaku sebelumnya. Kedaulatan undang-undang telah diperkotak katik sehingga rakyat seolah-olah tidak berkuasa untuk menegakkannya semula.
2) Ini kerana pemimpin yang diamanahkan untuk menegakkan undang-undang telah menjadi subjek kepada proses perundangan. Beliau telah didakwa sebagai orang yang melanggar undang-undang. Oleh kerana tiada sesiapa pun yang mengatasi undang-undang, seharusnya beliau perlu disiasat bagi menentukan sama ada benar beliau telah melanggar undang-undang atau sebaliknya.
3) Walaupun ini tidak pernah berlaku di Malaysia, perkara ini telah berlaku di kebanyakan negara, termasuk di negara Barat yg maju.
4) Mengimbas kembali kes Presiden Nixon dari Amerika Syarikat. Beliau telah mempergunakan pegawai kerajaan untuk mengintip pesaing politiknya. Ini telah dianggap sebagai salah guna kuasa di Amerika Syarikat.
5) Disebabkan itu beliau telah dicabar dan terpaksa meletakkan jawatan sebagai Presiden Amerika Syarikat. Naib Presiden mengambil alih dan pilihanraya diadakan. Naib Presiden memenangi jawatan tersebut. Masalah selesai.
6) Di negara lain, cara lebih ganas telah digunakan bagi menggulingkan seorang Presiden yang tidak popular, sama ada dipilih atau dikuasi tentera atau kumpulan politik berpengaruh.
7) Sekarang ini di Malaysia menolak cara ganas. Jadi, badan kerajaan dijangka akan melakukan penyiasatan dan mengenalpasti sama ada tuduhan terhadap PM benar atau tidak.
8) Institusi yang biasanya terlibat dengan hal seperti ini ialah pihak Polis. Institusi lain yang mempunyai kapasiti untuk menyiasat hal ini juga dijangka akan turut serta. Bagi kes yang melibatkan wang, Bank Negara dijangka akan melakukan penyiasatan dan laporan.
9) Kemudian suatu badan khas diwujudkan untuk mengawasi bagaimana wang Kerajaan diuruskan. Kesemua ini ialah Ketua Audit Negara, Jawatankuasa Kira-Kira Wang Negara (PAC). Sebagai tambahan Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah dilibatkan.
10) Bagaimanapun mereka ini terhad kepada penyiasatan dan penyediaan laporan. Mereka tidak mempunyai kuasa untuk mendakwa. Oleh itu, Peguam Negara perlu membuat keputusan dan mengambil tindakan undang-undang. Jika Peguam Negara memutuskan tiada kes yang perlu diselesaikan, perlakuan jenayah terang-terangan sekalipun tidak akan dibicarakan di mahkamah.
11) Satu-satunya proses lain untuk memecat PM adalah melalui undi tidak percaya di Parlimen. Ini memerlukan majoriti mudah. Dengan kejatuhan PM, seluruh Kerajaan akan jatuh. Tetapi dengan keputusan majoriti di Parlimen, kerajaan baharu boleh ditubuhkan. Boleh jadi dari parti yang sama atau parti yang berbeza-beza. Sebagai alternatif pilihanraya boleh diadakan.
12) Inilah saluran undang-undang yang termaktub di dalam Perlembagaan dan Undang-Undang Malaysia.
13) Disebabkan tuduhan serius terhadap pemimpin tertinggi kerajaan, suatu petugas khas yang terdiri daripada Peguam Negara, Ketua Polis Negara, Gabenor Bank Negara dan Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM telah dlantik dan ditubuhkan bagi mengumpul semua bukti yang relevan untuk Peguam Negara membuat keputusan terhadap tindakan yang akan diambil.
14) Kesemua agensi ini sedang berada pada pertengahan proses penyiasatan sehinggalah PM campur tangan. Pertama beliau memecat Peguam Negara dan melantik seorang lelaki untuk mengisi jawatan itu. Kemudian beliau membubarkan PAC dengan melantik Pengerusi dan tiga orang ahli PAC yang lain sebagai Timbalan Menteri dan jawatan lain. Pegawai SPRM yang berterusan menyiasat kes ini telah diganggu oleh pihak polis dan menuduh mereka membocorkan rahsia. Kedua-duanya dipindahkan ke JPM.
15) Khabar angin telah bertiup kencang dengan mengatakan bahawa Gabenor Bank Negara sedang disiasat kerana tuduhan rasuah. Walaupun beliau masih kekal sebagai Gabenor, kakitangan Bank Negara telah diganggu dan dituduh membocorkan maklumat kepada wartawan.
16) The Edge, akhbar yang telah mendedahkan skandal 1MDB ditutup. Akhbar The Malaysia Reserve disuruh untuk menjualnya semula kepada pemilik sebelumnya.
17) Najib juga telah memecat Timbalan Perdana Menteri dan salah satu daripada Menteri yang begitu lantang mempersoalkan rekod kewangan 1MDB dan wang RM 2.6 bilion di dalam akaun peribadi Najib.
18) Melalui tindakan ini, Najib telah berjaya menghentikan siasatan berhubung kehilangan berbilion Ringgit yang dilaburkan 1MDB dan kemunculan RM 2.6 bilion di dalam akaunnya. Kini tiada tindakan undang-undang boleh diambil terhadap Najib kerana dakwaan tidak dapat dibuktikan. Tetapi tindakan beliau sedemikian telah membuktikan bahawa terdapat perkaitan dalam dakwaan terhadap beliau.
19) Bagaimanapun, pendapat umum masih tetap mahukan Najib meletakkan jawatan sebagai PM. Dari itu timbul pula cakap-cakap tentang undi tidak percaya terhadap beliau di Parlimen.
20) Keadaan ini amat sukar kerana hampir semua ahli UMNO seolah-olah terhutang budi kepada beliau. Dan pihak pembangkang tidak mempunyai jumlah ahli yang cukup untuk meluluskan usul tersebut.
21) Semua ini menemui jalan buntu. Tetapi ekonomi telah bertindak balas dengan cara sendiri. Ringgit menyusut kepada nilai RM3.80 berbanding USD. Kini di paras 4 Ringgit lebih dan dijangka jatuh lagi. Kesannya menjadikan negara miskin. Membayar hutang 1MDB dalam matawang USD menaikkan lagi kos. 1MDB tidak mampu walau untuk membayar hutangnya sendiri.
22) Pasaran saham kian jatuh. Para pelabur, terutamanya pelabur asing mengambil keluar wang mereka ke tempat yang lebih selamat di luar negara.
23) Kerajaan kekurangan dana. Kerajaan perlu memotong peruntukan bajet di semua kementerian. Pengenalan GST hanya menyebabkan kos sara hidup meningkat dan menjadikan nilai Ringgit semakin kritikal.
24) Najib mungkin boleh membeli jalan kemenangannya melalui pilihanraya akan datang tetapi dia tidak mampu memperoleh dana bagi membeli dan mengekalkan popularitinya. Kerajaan yang dipimpin beliau tidak mampu meminjam. Ekonomi negara akan runtuh. Rakyat akan menderita. Inilah gambaran suram yang menipu rakyat kerana Najib pada dasarnya telah mengkhianati amanah Kerajaan.
Malaysia
Malaysia
