A new division has arisen in Malaysia for the past month – between patriotic Malaysians who want to know and tangkap “MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1” (“MO1) mentioned 36 times and described as a mastermind and co-conspirator in the US Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit for US$1 billion forfeiture of assets as a result of theft, embezzlement, misappropriation and money-laundering of US$3.5 billion 1MDB funds and overnight turned Malaysia into a global kleptocracy and those who don’t care or want to know who is “MO1”.

Patriotic Malaysians who want to know and tangkap “MO1” were acting both in word and spirit of the Conference of Rulers’ statement issued ten months ago on October 6 last year representing the concern of the nine royal rulers that the government quickly conclude investigations into the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) affair and to take “the appropriate stern action” against those implicated.

The statement by the Conference of Rulers was the first time that the sultans of the nine royal houses have commented on the 1MDB scandal which had by then dragged on for more than a year.

The rulers said: “The failure to give convincing clarifications and answers is feared to have resulted in a crisis of confidence.

“As a consequence, the people believe, whether basing on reality or perception, that this is among the causes for the plunge in the value of the ringgit, impacting the country’s financial market and economic climate negatively and at the same time, adversely affecting the world’s view of Malaysia.”

The rulers were worried that if the issue was not wisely handled and dragged on, could jeopardise the economy and livelihood of the people.
The statement called on those involved to extend “real and sincere” cooperation for the investigation to achieve its objectives.

It said: “The findings of the investigation must be reported comprehensively and in a transparent manner so that the people will be convinced of the sincerity of the government which shall not at all conceal facts and the truth.

“The Malay Rulers remind all leaders to always adhere to the Rukun Negara principles of upholding the Constitution and the Rule of Law.

“To ensure that the Government enjoys the people’s trust, that leaders are respected, that political stability is guaranteed and that the economy continues to grow, all leaders must constantly ensure that justice is meted out equitably and transparently based on the law.”

Although the Conference of Rulers’ statement was welcomed by the Cabinet Minister who was also the Barisan Nasional Strategic Communications Director, Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan, who claimed that the Rulers’ statement was in line with what the government wanted in the investigation on 1MDB.

Abdul Rahman even said:

“The prime minister (Najib Abdul Razak) has asked for six months (to settle the 1MDB issue). I guess early next year, January it can be resolved.”

January 2016 is long behind us, but the 1MDB scandal is even further from resolution, growing ever bigger and mind-blowing, extending its international tentacles and turning Malaysia overnight into a global kleptocracy!

The past ten months have set a new record, as it will be difficult to find another example like the Conference of Rulers’ Statement on 1MDB which had seen a greater multitude of violations by none other than the government itself – the most blatant and pernicious violations being:

• Refusal to make public the Auditor-General’s Report on 1MDB despite the tabling of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Report on 1MDB in Parliament on April 6;

• Refusal and failure to respond to the DOJ lawsuit on forfeiture of US$1 billion assets from the theft, defrauding, embezzlement, misappropriation and money-laundering of US$3.5 billion 1MDB funds, with codename of “MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1” mentioned 36 times in the 136-page DOJ filing, described as a master-mind and co-conspirator in the multi-billion ringgit defrauding and embezzlement of 1MDB funds;

• Refusal of the PAC to re-open investigations into the 1MDB, based on the new information contained in the DOJ filings;

• Refusal and failure of major national institutions, including the major enforcement and investigative agencies, such as the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Bank Negara, the National Audit Office, Parliament, Cabinet or the Prime Minister to take “the appropriate stern action” against those implicated in the 1MDB scandal.

• Refusal and failure to defend the integrity and good name of Malaysia after being described as a “global kleptocracy” by the DOJ lawsuits.

Are Malaysians to live with this new division among them – between patriotic Malaysians who want to know and tangkap “MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1” (“MO1) and those don’t care or want to know who is “MO1”?

Abdul Rahman Dahlan has said that “only an idiot doesn’t know who that person was” as there is no secret who is Malaysian Official 1 (MO1) mentioned in the DOJ civil lawsuits.

Would he support #TangkapMO1 campaign and the cry of its spokesperson, Anis Syafiqah Md Yusf of “Whole world knows we’ve been robbed, why are we still relaxed”?