The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has visited the White House and met President Trump but he continues to be hounded and haunted by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) largest kleptocratic suit to forfeit some US$1.7 billion 1MDB-linked assets in the United States, United Kingdom and Switzerland.
The jury is out as to whether Najib could capitalize on his White House visit and meeting with President Trump for his benefit in the run-up to the 14th General Election, or whether it would be a deadweight to sink his premiership and coalition in the next general election.
The missing “elephant” in the Trump-Najib meeting is not only the talk of Malaysians and Americans, but the whole world – as never before had any Malaysian Prime Minister or possibly any visiting foreign leader who had been bombarded by such a bad press, both in the United States and world-wide.
What is worse, Najib’s visit has added a new ethical conundrum for both Trump and Najib – as the Malaysian Prime Minister and his entourage are staying at the Trump International Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue, raising the question whether Trump is violating the Emoluments Clause of the US Constitution which forbids presidents from receiving gifts or payment for services rendered from foreign governments while in office.
Those who believe that Najib’s visit to the White House will ipso facto put the 1MDB scandal behind him are being incredibly naïve, for all that Najib’s visit to the White House has done is to present an unprecedented spectacle of two leaders who are both under investigation by the US DOJ – the Malaysian Prime Minister and the US President, one for theft and money-laundering of more than US$4.5 billion over six years from 1MDB and the other on whether Trump’s current or former aides colluded with Russian intelligence during the 2016 presidential campaign.
The unprecedented White House meeting in fact conjured up images of posters of former US President Nixon in prison garb and raises the question whether the two personages who met at the White House yesterday would end up in prison garbs!
Najib must face up to the reality of the situation – there is no way for him to wish the “elephant” of the 1MDB scandal and Malaysia as a global kleptocracy away with mere pretence and charade that the infamy and ignominy of 1MDB scandal and Malaysia as a global kleptocracy do not exist.
Najib should open up, invite and answer questions about the 1MDB scandal and Malaysia as a global kleptocracy when he visits the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations later today before the end of his three-day visit to United States.
Let it be a start for the Malaysian authorities especially Parliament and the Judiciary to grapple with and kill Malaysia’s new demons – 1MDB scandal and Malaysia as a global kleptocracy – which have tainted and tarred Malaysia’s reputation and international standing.
It is indeed supreme irony that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is celebrating its 50th anniversary with the launching of two LRT coaches on the Kelana Jaya Line, painted with the theme Jerung atau bilis dalam jaring kami (Big fish or small, we will get you).
This MACC LRT campaign only serves to remind Malaysians that the MACC is only a paper-tiger, as it could only act against ikan bilis or may be medium-size fishes but not jerung, who enjoy both immunity and impunity in the MACC’s anti-corruption campaign.
Is the MACC prepared to prove that it is serious about eradicating corruption, without fear or favour, and if so, when is it going to get serious with investigations into the 1MDB scandal and address Malaysia’s infamy and ignominy as a global kleptocracy?
(Media Statement in Gelang Patah on Wednesday, 13th September 2017)
#1 by Bigjoe on Wednesday, 13 September 2017 - 9:37 am
I have to retort a new report ASEAN today that says the Najib is a “political magician” because the opposition is disunited and because the rural Malay votes is more concern about bread and butter issue.
Its simply is WRONG.
The opposition fragmentation began with Hadi’s PAS betrayal of the opposition – the role Islam plays in this country abused by those trusted to be responsible for it. WHAT IS MAGICAL is that the opposition is able to put themselves together to be even a credible front despite a key leg being blowned up by Hadi’s PAS betrayal.
The opposition is NOT disunited, it can’t figure out how to be singular focussed after being stabbed in the back.
Also, the idea the rural folks are concern with bread and butter issue is nonsense. Two terms of Pakatan Harapan in Selangor and Penang PROVES that they can govern better, will be less corrupted, the social welfare of EVERYONE EVEN THE MALAYS AND RURAL PEOPLE WILL BE BETTER TAKEN CARE OF.
No, the reason why the rural folks, Felda and Sarawak and Sabah do not want to change is simply dysfunctionality and dependency, long in build by UMNO-BN with race, religion, corruption – they want their cake and eat it too. Personal independence, self-reliance is simply NOT a Malaysian core character. ITS BACKWARDNESS. Put it colloquilly, they are simply ULU – they know but they only want to follow the crowd and easily scared or fooled they not to change.
#2 by Bigjoe on Wednesday, 13 September 2017 - 11:17 am
Put it another way: BN will win because POLITICAL ISLAM IS THE PROBLEM. In other words, its the same problem in the middle East, with IS, with Al-Qaeda, with Palestiaan-Israel, with Iran.
Political Islam in Malaysia today can, after decades of struggling, finally can get to Putrajaya with its more down-to-earth partners which include of course secular but not anti-Islam DAP.
Instead, it throws it away FOR essentially ITS UTOPIAN IDEA – in reality racial and religo dysfunctionality. ITS ARROGANT, ITS IRRESPONSIBLE, ITS SELF-RIGHTEOUS AND WORST, THE EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE SAYS ITS SIMPLY WRONG – THERE IS NO PROOF IT WORKS IN FACT THE EVIDENCE INCREASING IT CANNOT WORK.
Why is PH and especially PKR is disarray? Because it made the wrong bet with Political Islam and it keep going back like an abused mistress. The spouse of that former partner, Amanah, already divorce the husband but PKR keep insisting to go back to be abused. Mahathir who is responsible for Islamisation in this country, now, is the one who is leading the political debate against PAS.
Like it or not, UMNO/BN will win but at its core, its because we are part of that global problem that came out from the Middle East and that “magician” is nothing but prodigal political opportunist who could not care what he wreck.