Recently, I came across a statement by the 250-NGO Filipino multi-sectoral, non-sectarian and pluralist economic development coalition, the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) describing Ferdinand Marcos (1965 – 1986) as the worst kleptocratic President in Philippines history.
It said that Marcos institutionalised corruption on such a scale that Filipinos continue to feel its effects today.
In his 20 years in power, Philippines’ foreign debt metastasised from about $1 billion to over $25 billion.
FDC estimated that as much as a third of all that debt, about $8 billion, went into his pockets or those of his cronies and the country will continue paying for all that debt until 2025.
This is reminiscent of the unwinding of the 1MDB scandal in Malaysia after the 14GE, the revelation that the country’s national debt have exceeded the trillion ringgit mark, and the surge of national patriotic fervour to rally and donate to the Tabung Harapan Malaysia, collecting over RM75 million since its formation on 30th May.
I fully agree with the Amanah MP for Sepang, Hanipa Maidin, who stressed that the maxim the a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by court is only applicable in certain contexts, specifically during the judicial process.
This is because the People’s Court in the 14th General Election had pronounced Najib guilty of the 1MDB kleptocratic scandal, a major issue in the general election campaign, evicting as Prime Minister of Malaysia.
The charade that Malaysia has not become a global kleptocracy especially for the past three years should now end.
In fact, I wonder what would have been the response of the Indonesian President Jokowi or the Singapore Prime Ministder Lee Hsien Loong if they had been tarred like “MO1” with a 250-page US Department of Justice kleptocratic litigation listing a host of kleptocratic money-laundering transactions worldwide.
(Media Statement in Penang on Sunday, 17th June 2018)
#1 by Bigjoe on Sunday, 17 June 2018 - 7:22 pm
It just boggles the mind that new proposed UMNO leaders still refuse to lead when the people have spoken on clear evidence.
When even the new leaders will not lead when it’s hard for them, can UMNO reform itself?
#2 by pulau_sibu on Monday, 18 June 2018 - 2:29 am
The BN politicians should be liable for the debt, for which they failed to do their job by blindly allowing N to do whatever he wanted. Shouldn’t the new democracy be we, the people, be able to ask them to pay back at least their salary and benefits?
#3 by pulau_sibu on Monday, 18 June 2018 - 5:23 am
Regarding the interview of AI in BBC, I disagreed that PH should create a voluntary resignation for him to be elected MP. This would cost the country a lot of money. Besides, such a talk was shameful because it belittled our democracy and should not come from the mouth of AI. It is the mandate for an MP to serve the people FULL TERM once elected. Be it WA or NI or another politician, they need to observe this obligation. Please wait for a by-election. What are you rushing??
#4 by SuperStringhg on Monday, 18 June 2018 - 11:49 am
People is hoping can be the main opposition party. I say this is not going to happen because UMNO is like a Panda born in a zoo. Well fed, well taken care by the zoo keeper (Rakyat). If you relase the Panda out in the wild, it will starve to death even bamboo shoots are all around because this Panda expect the nice juicy shoots will appear in front of them. Worse, out there, predators are hungry for Panda meat.
For UMNO to survive in the wild, it will first have to “unlearn”and then learn the art of jungle survival. Only when they can do that can you see the New UMNO. However, to “unlearn”, they must get rid of all the “corrupted” people. This is impossible as the cancer has got beyond cure. Only way is a “Reborn” UMNO, meaning disintegrate and reform by people who truly want an honest and progressive party like the early 1950s UMNO.