After the latest tongue-lashing from the Sultans, it looks like Prime Minister Najib Razak and controversial wife Rosmah Mansor can forget about immunity from prosecution for any of their alleged wrongdoings which range between grand larceny (theft) to gross abuse of power in connection to the 1MDB financial debacle.
"For Najib, this is the end," wrote a popular blogger [ Daulat Tuanku...KBAB letak jawatan sahajalah ]
"No need to beg for mercy or ask for his life. No need to fool the people. No need to bluff this issue will be resolved within 6 months. 1MDB financial statement was incomplete, the issue of RM2.6 billion (donation) still not answered. The only question mark is whether he will pass on PM's chair to Zahid Hamidi or to Muhyiddin Yassin?"
Indeed, the no-holds-barred statement issued by the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal on Tuesday has revived hope in a dejected population, demoralized by a sharply plunging Ringgit, sky-rocketing housing and food prices and with little avenue to act against the tardy but still-powerful Najib administration.
"This will give a boost to the Mahathir and Ku Li factions in their battle to topple Najib. The inside buzz is that the statement was strongly supported by almost all the Rulers. Only Sultan Nazrin kept neutral, but the Selangor Sultan threw his support behind the resolution," a political source told Malaysia Chronicle.
Will Najib now send the IGP after the Sultans?
All eyes are now on whether more statements will be issued when the Sultans begin their 239th meeting of the Conference of Rulers, scheduled for two days starting from today.
The Rulers had demanded that the Najib administration including all key institutions and agencies probe and resolve the RM42 billion 1MDB corruption scandal without fear or favor and wrongdoers brought to justice.
This has spurred calls for a high-level probe against 1MDB and Najib to be reinstated.
Later this month, a no-confidence vote against Najib is due to be tabled by the Opposition, which controls 87 of the Parliament's 222 seats.
"Under watch are also on people like the DPM Zahid Hamidi, Inspector General of Police Khalid Bakar, the Parliament Speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia, Bank Negara governor Zeti Aziz, MACC chief Abu Kassim and the new Attorney General Apandi Ali - will they dare go against the royal order and try to keep protecting Najib?," said the source.
"The IGP in particular is the one most notorious for allegedly bending the laws to keep Najib in power and he and the new AG - the only one with the power to order Najib's arrest - are on the greatest watch now."
Safe passage
Who will be next PM or caretaker PM - current DPM Zahid Hamidi or Umno deputy president Muhyiddin Yassin, who was sacked by Najib from the Cabinet for questioning his handling of the 1MDB debacle.
Related Story: THE SULTANS HAVE SPOKEN: NO 'SAFE PASSAGE' FOR NAJIB & SYCOPHANTS INCLUDING IGP, AG, ZETI, MACC
The 62-year-old Najib had foiled round after round by his opponents to bring him down.
Former premier Mahathir Mohamad and former finance minister Tengku Razaleigh - who still lead powerful factions in Najib's Umno party - have called on him to step down as PM after news broke of the massive 1MDB debacle, that has plunged the local currency into an 18-year low of 4.40 to the U.S. dollar.
In a typical BN-UMNO kind of style, veteran journalist and pro-Mahathir editor, Kadir Jasin, to the anger and outrage of many Malaysians are flabbergasted that he has the cheek to suggest Najib Tun Razak be given “safe passage” in exchange for his resignation.
This is a real audacious suggestion and the reasons cited cannot in any way be acceptable to right-thinking Malaysians and Najib must face up to any punishment for crimes and wrongdoings and not be accorded any kind of immunity from prosecution.
The laws of a democratic nation are very clear and unambiguous. The belief should be held onto that no man is above the law. What is the point of having laws if it does not apply to everyone? Worse is the unthinkable idea that a certain position gives you the privilege of immunity.
If Najib has done or committed any wrong or crime, he must be accordingly charged and tried in a competent court of law. The fact that he is prime minister is all the more reason why he cannot be granted immunity from prosecution.
This is because it will give the impression to Malaysians that VVIPS and VIPS can escape from punishment and wrongdoing or crimes because they are an elite group and should be differentiated and dealt with kid’s gloves for anything they do that is against the law.
If such is the case, there is as all along suspected and now confirmed that Malaysian laws do not apply to the upper echelon of society and is meant only for the ordinary man-on-the street. This by itself will suggest that a grave injustice and travesty of justice prevails in this country.
Skeletons in the closet
There is no smoke without fire and the many accusations that are being leveled at not only Najib but his wife Rosmah suggests that there is a grain of truth and the relevant Malaysian authorities should go to the ground and investigate them impartially and without fear or favor.
This is the only way the nation can move forward. There must be corrections made to Malaysia’s system of governance and if the prime minister and his wife is the stumbling block they must be evicted from holding power in Putrajaya over this nation.
The fact that the movement and momentum to oust Najib and Rosmah has been lingering, the fact that it is taking such a long time goes to show that this has become a protracted crisis that is by itself destroying the nation.
There are a significant number of skeleton’s that have emerged from Najib’s and Rosmah’s closet and these need to be investigated by the police, the Malaysian anti-corruption commission and the attorney-general’s chambers.
Just the fact that all these accusations are being leveled at the prime minister and his wife, Malaysians and the international community is beginning to lose faith and belief in this nation as a parliamentary democracy.
The Malaysian authorities need to swing into action to arrest the rot and clear Najib and his wife of all wrongdoing and crime. But this is not enough. There is now so much doubt, distrust and suspicion among the people of Najib that he needs to be replaced for the betterment of the country.
Apathy and indifference
The powers-that-be cannot be apathetic or indifferent to the present case scenario where the prime minister’s credibility and reputation is in tatters and need very urgently to get to the ground to clear the mess the nation has sunk into and leave no stone unturned.
The relevant authorities must act with fairness and impartiality and go by the laws of the country to investigate accordingly every accusation that has been leveled at the prime minister and to not make any allowances for Najib to manipulate them.
There must be absolutely no fear but the bottom-line and the objective must be to find the truth, the whole truth and nothing else, to put to rest once and for all the minds and thoughts and feelings of everyone who is following the saga of Najib and Rosmah.
If this is not done as quickly as possible it will mean a denial of justice has been committed and Malaysia will be viewed as a rogue nation, a tainted democracy, for not fulfilling the full tenets and obligations of democracy in the eyes of the international community.
This is why the records of Najib and Rosmah have to be set straight. Otherwise ever day they linger in office is causing the nation to suffer and go on a downward spiral which will effectively lead to the country becoming a failed state. - MAILBAG
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