Marhaen Dan Rakyat

Mahathir has been on the defensive recently as the MACC zeroes in on the source of his family’s fantastic wealth. The MACC recently announced that the two sons of former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad have declared assets worth over RM1.2 billion (S$365 million). Not bad for the grandson of a rubber tapper. Then, as if by clockwork, Mahathir posted a scathing “lecture” on social media, indirectly calling the investigation an “abuse of power.” This is not the first time Mahathir has made such statements, as he has been engaging in attention-grabbing behaviour since his retirement during the Sheraton Move. The reason for this behaviour is quite apparent, as Mahathir has been embroiled in a bitter feud with Anwar Ibrahim, almost seemingly in a one-sided manner. Of course, Mahathir has not taken the investigation lying down. He has, after all, filed an RM150 million lawsuit over claims that he amassed wealth for personal gain while in power. He also stated that all his children...

In the wild world of Malaysian politics, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's recent crackdown on corruption, specifically targeting former finance bigwig Daim Zainuddin, has caused a stir across political circles. The move, highlighted by the freezing of Daim's family-owned Ilham Tower at the end of 2023, seems like Anwar's way of saying, "No one is too big to be checked." Ilham Tower, a ritzy symbol to the prosperity of Malaysia’s 80-90s and valued at a cool US$580 million, became the center of attention when Daim refused to spill the beans on his assets. For some, Anwar's no-nonsense approach sends a clear message that even the big shots can't escape the spotlight. His current troubles stem from MACC poking around in alleged embezzlement dating back to a 1997 deal involving Renong and United Engineers Malaysia Bhd (UEM). Revisiting the UEM-Renong deal, wrapped in mystery after 26 years, is no walk in the park for MACC investigators. Theories are flying, with ...

In the aftermath of the investigations against Tun Daim, former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad faces criticism and questions about his actions throughout his political career. In response to recent events, Mahathir has complained in the media, that he has been rewarded with “persecution” after both him and former finance minister Daim Zainuddin helped with Anwar’s re-election campaign during the Port Dickson by-election in 2018. When Anwar contested in a seven-way fight in Port Dickson in 2018, Daim, who at the time chaired the Council of Eminent Persons, joined the former’s campaign and urged locals to support Anwar. Asked if he thinks it’s a form of revenge or witch hunt conducted by the current government against him for the perception that Anwar was jailed and prosecuted under the nonagenarian’s first tenure as prime minister, Mahathir said he was unsure. “I don’t know whether this is revenge. “If I did something wrong, please investigate (me) but don’t use the government to t...