Marhaen Dan Rakyat

It is a moment thick with irony—Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, whose criticisms hastened the political demise of his successor, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, now standing solemnly at the National Mosque to pay his final respects. With words of tribute, Mahathir described Abdullah as a leader who secured "one of the most remarkable victories in history" during the 2004 general election and praised his peaceful exit. But let us not rewrite history to suit sentiment. Dr Mahathir, now approaching 100, was once Abdullah's most unrelenting critic. Mahathir's loud and persistent attacks from outside the government sowed dissent within UMNO and the public alike, setting in motion the events that would lead to Abdullah's resignation in 2009. At every turn, Mahathir questioned Abdullah's leadership, direction, and integrity—relentlessly hammering away at the legitimacy of his successor's tenure. And yet today, he praises the very qualities he once disparaged. Abdullah, known...

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 another salvo fired by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in his pursuit for revenge, The multi-million-dollar Ilham Tower, a prime commercial building owned by the family of former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, has been seized by Malaysia’s anti-graft agency, sources say, in a sharp escalation to an ongoing probe into controversial transactions by corporate entities previously controlled by the one-time ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO). We don’t really have to go back in time to see the questionable going-ons seen within Mahathir’s inner circle. Take for example on August 29, 2018 the shares of Opcom, a company engaged in the manufacture and sale of fiber optic cables and cable related products in Malaysia. rose 41.11% in a day. The reason? The Pakatan Harapan government had approved a RM 21.6b National Fiberization and Connectivity Plan. There is no doubt that the fiberization of Malaysia is sorely needed – and the large amount of money that has been committed thus far i...

Institusi kehakiman merupakan salah satu tunjang penting dalam sistem demokrasi serta pemerintahan Malaysia. Ketelusan dan pengawasan yang rapi dalam sistem operasi badan kehakiman adalah penting bagi memastikan pelaksanaan undang-undang dapat dilakukan dengan adil serta saksama. Namun, wujud perdebatan melibatkan bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad dan badan kehakiman di negara ini. Malah, isu ini bukan sahaja baru diperdebatkan tetapi sejak berdekad lamanya. Perdebatan berkenaan membabitkan isu campur tangan atau manipulasi Mahathir dalam sistem kehakiman negara. Mahathir didakwa mencampuri banyak urusan badan kehakiman semasa beliau menjadi Perdana Menteri. Beliau didakwa sering kali menggunakan kuasa politiknya untuk mempengaruhi keputusan dan tindakan badan kehakiman termasuklah melibatkan keputusan mahkamah terhadap musuh politik Mahathir. Sebagai contoh, wujud dakwaan sebelum ini bahawa Mahathir merupakan individu bertanggungjawab melantik hakim yang mengetuai kes per...