Sunday, June 30, 2019

Taib Mahmud safe so long as Mahathir is PM


From Malaysiakini:

Why I’ve given up on Putrajaya dealing with Taib

OPINION  |  FRANCIS PAUL SIAH
Published:   |  Modified: 
COMMENT | Over the years, I must have written so many articles about Sarawak Governor Abdul Taib Mahmud that I have actually grown tired of it.
I have resigned to the fact that no matter what I or others say or do, my ex-chief minister of 33 years remains “untouchable” even though he is notorious throughout the country and internationally.
People can call him by whatever names, demeaning and insulting even, but Taib couldn’t be bothered. Why bother about suing someone for RM50 million or RM100 million in damages either for defamation or libel? Taib doesn’t need the money. His name has been sullied by his alleged abuse of power by so many for so long so much so that he must be immune to it by now.
If I were Taib, I possibly would go down the same road. Why not? I am holding the exalted office of the Sarawak governor and in all likelihood, I could be in office until the day I draw my last breath. What can my detractors do to me that they have not attempted yet?
I will enjoy the rest of my sunset years, holidaying abroad for nine months in a year with my young wife and a new family, without a care in the world. With my immense wealth, the entire universe is at my feet. I could even sign up for a tourist programme to the moon. Nay, why worry about those paloi Sarawakians! They can never touch me.
So why am I broaching the Taib subject again? Actually, some Malaysiakini readers brought it up when commenting on my column and I thought it might be a good idea to respond.
I have also been ticked off by some, saying that I have been stupid for writing in such glorious terms for Sarawak as if we, Sarawakians, could survive without help from the federal government.
One even said that I have a “chip on my shoulder”. I can accept that all have the right to free speech and that disagreement is part and parcel of it all. But let us all be professional and stay away from personal attacks in our discourses. I am somewhat immune and can accept all sorts of brickbats after four decades in the media industry. But it would be helpful if we stay within the topic under discussion and not stray.
Two readers brought up Taib Mahmud. One said that “Corrupt Sarawak must leave the peninsula. It is burdening the federal government. Shameless Sarawakians!”
Another retorted: “You know why Sarawak should not be independent of Malaysia? Because the moment they leave Malaysia, the crooked politicians will clean up the state coffers and leave nothing to the people. Sarawak is a very rich state, but where has all the wealth gone? Part of it is in Canada”.
I understand the drift and they were not wrong. What they meant was for Sarawakians not to get so big-headed when we can’t even stop the rape of our resources by our very own Sarawakians, notably by someone at the top, his family and his cronies.
Let me respond to my Malayan friends as a Sarawakian who should know the situation better.
I know what is happening in my backyard. I’m also painfully aware that as far as Taib is concerned, we cannot expect help from Putrajaya, at least not for now.
I have given up on Putrajaya acting on this. And why? As long as Dr Mahathir Mohamad is in charge, this will never happen. Our prime minister has already said, “there is no evidence against Taib”.
Attorney-General Tommy Thomas and the just-retired MACC chief commissioner Mohd Shukri Abdull had parroted the prime minister. Not too long ago, de facto law minister Liew Vui Keong brushed aside the purported new finding against Taib by the Swiss-based Bruno Manser Fund, declaring that it was “nothing new”.
For the record, the Movement for Change Sarawak (MoCS), the NGO, had lodged reports against Taib with the MACC and the police in 2011, both in Kuching, Bukit Aman and Putrajaya. We had also petitioned the Yang di-Pertuan Agong not to appoint Taib as governor.
Around that time, then MACC boss Abu Kassim Mohamed announced that a Taib file was opened but we heard nothing of it up to this day. I recall I had asked what happened to the Taib file on a number of occasions.
When a friend recently suggested that MoCS lodge a fresh report with the MACC, this was my reply: “We can lodge one thousand reports but it will be an exercise in futility. One report suffices. I think we should stop wasting our time, hoping against hope that the MACC will act. Because they can’t as long as the old man is still in charge. We have to accept that."
On May 17 last year, just eight days after Pakatan Harapan’s historic victory, I wrote a letter to Mahathir. I have said all there is to say. It has been more than a year since. I do not intend to write another one to the prime minister. He wouldn’t have the time to read it anyway.
I don’t know what else I can do to bring Taib to justice. But there is one thing I do know. Let me repeat this clearly and distinctly.
At the end of it all, it falls upon us, Sarawakians, to deal with Taib in our Sarawakian way. To me, bringing Taib to book does not mean dragging him to court and putting him behind bars like how Putrajaya is adamant about Najib Abdul Razak and his Umno cohorts.
Taib is 83, a very old man. We wouldn’t have the heart to see him rot in prison. What we want is the return of what was taken from Sarawak and its people. The restitution of our wealth is our priority.
And this is what I meant when I said that whatever problems we have in Sarawak, it is best that we, Sarawakians, resolve them ourselves. In Taib’s case, it is clear that we will be getting no help from Putrajaya.
I believe we know how to deal with this in Sarawak. There are many groups in Sarawak, like MoCS, who will be the eyes and ears for Sarawakians. We will be their voice and we will let our voices be heard.
So let me say this to Putrajaya and federal ministers again. If you can’t help us or have no intention to do so, please don’t come to Sarawak and bother us.

FRANCIS PAUL SIAH heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS) and can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com

13 comments:

  1. Anti-corruption is not a mission.

    It is a weapon against enemies, not to be used against current allies. BN in power or PH in power, same principle.

    Apologists (aka useful idiots) will use the same techniques and excuses, BN or PH.

    As long as ada quota Melayu, all is well. Cina can believe what they want about their hero new leaders...so adorable...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Looks like a politician, sounds like a politician, behaves like a politician but is actually only a blogger.

    So step up to the plate. Enter politics, either as an independent, join a Sarawak-based party or form yet another S-spaghetti-named party and contest in the next state elections. Don’t forget your manifesto. Finally please declare your assets before you start, since you say you have zero tolerance for corruption. Hurry up, next election is due by 2021.

    But please don’t use the MoCs name. KT might get upset.

    ReplyDelete
  3. MoCs tells Putrajaya "leave us alone, don't lecture us, Sarawak for Sarawakians, we know what to do to get rid of Taib...etc etc"

    Roll back to the 30th anniversary of Taib Mahmud's reign as CM, back in March 2011, MoCs listed 30 reasons why Taib must go.

    That was EIGHT YEARS AGO.

    https://mocsarawak.wordpress.com/2011/03/26/mocs-gives-30-reasons-why-taib-must-go/

    Well, if you know what to do what have you done for the last EIGHT YEARS? Has corruption been reduced? Why has Taib been promoted to Governor?

    Better hurry up. His clock is ticking faster than Toonsie's. Your best bet is foxhound Latheefa....Toonsie's fast-track appointee....like it or not...ha ha ha.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wakakakakakakakaka

    The day, Taib went to see TDM after the GE 15 to hail him Ceasar and new Emperor was the day a deal was made whereupon PBB switch side to be an ally to PPBM in the PH Govt. PBB and his Sarawak legions all left BN and formed GPS and BN collapsed totally in East Malaysia.

    Was it worth it politically for TDM, PPBM or PH to see BN consigned to the dustbin of history and totally crippled and losing their ally PBB as their fixed deposit when they already had more than the votes required to form the Federal Govt. but not the 2/3 majority required for some PH reforms needed which required amendments to the Constitution.

    The only deal done seems to be PBB leaving BN and in exchange Taib and family and his PBB warlords will not be hauled up for any corruption charges against them.

    It's almost the same deal made with PAS kleptocrats in exchange for support towards Ceasar and his party PPBM. See how hypocritical, self serving PAS warlords/ulamas can be when their political survival are at stake and to avoid corruption charges?

    However, it must also be made known that Zahid also went to make a deal with TDM to save himself and the other party warlords by promising to throw Ahjibkor under the bus as sacrificial lamb, reinstall all the sacked warlords and pledged to support Mukhriz as the future President of UMNO after himself but was told off bluntly as too late and too little.

    What a self serving, hypocrite this Zahid is. Things might well be different if only Zahid and the other warlords had offered/pledged to install Mukhriz as UMNO President instead of himself, perhaps TDM might consider to spare UMNO and it's warlords from total obliteration.

    So, sad to say, this Francis Siah's sense of hopelessness and fate just like all Sarawakians are still determined by political trade-offs made by others in power because of the simple reason Sarawakians are just too dumb and blinkered to pick and choose their right leaders who will ultimately determine their destiny.

    So, live and bear with it until the next election comes around again.

    ReplyDelete
  5. FPS is unfairly blaming Toonsie for his own failure to get Taib out.

    FPS said:

    QUOTE
    As long as Dr Mahathir Mohamad is in charge, this will never happen. Our prime minister has already said, “there is no evidence against Taib”.
    UNQUOTE

    MoCS was formed on Aug 13, 2010. Jibby was PM from April 3,2009 to May 10, 2018, ie almost the entire time MoCS was is existence, save the last year.

    So was Jibby any better than Toonsie as PM? Was the AG and MACC during Jibby's time as PM? If so why didn't MoCS manage to get Taib out during the Jibby years? Why blame a 94-year old now for your failures from 2010 to 2018?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OK Najib was a failure. But what now with Mahathir? Should we excuse his nonchalance and couldn't-be-bothered tinkah laku, based on your (il)logic?

      Delete
    2. FPS is using Toonsie as an excuse for his own failures, as proven by the time when Jibby was PM. It doesn't matter who is PM, FPS failed.

      Delete
  6. FPS failed to get rid of Taib during Jibby’s PM reign of EIGHT years. Now he blames Toonsie even though he has been PM for only one. So the fault lies with FPS, not the PM.

    But fret not, please welcome foxhound Latheefa, make sure she brings all her glittering medals and fruit salad to scare the crooks there...ha ha ha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. shouldn't FPS expect more from Mahathir and his Kerbau "New" Malaysia? Or has he been correct in saying Mahathir is no different from Najib, an UMNO dictator who rules in the same old bad way, protecting another corrupt old dictator in Sarawak for political gains?

      Delete
    2. Wakakakakaka…

      Fart infused chamber talk!

      How to compare when the new ph regime is ONLY into her 2nd yr of administration as compared with jibby's?

      So easy & convenience when the time factor & administration composition differences r ignored even when mamak can supposedly has all his way!

      Points for mamak bashers to ponder - Maju holding talks secretly to mamak wanting to buy over NS-highway AGAIN. Lge refuses as confirmed by mamak himself!

      So what's the difference here?

      Same mamak? Or mamak is been constrained to do what he wants!

      Or perhaps, f*cks like u can fabricate fake news that mamak is under dap control!

      But if that's the case then what were the ground of all those previous farts about mamak was the same old dictator who used to hand-pick his own favours over his previous 22yrs of 1st reign?

      Back to the drawing board to compose another news to cover yr bloody own blunders?

      Same logic for that bitch who is shouting itself hoarse about its own inadequacy, reinforced by that chronic rd syndrome that it DOESN'T seem to know!

      Delete