Threatening the MACC: Is Rafizi a statesman or a gangster?

The Star:

Threatening the MACC: Is Rafizi a statesman or a gangster?

By NATHANIEL TAN


On the 16th of November, PKR Deputy President Rafizi Ramli had this to say about the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and its commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, following the MACC’s raids on Rafizi’s company, Invoke Solutions Sdn. Bhd.

He said: “Tomorrow we will meet in court.. On Saturday we will vote.. Then after winning GE15, we will come looking for Azam Baki.”


Let me be clear, I’m not here in this article to comment on the guilt or innocence of Azam Baki, with regards to the cases he has been implicated in. I don’t have enough information to conclude one way or the other.

For this article, I take an agnostic position. Like everyone else, if there are reasons to investigate Azam Baki, I hope he is investigated without fear or favour, following due process of the law.

In the same breath, if there are reasons to investigate Invoke Solutions, I hope they are investigated without fear or favour, following due process of the law.

What is disturbing however, is the tone that Rafizi is taking here, and what his words imply.

As we examine this, PKR and their supporters may pause to consider whether Rafizi is acting in accordance with the principles of the party, and in its best interests.

Rafizi is basically saying that when (the more accurate term is of course ‘if’) PKR wins power, they are going to use that power to come after Azam.

Does that sound right to you?

Keep in mind that Azam and the MACC have just investigated Rafizi’s Invoke Solutions. I am again here agnostic as to whether Rafizi and Invoke are innocent or guilty. I don’t have enough information to conclude one way or the other.

That said, Rafizi’s response to being investigated bears some scrutiny.

He could have said something like: “This MACC investigation against Invoke Solutions is politically motivated, we will cooperate 100% with the authorities, follow due process of the law, and be fully transparent because we are confident we have done nothing wrong.”

Instead, he basically said: You dare to investigate me? We’re going to win political power, and we’re going to use it to come after you.

Are those the words of a statesman? Or a gangster?

I’m sure many others share the belief that there are any number of civil servants and government institutions that are suspected of corruption, and require significant reform.

But is this the right way to do it? What precedent are we setting here?

Rafizi is implying is that all that matters is who sits in Putrajaya, and the only way to get (his version of) justice is to vote for whoever he’s telling you to vote for.

This is not the Malaysia we want. The Malaysia we want is one where we get justice, regardless of who sits in Putrajaya.

Rafizi could have said: “When PKR comes to power, we will ensure that all corruption investigations are conducted without fear or favour. We will ensure institutional independence, so that there is never any political interference into due process of the law.”

Instead, he quite literally outlined his plans to interfere politically into a key anti-corruption agency. And he did so in the most threatening way imaginable, just like a schoolyard bully.

Is this the Malaysia which PKR and Pakatan Harapan want to build? One where problems are solved by bullying whichever civil servant does something that displeases them?

Or do they want to build a Malaysia where there is true institutional independence, where everything is done by the book?

If Rafizi is so confident his company is clean, why does he have to ‘look for’ Azam Baki, like some kind of loan shark?

PH talks a lot of good things about institutional reform, good governance and so on. And there are many in the coalition who come across as sincere.

If they are serious though, they should be seriously alarmed by this kind of ego-driven, combative intimidation that is completely inconsistent with long term institutional reform and independence.

Speaking out against Rafizi can be very unpopular. You’re likely to get torn apart by his many supporters on social media.

Reading their comments though gives a lot of food for thought regarding the political culture that Rafizi represents.

When Malaysia moved from what was basically a one-coalition state, to one where there was more meaningful political competition, many of us hoped this would be the start of new types of political culture. Are we just getting more of the old culture, instead?

When we get obsessed about political personalities, we lose all objectivity. If we support person A, everything they do is good. When person B does the exact same thing, suddenly it becomes bad.

Instead of consistency of principle, we see people bending over backwards to justify any kind of deplorable behaviour, just because of political affiliations.

I think Malaysia can do better. I think we can build a democracy where the focus is objectively on action and principle, rather than which feudal lord we worship.

If we fail to do so, I’m pretty sure we’ll remain stuck in this toxic swamp for a long, long time, just snapping meaninglessly at each other – a tale full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.