The Malaysian Insight

THE general election is a clash between two schools of thought on corruption among the Malays, academics and politicians said.

This can be seen in the reaction of the Malay voters to the jailing of former prime minister for stealing and power abuse, they said.

They said while a group of Malays saw the case as justice served, another believed Najib to be a victim of political persecution.

Historian Ahmad Murad Merican said the two sets of beliefs will collide at the polls.

“The courts have decided but what happened has triggered a moral dilemma among the Malays,” Murad told The Malaysian Insight.

“We are seeing the rise of a perverse culture where kleptocrats and thieves are worshipped and glorified.”

Murad, who is a member of Gerakan Tanah Air (GTA) said this kind of thinking is a threat to Malay civilisation.

The professor of social and intellectual history at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization said such thinking is dangerous because it is the acceptance of deviant practices among our leaders.

“Two types of Malays will stand out in the national political landscape and they will collide in a moral crisis lasting years.

“Is this what we want for the future of Malays? This is not a question of law, but the future of the Malay civilisation.

“Kleptocracy, corruption and abuse of power are endemic in the country. As Malays, we are obliged to fight against such practices and we can already see a clash taking place,” he said.

Murad said Malay leaders must stop glorifying corrupt leaders.

Otherwise, he said, Malays will find it hard to differentiate between right and wrong.

“If no one wants to rectify the situation, then the ability of the Malays to tell right from wrong will be distorted.

“Do we want a future where the Malays glorify thieves and robbers?,” Murad said.

Pejuang chairman Dr Mahathir announced the establishment of GTA for Malay and Muslim voters fed up with Umno’s brand of politics.

Tthe coalition is made up of Pejuang, National Indian Muslim Alliance Party, Parti Bumiputera Perkasa Malaysia, and Parti Barisan Jemaah Islamiah Se-Malaysia.

Langkawi MP Dr Mahathir said the movement is not racist but a group of Malays working together to oust the “deviant Malay party that is Umno”.

GTA committee member of communication Mahdzir Ibrahim said economic issues will be the main focus even if Malay voters are divided over Najib.

“The people want to see what we can offer them. Inflation, cost of living will have to be the focus of political parties, not Najib.

“What happens to Najib won’t solve the people’s problems. We have to focus on solving their issues, on education, inflation, etc.

“GTA’s agenda is to focus on people-centric issues.”

Umno Youth exco Bastien Onn said, however, that people will be voting with integrity.

He said this was proven when the people voted out Barisan Nasional and Najib in 2018 after the eruption of the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal.

“For leaders out there, whether in the government or opposition, the people now demand integrity.

“It doesn’t matter how much you have done, if your integrity is in question, it will bother the voters.”

He said the jailing of Najib showed that the party did not get interfere in the affairs of the court.

However, he said a majority of Umno leaders chose to believe that Najib was not given a fair trial.

“The people see it as justice served, but for Umno, they want the prime minister to reprimand the judiciary because the person on trial used to be the country’s leader.

“What was wrong with letting Najib postpone the trial while he changed lawyers? This is the view of Umno although it doesn’t change the fact that RM42 million flowed into his private account,” Onn said.

Last week, the Federal Court quashed Najib’s appeal to quash his conviction for criminal breach of trust, power abuse, and money laundering. He was ordered to start serving his 12-year jail sentence at once.

The former prime minister will also have to pay a RM210 million fine in default of five years in prison. – September 2, 2022.