We Want The Real McCoy, Sir!

Hantu Laut

The engines of reform are going full speed ahead to show the nation that the main ruling party is dead serious about making change.Suddenly, there is an all out war against corruption. A senior supreme council member of UMNO is going to be charged for corruptions and money politics. They have not named him yet but was said to have come from Pahang. For those familiar with the internal politics of UMNO it would not be too difficult to narrow down the names to know who the person is.

Taking a no nonsense approach in tackling corruptions it must clean up its house first and bring to book those caught in the net. Seems like a lot of ikan bilis (anchovies) and maybe one or two sharks.Is there some kind of witch-hunt going on?

True to UMNO style, some complained of selective persecution and one official said "If they really want to clean up, they must be fair to every one and that would mean all of us would be going behind bars and the party left only with the rank and file".Also true to UMNO style, selective persecution has always been there to keep the overly ambitious ones in line.

It is a well known fact that almost every one at the top of the party hierarchy have got skeletons in the closet. Only the degree varied, some took more than others, some are smarter and wouldn't be caught so easily and some are arrogantly bodoh (stupid) and get caught.Corruption is corruption, big or small, those caught must face the music. Those living beyond their means must also be investigated.

From where should they start the cleaning process, top to bottom or bottom to top ? What they are doing now seems to be more bottom than top.

Can UMNO afford to carry on cleaning up the party when it is already in such a precarious situation? That answer is better left to PM-designate Najib Tun Razak.

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said “The law of the country is the law of the country. No one can escape from it,”commenting on the arrests of 12 individuals in Pahang.Those arrested were reportedly to have received RM300 to RM500 to help a senior politician to secure a supreme council seat in the March 2009 party elections.

Is the general public interested or impressed with the catching of these ikan bilis. I think not, and it is not going to change the public perception. The Malaysian public wanted action against those that raped this country of hundreds of million in kickbacks, commissions and abandoned/sub-standard projects where millions of taxpayers money went to waste or went to the wrong pockets.They want the real McCoy, not those receiving paltry sums.Otherwise, the MACC would be made a mockery of and a lame duck.

UMNO can clean up its own house but must not forget that the MACC should be independent and should act accordingly if there were suspicions of corrupt practices, without waiting for someone to report it. It should , from time to time, look into the lifestyle of any leader, politician, civil servant and their families to determine whether they are living beyond their means.The MACC must have its own initiative to conduct investigations on their own even against the PM if there were report of wrongdoings and justification to initiate an investigation.

Give us the real McCoy.