Some years ago, a student and her friend started an innocent rumour, and somehow the mainstream media, too, was confused about the facts or evidence. Even the information minister was then guilty of misinformation or disinformation more than information about that subject. What then happens in reality is that misinformation and disinformation exceeds information and thereby causes public chaos or panic.

The media’s role is never to cause confusion or panic.

Therefore, I find the statements of a number of politicians and most printed media about some public cases most disgusting and uninformative. Information can and must only be deduced with facts, or evidences, or through the logic, or arguments building up a case-story. It cannot be merely the opinions of individuals even if they are ministers or the inspector-general of police (IGP).

My challenge to Khairy

I was introduced to Khairy Jamaluddin ( photo ) or KJ by his not yet then father-in-law Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. We went to brief the deputy prime minister (DPM) about the National IT Council and its entire operations, after he was appointed DPM. I also attend his and Nori’s wedding much after. Therefore, I presume we are at least acquainted.

Having said that, I cannot pretend to know KJ as well as some others of his vintage, like Ong Kian Ming or Hannah Yeoh. I am of the older genre of people like MPs Tajuddin Abdul Rahman and Shahrir Abdul Samad, who were my fellow students at Universiti Malaya.

Nevertheless, I want to challenge KJ’s blind loyalty to the so-called innocence of PM Najib Abdul Razak over the now many scandals. Therefore, this is my challenge to KJ for him to argue,or defend how, why, and when, these evidence that demand a verdict can be put to rest?

Much evidence and questions

I am no lawyer, and at best, only a student of law, and even that, only of the federal constitution in the interest of good governance of this nation-state. Nevertheless, I have many questions for the attorney-general on his many lost cases and causes; although they went to court over these and have claimed victory on some of them.

On the Altantuya case

  • How can two junior officers of the special police squad (UTK) be charged with murder when the most important question was never answered?  Why or how could they do it to someone they never met? They had zero implicit motive or obvious intentionality.
  • How did these junior officers get hold of the C4 explosives which are a highly-controlled item?
  • Who was really the mastermind of this murder, and why are we not pursuing other obvious leads, like one of them who now reside in detention when he appears to be ready to spill the beans? Why was the assistant superintendent (ASP) and boss of the two UTK officers never called to court as a witness?

On the 1MDB case

  • Was there money missing, lost or not? If lost, how could it happen without Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) knowledge? If BNM knows and kept quiet, should not the governor go to jail for ‘closing one eye?’
  • Were public monies ever transferred into a private account; whether the account was open or since been closed? If so, who allowed and authorised this, as such large sums cannot be authorised without the knowledge of many finance people. Do the police really know how to undertake such forensic research?
  • Did PM Najib ever have private bank accounts in Ambank and have these since been closed? Cannot we ask Ambank to produce the paper trail of these private accounts, if the BNM wants to view these as potential evidence in a criminal case?

On PAC review after the 1MDB Audit

  • Can the chairperson of the public accounts committee (PAC) lie about the incomplete evidence given to a standing committee of the Parliament?  If the CEO of 1MDB contradicts the chairperson and the Auditor-General’s Report to Parliament, cannot we conclude who is telling the truth? One is an institution and the other only an appointed CEO.
  • What is so difficult or complex about getting to the truth of the matters related to 1MDB? Do we really need to have The Wall Street Journal ( WSJ ) teach us about truth matters and how to do a forensic audit? Or, is it really the fear of repercussions that guides most public servant-types today?
  • Is the son of the Ambank founder lying about the links between his father’s death and the 1MDB operations? What would his motive be other than to establish the truth about why his father had to die?

Way forward for Malaysia

I do not read science fiction or watch science fiction movies, but currently love to watch Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) series and I love their ability, as supported and driven by modern science to seek and find evidence which demands a verdict. These shows are my latest educational tool although I hate it that Astro lacks credibility in the manner and order these are shown and replayed without notice or warning.

Allow me therefore to conclude this column with a message to the other KJ! Dear Minister, you have much potential and have good leadership traits but please do not play to the gallery when it involves the dignity of dead persons, and more so, when it involved the destiny of living persons and their and many of our unanswered questions. Every Malaysian citizen has equal rights to know the truth.

These times in Malaysia call for leadership with an audacious quality of courage and we do not need political wimps who simply play like ‘lallang-roles’ which blow with the wind. The Malaysian people are neither stupid nor ignorant; please seek and speak for truth matters; without fear or favour.