COMMENT | Mega financial scandals have taken place in the country, but yet the MACC finds no reason to investigate these scandals but finds the time to go after the opposition in Penang and maybe later in Selangor.

Is this a "witch-hunt" orchestrated by those in the top echelons of power to appear as "saints"; a kind of "white-wash" in facing the coming general election?

Penang state executive councilor Phee Boon Poh was arrested for allegedly writing letters asking the Seberang Perai local council not to take action against a factory that was found polluting the environment.

What is indeed shocking is the fact that the MACC is prepared to "condone" those who have robbed the country of millions of taxpayers hard earned money, but are quick to act against those who write letters to stop certain actions on the part of the government agencies.

While we support the MACC to investigate and take actions against those who are involved in corrupt practices and abuse of power, we don’t understand why the agency remains a spectator on those involved in mega financial scandals.

The MACC will have little credibility if it continues only to go after those in the opposition on certain frivolous allegations.

A federal minister has been allegedly accused of amassing wealth to the tune of RM230 million, but the MACC brushed aside this matter on the grounds that a mere possession of wealth is not sufficient for investigation.

Rocked by mega scandals

Similarly, Malaysia has been rocked by mega financial scandals such as the 1MDB. Even though the US State Department has proceeded to investigate the slap charges on those involved, but the Malaysian authorities are silent on this matter.

Prominent persons in Malaysia, including ministers and their cronies, are involved in this scandal but unfortunately, the MACC is rather silent on the 1MDB matter. It lacks the political will to investigate the charge those involved in mega corruption.

Sorry to say, the roots of corruption and abuse of power have their genesis in the way the country is managed by the BN government.

The MACC should not use politicians in the ruling circles to score political points especially in the light of the forthcoming general election.

Malaysians, in general, know very well about those who are really corrupted and those who abuse their power and positions for financial gratification.

It is this fear of the opposition unseating the BN in the coming election that has produced a "panicky situation" where government agencies are being used and manipulated for certain political ends.

Mega corruption scandals affecting certain top leaders and their cronies are something that these persons are finding it difficult to handle. They are trying to create a situation where the "stigma" of corruption and abuse of power are being "distributed" equally to those in the opposition.

Just as the way some leaders in the ruling circles allegedly "distributed" ill-gotten gains from 1MDB, there is a similar attempt at a non-tangible level to "distribute" or "share" the responsibility of corruption and abuse of power.

P RAMASAMY is Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang and the state assemblyperson for Perai.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.