August 01, 2012
If not for his arrest today, one would only remember
that Rafizi Ramli has been going at the Ampang LRT line extension
project with hammer and tongs over its systems contract, insisting for
months that it would go to the George Kent joint-venture despite the
consortium failing both the technical and commercial evaluation.
And, of course, Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd confirmed the contract
said to worth more than RM1 billion has been given to George Kent, a
water meter- and tank-maker whose biggest deal before was just RM40
million.
But that was up to yesterday.
Today, Putrajaya reminded us of Rafizi’s first explosive exposé ―
that RM250 million in public funds was used to buy luxury condominiums
and other properties instead of being fully invested in its intended use
for a national cattle farm project.
This morning, the PKR strategy director was arrested and later
brought to court over charges of violating the Banking and Financial
Institutions Act (BAFIA) for exposing financial details of the National
Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp), which runs the National Feedlot Centre
(NFC).
The NFCorp is owned by the family firm of Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.
Only a court can decide if Rafizi has broken any laws when exposing
the scandal that led to Shahrizat losing her Cabinet post after her
senatorship was not renewed earlier this year.
But a few questions come to mind. The authorities took their time to
investigate the NFC scandal despite alarm bells rung by the
Auditor-General in his report last year.
The authorities have only charged Shahrizat’s husband, Datuk Seri Dr
Mohamed Salleh Ismail, with criminal breach of trust (CBT) and cheating
nearly RM50 million.
But what about the others involved? Or even allegations of money
laundering in their quest to buy properties in Kazakhstan and Singapore
rather than cattle from Australia?
Why the gentle treatment for the NFCorp owners and the witch hunt for
whistleblowers who have exposed how public funds were abused?
Wouldn’t such action cow future whistleblowers? Or is this a warning
to those in the civil service and government agencies to keep their
mouth shut and not reveal the chicanery in their respective units?
This government is going down slippery slope by pursuing
whistleblowers, especially a credible whistleblower like Rafizi, whose
exposés in the NFC and Ampang LRT contracts have shown how public funds
have been wasted for the benefit of the few. Especially with the
prevailing view that the NFC culprits have been treated with kids
gloves.
Rafizi became a hero today, thanks to Putrajaya’s missteps in
handling the NFC and Ampang LRT extension project and, now, prosecuting
him.
It would be little surprise if he wins the Pandan federal seat in the
next general election, barring a quick judgment that he is guilty of
the BAFIA offences.
And it would be even less a surprise that those who run Putrajaya now
feel the anger of voters upset that a whistleblower is treated as a
criminal.
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