COMMENT | A month after the coalition (now Madani) government took office, all political appointees who were chairpersons and board members in government-linked firms and statutory bodies were sacked.

Their termination letters, signed by then-chief secretary to the government Mohd Zuki Ali, stated that the cabinet had made this decision.

While some sceptics claimed “a new broom sweeps clean”, thousands of Malaysians, including this writer who had investigated the Port Klang Free Zone scandal, applauded the decision.

The primary cause of the RM12.4 billion loss was the dereliction of statutory duties by some directors, who rubber-stamped approvals for non-existent projects and payments when presented at board meetings.