It would appear that despite the message delivered in the March 8 election, the BN government continues to engage in shady and unethical practices. Corruption, cronyism and sleaze are part and parcel of the ‘business as usual’ syndrome. Khairy Jamaluddin, the prime minister's son-in- law continues to wield influence beyond any official positions he holds. This is illustrated by his intervention in procuring the appointment of a new ambassador to the US.
In what would be an unprecedented move, it is reliably learnt that the former ambassador to the US, Ghazzali Sheikh Abdul Khalid, the tainted Malaysian ambassador to the US from 1999 to December 2005, is going to be reappointed as the Malaysian envoy to Washington DC. This appointment represents a shameful abuse of power and a total commitment to tolerating and protecting the corrupt.
It is also evidence of the fact that the culture of corruption and nepotism is deeply ingrained. The winds of change ushered by the election have yet to make a dent in the obscene culture that is deep rooted.
It must be recalled that it was during Ghazzali's previous tour of duty that the Malaysian Embassy in Washington delivered US$1.2 million dollars to former Republican Party lobbyist Jack Abramoff to procure a 30-minute meeting at the White House between then Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad and President George W Bush in 2002. Abramoff was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison in 2006 after pleading guilty to fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe public officials.
The case symbolising lobbying greed and excess led to the Republican party's loss of power in Congress in the 2006 elections. This scandal was fully investigated and reported by a Senate Committee chaired by Senator John McCain, the presumed Republican Party nominee for president. The Congressional Report documented in full the money transactions between the Malaysian Embassy and Abramoff. These transactions, involving money laundering, were deemed criminal acts under US laws. Ghazzali was apparently saved from being prosecuted by virtue of his diplomatic immunity.
It should also be recalled that it was during Ghazzali's tenure as ambassador that the Malaysian Embassy was involved in organising perjured evidence from a limo driver at the trial of Anwar Ibrahim. Ghazzali was also an active participant in besmearing Anwar's reputation in the US.
It should be further recalled that Ghazzali was given an extension in Washington in 2005 - thanks to Khairy and his family links with Ghazzali, who had served as a junior officer when Khairy's father Jamaludin Abu Bakar was a career diplomat in Wisma Putra. Khairy influenced Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to give Ghazzali further extensions of his appointment despite Wisma Putra's decision to terminate his term in 2004.
Ghazzali attempted to obtain yet another extension at the end of 2005 but failed. He was retired at the end of 2005 but given a post as Special Envoy for the proposed US-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement with an office in Wisma Putra presumably through Khairy's influence.
Now Khairy is yet again trying influence PM Abdullah to send him to US as Ambassador on the pretext that it would improve US-Malaysia relations.
What is mind-boggling is that it is unprecedented for a retired ambassador to be re-sent to the same country again. For one thing, re-sending a retired ambassador suggests that Malaysia does not have any good and capable Wisma Putra officers at all. Most importantly, it would indicate that it is ‘business as usual’ in Malaysia, fresh from elections where the Barisan Nasional got a clear message from the rakyat that nepotism and other ‘back-door’ dealings have to go for the good of the country.
In the light of Abramoff's conviction and Ghazzali's involvement in the corruption scandal, any move to send Ghazzali to Washington would be detrimental to the development of Malaysia-US relations, irrespective of whether the Democrats or Republican win to the White House after the November 2008 presidential elections. If Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton comes to power, it's clear they would snub a Republican scandal-tainted ambassador.
Even if the Republican hopeful John McCain wins, it would not be helpful since it was under McCain's leadership that the US Senate uncovered the Abramoff affair. The role played by Ghazzali to discredit Anwar Ibrahim in Washington following his fallout with Tun Mahathir Mohamad should also be recalled as it was one of the factors that poisoned bilateral relations with the US.
Ghazzali would be totally ineffective as ambassador and would be an isolated and marginalised figure unable to promote Malaysia's interests in the nation's most important trading partner.
With momentous changes taking place in Malaysia and impending change of government in the US, there is no doubt that we are at a critical moment in history. We may also see changes in trade as Muhyiddin Yassin has said that the government is not gung-ho about having a free trade pact with the US while in the US, the Democrats are not making any secret of their disdain of free trade pacts.
It is perplexing why Syed Hamid Albar did not oppose the idea of re-sending Ghazzali to Washington before he moved to his new ministry. Perhaps our new Foreign Affairs Minister Rais Yatim - who is known as a no-nonsense man - would see the importance of sending a professional diplomat to Washington who can really work in the interest of Malaysia beyond the narrow dictates of domestic politics driven by Khairy.
Ghazzali's potential move to US would not only highlight the ever growing nepotism problem in Malaysia but also have domestic political implications as the newly rejuvenated opposition is likely to take strong exception to his appointment. In this context, it should be recalled that in the last Parliament sitting, Lim Kit Siang had vigorously questioned the then foreign minister about the role of Ghazzali in money laundering and other links with Abramoff.
It is imperative that the prime minister and the new foreign minister reconsider this foolhardy proposal to send to Washington an envoy who has a damaged and tarnished reputation and one who is likely to have little or no credibility to speak for Malaysia as the nation attempts to establish a new image for good governance, transparency and accountability.
