MP SPEAKS A few days ago, I received a call and the person on the other side of the line said he had all the info about the 1MDB scandal and asked whether I was interested.
When I said yes, he said he needed money and when I told him clearly and unmistakably that these are two separate issues which I am not prepared to link together, the caller ended the phone conversation. I have not heard from him since.
Have I acted wrongly?
The overnight BN strategic communications director, Abdul Rahman Dahlan, minister for urban wellbeing, housing and local government might think so, which is probably why he has suddenly become the champion of the dubious information offered by a dubious character regarding it as “pay dirt” and questioning the honour, honesty and credibility of those who had tried to pry open the biggest financial scandal in the nation’s history - the RM42 billion 1MDB scandal.
Abdul Rahman was so pachydermous that he even had the temerity to claim that he is emulating me when he tweeted: “When BN questioned the credibility of DAP's sources, @limkitsiang always quick to say "Don't shoot the messenger, focus on the message!" So?”
As illustrated by the most recent example early this week, I would not touch with a barge pole seedy, dubious and mercenary characters who claim to have “vital info” for sale, for if the “messenger” is disreputable and mercenary, what is the credibility of his message?
Clearly, Abdul Rahman still does not understand the ethics, principles and honour of public life.
But I am really speechless that Abdul Rahman could reply to my wonder that “he is blissfully unaware that he has egg all over his face” with the copycat response of “Clearly the eggs are on your face Mr Lim, not mine”.
Lack of imagination
It is of course folly on my part to expect any originality or creativity from an Umno/BN cabinet minister.
By Abdul Rahman’s logic, I should have paid money for the so-called “info” about 1MDB, reckless about the mercenary’s motivation and the info’s veracity and demand that the prime minister should accept them as gospel truth!
We operate under different standards and principles.
But it clearly defies the imagination that there are cabinet ministers who are seriously trying to ground a serious charge of treason and national sabotage based on the dubious account of seedy mercenaries.
How low have the high and mighty fallen in Malaysia.
LIM KIT SIANG is DAP parliamentary leader and Gelang Patah MP.
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