A month ago, Tengku Zafrul Aziz was warmly welcomed by the sports fraternity into their fold. On May 10, the corporate man turned rising political star was appointed the new president of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) for the 2025-2029 term. As a badminton fan, I also welcome Zafrul to play a more prominent role in Malaysian badminton. Why not, if a person of his stature is prepared to spend his time and resources to help develop our national sport! This past week, Zafrul has been hogging the limelight for a different reason, politics to be more precise. Not surprisingly, his decision to leave Umno for PKR is much more controversial than his appointment as the head of a sports association. Unlike the BAM appointment, not everyone is happy with his latest political move. His detractors have called him names, including the demeaning “political tourist” while his supporters said he would give “added value” to PKR, given his background and experience. As for me, being a keen political observer, I don’t think it would do the nation any good if certain politicians are placed on a high pedestal of indispensability or invincibility. At the moment, I don’t think there is any exceptional or extraordinary Malaysian politician deserving of the “statesman” status. None. Not any of our former prime ministers or the current one. There are no statesmen in Malaysia, as far as I’m concerned, only career politicians. Take that in with a pinch of salt, if you must. When someone is described as a political rising star, it is either because he is ‘blessed’ with strong cables and ascended the political ladder unusually quick, or he is regularly mired in controversy, positive or negative, good or bad. Zafrul is in that awkward situation today. His announcement that he has left Umno to join Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s PKR has ignited significant controversy within the nation’s political landscape. This development has stirred tensions within the unity government coalition, highlighting underlying issues of party loyalty, internal dynamics and strategic maneuvering. Already, several Umno leaders have called for his resignation from the cabinet. They have also reminded the prime minister that Zafrul’s post as the minister of investment, trade and industry is an Umno quota and that it must be returned to the party. The many salvos from Umno against Zafrul were not unexpected given the minister’s strained relations within Umno. Zafrul’s relationship with Umno has been fraught with challenges. Following Umno’s poor performance in the 2023 Selangor state elections, where the party secured only two out of 12 contested seats, Zafrul resigned as the state chapter’s treasurer in April 2024, citing dissatisfaction with the party’s revival efforts. Sources suggest that internal power struggles and fears of being overshadowed led certain Umno leaders to sideline him, exacerbating tensions and prompting him to explore opportunities elsewhere. Umno has been very vocal about party-hopping of late, probably because the party is in a vulnerable state. No surprise that it has expressed strong objections to […]
6天前
There is a question many are grappling with. Why is it that difficult to find a replacement for Tan Sri Azam Baki, the chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)? While most senior civil servants retire and are replaced routinely, Malaysians are asking why is it almost “impossible” to find a new MACC boss. Surely, Azam is not indispensable, or is he? There are already talks that Azam’s tenure will be extended again. If this takes place, it will be his third extension and many are asking the government, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in particular, as to why a new MACC chief has not been identified yet. There have been unidentified sources within the government who have attempted to explain that the MACC chief’s position is exceptional because it lies at the intersection of law enforcement and politics. Hence, the government needs more time to find a capable and responsible candidate—a person of integrity and reverence. But the people are asking, “Why is it taking that long to find a replacement for Azam?” Azam’s extended tenure is seen by critics as symptomatic of a broader issue: the lack of structural independence of the MACC and the political leverage involved in its leadership. Until reforms are made to ensure genuine independence and oversight, the role is likely to remain controversial. What is also clear is that the role of MACC is inherently political. It is tasked with investigating corruption, which often involves powerful political figures, government agencies and high-level officials. This puts the MACC chief in a uniquely influential position, where their independence, neutrality and integrity are under constant scrutiny. Unlike other civil service positions, the MACC chief’s—or inactions—directly affect political careers, legal outcomes and public trust in governance. It is understandable why Azam is not exactly a popular figure. His tenure has been marked by a significant controversy which has also incurred public backlash. In 2021-2022, he was accused of owning millions of shares in public-listed companies, allegedly beyond what is permitted for a civil servant. He claimed the shares were held on behalf of his brother, which raised further questions about ethics and transparency. This led to calls for his resignation and even public protests, including the formation of the #TangkapAzamBaki (Arrest Azam Baki) movement. Despite this, he was cleared by the Securities Commission and retained his position, and his tenure has since been renewed twice, most recently in 2023. No one is surprised with the recent call by Suara Mahasiswa UMS on the government to reject any proposal to extend Azam’s contract as MACC chief. The Sabah-based student group said Azam’s continued leadership would undermine public trust in the MACC and contradict the government’s own anti-corruption reforms. “This action is a form of betrayal of the institutional reform promised by Pakatan Harapan as the largest bloc in the Madani government. “The prime minister must reflect on the fact that he himself was once at the forefront of the ‘Tangkap Azam Baki’ demonstration in 2022,” the […]
2月前
更多Francis Paul Siah
