COMMENT | A cabinet of misfits

COMMENT | In the Indian Parliamentary elections in 2014, one-third or 185 of the 542 winning candidates had criminal cases against them. They (never attempted to hide them) declared that they had been charged for among others murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, crimes against women, and communal disharmony. They occupy both sides of the divide in the House.

The same cannot be said about our Members of Parliament. All had been declared “clean” by the police and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). The definition of “clean” in this context is that he or she has not been charged or convicted for any criminal offence.

There are some MPs and even cabinet ministers who under a cloud – investigations into their lapses are ongoing. And if the MACC is allowed to proceed with the prosecution, those involved will fall by the wayside. I know this for a fact because I have personal knowledge and had helped the authorities in their investigations.

It is said that to get into politics, there is no entry point or qualification. To rise in the political arena, one must be loyal to the party elders and undertake overt and covert operations on the instructions of the boss. From “getting the boys” to being a “bag carrier” and from getting posters printed to getting them stuck on lamp posts, he or she must have done it all. In short, he or she must be a ...