KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 — Opposition lawmakers here have dismissed a proposal to grant “safe passage” for Datuk Seri Najib Razak to leave office without facing charges in court, warning that allowing a sitting prime minister to skip the system would set a dangerous precedent for the future.
The lawmakers said Najib cannot be granted immunity from the country’s legal system, and pointed out that if the prime minister committed no wrong, he could clear his name and reputation in court.
Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, who is also communications director of Parti Amanah Negara, said the proposal for safe passage that was raised by veteran newsman Datuk A. Kadir Jasin on Monday implies that there was no longer law and order in Malaysia.
“If you allow that to happen, what you are doing is admitting it’s a failed state, that all institutions are no longer functioning and you can’t take action against a leader and all future prime ministers will use that as basis for precedent.
“Once we let that happen, it will never stop, that will go down to ministers, go down to officers,” the Khalid told Malay Mail Online when contacted.
In a blog post Monday, Kadir suggested that Najib, who has been facing numerous allegations of corruption here, be given “safe passage” to leave office without getting charged.
This is to prevent Malaysia from going the way of Zimbabwe, he said, citing as example Robert Mugabe, who is currently serving out his seventh term as the republic’s president.
“Do we want him to do the Mugabe by staying on at whatever cost while the economy heads towards the abyss? Or we allow him a safe passage?” Kadir asked in his blog.
“Let us put aside our thirst for his blood and set our focus on saving our country from ruin. The longer the current situation persists, the worst it is for us,” the veteran newsman added.
But Khalid disagreed with Kadir, saying the Malaysian scenario is vastly different from that of Zimbabwe’s. He said he trusts that the Malaysia’s institutions are able to fulfil their duties and are better run than Zimbabwe’s.
“I believe our institutions are stronger, longer established and can perform their duty if given the support,” he said.
“I think rather than Kadir Jasin making that kind of appeal, it will be more helpful of him to tell everyone to fulfil their responsibility, do whatever they are paid for — prosecutor, judges, police chief — and do their duty. Stand up and fight for the people, fight for the nation,” he added.
Beyond asking civil servants to fulfil their roles, Khalid also said lawmakers from the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition should carry out their “national responsibility” to move a vote of no confidence against Najib in Parliament.
PKR’s Kelana Jaya MP Wong Chen said anyone who is found guilty by the courts, especially for massive corruption, should be made to face the full force of the law.
“If we offer free passage without conditions, we will perpetuate a culture of patronage and impunity. Kadir Jasin’s argument is couched in pragmatism and the current political situation is indeed dire.
“Therefore in the current circumstances, I am willing to consider it if the safe passage comes with an admission of guilt and the stolen money are substantially returned,” he told Malay Mail Online when contacted.
He stressed, however, that he was not suggesting any guilt on Najib’s part.
DAP’s Bukit Bendera MP Zairil Khir Johari said the safe passage proposal should be addressed by Najib himself, but said it does not appear that the latter would want to leave office despite his alleged weak leadership and confidence crisis contributing to economic problems.
“I don’t think he wants to step down. I’m sure if that is what he wants, he would be able to set something up and negotiate his way out.
“But based on what we’ve seen, the economic problems based on confidence crisis is essentially all caused by weak leadership.
“If you see through the media locally and internationally, it basically shows weakness in his leadership, if he doesn’t realise all these things, including 500,000 people showing up for Bersih 4, if he doesn’t see this, then there’s no point,” he told Malay Mail Online.
On August 29 and 30, tens of thousands of people flocked to the streets of the capital for Bersih 4 to demand institutional reforms and for Najib to resign over the multitude of corruption allegations levelled against him in recent months.
