Malaysiakini : When travelling overseas, I always use public transport. When
studying in Berlin in 1991, I took the night train to Warsaw and Prague
to avoid paying for hotels as I could sleep on trains.
Then when
posted to London, I used the rail network, especially the Tube every day
and occasionally, I would sit on the upper deck of the bus to take in
the sights of London that tourists donāt get to see.
I continue to
use the KTM Komuter for travelling to Sungai Buloh or Kajang where
Malaysiaās two penitentiaries are situated. Since I donāt drive anymore,
I use the LRT frequently and the ETS when travelling to Ipoh or Penang.
With these credentials, I can proudly declare that I am a train lover. Why such a declaration, you may ask.
Itās because, following my commentary on Thursday
on a convicted felon - Najib Abdul Razak - being given a preview ride
on the new Putrajaya MRT Line, the MRT Corp gave the darndest
explanation.
Its CEO Mohd Zarif Hashim (above) said an invitation was extended to Najib after the former prime minister voiced his eagerness through social media.
āAs you know, he actually tweeted that āI would love to be on the trainā. Because of the tweet, we replied,ā said Zarif.
Same treatment for other convicts?
Would
the MRT Corp accede to similar requests by ordinary citizens and
convicts? Readers, I suggest that you register your interest immediately
on Twitter or Facebook so that the company does not ignore you before
the next phase is commissioned.
If Najib loved to be on the train so much, shouldnāt he have been standing in line for a free ride after the prime ministerās announcement, like all of us?
Would
such privileges be accorded to those who already served time in Kajang
Prison or Sungai Buloh Prison? Would the MRT Corp even employ someone
with a criminal record?
Why then is the MRT management rubbing shoulders with a man who has been sentenced to 12 years in jail?
I
dread to think how Najib and his then political allies would have
reacted if Anwar Ibrahim had been accorded the same VIP treatment before
his royal pardon in 2018.
Heads would have rolled and the CEO may
not have found his chair and table in the office when returned to work
the following day.
It is a fallacy to believe that the MRT Corp
acceded to a request from one who has been convicted of criminal breach
of trust, abuse of power, and money laundering. He is also currently
facing other criminal charges.
I donāt know if members of the
cabinet were invited or perhaps had turned down the invitation because
of the company they would keep.
Usually, the ministers-in-charge are invited but there was no presence of the transport minister or the finance minister.
The
MRT Corp has insulted all Malaysians - honest, hardworking citizens who
paid for the construction of the line while billions of ringgit were
stolen under Najibās watch.
Where is honesty, integrity?
A reader who responded
to Thursdayās commentary remarked: āThis is blatant abuse of power and
preferential treatment by a GLC. Perhaps (the) MRT Corp condones crimes.
It shows to what levels the rot has set in this country. Obviously,
corruption and crimes are now good virtues.ā
Most right-thinking
Malaysians cannot disagree with these views and have to ask: Where have
all the values about honesty and integrity gone?
The events over
the past few days are a microcosm of what is happening in the country.
The system is like a runaway train headed for a massive collision.
Instead
of addressing the issue, the prime minister distanced himself by
declaring on Thursday: āI donāt want to comment on MRT Corpās
motivations... Today, I launched it and yesterday MRT Corp invited
(Najib). That is their right.ā
Surely, Mr PM, but what about
values, morals, honour, and integrity? Donāt you treasure and practise
them? Isnāt the MRT owned by the government? Why take the easy way out
with this āno commentsā charade?
