Hishamuddin Hussein aka Kerismuddin

One dreads to think what will happen to pampered pooches like Hishammuddin, his cousin Najib Abdul Razak, the self-styled former 'First Lady of Malaysia' Rosmah Mansor, and a host of other infamous former Umno-Baru bigwigs, who will face the music when investigations into their allegations of abuse of power are completed. As I travelled up and down the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, speaking to various people about life under the new Pakatan Harapan administration, Malaysians mentioned three things, which they claim they could not live without. These are smartphones, cars and cheap makan.

These three comprise some of life’s small luxuries, but what will happen to the people who have become so used to having power and wealth that they cannot live without the trappings of power?

The answer is simple. Unlike you and I, who try and make do as best as we can, these people cannot do without, and they will just continue as before. Hishamuddin simply carried on as normal, with three serving military officers acting as personal bodyguards. Two are attached to the navy’s special operation forces (Paskal) and one is a commando.

Why does he need protection? Are people who are linked to Umno-Baru fearful of the Malaysian public? Najib’s former confidante, Abdul Razak Baginda (photo), of Altantuya Shaariibuu and Scorpene infamy, is alleged to be protected by two bodyguards, wherever he goes.

When caught with his pants down, Hishammuddin claimed that the arrangement was only temporary. He tried to justify their service, with the claim that the men had become “close to him and his family.”

Wouldn’t it be nice for some of us, who struck up a friendship with our former employers, to resign, and then earn some money on the side from our former bosses? Does personal and professional integrity mean nothing in Malaysia? Do the three men realise that they are in breach of contract, and creating a conflict of interest, as they are serving members of the armed forces?

Hishammuddin claims to be “close” to the three men. If they are privy to information in the Defence Ministry, what is to stop them from divulging sensitive secrets to him? We are aware that many of Najib’s former allies would like to see a return to Umno-Baru rule, and one way would be to sabotage Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu’s performance.

Remember the Profumo scandal?

Does anyone recall the Profumo scandal, which took place in England in the 1960s? A government minister was bedding the same model-cum-cabaret dancer whose lover was the military attaché in the Russian embassy.

Nuclear secrets were allegedly leaked from John Profumo to the mistress, who then shared pillow-talk with the Russian attaché. This scandal, at the height of the Cold War, sparked off national security concerns in Britain.

No-one is suggesting that there is any sexual impropriety in Hishammuddin’s current arrangement, or that he has ties with a foreign country. However, someone in his position could have been easily compromised. Remember Najib’s “cash is king” statement? What about the three military men? Do their loyalties lie with Hishammuddin or with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong?

Hishammuddin’s escort service compromises national security. Will he be able to source inside information from his three bodyguards who can move freely within the Defence Ministry? What level of security clearance do they have? What information can they access?

The escorts were paid by both Hishammuddin and the armed forces. If they are serving armed forces personnel, why would Hishammuddin pay them for working full-time with him? Did the men lie, and claim they were jobless after GE14, or are all four involved in a deliberate scam, for reasons known only to themselves?

Hishammuddin claimed that the arrangement was temporary. Is he engineering a face-saving gesture on behalf of the three men? Perhaps, a court-martial will reveal the sordid details. The three men should be stripped off their pension and given a dishonourable discharge to deter other would be scoundrels from tricking the Malaysian taxpayers.

The former minister should have known better. Perhaps, he should be severely penalised, so that others who wish to plant moles in government departments will be deterred. Why did it take many weeks for this exposé to come to light? Was the photograph of the commando with Hishammuddin the cause of the revelation, or did other tongues wag within the military? Some heads in the ministry should roll.