I know the kind of political operatives, social activists, members of the legal fraternity, and concerned public voices who are championing the cause of Tengku Maimun and judicial independence. What I would like to know is, who was championing the cause of the MACC chief commissioner?

All about catch and release

The prime minister doesn't care what the perception of the MACC is. All these so-called high-profile cases where titled folks are targeted mean very little.

Without an independent AGC, judiciary, and MACC, all these takedowns are merely pantomimes of justice and who knows what kind of horse trading is going on in the corridors of power?

Remember, for Madani, it is all about catch and release. The narrative is that the MACC catches and the judiciary releases.

We know that the prime minister thinks that the MACC chief commissioner is brave, but he has remained silent on the retired chief justice. Why?

If there is a movement of citizens, social and legal activists that questions her lack of reappointment, isn’t the prime minister obligated to answer the question of why a highly respected civil servant’s tenure was not extended?

Former law minister Nazri Abdul Aziz believes that the reason her tenure was not granted was because of remarks she made at a conference in Malta.

While Nazri may claim that this is just his opinion, I have no doubt, coming from an insider like him, that there is more truth to it than the horse manure that seeps out of the Madani press machine.

The purported JAC minutes leak paints a picture of political malfeasances of the worst kind. Not only has it given rational Malaysians a sobering view of how justice plays out in this country, but it is also an indictment of Madani and a sitting prime minister.

I could make the argument that it is worse than the VK Lingam case, and the fact that the AGC does not think so says a lot about the kind of individuals hand-picked to lead that institution.

Weaponising reform

The prime minister has weaponised reform against the public clamouring for it. When he wants to exercise his power and influence that his office grants, he does so.

However, he hides behind constitutional procedure, legalese, the royal institution, false equivalencies and twists the rhetoric of reform when attacking reform-minded citizens, painting them as the problem and not the solution.

The prime minister accuses his critics of wanting him to become a dictator, when the Madani regime is defined by laws curtailing free speech and weaponising public institutions to go after his critics (or so the opposition claims).

His Goebbelian Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil is ever ready to offer conflicting statements on behalf of the prime minister.

Fahmi’s response to this leak is predictable. Hiding behind the Official Secrets Act (OSA) and, of course, veiled warnings to the press to keep their mouths shut: "If it is authentic and classified as secret, especially for my media friends, I urge you to be careful - do not disseminate it. If a document is classified, the OSA applies."

Remember when the prime minister, who says that he does not want to interfere with public institutions, ordered the state security apparatus to investigate Baling MP Hassan Saad for calling the prime minister an Israeli agent?

Fahmi confirmed that the prime minister ordered the police to investigate, but this was denied by Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

Lawyers for Liberty then asked for a clarification.

“It was Fahmi who made the public statement on Nov 28 that Anwar ordered police to investigate those who slander him or call him an Israeli agent.

“Fahmi’s statement was never rebutted or denied by the Prime Minister’s Office or Anwar himself,” it said.

On Jakim

Remember when Anwar expanded the budget and role of the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) because he wanted to introduce a more “moderate” form of Islam in the Malaysian body politic?

Dissenters who were appalled by this move were dismissed by the prime minister, who reportedly said: “I want Jakim not only to talk about religion and Islamic law. Jakim is to expand its duties, talk about economic issues, look at digital programmes, and look at the education curriculum.

“The responsibility is broader, so that the values of Islam can be applied, and this is opposed by those who do not understand, a small group of non-Muslims who write that ‘Anwar is now displaying his strong Islamist attitude, which he has tried to hide all this time by ordering Jakim to control all the systems’.”

This is what the prime minister does. He weaponises reforms against the very voices that elevated him to power. Mind you, these by far are not the strongest voting bloc in this country, but it is the bloc that ensures that Madani sustains.

All DAP can muster is being a fait accompli to more courageous voices or playing lapdog to the ruinous powers of this country.

What Tengku Maimun said at that conference in Malta is ironically what Anwar is doing. By making this political play, he has ensured that anyone who is appointed by Madani is suspect and the whole judiciary is tainted.

The purported JAC minutes leak is Exhibit A of this.