Aliran has just released this media statement:
Aliran welcomes the court verdict in the 1MDB case that found Najib Razak guilty of four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.3bn.
The verdict – along with another High Court decision on 22 December, turning down Najib’s bid for ‘house arrest’ in the SRC International case – is a major milestone in the fight against corruption in high places.
We note that this struggle for accountability was at the heart of the Reformasi movement and civil society’s Bersih protest rallies over the years.
As such, we are totally against any attempt at a “political reset” to wipe the slate clean for politicians implicated in high-level corruption. Let there be no double standards in the battle against corruption.
Let the 1MDB issue and all other high-level corruption cases be fairly adjudicated in the courts, with independent judges and prosecutors. The outcomes should be respected and upheld.
For this to happen, the independence of the judiciary must be safeguarded. In the selection of judges, amendments are needed to the Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2009 to ensure that the appointments process itself is independent of the executive.
Prosecutors have to be independent of the attorney general, who at present is a government appointee and advisor. This separation of roles must be expedited.
Support the struggle to build a Malaysia based on Justice, Freedom, Solidarity:
Meanwhile, we call on the Attorney General’s Chambers to pursue all high-level corruption cases where those charged were granted a “discharge not amounting to acquittal”.
Aliran executive committee
26 December 2025
| Please help to support this blog if you can. Read the commenting guidlelines for this blog. |
Below is the breakdown of the four abuse of power charges:
First charge: 15 years, fine = RM303.15 million
In default: 10 years.
Second charge: 15 years, fine = RM454.5 million
In default: 10 years.
Third charge: 15 years, fine = RM10.4 billion
In default: 10 years.
Fourth charge : 15 years, fine = RM222.85 million
In default: 10 years.
Najib’s sentence for the 21 money-laundering charges are to run concurrently with the main charges. This means that the ex-PM will only serve 15 years in total.
What say you now, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Azalina Othman Said, Apandi Ali, and Khairy Jamaluddin—the very voices who championed the ‘Saudi donation’ fairytale? You were the chorus telling the nation the funds were a genuine gift. Will they be prosecuted for fabrication of evidence?
Akmal of UMNO Youth must know that making noises and opposing Madani does not mean that UMNO is a strong party. Really analysing the party’s strength will show that it has long lost its strength. And will probably be decimated at GE 16. And PAS will only do well in the rural areas.
Don’t ever forget Scorpene Submarine scandal happened during his time as PM, also MH17 and MH370 and Altantuya murder still unresolved.
Many politicians do not have an iota of shame as shown in their actions when they continue to defend the former convicted felon who stole billions from the people. Even with the latest convictions they will still continue to protest that NR is innocent and has been wrongly charged. Not that they truly believe so but they are doing it for their own political interest. Principle and integrity mean nothing to them.
How many of them benefited from the 1MDB heist…
How much money did UMNO receive and will they be forced to pay back?
It is incredible that Zahid and Othman are in government. These same people [allegedly] lied to cover up grand theft as did Apandi. All should pay for that deception.
Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir melahirkan kebimbangan terhadap gejala rasuah yang dilihat semakin berleluasa dan amat membimbangkan.
Baginda kecewa kerana wujud pihak yang terus memberikan sokongan kepada individu yang disabitkan kesalahan rasuah amat besar, seolah-olah perbuatannya diterima dan dimaafkan.
ATM are not fighting komunis now but rasuah? Bukit Leung incident no longef relevant as [certain] Army commanders are involved in corruption?
Happy New Year 2026 to all!
Good fortune ahead.
Peace on Earth.
Some PAS and UMNO leaders believe that together they will sweep all Muslim votes and the traditional loyalty of GPS of Sarawak to UMNO and Sabah going with the winners, would give them 2/3.
The UMNO conference is timed as perfect opportunity to break up PN and the Madani government and go for early elections. Some in UMNO (aka Najib supporters want this too as a change in government might see Najib pardoned). The only one standing in their way is probably Zahid.
Today, politicians at both federal and state levels often hold multiple positions at the same time and earn multiple sources of income … through salaries, allowances, board fees, and other benefits. This does not only involve personal income, but also supporting structures such as offices, staff, vehicles, and operating budgets. All of this drains public financial resources and contributes to high operating allocations in government budgets. Yet, politicians rarely acknowledge this as one of the reasons behind rising costs and budget pressures. Instead, the Rakyat are asked to accept increases in electricity, water, tolls, and other utility charges, while there… Read more »
Abah and Azmin both quit PN. Does this mean Bersatu will leave PN? Or a new possibility of Muafakat 2.0 of PAS and Umno? A new dawn for Malay politics, for the next GE?
Now Dominic Lau of Gerakan suddenly has the opportunity to become the chairman of PN?
Leaders of non-Malay political parties within PN are highly unlikely to ever become chairman of PN. For such a development to occur would require an extraordinary and implausible shift.
Seems like Abah is coming back as President, if Hamzah is culled?
Hamza is ousted. Implosion in Bersatu?
Hamzah and his followers to join Pejuang or PAS? Or is he forming a new party and alliance with MCA/MIC?
3-corner fights in the next GE?
“ Penang PH ramps up preparations for GE16 “ https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/02/18/penang-ph-ramps-up-preparations-for-ge16 ======== “ We must start working now to build a convincing administrative track record by the time the election arrives,” he said. “ For the past five years, the state has recorded repeated budget deficits while reserves have steadily declined from their earlier peak of RM2.2 billion. Operating expenditure has remained high, while development allocation has not kept pace in proportion. Reserves were not built overnight. They were accumulated through years of fiscal prudence. Yet within a single five-year administration cycle, those buffers have been drawn down, and the state… Read more »
Borrowing in itself is not a crime. Running deficits is not automatically mismanagement. But when deficits become recurring, reserves shrink, and operational spending consistently outweighs development spending, the pattern raises legitimate questions about fiscal discipline.
A “convincing administrative track record” is not built on rhetoric or measured by speeches. It is built on sustainable budgets, preserved reserves, and disciplined stewardship of public funds.
After five years, the question is no longer about preparation for the next election. It is about accountability for the last five years.
That is the fiscal legacy of the current administration.
“Transport minister outlines plan to turn Penang’s Swettenham Pier seafront into a walkable commercial hub.”
“Several Chinese settlements in Penang to be redeveloped, says CM.”
Before discussing the two projects above, we are still waiting for the expansion of Penang International Airport, which remains incomplete.
Since 2008, several major infrastructure proposals have struggled to reach full completion.
The Penang Undersea Tunnel, announced as part of a broader connectivity master plan, has yet to materialise and now appears increasingly uncertain.
Gurney Bay, first announced in 2016, has only been partially completed, with full completion expected around 2026, more than ten years after its initial announcement. The Jalan Teluk Kumbar widening has been discussed for years but is only now moving closer to execution. Meanwhile, the Penang Hill cable car project only began physical construction in 2024 and is scheduled for completion in 2026. The mainland once had a long stretch of white sandy beach, from Pantai Bersih in front of the public library in Butterworth to Teluk Ayer Tawar further north, yet development priorities have historically centred on the island.… Read more »
Gerakan president Dominic Lau has dismissed claims that his party opposes PAS helming Perikatan Nasional (PN).
While stopping short of openly endorsing PAS’s leadership of the opposition coalition, Lau emphasised that Gerakan was not against the Islamic party steering PN.
“ Penang aims to reduce urban heat with grants to implement green roofs, facades “ https://newswav.com/article/penang-aims-to-reduce-urban-heat-with-grants-to-implement-green-roofs-facad-A2602_QzLMPF ======== Penang is an island surrounded by the sea. We should not feel overwhelmed by heat. Yet more and more, that is what the Rakyat are experiencing. Concrete buildings continue to rise, green spaces keep shrinking, natural wind corridors are narrowing or even blocked. Are we building without fully accounting for the long-term impact? The science behind urban heat island effects has been understood for decades. When dense concrete construction expands and vegetation declines, heat builds up. Flood risks increase. Slopes weaken. These outcomes… Read more »
If urban heat, erosion, landslides, and sinkholes are becoming more common, this is no longer coincidence. It is a warning sign. Mother Nature is reminding us that we are only caretakers, not masters. At some point, we must ask whether we are respecting this island or simply exploiting it. Green initiatives are welcome. But are they proportional to twenty years of intense development? Can piecemeal efforts realistically undo what has been building up over decades? It is fair for us, the Rakyat, to ask whether safeguards were strengthened as growth accelerated, or whether development moved ahead while planning struggled to… Read more »
“ Higher sandbag barriers to mitigate erosion of beaches in Penang “ https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/02/10/higher-sandbag-barriers-to-mitigate-erosion-of-beaches-in-penang ======== How long has the erosion been occurring? Since 2010, 2012, or 2014? How long has the temporary measure of using sandbags been in place? The last I heard, it was ineffective, as strong waves simply rip them open. Does the state still want to continue using sandbags? How much have the sandbags cost the state so far? Why was there no urgency when this issue was first reported? Are there any other solutions, or does the state plan to continue using these ineffective sandbags, thereby wasting… Read more »
“ ‘Special treatment’ for Zamri Vinoth? Minister refuses to be drawn into debate “
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/02/09/special-treatment-for-zamri-vinoth-minister-refuses-to-be-drawn-into-debate
========
The convert is being presented as a convenient voice in this issue, but his public statements reflect a shallow and confrontational understanding of the matter.
His remarks do not demonstrate respect for Hindu religious sensitivities, nor do they reflect the restraint expected of someone speaking on interfaith issues.
No religion that claims moral authority would endorse its followers speaking or behaving in a manner that inflames tension and undermines social harmony.
Somehow Muslim converts in Malaysia receive good treatment and protection from the authority?
At the same time, leaders in positions of authority who claim to uphold the rule of law are often constrained from speaking out objectively and consistently, because any firm stand risks being branded as anti-Islam.
This has happened many times before. That label becomes a political weapon, one way of keeping ruling leaders in check and deterring them from acting decisively and fairly.
“ Govt bars unapproved houses of worship, says Anwar “
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2026/02/09/govt-bars-unapproved-houses-of-worship-says-anwar
========
The Prime Minister’s statement seems firm and forceful, and it merits closer examination.
The Prime Minister’s emphasis on the rule of law is understood, but responsibility must be placed correctly.
Under the Federal Constitution, land matters fall under State authority, and local councils act under State powers, not Federal direction. Many houses of worship have existed for decades due to long administrative inaction and tolerance by authorities, not deliberate defiance of the law.
The absence of complete paperwork is not always the absence of legitimacy, especially where authorities have over time provided utilities, approved exemptions, collected charges, or otherwise treated these sites as established places of worship.
It must be seen as resolving land issues involving historical places of worship, not as a punitive or selective exercise.
If negotiation is to take place, it must be genuine and not under the threat of enforcement, and it must acknowledge past governance failures.
Matters involving worship and land are best resolved through state led action grounded in history, fairness, and constitutional clarity.
“ Rally against ‘illegal’ temples still on, says controversial preacher ”
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2026/02/07/rally-against-039illegal039-temples-still-on-says-controversial-preacher
========
“Don’t be fooled by their propaganda and tactics. We will fight intruders, he said.”
What nonsense is he saying. He also says it has no connection to any specific race or religion.
But the very issue involving unregistered Hindu temples suggests otherwise, as does the so-called coincidental timing with the arrival of the Prime Minister of India.
A convert who appears to believe the grass was greener on the other side, now acting as a public mouthpiece aligned with certain narratives.
Authorities are being careful lest they are accused of being anti-religion. They are treading carefully on such matters. Let us hope this caution is not interpreted as weakness.
So we should be asking who are the actors continually pushing such issues, knowing full well their potential to disrupt our harmonious multi-ethnic, multi-cultural society.
“ Non-Muslim wing proves PAS not a hardline party, says treasurer “
https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/02/06/non-muslim-wing-proves-pas-not-a-hardline-party-says-treasurer
========
Now it is easy to say we are not a hard line group but it proves nothing . We Rakyat fear ( more a concern about consequences, not emotional panic ) the aftermath of the General Election. Promises made can change. How to trust.
For example, in 2018 after PH won the General Election when asked where are your election promises, the reply was that promises made were not cast in stone.