The investigation of Azmin Ali is revenge politics at its best
A pandora’s box of corruption and cronyism in Selangor may be accidently opened
Murray Hunter
The raids on a number of so-called ‘safe houses’ netting millions in cash and arrest of four people so far, is clearly an attempt to neutralized Azmin Ali. This is part of a move to destroy any opposition within Bersatu ever be presentable as a future potential prime minister. The move reeks of pure Machiavellian vengeance, as pay back for Azmin Ali’s role in the Sheraton Putsch back in February 2020 that brought down the Pakatan Harapan government, and with it, Anwar ibrahim’s chance to become prime minister.
Its an open secret around Selangor that during Azmin Ali’s time as Menteri Besar, he did well for himself. During that time Anwar Ibrahim was also a pro-bono economic advisor to the Selangor government. Selangor is a cesspool of political gentry and cronies continually working on ways to make money. This still happens today.
Azmin Ali’s organizer and ‘bagman’ was Soffan Affendi Aminudin, who was the chief operating officer of Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI), the investment arm of the Selangor government. MBI is a great vehicle, as there is no public transparency, and accountability to anyone. MBI has always been a place where things can be done. “Little offshoots” like Darul Ehsan Investment Groups (DEIG) were formed around MBI to make any money trials even harder to see.
One of the easiest cash cows in Selangor was quarrying and sand mining. Easy business, lots of customers, and a plentiful supply in Selangor’s forests and woodlands. Sand went everywhere, even to Singapore.
The investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is continuing. As we have seen by the investigations by the MACC into the former prime minister Mahathir Mohamed’s family, and his former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, they like to “cookem slow”, something like turning the folk on a barbeque sadistically slow.
Selangor’s pandora box
Selangor is an incestuous place. Everyone has been involved with everyone to some degree. If Azmin goes down, a host of other names will be in danger (for them) of appearing. If one searches the quarry licenses dished out in Hulu Selangor in Bukit Lagong, no prizes for guessing who is behind some of them. MalaysiaKini unearthed some quarry concessions were linked to the state’s royal family and PKR connected people, back in 2022. Malaysia Today linked current MB Amirudin Shari back in 2012. In addition, MBI is just full of financial scandals waiting to breakout (lucky the media has been silenced). INSAN Insurance is just one.
There are a lot of names flying around Selangor for lots of things. The danger for PKR is that if Azmin is brought down, a lot of these names will be exposed as well. Often, when someone is seeking revenge, it blinds them to the potential consequences.
