In Tony Tan Chee Chong, we have the new Lester Melanyi

This article was published in the Malay Mail Online

By Low Teck Kuan

Tony Tan Chee Chong, ex-DAP man and former personal assistant to Teresa Kok has come out with guns blazing claiming that Tony Pua, one of the staunchest critics of the 1MDB scandals should not be so happy as to demand for accountability from 1MDB just yet.

This is because under his possession, he has documentary proof that behind Tony Pua’s backyard he has amassed RM 3 millions of savings stashed overseas under the name of his wife.

Tony Tan further declared if Pua cannot declare his assets in a week, then he will publish documentary proof of Tony Pua’s allegedly RM 3 million in savings overseas.

But in Tony Tan’s haste to discredit the DAP’s star man down, obviously because Pua has been at the forefront of putting the Prime Minister and his government in check, he has misunderstood the reasoning behind not just Pua, but all other opposition members and NGOs demands in asking those who holds executive positions to declare their assets publicly.

Why asset declaration is necessary

Those who hold executive positions, whether they are elected into the law making body (State Assembly or Parliament) or not must declare their assets publicly simply because they are in a position where the responsibility of managing taxpayer’s monies are heavily entrusted onto their hand.

They are in the positions where they hold substantial powers to allocate the public’s resources, If abused, it will result in taxpayers monies going missing for personal and illegal gains. The MARA scandal, where properties in Australia were purchased by MARA (a government linked company) at an inflated price just so that kickbacks can be given back to MARA officials, is one fine example.

Now here begs the question, does Tony Pua hold any executive positions? Or is he appointed into any government linked companies backed with allocations from the federal government?  No.

Pua is simply an elected Member of Parliament, who only receives a fixed monthly allowances paid by the Parliament. Therefore, why does he who does not have any responsibility of managing taxpayers monies need to declare his assets?

Tony Tan should not confuse the responsibility to declare assets by the Prime Minister (who is the head of the executives and a Finance Minister), with those who does not have any responsibility in managing the country's resources. In his attacks against an MP, he either could not tell these differences or has a sinister agenda in trying to discredit Pua even when his credibility is in doubt.

Much like Lester Melanyi, the bankrupt who could only shoot off his mouth without substantiating his claims of tampered documents with evidences to the contrary, Tony Tan has a credibility issues as well.

Back in February 2014, accompanied by Ramesh Rao (the same guy who backed Lester Melanyi), Tan had previously lodged reports to the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission twice accusing Teresa Kok of misappropriating party's funds. However, the MACC did not find any misappropriation at all. He also filed a case against her in court but lost.

If Tony Tan, perhaps like Lester Melanyi who "acts out of his conscience”, has time to question Pua and his innocent wife, he should instead direct his time and resources in seeking answers from the Prime Minister on the many unanswered allegations against him.

For starters, he should question on how and why 1MDB’s USD 700 million been deposited into Jho Low’s Singapore company Good Star Ltd back in September 2009? Until this date, 1MDB and PM Najib have not provided satisfactory answers to the public.

Gutter politics must be condemned

To also hear Tony Tan, dragging the families of Pua who is not involved in politics at all is disgusting to say the least. Its gutter politics, clearly out to demonise Pua and to draw an illogical perception that he and his families had abused his public office in enriching himself. Even when as a Member of Parliament, Pua merely receives a fixed monthly allowances!

Malaysians, by and large, are currently witnessing the dirtiest and most undignified political plays. As seen by all, it is orchestrated by Ramesh Rao (who is a staunch supporter of the Barisan Nasional government) and various unscrupulous parties against the critics of the biggest financial scandal in history.

This must be condemned. Not just because these constitute harassments against opposition members who are doing their level best to keep the government in check, but on grounds that Malaysians do not tolerate dirty politics and diversionary tactics designed to divert the our attentions away from the real issue at hand. That is, where has 1MDB’s unaccounted and missing funds gone to?

As the buck stops with the Prime Minister, Malaysians must therefore focus their attention solely on 1MDB and seek accountability from the man whose office holds the greatest responsibility of managing the country's vast but diminishing resources.