Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Zahid recently delivered a speech in which he referred to terrorism and money laundering claiming that Malaysia is in the forefront of the international efforts to suppress both. Who does he think he is kidding? Presumably that small percentage of his domestic audience that have not yet read the Malaysian Auditor General’s Report on 1MDB and the devastating document released by the US Department of Justice proving that his boss Najib is a mega thief.

Forefront yes. But engaging in money laundering rather than combatting it. He went on to refer to a body called the FATF the body which issues recommendations on anti-money laundering and monitors progress. Malaysia had been granted membership in 2016, making it one of the last countries to join, as there are 190 members already.

FATF can start by monitoring the massive 1MDB scandals which, among other things, have proved that Malaysian politicians engaged in massive money laundering to try to conceal the enormous thefts by his boss Najib Razak from Malaysian public funds.

Zahid also spoke about anti-terrorist laws passed by his government. Laudable in theory, these laws have, in practice, been widely misused to try to suppress political dissent and criticism. They are not laws against terrorism but laws against free speech and “legal” cover for massive criminal action by Najib and his government. Which, of course, includes Zahid.

Obviously this speech was intended for local consumption only and aimed at the rapidly decreasing percentage of Malaysian Malay voters who may still not see Najib as the mega crook he is, and UMNO as a criminal organisation protecting him from the consequences of his crimes. Membership of UMNO implies both approval of and joint liability for the crimes of its current leadership. Malays should bear that in mind.