Shahrizat & NFC: Who's the Lembu Now?

Despite their bravado, I'm betting Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin and PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli will get into a lot of trouble in the lawsuit filed by Datuk Sharizat Abdul Jalil. And so will Shahrizat and her husband when things unfold.


The Malaysian Insider reported that Zuraida "laughed off" the suit, "saying the court action only took the minister a step closer to ending her own political career." Maybe. But Zuraida and Rafizi shouldn't forget that the suit wasn't filed in haste - the plaintiff and her lawyer had definitely looked deeply into what the PKR duo had previously said and written... and I wouldn't want to be in their shoes when these facts are established in court later.


But I wouldn't want to be in Shahrizat's or her husband's shoes either, for the NFC matter - directly and indirectly - will suck down at least one of them.


Shahrizat's husband, Datuk Seri Dr Mohamed Salleh Ismail, had given his side of the story. However, a lot of questions still remain unanswered. For instance, Salleh had claimed that the attacks were politically motivated. This is likely true: however, it wouldn't have happened had Salleh and Shahrizat not gotten themselves in this quandry in the first place.


Appointing your own children as directors - not executives or even managers: Can they blame others when they are accused of cronyism?


Then there's that Datuk who was arrested for attempting to bribe MACC and police officers from investigating the matter: had this slimy Datuk done this on his own accord? Or, was he acting on someone's behalf?


Salleh, on his part, tried to focus the issue on the fact that this Datuk "was not related to him or any of his family members", and that the latter "was engaged to do corporate communications and media relations for NFC"... at about the same time as when the NFC matter surfaced.


Can you blame others for having suspicions?


Too many questions remain and Shahrizat has become a huge liability for Umno and the BN. Najib will have to remember that the rakyat is watching: If he wants the electorate to take Umno and the BN seriously in the next General Elections, then he must do the right thing. Dropping Shahrizat is just one. He musn't stop at that - investigations into the NFC must run its course and real action must be taken should there be evidence of wrongdoings. Including of attempts to bribe the investigators.

Shahrizat, Salleh, Zuraida and Rafizi - we will see who the lembus are.