Should not Dato Seri Ling Liong Sik be charged for corruption?
M.G.G. Pillai When the Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Mahathir Mohamed, wanted to destroy politically his chosen deputy, he had him arrested for corruption and sodomy. The corruption charges related not for taking bribes or accepting money from those who wanted his favours but for misusing his power by asking the police to investigate allegations of corruption against him. The high court judge that convicted him accepted that definition. It meant any cabinet minister or officer who misused his office and power in the course of his work could be convicted for corruption. That most people in authority at some time or other did it is neither here nor there. Under these rules, they are guilty of corruption if they are caught out. Dr Mahathir, in his numerous remarks about Dato’ Seri Anwar’s conviction, thought the man must pay for misusing his power. He had no right to do what he did. The conviction brought political problems for the Prime Minister but that is not what concerns us. It is what
