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The Cabinet meets, unusually, on a death

THE MALAYSIAN CABINET WILL discuss tomorrow (04 January 2006) the sudden and freak death of Dr Liew Boon-Horng of Ethos Consulting, whose work in the Ministry of Defence took away from the defence minister, Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak, his powers to buy weapons. Purchases of arms are given to UMNO go-betweens, and Ethos Consulting made sure that it went to the prime minister's son-in-law Mr Khairy Jamaluddin's friends. Divine intervention has stalked Mr Khairy's every recent move. He used Ethos Consulting to make the defence minister have no control over arms purchases. With Dr Liew dead, Mr Khairy has to start again in the defence ministry. But Dato' Seri Najib, like his cousin, UMNO Youth chief and fellow cabinet minister, did not see through Mr Khairy's intentions at first, but now does. Dato' Seri Najib is unlikely to allow this to happen again.

But Dr Liew's freak death has shaken the Malaysian establishment. Dato' Seri Najib says the government is taking it 'very seriously'. Two reports would be presented to the Cabinet tomorrow. He says that 'if we find the contractor responsible, based on these reports, "stern action will be taken". He goes on, giving the impression of seriousness: "There is also the question of criminal liability" but that would be for the authorities to follow up. Dr Liew died because a two tonne concrete block fell on his car. It should have dropped. The contractor is guilty. What the authorities should be doing is to charge him in court. Instead of the machinery department getting involved, or of a report from them. the Cabinet is discussing it.

Two cabinet ministers – the MCA president and the minister for local government and housing, Dato' Seri Ong Ka Ting; the human resources minister, Dato' Fong Chan Onn – and the Kuala Lumpur mayor, Dato' Ruslan Hasan were at Dr Liew's house after the death. Other people have died from the contractor's mishap, but they went to their graves unmourned or visited by cabinet ministers. But Dr Liew is an important cog in the wheel of Mr Khairy reducing Dato' Seri Najib a cipher. Dato' Ruslan has said the contractor did not breach the regulations, that dropping a two tonne concrete on anyone on the road is alright. But he is not sure. He said more information is needed, and this would be detailed in his report.

So why is the cabinet meeting in a hurry over the death of a man. The reports are not ready. But this death is important in making sure the next prime minister is not the deputy prime minister, Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak. With the man's death – whoever is responsible – Mr Khairy has to start from afresh to bring down. The former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir's heart attack at Christmas has slowed down the deputy prime minister. If he decides not to be involved in Malaysian politics as a result, Dato' Seri Najib, who depended on him, would have a difficult fight in 2006 but it he decides to come back, he becomes an intractible enemy of Mr Khairy.. Since Mr Khairy decides the important decisions in the government, the death is discussed in the Cabinet.

People Mr Khairy depended on has died or got into activities they should not. Tan Sri Noordin Sopiee who introduced Pak Lah's daughter, Nori, to Mr Khairy, and looked upon himself as a father figure to the young man, died of thyroid cancer last week. Making use of Putera UMNO has caused a setback after its president, Dato' Azeez Abdul Rahman, was caught in a vice raid at Holiday Villa. The deputy interior minister, Dato' Noh Omar, has said he was in Klang at that time, but no one believes him. It is he who told the Chinese tourists not to come to Malaysia if they are not prepared to obey the laws. But his minister is Dato' Seri Abdullah Badawi, who is also father-in-law of Mr Khairy. Could he say anything else?

Mr Khairy has made himself a rich man – he bought RM9.2 million worth of ECM Libra shares. ECM Libra is a boutique investment firm that roped in Pak Lah's men to be successful; in other words an Ali Baba firm. Until then, he was only an employee. No one in government, from secretaries general down, will go against Pak Lah's son-in-law. He had played his cards well as long as he was not involved in any company. And he was not as close to Singapore. He is blamed, rightly or wrongly, for selling Malaysian government assets to Singapore. He has thrown his weight around, and many believe the governmet is run by him. He made an early enemy of Tun Mahathir as a result. His heart attack can cause one of two things: he might try his best to unseat Pak Lah's government, because he does not want Malaysia to be ruled by one as close to Singapore as Mr Khairy; or he might retire. His decision will affect Mr Khairy and Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak.

So, the cabinet meeting tomorrow on Dr Liew's death, when the reports and investigations are not complete, is to be expected. The deputy prime minister, Dato' Seri Najib, does not, in Malay fashion, oppose Mr Khairy in public. But Mr Khairy does, and has gone far. But he has to start all over again. But he would not get the support of those who backed him in the past. He is now in a high profile bind. His father-in-law must take the lead, not his son-in-law. Otherwise, he will face opposition this year too.

M.G.G. Pillai
pillai@streamyx.com