The Justice Department (DOJ) of the United States of America has finally put to rest what Malaysians and the rest of the world had suspected and known about the prime minister's alleged culpability in 1MDB’s astronomical loss of billions ringgit of Malaysian public money.

It is no longer tenable for the PM to continue allegedly hoodwinking the public now that the US DOJ has filed numerous cases in the US courts and without naming him expressly, has apparently referred to Najib Abdul Razak as ‘Malaysian Official Number 1.

An honourable leader would have from the beginning resigned as PM instead of allegedly telling lie after lie shamelessly.

The PM is not the only one who should face the music. The entire Malaysian Cabinet too should face the firing squad under the name of collective ministerial responsibility. All the cabinet ministers by omission are allegedly as guilty as Najib, not so much as proven of any wrongdoing in a court of law, but for continuously evading investigations and covering up.

It is ironic that the US attorney-general wants to save the Malaysian public’s money instead of the Malaysian PM and his cabinet ministers doing it. But I would urge the US attorney-general not to return the billions to the Malaysian government as it will be tantamount to returning the money to the very alleged thieves who stole and squandered it.

It is the story of Ali Baba and the 40 thieves in Malaysia. Also besides the PM and his ministers, there are others who are allegedly as equally culpable. They are said to be the attorney-general, the inspector-general (IGP),the then-governor of Bank Negara Malaysia, the speaker of Parliament, the Public Accounts Committee and even the Chief Justice of the Federal Court - all for allegedly not doing their statutory duties explicitly or implicitly in protecting the welfare of Malaysians.

It appears that there is no one who can do anything. Perhaps our beloved Agong should do something. Are we waiting for the proverbial city of Rome to be burnt down? As the PM is so powerful and his cabinet ministers especially from Umno going all out to protect and even promote him, the PM is right now un shakable.

There needs to be a Brutus among the Umno members to save the party and the country. There must be someone in Umno who must love the country and the race more than they love the PM and Umno. Does Umno have any men of honour to do the most important task, that is to ‘kill’ the PM and save the country? Umno members should not wait for further international investigations which will reveal more damning evidence. God save Malaysia!

M MANOGARAN is a former Member of Parliament.