COMMENT | Same script, different actors, endless distractions

COMMENT | From the time the scandal broke in mid-2014 until the 14th general election in 2018, the well-rehearsed mantra was “1MDB is a conspiracy to overthrow the democratically elected government led by Najib Abdul Razak”.

From petty politicians to ministers, and from bootlickers to sycophants, the theory was crafted to absolve Najib of culpability.

Yet, instead of resolution, it unravelled into a maze of twists, with the machinery of government enlisted to stage what became the nation’s most audacious hoax.

Providing theories and analytics to these characters were spin doctors and strategic consultants whose primary concern was ensuring Najib and the BN government retained power, and for the whiff of the 1MDB scandal to go away.

As the results of the election trickled in on the early morning of May 10, 2018, the protagonists of such a theory melted into the woodwork, never to be heard of thereafter.

Paul Stadlen and Apco, the spin masters engaged by the BN government, packed their bags and disappeared, leaving many government officers with egg on their faces.

In 2021, Stadlen voluntarily agreed to release RM7.1 million to a 1MDB trust account. The case against him for money laundering was subsequently dropped.

Some of the victims, former PJ Utara MP Tony Pua, being the most prominent, was investigated by the police and barred from leaving the country for “alleged conspiracy in activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy.”

Same old, same old

On Friday, a similar conspiracy emerged. The police announced that the wife of a former minister is under investigation following a report alleging that she was plotting to topple the government and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

But Na’imah Abdul Khalid, the wife of the late former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, came out swinging, dismissing the claim of being involved in any form of effort to topple the government.

In a statement, Na'imah said that any attempt suggesting she was behind the Bloomberg exposé involving MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki is not only irresponsible but also an insult to the journalists concerned.

“The claim that I am trying to destabilise or topple the government is laughable and brings to mind past accusations faced by the prime minister himself, when he used to declare having the ‘formidable numbers’ to seize power.

“Unlike him, at no time did I engage in, contemplate, or support any effort to destabilise or topple an elected government,” she said.

But by this time, a copy of the police report filed by a 54-year-old who listed his occupation as “editor” was already circulating online.

The gist of the report is as follows: On July 31 last year, he, together with his business partner, attended a discussion via Zoom with the chairperson and staff of a UK-based strategy and communication company.

Also allegedly present were Na’imah and her two sons, along with two lawyers. The discussion, the report claimed, covered the use of international media to pressure the MACC and Anwar, specifically to drop charges against Naimah.

It was also suggested to use “lobbyists” around the world, including in the UK and the US, to apply pressure on the Malaysian side.

“My partner and I felt that this matter was wrong and amounted to betraying our own country, as it involved conspiring with foreign agents to bring down the prime minister and the government of Malaysia,” the report stated.

Emerging questions

For many, this claim and the side-shows provided a welcome relief from the serious business of corporate mafia, kuil haram (illegal temples), etc, which had been making the headlines during the week.

If it was a deliberate diversion, it succeeded, but then, questions began to emerge.

Why did it take the editor more than six months to realise the matter was wrong? What happened during the interim? Mental block?

Oh yes, he was in London on Feb 10 when Bloomberg broke the story on the MACC’s shady dealings, and hence his memory was jolted, and he put two and two together.

But Na'imah offered a different explanation entirely. According to her, the individual who lodged the report had initially approached her in July 2025, offering his services as part of a proposed communications team.

He was later terminated due to poor performance. After his dismissal, she claimed, he made further monetary demands.

She insisted the contents of the police report are false and preposterous, and that its timing - seven months after the alleged meeting - points to a desperate attempt to distract the public from growing calls for Azam’s removal.

Deflecting attention

The conspiracy theory is a political chameleon, adapting its colours to suit the landscape of the moment. Once deployed to shield Najib from the 1MDB scandal, it now resurfaces to deflect attention from mounting scandals facing the Anwar administration.

The parallels are unmistakable. Then, as now, foreign actors are cast as the villains. Then, as now, the machinery of law enforcement is mobilised to investigate those who dare to challenge the status quo.

Then, as now, the timing is impeccable - and the impression of the masses is that these circumstances are designed to change the conversation when it becomes uncomfortable.

But the public is no longer naive. We have seen this script before. We have watched it unravel. And we recognise that when the dust settles, the protagonists of these manufactured crises often fade away, leaving behind a trail of distraction and division.

The question is not whether Na'imah conspired with foreign agents or just spoke with public relations personnel, which remains a matter for proper investigation.

The question is why, time and again, conspiracy theories become the default refuge of those in power.

Why, when faced with legitimate scrutiny, is the response to cry foreign interference? And why does the truth always seem to be the first casualty in these political dramas?

Until we break free from this cycle of manufactured narratives, we remain prisoners of our own political dysfunction - forever chasing shadows while the real issues fester in the dark.

R NADESWARAN is an award-winning journalist whose journalistic career has spanned more than five decades. Comments: citizen.nades22@gmail.com

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

Daim's children slam MACC over 'unjustified' press release

Cabinet to consider setting up RCI, review AG-led panel report on MACC

MACC seeks public help to locate Daim's children

'Deja vu' of 1MDB days, says Pua as cops probe alleged plot to topple govt

'Tangkap Azam Baki' protesters reach MACC, call for its chief's arrest

After PM flags 'small group' sowing discord, Charles reveals real problem

LETTER | Azam should drop Bloomberg lawsuit