The sudden interest by both the ruling coalition and opposition on Daim Zainuddin has left many scratching their heads over why a retired minister deserves so much attention.

 

The government-linked media had launched a coordinated attack on Daim and even PKR politicians hammering the former finance minister have found themselves on television, previously unheard of in the tightly controlled media.

 

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) haste in probing Daim has also taken many by surprise.

 

Daim is a strongman of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has turned against sitting Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

 

BN under Najib ( left ), and PKR, which can hardly agree on anything, suddenly being on the same page against Daim has given rise to conspiracy theories.

 

Even DAP's Raub MP Ariff Sabri Abdul Aziz couldn't help but speculate if a deal had been struck between Najib and Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, who is awaiting the appeal of his five year jail term for sodomy.

 

PKR was quick to come to Anwar's defence, with its Youth chief Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad pointing out that Anwar had been consistent about alleged wrongdoing by Daim since 1998.

 

But Anwar had also consistently hammered the likes of Mahathir, former inspector-general of police Musa Hassan and attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail for over a decade.

 

None of them are in the news today, being roasted by both sides of the political divide.

Conspiracy theories

So, are the conspiracy theories true? To understand the latest Daim saga requires us to retrace the beginning where the issue was first revived.

 

Daim had in an interview with KiniBiz published at the end of February last year slammed Anwar as "weak" in a salvo ahead of the Kajang by-election.

 

Anwar retaliated by accusing Daim of being  corrupt on March 3, claiming the latter had billions in funds in Africa and Eastern Europe.

PKR's Bukit Katil MP Shamsul Iskandar ( left ) immediately followed through, pressing the authorities to investigate and becoming the face of the anti-Daim campaign.

 

However, Shamsul's calls fell on the authorities' deaf ears and fizzled out after the Kajang by-election.

 

He raised the matter again in Parliament November last year and again this month before the government machinery suddenly joined in and came down on Daim.

 

Shamsul, who is also PKR vice-president, said he considered BN joining the fray against Daim as merely "coincidental" and considered it a "bonus".

 

Dismissing that Anwar had struck a deal with Najib for his freedom, Shamsul pointed out PKR had attacked Daim before Anwar was sentenced and open hostilities between Mahathir and Najib began.

 

In fact, he said Najib, Mahathir and Daim all had their guns trained at Anwar during the Kajang by-election.

 

Anwar was sentenced by the Court of Appeal on March 7, 2014 while Mahathir publicly withdrew his support from Najib in August the same year.

 

"Last year, the quarrel between Mahathir and Najib is not as extensive as now," Shamsul told Malaysiakini when contacted.

 

Shamsul added PKR's move to level the allegations against Daim coincided with reports in February last year that the former finance minister was divesting his banking interest overseas.

 

"Previously, the MACC argued they couldn't do anything because there weren't any records as it was a long time ago. But the moment Daim started to liquidating his interests, there would be new documents," said Shamsul.

 

If Shamsul's defence of PKR is to be believed, it still doesn't explain the government's recent interest in a retired minister, albeit a wealthy one.

 

Massive funds

Shamsul speculated that Najib's camp may be concerned with the massive funds Daim and his allies now possess after divesting their overseas interests, a war chest they may or may not already be using behind the scenes.

 

"Perhaps a very big political fund was needed for whatever political manoeuvring and based on that, the prime minister may be worried about it," said Shamsul.

 

Kinibiz

estimated Daim's assets to be at RM853.32 million before he became finance minister in 1984.

 

However, Daim in an interview with Kinibiz last year maintained that he will not be using his war chest to make a comeback or help fund BN's activities.

 

"No, no. I don’t have that kind of money. And I don’t waste money like that, you know me, I never waste. I don’t believe in using money," he was quoted as saying.

 

Whether Daim is really expending resources against Najib remains open to speculation but what is certain is the former finance minister has raised the ire of Najib to prompt a reaction.