IF track record in recent times can be of any indicator, Malaysia should graciously turn down the offer from Saudi Arabian Cabinet Minister Prince Turki bin Mohammad bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz who has stated his intention to assist Malaysia by providing contribution and assistance to Malaysians affected by the floods.
This is based on evidence of past abuses related to “DONATION” from Middle Eastern sources which are still very vivid in the memory of Malaysians, especially given financial contributions are capable of breeding irreparable corrupt practices.
Yesterday (Dec 26), Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said he has been contacted by Prince Turki who stated his intention to assist efforts in alleviating the hardship of Malaysians affected by floods via the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre.
Perhaps if Saudi Arabia still insists on rendering aid, then it should be in material form as opposed to be monetary in nature.
To re-cap, the kingdom had in July this year donated 4.5 million units of medical supplies in the form of ventilators, oxygen concentrators, defibrillators and protective gear as well as one million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Malaysia (pictured) as “the COVID-19 outbreak in Malaysia has become one of the world’s worst” (Arab News, 31 July 2021).
Recall how High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali had on July 29, 2020 ripped apart former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s story of receiving donations from the late King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.
In his judgment involving the former premier’s SRC International Sdn Bhd case where Najib was eventually found guilty and sentenced to 12 years’ jail in addition to being fined RM210 mil, Nazlan said Najib’s defence was centred on the premise that he believed funds which flowed into his personal bank accounts in 2014 and 2015 were Arab donation monies.
In his testimony on Feb 11 last year, former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom had testified Najib had made a request for donations from the late King Abdullah.
The fifth defence witness in the SRC International Sdn Bhd trial, said Najib and King Abdullah had an informal meeting in Riyadh in January 2010 where one of the points of discussion entailed Najib seeking financial aid from the king.
“This meeting was an unofficial meeting on Jan 11 … Najib, former Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman, former Malaysian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Professor Datuk Syed Omar Alsagoff and myself attended the meeting,” the ex-minister said.
While Malaysians surely appreciate the goodwill gesture of Prince Turki to help their compatriots who are faced with severe hardship from the recent calamity, it is still better to be safe rather than sorry by graciously turning down the latter’s offer given the dismal track record that Malaysia and Saudi Arabia seem to have in financial donation-related ties.
Malaysians can ill-afford another kind gesture to be abused as a channel to enrich certain quarters as had occurred in the past. Malaysians do not want their motherland to be made laughing stock in the eyes of the world.
After all, wouldn’t it be better for the money to be spent on future court cases to try the culprits – should the dreaded eventually become a reality – be better spent on rendering assistance to the flood victims now.
Charity should begin from home. Many Malaysians – individually as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) – have already mobilised efforts of sorts (both physically and financially) to alleviate the hardship of the flood victims.
Malaysia can stand on its own two feet powered by the “Malaysia Boleh” spirit of its citizens. – Dec 27, 2021
