DETRACTORS have poked fun at Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, the former senior political secretary to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, for “buat-buat wayang Cina” (playing Chinese theatrics) following his struggle to raise a RM150,000 bail at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court yesterday (Dec 4).
This came about after judge Suzana Hussin allowed the 51-year-old ex-aide of PMX who is facing four corruption charges totalling RM176,829.03 over the approval of mineral exploration licences in Sabah, to be granted bail of RM150,000 with two sureties.
Shamsul who pleaded not guilty to the charges eventually posted the RM150,000 bail through a fund-raising initiative which according to his defence counsel Mohd Yusmadi Yusoff, was made possible with contributions from PKR party leaders and friends who helped with the collection.
At the end of the day, his sureties included an acquaintance from Melaka and a former member of the PKR Youth a.k.a. Angkatan Muda Keadilan.
Editor’s Note: Businessman Albert Tei Jiann Cheing who was jointly charged with Shamsul also pleaded not guilty for allegedly gave bribes worth over RM176,000 to the latter in the form of cash (RM140,000) and kind (over RM36,000 in furniture and electrical appliances).
Describing the entire episode as “Papanon punya wayang” (literally, “PMX’s theatrics”), opposition-slant political activist/blogger Ratu Naga a.k.a. Syarul Ema Rena Abu Samah was instrumental in sparking a slew of mockeries directed at Shamsul who had quit his job on Nov 25 amid allegation of “incessant attack on his image and that of the Madani government”.
Some cheeky commenters even alluded to “passing the Milo/Planta tin around” – a gesture often used by Madani backers to belittle PAS’ fund-raising exercise whenever leaders of the Islamist party lose their legal suits – to showcase Shamsul’s hardship.
Others teased the former PKR vice-president who lost narrowly to UMNO president Datuk Serti Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (now Deputy PM) in the contest for the Bagan Datuk parliamentary seat during the 2022 national polls that his bail should be “funded in pound sterling” or that his “Cuban cigar supply will not run out”.
One even mooted the idea that Shamsul should approach his predecessor Datuk Seri Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak (2018-2022) for financial assistance given the latter is now a corporate high flyer.
Elsewhere, Shamsul was also mocked for requesting that prayers be extended to him as “I go through this ordeal in accordance to the law and legal channels”.
Instead, many detractors would rather wish that the once giant slayer who unseated former Melaka chief minister and UMNO strongman Tun Mohd Ali Rustam (now Melaka governor) not once but twice in the 13th General Election (GE13) (2013) and GE 14 (2018) respectively would be found guilty by the court of law.
“Let’s all pray for him to get in (into jail) soon … don’t forget to send our regards to DS Najib Razak …” ridiculed one commenter.
Another aptly put it that prayers – if any – should be directed at Shamsul’s parents. – Dec 5, 2025
Main image credit: Bernama
