DATUK Seri Rosmah Mansor has described her acquittal today (Dec 19) of a dozen money laundering charges and five counts of failure to declare her income as a “birthday gift” as bewildered Malaysians are left questioning whether justice in this country is only for the wealthy and well-connected.
Let’s juxtapose Rosmah’s case with that of a married couple from Melaka who was sentenced to 28 days in jail and fined RM3,000 for stealing 19 packets of Milo worth just over RM800 in August.
According to media reports, they stole out of desperation to fund dialysis treatment for a sick parent and support five children, two of whom are disabled. They admitted guilt, pleaded for leniency but alas, were met with swift and harsh punishment.
In stark contrast, Rosmah, 73, walked free from the Kuala Lumpur High Court after her RM7 mil money laundering charges were quashed on technicalities. According to the judge, the charges lacked “essential elements” of the alleged offences.
Conveniently, this technical flaw now allows the wife of incarcerated ex-premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak to celebrate her newfound freedom even as she faces another corruption conviction related to the RM1.25 bil solar energy project.
Freedom beckons for hubby, too?
Rosmah’s words sting. “This is what we have been waiting for,” she rejoiced, calling the judgment a “special birthday gift” while stating that she would share the “happy news” with her imprisoned husband, Najib.
Rosmah’s very reaction encapsulates the unbridled privilege of Malaysia’s elites – a stark reminder that wealth and power can tip the scales of justice.
Not long ago, Pakatan Harapan (PH) rode to power on a wave of outrage over the excesses of figures like Rosmah and Najib.
Rosmah was painted as the poster child of unchecked greed – from her designer handbags to her alleged involvement in corrupt schemes. But now, her acquittal is met with deafening silence from the same coalition that once promised to clean up the system.
Worse, Rosmah’s acquittal is part of a worrisome trend. Najib himself has seen a favourable turn in his legal saga with his 1MDB-related DNAA (discharge not amounting to acquittal) raising eyebrows.
Meanwhile, the inability to declassify critical documents in his case has left many wondering if the system is deliberately clearing the way for his release.
Against this backdrop, it is impossible to ignore the disparity in how justice is dispensed. The Milo theft case is a glaring example of how harshly the system treats the poor.
Miscarriage of justice
This couple wasn’t stealing to fund luxury lifestyles or hide illicit gains – they were scraping by, trying to survive. And yet, the prosecution demanded a severe sentence as deterrent, even arguing that Milo isn’t a basic necessity.
The contrast couldn’t be starker: RM7 mil in alleged laundered funds waved off on a technicality while RM800 worth of Milo results in jail time and fines.
What message does this send to ordinary Malaysians? That justice is not blind but selectively harsh? That survival is a greater crime than corruption?
Malaysians have every reason to be angry. This isn’t just about Rosmah or the Milo thieves. It’s about a justice system that repeatedly tilts in favour of the powerful while crushing the vulnerable.
PH once championed reform but its silence now suggests complicity. As Rosmah and Najib inch closer to re-claiming their public standing, the people are left to wonder: who will hold the powerful accountable?
If we allow these cases to pass without protest, we risk normalising a two-tier justice system where privilege shields the wealthy and poverty condemns the powerless. Malaysians deserve better and the time to demand it is now. – Dec 19, 2024.
Main image credit: Rosmah Mansor/Facebook
