Race issues a diversion from 1MDB scandal, says ex-Special Branch deputy

The Chinese are being targeted to divert attention from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) controversy, former Special Branch deputy director Datuk Abdul Hamid Bador said in an open letter addressed to Putrajaya. In the letter, Hamid said that those in power would do "anything" to take attention away from the 1MDB issue, including playing the race card. "They have confused the people by claiming that there is a plot to topple the government. Who wants to topple the government? They claim it's the Chinese. Suddenly from a criminal breach of trust issue, this has become a racial issue." On September 16, a 'red shirt' rally was organised to uphold Malay dignity following claims that the Bersih 4 rally on August 29 and 30, which called for the resignation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak over to the 1MDB controversy, was dominated by the Chinese community. "I wonder who are the advisers of these robbers of people's money," Hamid said. In his open letter, Hamid urged the chief secretary, attorney-general and the inspector-general of police to make swift decisions and reveal the investigations that have been made on 1MDB. A special task force formed to investigate claims that 1MDB's money had been channelled to Najib's personal accounts in 2013 was crippled when the former attorney-general, Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, was swiftly removed. Hamid also urged in his letter that Gani break his silence and spill the beans on the investigations. There were allegations that Gani was ready to sign off an arrest warrant for Najib on the morning he was removed from office, with the Chief Secretary Tan Sri Ali Hamsa citing health reasons when Gani was suddenly replaced with Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali. "Come out and make a stand. All this while you were idolised for being a tough fighter among civil servants. Why have you become timid? What have they done to you?" Hamid wrote. He also urged Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officials to emulate the fighting spirit of one of their colleagues, deputy public prosecutor Kevin Morais, who was brutally murdered recently, allegedly for refusing to take a bribe. "Don't be cowed by attempts to blackmail you and carry on with the 1MDB investigations," Hamid said. Following the task force probe, MACC offices were raided by the police following an alleged "leak". In 2013, RM2.6 billion was channelled to Najib's personal accounts, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. Najib's camp had said that the money was a donation from a Middle Easterner. – October 4, 2015.