IF there was anything positive resulting from the partial pardon accorded to Najib Razak, it was that it knocked numerous personalities off their moral perch and unmasking them for what they really are.

It further fed suspicions that the price paid, for the post-electoral pact Government to be formed and for Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to be the Prime Minister, was a bargain that would unravel all earlier efforts to punish kleptocrats, corruptors and abusers of power.

When Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (picture) was made the Deputy Prime Minister, muted protests were mounted by the previously very principled supporters of Pakatan Harapan – the DAP, PKR and Amanah.

Some decided to be apologists, arguing what choice did the PH and Anwar had but to collaborate with Zahid and Umno if they were to thwart the threat of the green tide.

But they chose to ignore that it was not merely a simple collaboration but rather one which saw Zahid, then with 47 cases of financial wrongdoings, to the second highest post – maybe too high a price to pay merely to stem their greenish paranoia.

Tell-tale signs of how compromised the Government and its members were all over the wall, and yet apologists and leaders seemingly inebriated by power, possibly kratom powered, conveniently ignored them.

When Zahid’s cases were given the discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) by the court, on the request of the prosecution, despite a prima facie case being established prior, apologists and PH leaders continued to be evasive and defensive.

Instead, Anwar embarked on an anti-corruption campaign against former political adversaries and aided by a highly tainted corruption buster whose credibility was diminished by none other than the PH, Anwar and other leaders of the pact.

Again, the apologists and leaders of the Government ignored the fact that the self-proclaimed anti-corruption hero had appointed a man with 47 cases as his deputy, saw these cases dropped under his watch and then claimed to still be committed to combatting corruption by going after offences purportedly committed decades ago.

By any logic, if he was truly serious about curtailing corruption, he would not appoint those who were being investigated and he himself had accused of committing those crimes.

Surely it would have been easier to drop the tainted head of the corruption agency, whom his party had promised to punish before getting into power, and appoint someone else without baggage to mount the attack on corruptors.

The straw that broke the camel’s back was the partial pardon for Najib which was however not taken very well by his supporters who expected a full pardon.

A cryptic posting by one of Najib supporters that they were played out only fuelled speculations and suspicions that PH or at least Anwar, when seeking Umno’s support for him to be the PM, had included clemency for Najib and Zahid as part of the bargain.

Anwar’s reaction to the halving of Najib’s sentence that the latter deserve some sympathy for his contributions sparked outrage among some of his previously besotted supporters.

And of course, the comparison of an ordinary man stealing loose change and subjected to the full force of the law while Najib, who had only spent just over 10 percent of his sentence and had stolen millions and still facing charges of stealing billions, was accorded some clemency, partial or otherwise.

It further did not make sense for the partial pardon or for his pardon appeal to even be heard, when Najib is still attending trial over other cases.

All that is unfurling had indeed started people evaluating Anwar beyond his fiery speeches of fighting corruption and others are reminded of his posturing against corruption, nepotism and cronyism before he was sacked in 1998.

The Government then had displayed lists of purported cronies and acts of nepotism and as many if not more were with Anwar and his then lieutenant – who else but Ahmad Zahid.

Such power play of politicians accusing others of committing unsavoury acts while they themselves were actually doing likewise if not worse, are scattered all over the history of mankind.

Best-selling author Jeffrey Archer captured the essence best in his short story “Clean Sweep Ignatius” from the Twist in the Tale anthology. No doubt its fiction but there is something about art imitating life. (For those interested, Archer’s short story can be found online).

And PH leaders in the Government are viewed suspiciously of being complicit to Najib’s partial pardon as they chose not to make their position known it.

Only leaders outside, particularly those from the DAP – such as Tony Pua and Ong Kian Ming attempted to protest, loudly and sardonically, leading to Pua now being investigated for sedition.

Given their peripheral positions, their voice could not be taken as that of the DAP, when those in the position to weigh in against the Najib’s partial pardon had chosen to be silent or muttering insults to the intelligence and gibberish.

Amanah proved to be what it has always been suspected to be – a sidekick to provide some Islamic and Malay credentials to the multi-racial PH.

As for PKR, it has lost its plot and it seems their promises and commitments to reforms ended when Anwar was installed PM. But it is a tribute to Simon and Garfunkel though.

As wearily, the nation grasps the sound of silence. – pic credit: MEDIA MULIA

• Shamsul Akmar is an editor at The Malaysian Reserve.