Same Script, Different Actors

 

From the time the scandal broke in mid-2014 until the 14th general election in 2018, the well-rehearsed mantra was “1MDB is a conspiracy to overthrow the democratically elected government led by Najib Abdul Razak”. 

Recently, a similar conspiracy emerged. The police announced that the wife of a former minister is under investigation following a report alleging that she was plotting to topple the government and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. (Is toppling an elected government, treason? Then how about the “Sheraton” move?) 

But Na’imah Abdul Khalid, the wife of the late former finance minister Daim Zainuddin,  dismissed the claim of being involved in any form of effort to topple the government.

 

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org

For many, this claim and the side-shows provided a welcome relief from the serious business of corporate mafia, kuil haram (illegal temples), etc, which had been making the headlines. 

The conspiracy theory is a political chameleon, adapting its colours to suit the landscape of the moment. Once deployed to shield Najib from the 1MDB scandal, it now resurfaces to deflect attention from scandals facing the PMX administration. The parallels are unmistakable. Then, as now, foreign actors are cast as the villains. Then, as now, the machinery of law enforcement is mobilised to investigate those who dare to challenge the status quo. Then, as now, the timing is impeccable - and the impression of the masses is that these circumstances are designed to change the conversation when it becomes uncomfortable. 

But the public is not naive. We have seen this script before. We have watched it unravel. And we recognise that when the dust settles, the protagonists of these manufactured crises often fade away. The question is not whether Na'imah conspired with foreign agents or just spoke with public relations personnel, which remains a matter for proper investigation. The question is why, time and again, conspiracy theories become the default refuge of those in power. Until we break free from this cycle of manufactured narratives, we remain prisoners of our own political dysfunction - forever chasing shadows while the real issues fester in the dark. 

If PMX is brave, have a RCI for all corrupt practices since 1998 (after his arrest) and establish where and when we can have our stolen loot back. Ask the former AG – Tommy Thomas to head it. How about that? 

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Comment: Same script, different actors, endless distractions, R Nadeswaran, Malaysiakini, 1 March 2026