KUALA LUMPUR--While the recent controversy over former Attorney-General Tommy Thomas makes mention of executive pressure on the judiciary, several key cases were left out according to critics.

Notably PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man has accused former attorney-general Tommy Thomas of engaging in a cover-up in his tell-all memoir. 

However in this whirlwind of claims and counter-claims, it seems former Sabah Chief Minister Shafie Apdal has slipped through the cracks, despite questions over the infamous Sabah Water Scandal  and famous Yellow tanks contractor Dr. Rajiv Bhanot.

Of course it would be easy to make the claim that Shafie got “a get out of jail free” pass despite his apparent connection to the case, and it would seem that this was done by Pakatan Harapan to secure its interests in Sabah state.

Take this excerpt from a report by Focus Malaysia.

Clearly this means the man has yet to shed his Umno ways.

He has an uninspiring track record, too. Shafie was investigated in 2017 over allegedly abusing RM1.5 bil meant for rural development projects. He purportedly siphoned the money when he was rural and regional development minister between 2009 and 2015.

Back then he was remanded for eight days and released on bail on Oct 27, 2017. But he was cleared of the charges on Aug 28, 2018, after PH won the general election in May the same year.

And his tenure as rural and regional development minister deserves more scrutiny. The second series of the 2013 Auditor-General’s Report, for instance, flagged a number of rural water supply projects in Sarawak.

Initially, a total of RM2.4 bil was allocated for 314 of such projects but only 115 or 36.6% were completed at a cost of RM1.43 bil.

Of the 314 projects, 69 required the construction of water treatment plants and connection of major water pipes worth RM1.71 bil.

The A-G only audited 13 of the 69 projects, but it found several weaknesses including preliminary studies that were not comprehensive enough, the quality of the construction work was not satisfactory with visible leaks on the water tanks, and four out of the 13 failed to be completed after being given a few extensions and only two were completed ahead of time.

Also, the audited projects cost less than the amount allocated with RM388.03 mil spent instead of the projected RM463.4 mil.

People close to him have also been charged by the MACC. One of his generals, Peter Anthony, has been charged with multiple rounds of corruption and abuse of power.”<<

Ahead of the expected 15th General Elections, will we see another move to revive this case since the omission of mentioning it is certainly suspicious if not telling of how neither Pakatan or its alternatives whether Perikatan Nasional or Barisan Nasional will deliver justice where its due.