THE LONGSTANDING POWERFUL BRUNEI MINISTERS, TOP GOVT OFFICIALS AND JUDICIAL OFFICERS FRAMED BY THE NEWLY POWERFUL THE ACB = THE ANTI CORRUPTION BUREAU OR ABSOLUTELY CORRUPTED BUREAU?

Thanks for joining me!

As all of you might think, in light of recent political events across the country, bravo Brunei! Brunei yakin…. but really how yakin/confident are we? Can we truly be confident that the people who are serving us are really doing it in our best interests and not for their own? It seems to me that we’ve been taking everything at face value – how much of what we know is true? All we ‘know’ is based on hearsay, gossip, social media platforms and online forums.

While most of us would praise the success of the “downfall” of the longstanding top govt officials, how incredibly sure are we that the very people bringing these other people down are better? What if they are just similar or worse?

I have watched these “progresses” and as much as I want to support a fair and “transparent” government, I am not sure that this is what’s truly happening. We are just watching power plays. If you think people in power now truly care about us as citizens, then think again. The political scene at present corresponds with the time where Brunei is facing most problems.

While we are all busy focused on those being toppled over, we miss out on the finer details of those in power now.

Appointment of Datin Elinda bte CAM in Nov 2017 comes at the beginning of the downfall of many. The downfall of:

• Dato Juanda (previous director of ACB)
• Dr Zul as MOH
• “Surprise” cabinet reshuffles of
  • Pehin Lim (MoFAT)
  • Pehin Yasmin (Ministry of Energy and Industry)
  • Pehin Rahman Ibrahim (2^nd MoF)
• Two Judicial Officers
  • Hj Nabil Daraina
  • Ramzidah bte Pehin Rahman
• Dato Hamdan (ex Deputy Minister at PMO)

So far, looks good right? Must feel good to topple so many people all of a sudden, with very limited time and resource as Director of ACB! Sources from inside the ACB themselves have revealed that our Dear Datin has a list of people she is going after.

Whilst she is busy bringing down everyone else, here’s what’s happening in the background

• Her brother in law, Dato Mat Suny is suddenly Minister of Energy and Industry (conflicts with Pehin Yasmin)

• Her old roommate in the UK and long term confidante Hj Rosli Hj Ibrahim was also promoted to Perm Secretary Law and Welfare at the PMO (advancing her own interests to her as Deputy Minister of PMO)

• Hj Rosli’s wife, Hjh Norehsan was also promoted the same night

• Datin Elinda’s husband, Dato Hairol Arni is the High Court Judge of the Supreme Court (conflicts with the recent scandal of the two judicial officers)

• Dato Hairol’s fellow colleague, Pg Datin Hjh Rostaina bte Pg Hj Duraman (senior registrar of the court, who is also in the judiciary) – her husband Pg Sazali bin Pg Hj Yakob was also conveniently recently promoted in February 2018 to become Head of Internal Security

The top officials especially the ministers have long served the country. They were HM’s dearest and most trusted men for a very long time. And things were good in Brunei for a long time for a reason! Not only that these are ministers who have long served the country – but is it not suspicious that the positions that are being compromised are conveniently the very powerful and resourceful one?

• Ministry of Energy – control over oil
• Ministry of Finance – control over $
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs – control over foreign policies, treaties and relations
• Ministry of Health – control over free health policies
• Judiciary/Legal System – control over the law
• Head of Internal Security (KDN) – control over internal affairs

It is definitely suspicious that the building of this ‘new’ government all links to our fellow Datin. Just because she has taken down so many ‘corrupt’ officials, does not mean that she is clean. There are clear conflicts of interests which demonstrate that she cannot be the right and impartial person to be conducting these investigations. As such, she needs to be subjected to scrutiny by HM and subjected to investigations herself.

It is also interesting to see that a position of power such as Deputy Minister of the PMO has also the same power to be Director of ACB. Do people not see the conflict in that? Anti corruption bureaus, especially in foreign countries, tend to be separate from governments. This position should be free from direct interests in the government, otherwise how confident are we that corruption under this wing is not revealed?

Sources inside the ACB have also revealed disturbing circumstances. Most of these officials have been investigated and searched and a number of problems arise with the entire process. These investigations are done without due process and absolutely no fairness. The workers at ACB themselves tip off the information they work on (which is a criminal offence in itself!). The ACB is not without their own faults. What they are doing is illegal.

It is no coincidence that the people Datin has taken down are the very people she has a potential or past power struggle with. Who can we trust then? Because all of us want one thing and one thing only, no matter how much we can deny it: POWER.

Now, I believe in taking down the corrupt but I also believe in fairness and due process. The people who have been dismissed have been done so overnight, without proper allegations and procedures. Proper investigations are normally dealt with following due procedures, due rights and in due time to ensure allegations against top officials or even normal civil servants are dealt with in a fair and proper manner. Obviously, this was not the case. It is highly unlikely that this was not pre-planned. As you all know, politics is always at play.

All of us do not value each other as citizens, as people who have rights and liberties. I am not for those who have been taken down, because I am not for those who are corrupt. But like I said, I believe in fairness, and at present – there seems to be none, especially with the way the investigations are being dealt with. If left to its own device, I am 100% sure another scandal will erupt around this issue if we do not address this ASAP. All of us as citizens of Brunei must realise, these people are not there to serve the country and the people – they are only serving THEIR own interests no matter what they say. Save Brunei ASAP.