New MACC chief Lateefa, in a public address, appeared to imply that mega crook Taib Mahmud is under investigation by her Agency. If so not before time, up to forty years time.

But if that implication is accurate it means more than just the head of Taib.  Sarawak is rotten with corrupt politicians and officials and it is past time that this boil on the body public is lanced and the Sarawak prison service given more work. A lot more work.

It is perhaps not a coincidence that along with these potential developments the Sarawak Chief Minister has begun to speak publicly about a possible exit of Sarawak from Malaysia. That would enable the decades of mega crime to continue to be ignored and covered up. Such a move might also be represented as positive given the rich oil reserves recently discovered; not to mention the last remaining patches of primary forest which arch villain Taib has “granted” to his son Abu Bekir on very questionable terms.

What both Kuching and Kuala Lumpur may be overlooking is that a Sarawak independent of Malaysia would be in exactly the same position of danger from outside aggression as it was when the British rescued it, and Malaysia, during Confrontation. It would be foolish to think that Jakarta respects ancient colonial boundaries, especially on an island of which it owns most and has, in the past, coveted. A rich prize indeed and the snatching of which from its new “independent” government could take no more than days.

Food for thought in Kuala Lumpur as well as in Kuching.