Thai anti-corruption body begins investigation of Thaksin Shinawatra

The appointment of Thaksin could be embarrassing for Anwar

Diplomacy can sometimes be very tricky Facebook: Anwar Ibrahim.

Just hours after Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that Thaksin Shinawatra would be his personal advisor on ASEAN, Thailand's National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) announced the formation of a special committee to investigate accusations that several government officials facilitated a scheme for Thaksin, to feign serious illness, enabling him to reside at the Police Hospital rather than in a conventional prison. This scrutiny comes amidst broader concerns about potential abuses of power and misconduct by officials.

Thaksin, a billionaire and believably the prime influenced behind Pheu Thai, who has long been a contentious political figure in Thailand, remained at the Police Hospital for an extended period, ostensibly due to critical health issues, following his return from 17 years in self-imposed exile.

Thaksin’s hospital stay coincided with political manoeuvres that many critics allege were orchestrated from his hospital ward, involving significant decisions such as the realignment of Thailand’s ruling coalition and the appointment of Srettha Thavisin as prime minister.

The NACC's newly-formed panel will call on several key individuals for questioning, including senior officials from the Corrections Department, the Bangkok Remand Prison, and key medical staff at the Police Hospital.

These officials are accused of bending rules to ensure Thaksin's comfortable stay, rather than enforcing the standard procedure that would have landed him in a regular prison setting to serve a reduced one-year sentence out of an initial eight-year term.

Appointment of Musa Aman as Sabah Governor

This comes at the same time when Malaysian’s are questioning today’s appointment of Musa Aman as the Governor of Sabah. Musa Aman faced 46 charges of corruption and money laundering linked to timber concessions. However, all charges were withdrawn in June 2020 following a court request by the prosecution.

This has led to netcitizens criticizing the Madani government over appointments of people who had corruption allegations, charges, and prosecution directed dismissals of their respective trials. Anwar’s calls to fight corruption are just hallow words.

Secondly, netcitizens are claiming that Anwar is now under the influence of UMNO, which by defacto are the dominant party within the coalition. Salim Fateh Din, an UMNO appointee, was given another two years at the helm of the MCMC, which has cracked down on free speech in Malaysia over the last two years.

X poll indicates Musa Aman’s appointment as Governor not popular.

Thaksin Shinawatra’s appointment is just one more example of tainted appointments. The current Thai government led by his daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra is on some shaky ground as prime minister. If things turn around politically in Thailand, as they often do, then the appointment of Thaksin could be embarrassing.

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