“Drastic changes come in after the coming into power of the power-hungry Datin Elinda and Dato Hairol”

Due to certain technical errors, the Brunei Gazette will now relocate here. Old posts can still be found at https://bruneigazette.wordpress.com

 

The Brunei Gazette had attempted to sit back and see how all unfolds and hoped to never had to address any further issues, but here we are again. In the last 4-5 months, there have been some interesting developments and events which seem rather drastic, and feel that it is high time to address.

What has caught the Gazette’s attention is of course the most recent changes in government, continued replacement of longstanding officials, and of course the dramatic events unfolding at the judiciary. Sitting back and observing, it seems that the events speak for itself. It is becoming much clearer how politicised everything really is.

Changes

The most shocking changes come with the departure of Dato Kifrawi, former Chief Justice and Datin Hayati, former Attorney General. These are interesting developments as the public understood it to be the end of contract for Dato Kifrawi, and it was no longer his intention to renew it.

And then with the Attorney General, some say she chose to retire… some say she made a slip up in dealing with the judicial duo’s case for pursuing it heavily, or rather too lightly.

That’s what you think….

Whatever the reasons, for these respectable people to come out of office, usually there would have to be somebody to advice that these two are ‘no good’ no more. It is interesting to see who have swooped into the seat, which seems rather convenient, and dangerous.

Dato Stephen Chong was replaced as Chief Justice, and Dato Hairol Arni is now Attorney General. Dato Hairol Arni is the husband of current ACB director and deputy PM to the PMO.

Risk of conflict is dangerously too high…

The Gazette has previously addressed the potential nature of conflict of interest regarding this issue months ago. Now it seems to hold even more true. Yes yes Brunei is too small, bla bla, but that is just a poor excuse. But think! BECAUSE Brunei is so small, all the MORE reason this country needs a proper check and balance system to ensure risk of conflict and further corruption is ACTUALLY more minimised.

The current nature of governmental positions allow for more room of conflict. The Gazette still finds it alarming and rather disturbing that:

• An anti corruption director also holds a post as a Deputy Minister

In majority of countries, an anti corruption body ought to be an independent body, separate from government and private organisations. This independence is highly crucial in tackling corruption, particularly governmental ones. How confident can we be that any abuse of power and corruption operating under the Deputy Prime Minister, or JPM, and other further governmental bodies be brought to light, if they too have power and resources to hide their own corruption in the first place?

As if that was not disturbing enough…. now we have:

• The husband of the ACB director as Attorney General, one of the most powerful legal positions in Brunei. The Attorney General is the principal legal adviser to the Government of HM.

The conflict of interest is now even more worrying! After all, corruption is about conflict of interest, right? How can Dato Hairol not compromise his duty as Attorney General, with his wife as anti-corruption director?

Why is it a problem?

It is rather convenient how this all played out on their behalf, don’t you all think? The only reason the Gazette thinks there is great danger is because both Dato and Datin have gained their positions not based on their merits at their job, but purely and solely through seeking the fall of many, many innocent people this year. People that both Dato and Datin had issues with. And the people they did not get along with did not necessarily mess up, but rather were accused or whispered to the higher power that they messed up. These include all the ministers, deputy ministers, perm secs, etc.

EXAMPLE 1: Datin Elinda is known to have deep vendetta quite everywhere, but deeply embedded in the AGC and ACB.

1. After a long and acrimonious feud with her former boss, Ms Irene Appaduray, at a private law firm (involving physical throwing of folders and other violent things), she applied to become a legal officer at the AGC, but was flatly rejected by Dato Kifrawi because she sought to apply straight for a high post.

She was then in the ACB, but Dato Juanda (former ACB director) fired Datin Elinda for her poor work attitude, arrogance and violent character at work and was placed at the Home Affairs. Apparently she grew extremely resentful, and have come back with revenge, alleging claims of abuse of power but largely unfounded. Conveniently, Dato Juanda and Dato Kifrawi is out with her coming into power in November. Coincidentally, the Solicitor General Yusri and Head of Criminal Justice Division DPP Aldila were also removed so suddenly.

Datin’s violent character had also extended to their household. There was also alarming information from her own insiders that she had physically abused her domestic maid and quickly sent her back before the police could do anything. Now if these claims were true, how have we let such a character lead our country?

EXAMPLE 2: Dato Hairol similarly were known to not get along with Hj Nabil and Ramzidah (judicial officers accused of embezzling court funds) as they were known not to be easily manipulated, and refused to cooperate to remove Dato Kifrawi from office. He also has sought to pinpoint the blame on Dato Kifrawi and Datin Hayati for the downfall of the judicial duo and the discrepancies that he claims to have arisen. And conveniently, he is now Attorney General.

There is disturbing information that evidence and documents have been manipulated and tweaked by this new couple. Now these may just be claims, but how do we ever find out if it is true? She is in charge of corruption investigations, and he is now in charge of prosecutions. Quite conveniently, and at such position we will never know. If true, this is quite damaging.

How can we be sure that these new duo will fulfill their duty without their personal vendetta and personal conflict be involved?

Now, acting as whistle-blowers are of course good. The Gazette does not doubt that many of the public would see the drastic changes as a job well done on behalf of Datin and Dato.  After all, Dato landed his current position through his role as the whistle-blower in the judicial duo case and was rewarded for his great effort in doing so.

But the problem lies here: these two are wrought with political feuds. They prove their efficiency in their jobs MERELY by pointing blame to others. While they claim others for abusing power, how can Brunei ensure that any allegations of abuse of power, or any corrupt behaviour done by THEM, will not be hidden? They have every power in their hands now to manipulate situations to their favour. Now that they have the corruption department under their belt, and now the law, how can Brunei ever look into their behaviour in the past/present/future regarding their abuse of power? Not to mention, the family has a stake in Shell and bro-in-law is Minister of Energy (oil control!) too.

Whose to say that their presentation of evidence and information relayed to His Majesty is absolutely the truth, and not actually advancing their own (and their family) interests?