Parallels in Trust and Accountability – From Parliament to Local Governance

 

                                                  click on the image above for a clearer view.

Recent political developments in Malaysia, highlighted by a controversy involving Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and PN chief Muhyiddin Yassin, bear striking similarities to issues of trust and oversight in local governance, such as the case of the Kota Kinabalu mayor and the chairman of Lembaga Juruukur Sabah (LJS). Both instances underscore the risks of relying on unverified information and the subsequent demand for accountability.

In the parliamentary debate on August 7, 2025, as reported by Malaysia Gazette, Anwar accused Muhyiddin of supporting fuel subsidies for foreigners, a claim Muhyiddin vehemently denied, demanding an apology and evidence. A Malaysiakini check found no record of such a statement, suggesting Anwar may have misjudged his advisors’ input, potentially damaging his credibility. This echoes the KK mayor’s situation, where trust in the director general—without direct consultation—led to missteps, as raised by me in my email to LJS. My concerns about discrepancies in as-built survey plans for Taman Puncak Vistana, Iramanis, and the lack of response from LJS, mirror the parliamentary oversight failure, with both leaders facing scrutiny for not verifying critical details.

My email to LJS, dated August 2025, highlights specific anomalies—height discrepancies, development plan approvals, and unreflected drainage changes—that went unaddressed despite follow-ups. Similarly, Anwar’s reliance on unverified claims in Parliament, without due diligence, has fueled calls for disciplinary action, though both cases suggest limited consequences due to procedural hurdles (e.g., speaker approval for Anwar, bureaucratic inertia for LJS).

The @sabojeklaa tweet critiques Anwar’s blind faith in advisors, linking it to Malaysia’s governance challenges, where 68% of scandals since 2018 involved miscommunication (University of Malaya, 2023). This pattern extends to local levels, where the KK mayor and LJS chairman’s inaction on my evidence-based concerns reflect a broader need for rigorous verification. Both scenarios underscore a critical lesson: unchecked trust in subordinates can lead to public distrust and calls for accountability, whether in the Dewan Rakyat or municipal offices.

Here is the Tweet 0n 7^th August 2025 I commented on:

iGuanaa/= @sabojeklaa

Why isn’t PMX questioning the people feeding him info? It’s basic due diligence. Go check your penasihat semua tu. Putting blind faith in those around you is a recipe for disaster.

Luqman Michel @luqmanmichel

The same question applies to the mayor of Kota Kinabalu and the Chairman of Lembaga Juruukur Sabah.

They accepted what the Director General of DBKK informed them and now don't know how to respond to my questions at LINK

In conclusion, the Anwar-Muhyiddin clash and the KK-LJS saga reveal a shared vulnerability to unverified information, urging leaders at all levels to prioritize due diligence to restore public confidence.