By now, you’ve probably seen the headlines. Former Prime Minister Najib Razak has been granted a Discharge Not Amounting to Acquittal (DNAA) in his RM27 million SRC money-laundering case.
Yes, again. Another high-profile figure, another DNAA, another wave of public confusion and frustration. And Malaysians are once again left asking: Is our justice system working or just working for some? Let’s unpack what happened and why it matters so much to all of us.
The Game of Buck Passing: We’ve Seen This Before
Remember when Mahathir was asked why Anwar had a black eye while in police custody? His response was short: “Ask the IGP.”
Now, decades later, Anwar once the victim of that evasive answer gives us the same kind of reply: “Ask the AG.”
Different leader, same tactic. It’s like they were grown from the same durian tree thorny, sharp on the outside, and politically slippery within.
To date, no “big fish” has actually been convicted. Just a few unlucky ikan bilis caught for headlines. And we all know what’s coming next the blame game continues. First the IGP, now the AGC. Next? Likely the Chief Justice and judiciary.
Meanwhile, the rakyat are told about “recovering billions”, yet none of it seems to translate into real consequences. And while elites skate on technicalities, we're told SST must be raised to cover the holes. So we pay more, while the corrupted walk free.
If this isn't political theatre mixed with elite negotiations behind closed doors, then what is? Many now suspect Najib is slowly being walked out through the back door not through law, but through legal gymnastics aided by quiet alliances across party lines.
So, What Exactly Is a DNAA?
In legal terms, a DNAA (Discharge Not Amounting to Acquittal) means the accused is temporarily released from charges but may still be charged again in the future. That sounds fair in theory.
But let’s be honest: when the person walking free is a former Prime Minister accused of multi-billion ringgit scandals, it no longer feels like due process. It feels like a political escape hatch.
If a high-profile figure like Najib can be granted DNAA despite overwhelming public interest and international attention, what’s to stop any regular Ahmad, Muthu, or Kim Seng from demanding the same? Have we just created a backdoor legal precedent that the powerful can hit pause on justice?
Worse still, when questioned, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim simply said, “I’m not going to weigh in. This is a question for the Attorney-General.”
But didn’t you, Anwar, build your career on the promise to fight corruption?
Didn’t you tell us that a Madani government would be clean, transparent, and accountable?
If Najib’s case arguably the most iconic corruption scandal in our nation’s history doesn’t interest you anymore, then we must ask: Were your promises just campaign slogans?
You can’t campaign as a reformist and then sit silently while the AGC grants DNAA after DNAA to politically connected figures. And when a government department like the AGC repeatedly fails in such high-stakes cases, passing the buck is no longer acceptable.
If it’s incompetence, fire the AG.
If it’s not incompetence, then we’re left with a far more troubling question:
Is this calculated political convenience at play?
Either way, the rakyat aren’t fooled. This isn’t accountability. This is theatre and Anwar Ibrahim, whether he admits it or not, is now holding the script.
PM Anwar’s Response: “I Don’t Interfere”? That’s Not Leadership - That’s Evasion.
From the most solid case to a DNAA and under the so-called Madani era, we’ve seen more DNAA decisions than ever before. Anwar Ibrahim says he doesn’t interfere but let’s ask the real question:
The Attorney General’s Chambers reports to whom?
You are the Prime Minister of Malaysia. You’re not a bystander. This isn’t some minor local case it’s an international scandal involving billions and Malaysia’s global reputation.
You don’t need to micromanage prosecutions but you do have a duty to hold the AGC accountable for gross delays, mishandled evidence, and serial incompetence. If the AG’s Chambers keeps botching high-profile corruption cases, why aren’t you questioning their performance? Why aren't you reforming the system?
The rakyat are paying their salaries. And for what? DNAA after DNAA, no closure, no justice just endless technicalities and escape routes for the powerful.
If the AGC cannot deliver, maybe it’s time we stop treating it like a sacred cow. Dissolve it. Outsource prosecutions to credible, independent legal professionals with actual integrity and capability. We can no longer afford a system where "I don’t interfere" becomes the convenient excuse for “I won’t act.”
This isn’t about staying neutral it’s about being accountable. Anwar wasn’t handed the premiership overnight; he fought decades for it, promising reform, justice, and a new Malaysia. Now that he has the authority, silence and distance are not leadership they are a failure to act.
If high-profile corruption cases keep ending in delays, DNAA rulings, and unexplained withdrawals with no firm explanation, no reform to the system, and no sense of urgency then the public has every right to feel let down.
You can’t campaign on the promise of justice, then hide behind procedure when justice starts collapsing. Leadership demands ownership especially when the stakes are this high.
Let’s Talk Double Standards
Let’s be real. If a single mother steals a packet of Milo, she goes to jail.
If you’re caught with an expired road tax you pay up or face the music.
But if you’re connected and rich and accused of laundering millions, somehow, the process takes years. Then you get a “DNAA” and move on with your day.
What lesson does that send to the public?
That if you steal big and wait long enough, you might just get away?
This Isn’t New - But That’s the Problem
Najib isn’t new to courtrooms. His jail sentence for the first SRC case still stands, and the main 1MDB trial (involving billions) is ongoing.
But the pattern we’re seeing delays, DNAA rulings, and lack of closure is what eats away at the rakyat’s trust.
How many DNAA cases have we seen in the past few years? Zahid. Bung Mokhtar. Now Najib. All under different pretexts, yet all leading to the same outcome: no accountability.
What We, the Rakyat, Are Asking For
We’re not asking for vengeance. We’re not asking for witch hunts.
We’re asking for consistency in justice, efficiency in governance, and real reform, not rehearsed slogans. We want a system that works for all Malaysians, not just the well-connected. A government that doesn’t just say the right things, but does the hard things.
And yet we’re stuck.
Because in Malaysia today, incompetence is not just tolerated, it's promoted. We appoint underperformers to key institutions, then act surprised when cases crumble, evidence goes missing, or high-profile figures walk free. We reward failure with higher office and then call it loyalty.
Some say, “Blame Mahathir.” Sure, he engineered the architecture of single-race governance and cronyism. But he retired decades ago. Since then, we’ve had five prime ministers, including the current one who has been preaching reform since 1998. What excuse remains?
This is no longer about the past. It’s about those still benefiting from a broken system today. The elite are dripping in gold watches, designer labels, and overseas properties. Meanwhile, Mr Malaysian is stuck with stagnant wages, weak education, rising SST, and broken promises.
We don’t need more excuses. We need a government brave enough to break the cycle, not blame it. We need accountability, not another DNAA.
And above all we need leaders who remember that power is not a trophy it's a responsibility.
Final Thought: Time to Walk the Talk
Anwar came to power promising good governance, anti-corruption, and institutional reform. We’re not here to mock that we still want to believe in it.
But belief is wearing thin.
If leaders don’t show firm conviction to end the double standards, the system will keep failing not because it’s broken, but because it’s being conveniently slowed down when the stakes are high.
It’s not enough to say, “I didn’t interfere.”
You need to say: “This is unacceptable. Let’s fix it for the rakyat.”
Because if we keep letting DNAA become the norm, we might as well rename it: “Don’t Need Any Accountability.”
Annan Vaithegi (annanvaithegi@icloud.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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