THE CONSISTENCY CRISIS IN THE MADANI GOVERNMENT: CORRUPTION, CRONYISM, NEPOTISM AND THE PROMISE OF REFORM

THE CONSISTENCY CRISIS IN THE MADANI GOVERNMENT: CORRUPTION, CRONYISM AND NEPOTISM (CCN) AND THE PROMISE OF REFORM

By: Khairul Faizi bin Ahmad Kamil

When the concept of Malaysia Madani was introduced, it was welcomed by many Malaysians as a new beacon of hope. It was framed as a post-reformist narrative; an administration rooted in the values of integrity, social justice, and good governance. This was particularly significant as the Tenth Prime Minister of Malaysia (PMX) was widely known for his longstanding political promises, which have now become the subject of satire and repetition on social media. However, when the current government born out of the reformist movement led by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) begins to repeat the very practices it once criticised, the people have every right to ask: Where is the moral consistency and the principle of struggle that Pakatan Harapan (PH) once stood for?

The Issue of Political Appointments and Moral Conflict

At the recent PKR National Congress in Johor Bahru, PMX who is also the President of PKR stated that political appointments are justified as “appropriate rewards” for those who have contributed to the party. This statement was deeply disappointing and underscored a crucial point: the much-lauded reform movement has now degenerated into hollow rhetoric, to the extent that hashtags such as #ReforBasi and #ReformasiTelahMati ("Reform is Dead") are now trending.

The Prime Minister’s statement has also sparked moral confusion and discomfort. Are positions in public institutions and government-linked companies (GLCs) now simply political rewards, with no regard for merit or professionalism? Was the reform movement merely rhetorical when confronted with the reality of power? This sentiment was sarcastically echoed by UMNO Youth Chief, Dato’ Dr Akmal Salleh who reminded PMX that what they once criticised in Barisan Nasional (BN) is now being openly practised and justified by PH.

PKR Forgets Easily: From UMNOPutera to PKRPutera

Since 1998, the reform movement emerged as a response to the rampant cronyism, nepotism, and abuse of power. Yet now, over two decades later, the very leaders who once cried out for reform appear to have reverted to the same patterns of politics, only with different faces. Where once the term “UMNOPutera” was used to criticise elitism and insider politics, a new term “PKRPutera” has emerged; a biting analogy suggesting that post-reform governance merely swapped costumes without changing the script.

From Reform to Patronage

Political appointments based on “service” and “sacrifice” reinforce a culture of patronage, a system of political rewards where influence and positions are granted based on loyalty rather than competence. In such a system, professionalism is sidelined, and meritocracy is sacrificed for party interests and internal power networks.

The key question: Must every political sacrifice be rewarded with a public office? If so, what about the ordinary citizens who work quietly and diligently, yet are more qualified to fill critical positions in government agencies or GLCs? When public appointments are reduced to political tokens, it undermines administrative integrity and reveals that reform is no longer a national mission but merely a tool for power.

Before coming to power, PH fiercely criticised the BN government for practising cronyism and nepotism in GLC appointments, turning such positions into political rewards and contributing to leakage and inefficiency due to unqualified appointees. Today, especially after PH formed a coalition with UMNO/BN, PH leaders now defend the same practices in the name of “rewarding sacrifices,” thereby betraying principles and eroding public trust.

Conclusion

Reform is not merely a slogan. It should represent a moral and political commitment to deliver the promised change. PMX has clearly failed to remain consistent with what he once fought for. Not only has he failed to fulfil his promises, PMX and PH now appear indistinguishable from the very party they once opposed. As long as the culture of political rewards remains the foundation for appointments, reform will continue to be a deceptive illusion that manipulates public hope.

Malaysians today are no longer passive. They demand moral consistency, not just eloquence in speeches. The public is not against all political appointments, but they reject non-transparent and unfair practices masked behind slogans.

KFAK, 15 June 2025