For many, Rafizi Ramli is more than just the Member of the Parliament (MP) for Pandan. He’s a hero, and a whistle blower who is not afraid to stand up against corruption in our beloved country.
Below is the message that Rafizi personally prepared for the rakyat before he was sent to prison. Here’s what he wrote:
“You might recognise me. I am Rafizi Ramli, age 40. Just like you, I am a father, a husband and a son.”
“This morning (7th February 2018), judge Zamri Bakar delivered a guilty verdict in the long running BAFIA trial.”
“I was sentenced to 2.5 years prison sentence. Together with 1.5 years prison sentence in OSA case, I am now looking at 4 years in prison.”
“I was accused of disclosing confidential banking information of Dato’ Seri Shahrizat Jalil’s family members and a few companies owned by them.”
“I have 13 court cases currently running, but this is the first case that started it all.”
“It was also the first public scandal that I exposed: the infamous cow and condos story, which we all know by now. Much of the RM250 million public money meant for poor farmers were eventually used to buy expensive condominiums and finance other businesses.”
“It’s been 6 years and most of you would have forgotten it. Such is life – we move on.”
“But in every corruption scandal, some people can’t move on. Some people are stuck with the aftermath. They paid a heavy price when corruption was allowed to go on.”
“The contrast is for everyone to see – I didn’t take a single sen from the public, but it was me and a bank clerk who had to spend many hours in the dock.”
“None of the people involved in the scandal was ever prosecuted. In fact, Johari (the bank clerk) and I are the only ones ever prosecuted.”
“Worse, millions of Malaysians pay the price for the failure of NFC that went unpunished. The price of beef remains high and lately has become unaffordable for many Malaysian households.”
“The RM250 million was never fully recovered.”
“I have done my part. I don’t regret it a second. Life goes on, whatever is the outcome my family and I will make the best out of it. We are at peace because we have done our duty.”
“If you feel even a tinge of anger and disappointment that this has happened, it means you care. It means you hate what is happening. It means you can feel the injustice around you.”
“Do not let the feeling live only momentarily in you. Change around you begins with you.”
“I don’t need anyone’s pity, I made the choice myself. I need you to act on your feeling, so that we can change things together.”
“We need you to become volunteers. We need you to contribute to crowdfunding so that we can get more Malaysians to act on their conscience.”
“Just like I did when I decided to go after the NFC scandal. I acted on my conscience.”
“I prepared this video yesterday anticipating the worse, because I know Attorney General’s Chamber would ask for a hefty fine and prison sentence.”
“This morning, AGC had asked for a RM500,000 fine and a prison sentence. Luckily, the judge passed only a prison sentence because otherwise, I wouldn’t have the money to pay and would have to be taken to prison straight away.”
“So the fight must go on and I will see you soon.”
If you wish to contribute to Rafizi’s battle against corruption in our country, links for contribution are available on his Facebook page.
Here’s the video from Rafizi.
Also read: Yuna: “I Fell in Love with My Best Friend. But He Didn’t Chase Me.”