From January To December: Here's A Look Back At Top Political Stories In Malaysia In 2022
The political climate and developments of Malaysia in 2022 were wild to say the very least.
January:
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Dr M: I Could Have Said Lion Dance Instead Of Chopsticks & It Will Still Be A Problem
Following his controversial remark about the Malaysian Chinese "eating with chopsticks" could be seen as a national failure of forming a unified identity, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had on 5 January doubled down on his statement, saying he could have used the lion dance as an example and the angry reaction among Malaysians would still be there.
You can read more about it here.
Embattled MACC Chief Says He Won't Resign As Only Agong Can Decide His Fate
On 11 January, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, who was accused of impropriety for owning a substantial number of shares in a publicly listed company at the time, said he would not resign as only the Agong could decide his fate.
Azam's statement did not sit well with many critics and Malaysians alike. But he had strong support from MACC's top leaders to keep his position at the anti-graft agency.
You can read more about it here.
[VIDEO] Zuraida Claims Orangutans Are More Likely To Kill Humans Than The Other Way Round
On 5 January, then plantation industries and commodities minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said the palm oil industry in Malaysia was not harmful to the orangutan population and it's the orangutans who were more likely to kill humans than the other way round.
Her statement was widely circulated on the third week of the month, flabbergasting many Malaysians that a minister would make such a statement at a public event.
You can read more about it here.
Johor Sultan Consents To The Dissolution Of State Assembly To Allow Elections
On 22 January, the Sultan of Johor consented for the state assembly to be immediately dissolved to make way for the state election.
The Johor state election was held on 12 March, with Barisan Nasional (BN) forming the state government.
You can read more about it here.
February:
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Video Shows VIP Escort Trying To Stop Traffic & Resulting In Accident Involving 2 Cars
After the incident of then prime minister (PM) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob's VIP convoy being given priority over an ambulance, a new video surfaced in early February showing a VIP convoy passing through an accident scene that was caused by them.
Later in March, Ismail Sabri's VIP convoy stopped an ambulance again in Johor Bahru, Johor. At the time, many Malaysians were calling the government to end the VIP culture in the country.
You can read more about it here.
Deputy KPWKM Minister Advises Husbands To Use 'Gentle But Firm Touch' To Reprimand Wives
On 11 February, then deputy Women, Family, and Community Development (KPWKM) minister Datuk Hajah Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff told Malaysian husbands to use a "gentle but firm physical touch" to reprimand their stubborn wives.
She also said husbands could sleep in a different room for three days if their wives did not listen to their advice to cover their aurat.
Her advice was met with much criticism from then members of parliaments (MPs), such as Maria Chin Abdullah and Nurul Izzah Anwar.
You can read more about it here.
March:
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[VIDEO] Johor BN Chief Says Singapore Would Be More Developed If It Was Led By UMNO
During an interview on 9 March, Johor BN chief Datuk Hasni Mohammad said he believes that Singapore would be more developed if UMNO led it.
Hasni's comment comes after PAS vice-president Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said Singapore is more developed because UMNO did not lead the country.
Read more about it here.
Najib Says People Miss Him As Prime Minister After BN's Landslide Victory In Johor
After BN won the Johor state election with a landslide margin on 12 March, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who was yet to be jailed, said Malaysians missed him as PM.
"Although I have not conducted a survey, I assume this (warm embrace) is because they reminisce about my time as prime minister and my policies," he said during live streaming of the Johor result.
You can read more about it here.
FBI Agent Testifies In US Court That Najib Received RM3.18 Billion From 1MDB Stolen Funds
On 14 March, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent testified in a US court that Najib received USD756 million (about RM3.18 billion) from 1MDB.
Other than Najib, Agent Eric Van Dorn also told the jury that fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, stole USD1.42 billion (about RM5.97 billion) of 1MDB funds.
The agent made the revelation during a trial against former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng.
You can read more about it here.
April:
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Malaysian MPs Score 'A-' For Their Attendance In Parliament
In early April, data from MyMP revealed that MPs attended 54.5 out of the total 71 days of Dewan Rakyat sittings on average.
Pakatan Harapan (PH) MPs scored an above-average attendance of 63.1 days (88.9%), while MPs on the government bench scored an average attendance of 52 days (73.1%).
Below are top-brass political leaders with a low attendance rate:
1. Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin: 17 days
2. Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal: 20 days
3. PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang: 21 days
4. Then PSB member Datuk Masir Kujat: 26 days
5. Pejuang chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad: 26 days
6. MIC deputy president Datuk Seri M Saravanan: 27 days
You can read more about it here.
[VIDEO] Rina Harun Slammed Again For Having 'Photo Op' With Child Abuse Victim Bella
After she was criticised for repeatedly posing for photos in front of the media in 2021, then women, family, and community development minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun was in hot water again on 17 April for turning her visit to child abuse victim Bella into a 'photo op'.
A 45-second video that went viral showed that camera lights kept flashing at Bella, and it appeared that she was uncomfortable with a big group of people surrounding her.
You can read more about it here.
May:
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Bersatu Rep Wishes Najib 'Happy New Marriage' After Photo Of Him With A Woman Goes Viral
On 18 May, a photo of a woman locking Najib's arm went viral. The photo shows four other individuals who were believed to be the woman's children.
Very quickly, many netizens suspected that the people in the photos were Najib's new family.
Two days later, Najib refused to comment about the photo when questioned by reporters.
You can read more about it here.
Adham Baba Admits There Were 'Irregularities' In Procurement When He Was Health Minister
In late May, Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba admitted that there were 'irregularities' in procurement when he was health minister.
According to him, there were many procurement processes that did not go through the usual procedures. There was also confusion while carrying out the procurement matters.
"We used emergency procurement due to the urgent need for many things to be done quickly. There were some orders that required us to make a deposit payment, which did not go through the usual processes," Adham Baba was reported as saying.
You can read more about it here.
June:
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UMNO MPs Supported Anwar To Be PM & 6 More Things Tajuddin Reveals At Tell-All Press Con
When Datuk Seri Tajuddin Abdul Rahman was removed from the UMNO Supreme Council in June, he held a tell-all press conference to unveil many secrets within the party.
He claimed that some UMNO members supported Anwar to become the next PM, while some party members tried to topple Zahid from the party president's post.
You can read the full revelations in our listcle here.
Najib 'Debuts' As An Actor To Play His Late Father In A Drama Series Set In The 60s
In late June, news emerged that Najib appeared as a cameo in a drama series, titled Tunjang, to play his late father, Malaysia's second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein.
"A new experience for me. It's a sweet experience, too, because this is my first time (acting)," he said in a video interview.
"Not only was I able to portray a different character other than myself, but the message I conveyed was also very meaningful."
You can read more about it here.
July:
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Hadi: M'sians Pushing For English Are Still Stuck With Former Colonisers Who Enslaved Them
On 2 July, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said people who use the language of their colonisers have "weak souls" because they do not defend their national language.
"Those who speak in the language of the former colonisers are the leaders whose countries are called 'developing countries'," he said.
"This is because of how weak their souls are, even though they have achieved independence and were the loudest to chant 'merdeka' and wave the national flag. Weak are the souls of their people because they do not defend their mother tongue."
You can read more about it here.
M'sians Appalled By UMNO Leaders Who Joked About Child Marriage & Sex With Minors
An old video of a state legislative assembly sitting in 2018 resurfaced in July, showing Pahang state executive council (exco) members, Datuk Seri Syed Ibrahim Syed Ahmad and Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsudin, making jokes about child marriage and sex with minors.
Syed Ibrahim was recorded in the Hansard laughing as he said when an 11-year-old girl gets the necessary approval to get married, she prevents herself from having sex outside wedlock and the need to use a "condominium", which is a wordplay of the word 'condom'.
When DAP's Ketari assemblyperson Young Syefura Othman said that girls at the tender age of 11 are not fit to get married as they are still "bermain-main" (playing) and watching cartoons, Syed Ibrahim responded by laughing and noting, "Bermain-main tu lah (Yes, that kind of playing)."
His response can be seen as if he was downplaying the issue of a child having sex as the word "main" in Bahasa Melayu can mean sexual intercourse as well.
You can read more about it here.
August:
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"All We Can Do Now Is Pray" – Kedah MB Tells Baling Flood Victims To Accept Their Fate
On 3 August, Kedah Menteri Besar (MB) Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor called on flood victims in a district in his state to accept their fate with an open heart and be grateful for the other blessings granted to them.
He made the statement after three people were killed in the state during the floods in July.
"Besides giving our level best in helping the flood victims to get back to their usual lives, we can only advise them to accept it (the incident) as fate and always be grateful for blessings granted by Allah to them in other sectors," he said as he smirked at the end.
You can read more about it here.
Government Reveals The Official Reason Why 'Thor: Love and Thunder' Was Banned In Malaysia
On 10 August, then deputy communications and multimedia minister Zahidi Zainul Abidin confirmed that Thor: Love and Thunder was banned because of LGBT elements.
"Lately, there was a movie that failed to pass our censorship (board), and that was the latest Thor movie," he said in the Dewan Negara.
"(It was banned) because it mentioned LGBT but we see right now there are many films with LGBT elements that slip past the censorship."
You can read more about it here.
Najib To Go To Jail After Federal Court Upholds His Guilty Verdict
On 23 August, the Federal Court dismissed convicted Najib's final appeal to overturn his corruption conviction and 12-year jail sentence linked to a former subsidiary of 1MDB.
The Federal Court ruled that it is satisfied with the prime facie case found by the SRC trial judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali.
The decision meant that Najib was set to begin serving his 12-year jail term immediately.
The court was led by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat. You can learn more about her here.
Meanwhile, read about the jailing of Najib here.
12 M'sian Politicians Who Have Been Imprisoned Or Detained. Here's A Look Back At History
In light of Najib's jailing, SAYS curated a list of 12 politicians who have been jailed or detained.
One of them, Mokhtar Hashim, was involved in a murder and he was sentenced to death. However, he received a royal pardon for the offence.
You can read more about it here.
September:
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Rosmah Sentenced To 10 Years In Jail & RM970 Million Fine For Bribery
On the first day of September, the Kuala Lumpur High Court sentenced Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor to 10 years in prison and fined her RM970 million for bribery.
The wife of convicted criminal Najib was found guilty on all three counts of graft in her RM1.25 billion solar hybrid graft trial involving 369 rural schools in Sarawak.
Rosmah said that they "might as well kill me" when the prosecution objected to the defence's plea to sentence her to only one day in jail.
You can read more about it here.
Zahid Hamidi Freed Of All Bribery Charges
On 23 September, the Shah Alam High Court freed UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi of all 40 charges of receiving bribes from a company to extend its foreign visa system (VLN) contract.
High Court judge Datuk Yazid Mustafa ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the former deputy prime minister, adding that witnesses who testified against Zahid were not credible and that the testimony provided was not trustworthy and could not be relied on.
You can read more about it here.
Jamal Yunos Slammed For Asking RM600K From Public While His Son Leads A Lavish Lifestyle
In late September, UMNO leader Datuk Seri Jamal Yunos was slammed for trying to raise RM600,000 to pay for damages and legal fees while his son is known for flaunting his wealth on Instagram.
He failed to defend two separate defamation cases filed by then Opposition MPs Maria Chin in 2016 and Teresa Kok in 2017.
This led a group to launch a 'Solidarity Fund to Save Jamal' donation campaign.
It aimed to raise RM600,000 for the controversial UMNO man. However, netizens were quick to question the donation drive as his son, Muhammad Amin Danial Jamal, is known for flaunting his father's wealth on Instagram.
You can read more about it here.
October:
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Here Are 11 Highlights From #Budget2023 & How They May Benefit You
On 7 October, then finance minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz revealed the Supply Bill 2023.
The budget was filled with many cash handouts, something that critics called a budget for the General Election (GE).
With the change of the government following GE15, the budget tabled by Tengku Zafrul will no longer be used. A new budget under PM Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will be tabled in parliament on 24 February 2024.
You can read about some of the highlights of the now-defunct budget here.
Ismail Sabri Announces Dissolution Of Parliament, Paving The Way For GE15
On 10 October, three days after the announcement of the budget, then PM Ismail Sabri announced the dissolution of parliament.
Following that, the Election Commission (EC) announced 19 November as the polling day for GE15.
You can read more about it here.
Zahid Hamidi Warns More BN Politicians Will Face Corruption Charges If Party Loses GE15
In the lead-up to GE15, one of the most shocking statements by a politician came from UMNO president Zahid.
He said Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition politicians would face a fate far worse than GE14 if BN loses GE15.
Zahid then cautioned Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, MIC president Tan Sri Vigneswaran Sanasee, MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, and Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein to be prepared for the election, suggesting that all of them would be charged in court if BN loses.
You can read more about it here.
November:
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Muhyiddin Claims Jews & Christians Are Working Together With PH To "Christianise" Malaysia
Perikatan Nasional's (PN) Muhyiddin Yassin made arguably the most controversial statement during the campaign period of GE15.
On 16 November, he accused PH of being an "agent of Jews and Christians" who were out to colonise Malaysia.
"To me, this is dangerous. Does it mean there will be a 'Christianisation' process? We have heard stories before, haven't we? In Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya, there are Malays attending Church on Sundays. They have become Christians," he said during PN's mega ceramah in Parit Jawa, Johor.
You can read more about it here.
GE15 Results In Hung Parliament
On 20 November, a day after polling day, many Malaysians waited until at least 3am in the middle of the night for the GE15 results. No single party or coalition had won enough seats to form the new government.
Several prominent politicians who lost in the election included PKR's Nurul Izzah Anwar and UMNO's Khairy Jamaluddin.
Read more about it here.
It's Official: Anwar Ibrahim Sworn In As 10th PM
Five days after the election, Anwar was officially sworn in as the 10th PM on 24 November.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah consented to Anwar's appointment in accordance with Article 40(2)(a) and Article 43(2)(a) of the Federal Constitution, and he was tasked to form a "unity government" under his leadership.
You can read more about it here.
December:
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[PHOTOS] Here Is The Complete List Of The New Cabinet Line-Up Under Anwar Ibrahim
After a week Anwar was appointed as PM, he revealed the Cabinet line-up on 2 December.
Some of the highlights of the new Cabinet include Anwar serving as Finance Minister, and Zahid serving as Deputy Prime Minister and Regional Development Minister.
You can find out the full Cabinet minister list here and the full Cabinet deputy minister list here.
Najib & M'sians Taunt Terengganu MB For Allegedly Holidaying In NZ During Flood Season
Malaysia's 2022 political sphere ended with the disappearance of Terengganu MB Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar when his state was facing severe floods.
An exco member confirmed that Samsuri was in New Zealand. After he returned from his trip, he apologised for his absence when the state needed him the most.
You can read more about it here.
Meanwhile, here 12 of the kindest things Malaysians did in 2022:
Here are more political stories that were not included in the list:
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