PM Anwar Ibrahim - the issuance of a 'SUPPORT LETTER' by the Prime Minister(by himself or by an aide, or by a politician in his party, by his family member, by an MP/ADUN/Minister or by a member of the royalty) is WRONG and definitely action must be taken against the perpetrators of this 'CRIME' - and even if a tender/contract awarded to anyone where such a 'support letter' existed must be CANCELLED and the award re-considered.
Sadly, the government authorities, with the duty to evaluate and award tenders/projects/contracts may likely be affected by any such 'support letters', more so from someone close to the PM and existing government..
Why get such 'SUPPORT LETTERS' - it is increase the likelihood of getting a government contract, or a contract of a government-linked entity? It is WRONG to attempt or influence a process that must be INDEPENDENT...even Ministers or those who are related to any applicant now must DECLARE the 'conflict' and stay out of the selection process of who gets government projects/contracts -
This most likely 'contaminates' the OPEN TENDER (or closed tender process). How many public officers or persons linked to award of such contracts/projects 'DARE' to disregard letters of support from the PM/Minister or persons 'linked' to them?
Now, PM Anwar has already ACKNOWLEDGED the existence of said 'Support Letters' - and he is NOT saying it is WRONG or a 'corrupt practice' - but is just 'guessing' the impact of such letters from his own perspective - but here is where he is 'VERY WRONG", more so since he also is implicated as the crime was committed by non other that his OWN political secretary.
The recipients of the letters may see it very differently...many ordinary persons simply do not dare going against the 'wishes' of a sitting Prime Minister/Minister - Same impact if the communication comes from an aide,politician from the government parties > many just assume that it what the PM/Government wants - and they do as 'ordered/directed', fearing the consequence of non-compliance...
Is Anwar taking such a position because Anwar too does it maybe not through 'support letters' but by other means of communicating his desires directly/indirectly ... That is what some may be led to believe - after ALL Anwar in this issue, ANWAR did NOT come out strongly against such 'SUPPORT LETTERS' and is not even talking/suggesting that strong action will be taken against the issuers of such letters..
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the support letter issued by one of his political aides was “vague” and did not constitute an instruction.He was responding to former minister Rafizi Ramli’s call for him to take firm action against Shamsul Iskandar Akin for issuing a support letter last year.The letter was addressed to a health minister aide, asking for six contractors to be considered for the Muar hospital project.Anwar pointed out that the project’s approval process was not influenced by the letter, as the relevant authorities were fully aware of standard procedures.“Look at the letter first. Rafizi is taking a rather hard line… I understand.“If we want to be consistent, many political secretaries, both past and present, have issued such letters,” Bernama reported the prime minister as saying today.
Again, Anwar tries to JUSTIFY a wrong - using the fact that '...many political secretaries, both past and present, have issued such letters..,'. He used a similar justification that past governments did it(these 'wrongs'), so we have to be CONSISTENT and not make a big deal of similar crimes/wrongdoings now of his MADANI governments - was it not used then to justify continuing the agreement with BLACKROCK...
It is a LAME, maybe even a STUPID mindset - so, will he also justify doing what former PM Najib Razak did in the 1MDB Scandals - would Anwar be saying again "IF we want to be consistent ... as it was done by previous Prime Ministers and government ....Malaysians do not want this. If we now decided they were 'WRONGS' - we must act to ensure similar wrongs are not repeated by current governments..
IF THAT IS ANWAR'S MINDSET - we are MOST DISAPPOINTED - Anwar and this MADANI government will continue doing all them wrongs, abuse of power, etc - that were done by past governments - with that 'If want to be CONSISTENT' logic - so, should we now stop expecting REFORMS anymore - because Anwar may have finally admitted that he and his government shall continue doing the same wrongs/crimes...and we 'have to be consistent' - so, no action will be taken and let's not make it a BIG DEAL...
WORSE, this support letter was issued by the Prime Minister's own political secretary, Shamsul Iskandar Akin, and as such No political secretary or aide will do anything without the 'direction' of the PM, and that too will be the perception of the recipients of such letters or 'verbal messages' - and ANWAR IBRAHIM is yet to say that the letter was issued not on his orders/suggestions ...and the way he is defending the letter makes one wonder?
NOW, Prime Minister Anwar - immediately and Transparently disclose ALL similar 'support letters' that were issued by your own political secretaries/aides in the past, from the date you became PM - IDENTIFY which was done without your knowledge/instructions - Did the parties 'supported' successfully get the tenders/contracts/projects? How many did? How many did not? Were any actions taken in those involved in the awarding of these projects - who gave the project to some other, NOT the one in the support letter received any RETALIATION - transfer, demotion, etc?
Now, is Malaysia not moving towards OPEN TENDERS - where everyone has a fair and equal chance of being successful? Now, if anyone has any 'relationship' with any of the applicants, they have to declare it, and stay away completely from the entire process that decides who will get the project/tender/contract... This is to ensure the INDEPENDENCE of the entire process. THUS, support letters of any sort is WRONG and must be CRIMINALIZED - it is an 'intentional' interference in this INDEPENDENT process of deciding who is awarded the project?
So, it should be a CRIME to ask anyone, especially in government or royalty, for a LETTER OF SUPPORT?
If the letter of support is issued, then the issuer of such letters also commit a CRIME?
The asking of the PM or his aide to issue such letters is A CRIME - and if the PM or his aide did not report this, it also must be a CRIME.
Thus, will Anwar and the MADANI government enact clearer laws making it a CRIME to influence or attempt to influence, the INDEPENDENT process of evaluating and deciding who is awarded the project/contract/tender of the Government and/or government linked entity?
That LAW means - Shamsul Akin(Pol Sec of Anwar), and Prime Minister Anwar himself(unless he proves that Shamsul's action was a 'frolick of his own' with Anwar's knowledge/consent) may have committed a SERIOUS CRIME; LIKEWISE the Company or Individual that asked for such letter...
I believe there are already laws that could be used now ....
IT is the courts that decide GUILT or 'innocence' - not the Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim or the Cabinet or the AG/PP...
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the support letter issued by one of his political aides was “vague” and did not constitute an instruction.
He was responding to former minister Rafizi Ramli’s call for him to take firm action against Shamsul Iskandar Akin for issuing a support letter last year.
The letter was addressed to a health minister aide, asking for six contractors to be considered for the Muar hospital project.
Anwar pointed out that the project’s approval process was not influenced by the letter, as the relevant authorities were fully aware of standard procedures.
“Look at the letter first. Rafizi is taking a rather hard line… I understand.
“If we want to be consistent, many political secretaries, both past and present, have issued such letters,” Bernama reported the prime minister as saying today.
Two days ago, Anwar told the Dewan Rakyat that he reprimanded one of his political secretaries for issuing a support letter.
The letter was first leaked on social media last year and was later confirmed by Health Ministry Dzulkefly Ahmad in Parliament.
However, Rafizi was unimpressed by the decision to reprimand and urged Anwar to sack Shamsul instead.
Focus on bigger scandals
Stressing he is against the issuance of support letters, Anwar said any response to such matters should be proportionate.
“Reprimand, we must reprimand. That is the process.
“We should not take harsh action just because the person is someone we disagree with, and then go easy on those who are aligned with us. We must be consistent,” the Tambun MP added.
Anwar stressed Malaysia must not lose sight of far bigger corruption scandals that have seen billions of ringgit siphoned off.
“If you want to be strong against corruption, then act against corruption. There are major issues… billions being stolen.
“To me, this is more serious. You allow billions to be ‘absconded’ but pick on petty issues,” he said.
Whether a stern warning was sufficient, Anwar said he had the authority to decide on internal disciplinary matters.
“I have the authority. I don’t need to be instructed by anybody, particularly if they are not consistent and do not highlight major corruption cases involving VVIPs.
“Going after the small fish may make you popular, but it does not give the desired impact,” he said. - Malaysiakini, 21/11/2025
No need to sack aide over support letter, says Anwar
The prime minister says any action against Shamsul Iskandar Akin should be based on the gravity of the offence and available evidence.
Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said any action taken against Shamsul should be based on the gravity of the offence.
“Did it violate the law? Was the project approved based on his letter? No,” he told reporters on a flight en route to Johannesburg, South Africa.
He was responding to Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli’s statement that he should not merely reprimand, but sack Shamsul to show his commitment to fighting corruption.
New Straits Times had reported Anwar as telling the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday that he had reprimanded his political secretary as government regulations did not permit the issuance of such support letters.
Anwar had said he could only remark “please review” even for letters addressed to him and contracts could be scrutinised but not given “automatic” support.
He had said this during Minister’s Question Time in response to Perikatan Nasional’s Pasir Mas MP, Ahmad Fadhli Shaari, who raised the issue of Anwar’s political secretary listing six contractors in a support letter for an unspecified hospital project.
Rafizi said Anwar’s answer lacked “oomph”, given that the letter in question came to light last year, and health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad had verified its authenticity.
He also urged Anwar to refer Shamsul to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission to check when the letter was issued and if money had changed hands.
Anwar admitted that the letter did exist, but it was vaguely written and did not constitute an instruction to approve the suggested contractors.
He then said that Rafizi, who is the former economy minister, could be a bit hardline, “but even so, we must be consistent”.
“Don’t be the type who demands harsh action only against people we disagree with, and then go soft on those on our side,” he said.
“If you go after the small fries, you can be popular. But it doesn’t have the desired impact, especially when there is no compelling or incontrovertible evidence to justify a case against him (Shamsul).”
Anwar said he had encountered cases where staff overstepped their authority by issuing such support letters for projects.
“So, I have issued a stern warning to my staff, and it should also serve as a lesson to others,” he said. - FMT, 21/11/2025
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