1MDB has been hit with a huge debt burden of RM42 billion and allegations of misappropriation. ― File picKUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 ― Malaysia is being run into the ground with clueless political elites, a compromised judiciary, an electoral process that fails to produce leaders, and a system that fails to protect those who speak out, a professor said today.

Danny Quah, professor of economics and international development at the London School of Economics and Political Science, wrote in international current affairs magazine for the Asia-Pacific region, The Diplomat, that Malaysia’s political leaders no longer articulated a vision that served the people.

“It does not take authoritarian autocracy to run a country into the ground,” Quah wrote in an article titled “Going Rogue: Malaysia and the 1MDB Scandal”.

“Regardless of the system of government, it takes only political elites out of touch with their people, a co-opted judiciary, an electoral process that even while open fails to surface progressive leadership, and a system that keeps to the law but fails to protect those speaking truth to power. Malaysia now has all of these sorry attributes,” added the Malaysia-born, who is also a consultant for the Bank of England, World Bank and the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Quah, also a visiting assistant professor of economics at Harvard University, noted that Datuk Seri Najib Razak had pledged in 2010 to reform the race-based New Economic Policy (NEP) to promote meritocracy and a new needs-based affirmative action, shortly after becoming prime minister in 2009.

But Najib did not push it through following pressure from Malay conservative groups and alleged cronies have continued exploiting instruments designed to help others, said the professor who previously served on Malaysia’s National Economic Advisory Council from 2009 to 2011.

He added that the country is currently faced with the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) controversy, and noted crackdowns on critics of the state-owned fund that had been hit with a huge debt burden of RM42 billion and allegations of misappropriation.

The Edge Media Group’s two business publications have since been suspended three months for its reports on the 1MDB issue.

Local access to London-based whistleblower site Sarawak Report has also been blocked.

Those within the government who have been critical of 1MDB, including senior Umno leaders like Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal were last week removed from Cabinet in an abrupt reshuffle.

Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail who had been part of a four-federal agency investigation on 1MDB, was suddenly replaced as Attorney-General with a Federal Court judge.

Others involved in the probe have also been hauled up by the police on suspicion of leaking government information.

“The country again needs to have a government that runs for the well-being of its people. Malaysia’s current political leadership no longer articulates a vision that serves Malaysia’s people. Malaysia’s leadership is no longer one admired by and hopeful for others around the world,” Quah said.