PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has questioned critics who were previously vocal about corruption, but were now criticising him for welcoming Datuk Seri Najib Razak's apology over the 1MDB scandal.
The prime minister said it was hypocritical to think the case involving Najib was the only case of graft that happened in the country.
"I think the sheer hypocrisy is when you, for example, place only Najib as the only issue (when it comes to corruption).
"These people, the so-called anti-corruption forces, those involved with these so-called liberal views, have then been completely muted when it comes to the huge corruption of (other) ex-leaders who have amassed billions of ringgit.
"I've not heard one statement, one concern expressed. If you really want to combat corruption, you must be consistent … be tough against all that's corrupt," said Anwar in an FMT interview conducted at the Prime Minister's Office.
He said Najib's apology was "probably limited" but he defended welcoming Najib's apology over what had happened with 1MDB.
"I think it's always good to thank and welcome anyone who says 'yes, I'm sorry,' for a number of reasons," he said. He did not elaborate.
Najib, who is currently serving jail time, has issued an apology on Oct 24 for all that transpired during the 1MDB financial scandal.
Despite his apology, the former prime minister asserted his innocence, claiming he was deceived by fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho and his associates.
The High Court had on Oct 30 ordered Najib to his defence on 21 money laundering charges involving 1MDB funds.
Anwar would later respond to Najib's apology by welcoming what the latter said. However, Anwar's response drew flack from people such as former deputy minister Mohamed Hanipa Maidin and former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Latheefa Koya.
Anwar said in the FMT interview that the government had empowered enforcement agencies to take serious action against corruption.
He also said the authorities will charge people in court or conduct investigations every other day or week.
"Sometimes it's in the academic field, sometimes in agriculture, sometimes in the boards of agencies, there's too many of them."
Anwar said some people tell him that he was going too far in the fight againts corruption, but he reiterated that was done because corruption was systemic in the country.
He said this was why the government and the anti-graft authorities needed to "go far enough" to nip the problem at the bud.
"Fortunately, I have the help of many of my colleagues and the heads of the civil service, who are quite determined to make sure that we have a legitimate, efficient (public service) force with integrity," said Anwar.