COMMENT | Long before the Wall Street Journal broke the story on Najib Razak and his links to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) in 2015, the disease was just simmering with no outbreaks. Except for a small cluster, many took the doses dished out by propagandists.

The following year, when the US Department of Justice (DOJ) laid bare the goings-on and thievery by the key players, more clusters appeared. But again, the might and power of those involved created a new catchphrase to prevent the disease from being spread.

“All these are lies propagated by people who want to overthrow a democratically elected government,” they thundered in unison. But the disease called “truth deficiency syndrome” had already taken root. Despite the time, money, and effort spent by the government, it was an exercise in futility.

By the beginning of 2018, the spread of the disease rose to a crescendo. The resultant creation was a pandemic which saw the exit of Najib and the BN coalition which he led. For a good two years, it was brought under control except for a few clusters scattered here and there.

Today, after 11 months of the backdoor government in power, the pandemic is not just threatening to take control but has already done so in many ways...