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FOLLOW THE MONEY. That's the famous line in All The President's Men. Bob Woodward got the hint from Deep Throat when he was gunning for the bribe-giver in the Watergate Scandal but the trail went cold.

Malaysiakini editor Steven Gan used the same line for the headline in his latest editorial, yesterday. He quipped: "No wonder Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail has been busy lately." Quote:

Early this month, he cleared Deputy Internal Security Minister Johari Baharum - who is Abdullah’s deputy in the ministry - of allegedly receiving RM5 million in return for the release of three underworld figures.

Last Friday, he closed the books on police chief Musa Hassan - also for allegedly pocketing RM2 million to free three gangsters - and ex-ACA director Zulkipli Mat Noor, who was hit by 28 allegations of corruption.

While at it, the government’s top legal officer also exonerated Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman, who allegedly paid Zulkipli RM700,000 to stop an ACA probe on him. Incidentally, both individuals became Gani’s buddies when he was in Sabah.

All three men cleared in one single day. Impressive indeed.

Today, anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International Malaysia demanded full public disclosure of the basis for the government’s dismissal of corruption allegations against Zulkipli Mat Noor and Musa Hassan.

Corruption is like sex

July 28, PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who in his 2004 Election Manisfesto pledged an all-out campaign against corruption - without fear or favour -- and to promote a culture of zero tolerance for corruption, declared: "I hope the matter will not be raised again as the cases have been closed."

But Steven rattled on...

Syed Ahmad Idid, the ex-judge famous for blowing the whistle on the rot in the judiciary 11 years ago - and made to pay for it - once lamented that unearthing corruption was no easy task.

"Corruption is like sex - done between consenting adults and mostly in private," he quipped at a public lecture two months ago.

"Often times when one party is satisfied and the other is not - that’s when one reports the other and you have a problem. But if both parties are satisfied, both get whatever they bargained for, then the ACA will find it a bit more difficult to probe into the matter."

Difficult? "Yes, but not impossible," Steven said. "Investigative Journalism 101 teaches us that while we may not be able to conclusively prove an act of corruption, we can still follow the money. "

But...

Over the years, there have been many ACA reports lodged against powerful politicians, senior civil servants and well-connected tycoons. Not surprisingly, all their files were closed with NFA - No Further Action - stamped on them. Quote Steven:

You know why? Because the government is frightened of what it will find if it takes action.

Which brings us back to Abdullah’s pledge three years ago - that he would wage an all-out war against corruption, without fear or favour. And this was not some sweet election promise, he vowed.

Come the next general elections, Abdullah’s spin-doctors will be back at work again.

Excellence, glory and distinction? You decide.

Decide I did. Just yesterday.