Different strokes for different folks?

“NEARLY all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”

The famous quote has been wrongly attributed to 16th US president, Abraham Lincoln. There’s no record of Lincoln ever making such a statement.

But whoever said it, I love that quote as it summarises what I like to tell friends about politics. Talk is cheap when you are in the Opposition. But can you walk the talk when you are in government?

On Monday, a friend texted me: “If other way round, by now she would have done 10 PCs [press conferences] already.”

The politically connected friend also attached an article.

It was about a transport start-up company that was accused of getting preferential treatment from the Selangor state government. Asia Mobiliti blasted the allegation that it was picked because one of its founders is married to a minister. The company described the allegation as “unsubstantiated and malicious”.

Ram Ramachandaran, one of the company’s founders, is the spouse of Sports and Youth Minister Hannah Yeoh. Yeoh, of DAP, was a former member of the Selangor assembly.

When DAP was in the Opposition, Yeoh and her comrades were vocal in their attacks on any Barisan Nasional politicians with even a tiny stain of kleptocracy. They would ask the politician to resign even if the court had not decided whether they were guilty.

Now that it is in power, the DAP – which campaigned against corruption – has remained quiet over the Asia Mobiliti controversy. Some have expressed support for Yeoh, saying there was no need for her to quit.

In the midst of controversy: Supporters and detractors alike are talking about Selangor state government contract awarded to Yeoh's husband's company. — LOW LAY PHON/The Star

Yesterday, Yeoh, the Segambut MP, finally broke her silence. She said she welcomed the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) investigation into the Selangor Demand-Responsive Transit (DRT) proof of concept.

“Now that the probe has started, I want to see truth and vindication come out of this investigation. Malaysia deserves nothing less,” she posted on X (formerly Twitter).

“Therefore, it would not be proper for me to comment as it may be construed as interference with ongoing investigations.”

She added: “In fact, it was for this reason I had not said anything sooner, as in my view the best way forward in dealing with such claims is to leave it to the relevant authorities to investigate them.”

My politically connected friend texted me regarding her latest statement: “If an Umno politician made the same statement, would it have been enough for Hannah if she was in the Opposition?”

“Or would she go for the jugular?” he asked.

I’ve been reading arguments on messaging platforms and social media about the controversy.

Some argued that Yeoh was innocent as she had no conflict of interest.

“As a Federal Minister, she has nothing to do with the Selangor government. She is in no position to gain from the deal, or she can’t decide on the deal,” argued a lawyer who is partial to DAP.

Another Yeoh defender said that a politician’s spouse should be able to “cari makan” (make a living). “They should not be discriminated against just because of who they are married to. If you are competent and you can do business, you should do business,” she said.

However, others in the chat group, which included those who hate Umno and love DAP, were less forgiving.

They said this government was voted in because of its promise of transparency. They felt that the deal was opaque. Yeoh, who championed transparency when in Opposition should not have allowed her family to be involved in shrouded, direct negotiations.

They felt that even though Yeoh was not involved directly in awarding the contract to her husband’s company, she and her party and coalition, Pakatan Harapan, had campaigned heavily for public tenders.

The big question for Malaysians is if you replace Yeoh’s name in this sentence: “Hannah Yeoh told to resign as MACC says ‘no conflict’ in state project for hubby’s company” with an Umno Wanita politician, how will you feel?

Will you immediately assume that the husband is guilty?

Or will you be like the other DAP leaders who said calls for Yeoh to resign are unfair?

Well, as my favourite quote says, to test a politician you adore, give her power.