“I’m just someone who wants to move on with life. If anybody wants to remind me of my past, by all means, but I will leave you behind and I will move forward”.

Those weren’t the words of a contemplative author writing a self-help book, they were instead spoken by Dr. Abdul Razak Baginda.

It has been fifteen years since the infamous, highly controversial, Scorpene submarine deal was signed, eleven years since the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu (of which he was acquitted), and seven, since a formal complaint was filed by Suaram. And just when he thought he could move on from the case by marketing his newly established think tank (ICON Centre for Global Affairs), the French court of law placed him under formal investigation on July 18th, charging him with complicity in corruption and misappropriation of assets. But Dr. Razak Baginda himself prefers to have this clarified: being charged in a French court doesn’t mean that he’d been found guilty, but rather, that an inquiry has been put into action.

Click for Malaysiakini's explainer of the case

Throughout the case, he assertively maintains his innocence - calling forth a universal principle upheld in the court of law, reminding us that those criminally charged remain innocent until proven guilty. And in the eyes of the law (and his own), that is all that matters. But he welcomes the fact that he’s being placed under investigation - showing an unfettered desire to put all the allegations to the test, confident that the case would close with his acquittal.

This is a man who has spent more than a decade unsuccessfully trying to prove his innocence, but now, he’s finally stopped trying to sway public opinion back in his favour. He’s evidently “sick and tired” of all the rumors that have blanketed any remnants of his successful past and uses the following example to illustrate the supposed bias that the public has against him:

"Let me put it this way ... even if I'm the first Malaysian to win a Nobel prize, 90% of the news item would be the murder case, the submarine deal. And the last sentence would be 'oh by the way, Razak just won the Nobel peace prize'. Even [if] I stand on top of the mountain and shout this and that, it's not going to matter because people have made up their minds,”

Listen to The Breakfast Grille with Dr. Razak Baginda

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Razak Baginda | Image credit: Nazir Sufari, Malaysiakini

Dr. Razak Baginda has also made up his mind in how he wants to move forward with his life. Recently, he formed his second think tank, ICON, whose goal is to encourage debate and discourse in the country and the region - something he feels is truly lacking. And much like many other think tanks in Malaysia, they organise forums, provide consultation, advice, and training. But unlike them, its president declined to reveal any details of ICON’s funding, clientele, or specialities, stating that “it will be revealed when the time is right”. At this moment, however, the true intent of ICON remains ambiguous.

Over the past few weeks, he had peculiarly thrown himself back into the public eye as a representative of Icon, offering his opinions on the issues surrounding education and governance. When questioned about his motivations for doing so, he replied assuredly, “I’m sick of me being the issue - I want to talk about the issues … and I think I can contribute with my opinions”. The highly opinionated Dr. Razak Baginda still believes his views are not only relevant, but also well informed - crediting his experiences as a widely-travelled and well-read figure.

Before the scandal, his opinions were sought after, and contrary to popular belief, his words were measured and mostly impartial. His peers regarded him as the professional’s professional, an intellectual, and a great writer of many books that covered a wide range of topics. He is well-educated - earning certificates in every stage of tertiary education. He was a man many considered to be qualified to make such statements.

But after scouring through hundreds of comments posted in various news portals, internet users quickly questioned his relevance and eminence, paying little to no attention to what he had to say. The public is clearly suspicious of him - undermining what’s left of his credibility. Adding to that, the ongoing charges by the French court and the fact that he, as the President of Icon, has yet to reveal any detailed information about his newly-formed think tank, further confirms their worries. The ambiguity of Icon raises suspicions of his organisation’s ambitions, especially from those who remain skeptical of his innocence.

Despite this, he remains steadfast on the path that he wishes to pave, in complete disregard of all the commotion and allegations that surround him. The people, he believes, will not stop until the court finds him guilty. Any words he speaks hold little substance in the court of public opinion. But he will not care.

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