How did 1MDB’s CEO manage impressions of culpability in an accountability interview?

David Yoong

doi:10.1515/text-2019-0173

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How did 1MDB’s CEO manage impressions of culpability in an accountability interview?

David Yoong
David Yoong is the founder of DYLiberated Learning Resources and an independent scholar. He holds a PhD in Linguistics (La Trobe University, Australia) and a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice (University of Malaya). His research interests are in asymmetrical discourses and alternative education. He was Deputy Dean of Research and Development at the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, University of Malaya. He can be reached at https://www.be-adept.com.

Veröffentlicht/Copyright: 15. März 2021

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Abstract

Scandalous revelations invite public scrutiny and strong oppositions that harm the hegemonic grip of the elites. When this happens, damage control discourses are deployed to quell public discontentment. One measure taken by the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) sovereign wealth fund in 2016 to address its corporate and political scandal was to accept an independent radio station’s invitation to participate in what is labelled here “an accountability interview.” To show how the CEO successfully managed and evaded impressions of culpability in this complex and adversarial interview, I adopt membership categorisation analysis. The analysis reveals how the CEO successfully downgrades morally and ethically wrong behaviour, associates the interviewers with bad behaviour, and reframes perceived abnormalities as usual practices. This research is driven by two purposes: i) to demystify the complex communication of 1MDB and the CEO’s methods in navigating around tough questions; and ii) to contribute to the growing field of accountability interview analysis, especially in the South-East Asian region, as micro-interactional accountability interview studies tend to lean considerably toward western data and perspectives.

Keywords: 1MDB; accountability interview; culpability management; membership categorisation analysis

Corresponding author: David Yoong, DYLiberated Learning Resources, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, E-mail: delphi@be-adept.com

Funding source: Universiti Malaya

Award Identifier / Grant number: RP052A-17SBS

About the author

David Yoong

David Yoong is the founder of DYLiberated Learning Resources and an independent scholar. He holds a PhD in Linguistics (La Trobe University, Australia) and a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice (University of Malaya). His research interests are in asymmetrical discourses and alternative education. He was Deputy Dean of Research and Development at the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, University of Malaya. He can be reached at https://www.be-adept.com.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Dhyane Laxmi and Dania Yahya for aiding with the audio transcription and special thanks to Ayeshah Syed and the peer reviewers for their constructive feedback. This research was supported by the University of Malaya Research Grant: RP052A-17SBS (UMRG Programme) – SBS (Equitable Society).

Appendix Transcription legend (Jefferson 2004)

[ ]: Overlapping talk
=: No discernible interval/silence between turns
(.),: Discernible silence but less than 0.2 of second
(0.2): Silence within turns or in talk
.: Closing intonation
,: Slightly rising intonation
?: Rising intonation
:, wo:rd: Elongation of preceding sound
Word: Emphasis
WORD: Spoken more loudly
◦word◦: Spoken more softly
↑, ↓: Marked increase/decrease in pitch
Hhh: Outbreath or laughter
.hh: In breath or laughter
Hah, heh etc.: Laughter
£word£: ‘Smiley’ voice
<word>: Talk is drawn out
>word<: Talk is speeded up
((word )): Transcriber’s notes
(), (word): Transcriber unable to hear or uncertain

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Received: 2019-04-19

Accepted: 2020-09-06

Published Online: 2021-03-15

Published in Print: 2021-05-26

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1MDB; accountability interview; culpability management; membership categorisation analysis