Archive for March 3rd, 2012

Ramli: MACC used ‘shady character’ to frame me

Hafiz Yatim | Mar 3, 2012
Malaysiakini

Retired Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Ramli Yusuff revealed more on his Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) experience with details on how it used a convicted criminal to frame and press charges against him.

At his birthday speech on Wednesday, he said that the MACC had used this shady character’s statement while he was still in custody under the Emergency Ordinance, as the foundation to build up the charges against him, particularly those he had faced in Kuala Lumpur.

“Imagine this, the MACC relied on the words of a shady character who was under custody and detained under the Emergency Ordinance and then converted to restricted residence, and later released after they secured his cooperation to frame me by making allegations that in 1999 I was paid corruption money through an officer.

“These allegations were supposed to have come from a source involved in a slew of organised crimes, including illegal money lending (loan sharks), illegal character lottery, prostitution and drug pushing in Johor.

“The notes of evidence in court (proceeding) show so clearly that all these allegations were mere fabrications,” he said.

The MACC, Ramli added, did not even dare produce the man in court to prove that statement. Read the rest of this entry »

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Najib apologises for BN’s mistakes in move to cut opposition’s strength

The Malaysian Insider
Mar 03, 2012

BALING, March 3 – Datuk Seri Najib Razak apologised for Barisan Nasional’s (BN) past mistakes today that cost its two-thirds parliamentary majority and four states in 2008, recognising the groundswell against the ruling coalition remains ahead of a general election that must be held by next year.

The prime minister said the BN would rectify the mistakes and make up by serving the people as best as it can.

The voters’ rejection of the BN, like in Kedah, was in a way due to the mistakes made by the coalition, Najib (picture) said during a day-long visit to the state.

“I believe that we should not be arrogant. In a parliamentary democracy, we have to subject ourselves to the power of the people. We must have made mistakes for the people to have rejected us.

“We apologise for our past mistakes. The victors apologise, as do the losers,” he said at a meet-the-people session at the Kuala Ketil public field near here, according to a Bernama Online report. Read the rest of this entry »

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Malaysia after regime change

by Thomas Pepinsky
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 03, 2012

MARCH 3 — As Malaysia prepares for its 13th general election, due no later than April 2013, the long-standing competitive authoritarian regime will face one of its most difficult tests. The 2008 elections dealt a surprise blow to the incumbent Barisan Nasional (BN), and ever since, Prime Minister Najib Razak’s government has struggled to protect its now-fragile majority. After four years of renewed opposition activism, rumours of defection from Umno, and the recent acquittal of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysians will have the chance to vote the BN out of office once and for all.

In a post-BN Malaysia, observers will closely monitor the role of Islam in public life. Much of what happens will depend on the shape of the government that follows. In terms of the composition of a post-BN government, two outcomes seem most likely: (1) a multi-ethnic Pakatan Rakyat-based (PR) coalition in which PAS, PKR and the DAP all participate, perhaps along with one or more east Malaysian parties; or (2) an Umno-PAS “Muslim-Malay” coalition, again perhaps involving the co-operation of one or more east Malaysian parties. Either way, PAS — an explicitly Islamist party — will be part of the government. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Lynas flip-flop

— Sam Peh
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 03, 2012

MARCH 3 — For a government which is sure that the Lynas rare earth plant is safe, the flip-flops of the past 48 hours have been illuminating. After saying that the Lynas plant was scientifically and factually safe, Najib Razak did an about-turn and said that Lynas will be asked to store/bury the waste away from the local communities in Kuantan.

Oh let me see, where do we start? Which position should we accept as representative of the Najib administration’s stand on this investment from Australia?

The Atomic Energy Licensing Board aka official spokesman for Lynas (and a regulator which is participating in revenue share with Lynas): the waste from the rare earth plant is safe and can be stored in Gebeng.

Liow Tiong Lai, Maximus Ongkili and a couple of other ministers, obviously concerned with the political fallout rather than health concerns of residents: the waste must be shipped back to Australia. Never mind that the Green Party which keeps Julia Gilliard government in office would never allow the import of any waste.

Najib Razak: Lynas will be asked to store the waste away from Gebeng. Read the rest of this entry »

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Malay courtesy under threat

— Tunku Abdul Aziz
The Malaysian Insider
Mar 03, 2012

MARCH 3 — The spectacle of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng being subjected by some Malay thugs to public harassment and humiliation on February 26 as he was leaving the anti-Lynas rally at Padang Kota in Penang caused a great deal of genuine pain to the sensibilities of men and women of goodwill in this nation.

Is this what the notion of “the new Malay” is really all about? Have they totally abandoned the natural courtesy and graciousness of their forebears? What has happened to the “adat”, or have they forgotten that too?

We may not like his politics but was that appropriate behaviour towards another human being? Lim is the head of government and must be shown all the courtesies attendant upon that position. That, in my book, is the norm of a civilised society, and anything less is unacceptable.

I attended a similar rally in Kuantan on the same day. It was a joy to see a well-behaved crowd of mainly young people from all over the country, including some from overseas, lending support to an important environmental concern without resorting to unruly and obnoxious behaviour.

The Kuantan police deserve the highest praise for their professionalism. They were there when needed, but otherwise remained in the background.

The Penang police, by comparison, were a disgrace to their uniform. They stood there, taking it all in but did absolutely nothing to stop the rowdyism that was showing all the signs of developing into violence. Read the rest of this entry »

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Najib should present White Paper to Parliament to present government case to justify a third bailout of RM840 million for Tajudin Ramli

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should present a White Paper to Parliament when it reconvenes on March 12 to present the government case to justify a third bailout of RM840 million for former Malaysian Airlines (MAS) chairman Tajudin Ramli – as well as reasons for the previous RM12 billion double bailouts for Tajudin.

The latest round of bailout revolves around the out-of-court settlement of Tajudin’s RM589 million debts which Pengurusan Danaharta Nasional Bhd had obtained in a Kuala Lumpur High Court judgment in December 2009.

The Minority Shareholders Watchdog Group (MSWG) described the judgment as probably the largest sum awarded in Malaysian legal history and computed that the total amount would have ballooned to RM840 million as the judgment allows Danaharta to charge an interest of two per cent over the base lending rate on the outstanding sum from Jan 1, 2006.

It raised questions all Malaysians are asking and which must be answered by the Prime Minister in Parliament, viz:

• What could have prompted Danaharta not to exercise its legal right to collect the outstanding amount?

• Why the government resorted to an out-of-court settlement despite winning the case in court?

The government write-off of RM840 million judgment debt due from Tajudin would at least be the third bailout of Tajudin using public funds, the first time involving RM1.8 billion bailout of Tajudin in December 2000 paying RM8.00 per share for his 29 per cent stake in MAS or more than double its market price then; and the second bailout in taking over the some RM10 billion losses suffered by MAS after Tajudin’s take over from 1994-2000. Read the rest of this entry »

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RM840m Tajudin settlement puzzles shareholders’ group

Malaysiakini
Mar 2, 2012

The Minority Shareholders Watchdog Goup (MSWG) is puzzled by last month’s out-of-court settlement between several government-linked companies (GLCs) and former Malaysia Airlines chairperson, saying the unpaid debt would now have ballooned to RM840 million.

Its chief executive officer Rita Benoy Bushon says in the MSWG Newsletter that Pengurusan Danaharta Nasional Bhd, had in 2009 obtained a judgment for RM589 million against Tajudin from the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

“This is probably the largest sum awarded in Malaysian legal history. The judgment allows Danaharta to charge an interest of two per cent over the base lending rate on the outstanding sum from Jan 1, 2006.”

“A rough calculation shows that this amount would have ballooned to RM840 million. What could have prompted Danaharta tnot to exercise its legal right to collect the outstanding amount? We are somewhat perplexed by the out-of-court settlement,” Bushon said.

She also said it was unclear why the government resorted to an out-of-court settlement despite winning the case in court. Read the rest of this entry »

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