Archive for June, 2017

Why are there people who insist on creating the scare that DAP is anti-Malay or anti-Islam when they know these outrageous charges are fake news and false information?

DAP is a Malaysian political party, promoting the rights and interests of all races and religions in the country, and we have within our ranks Malaysians from all races and religions, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans, Kadazans and Orang Asli; whether Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs or Taoists.

DAP is not anti-Malay and anti-Islam as demonstrated by the record of the nine-year DAP-led Penang State Government, serving interests of all Malaysians in Penang, regardless of race, religion or socio-economic background.

We cannot be anti-Malay or anti-Islam for this will be anti-Malaysian, which comprise the diverse races and religions in the country.

Why then are there people who insist on creating the scare that DAP is anti-Malay and anti-Islam when they know that these outrageous charges are fake news and false information? Read the rest of this entry »

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Imagine former Attorney-General Gani Patail telling a live-telecast parliamentary hearing about the crimes and sins of the Prime Minister in the same way former FBI Director James Comey testified at the US Senate about President Trump’s “lies”!

Former US FBI Director James Comey created a world sensation in his live-telecast testimony to US Senate Intelligence Select Committee last night where he branded US President Trump as a “liar” to defame him and FBI – “lies, plain and simple” – over his sacking because of FBI’s investigation into Moscow’s meddling in last year’s US presidential election.

Imagine former Attorney-General Tan Sri Gani Patail telling a live-telecast parliamentary hearing about the crimes and sins of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, over his sacking; the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal; the discoveries of the Special Task Force of four Tan Sris from the AG’s Chambers, the Police, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Bank Negara on the 1MDB scandal; “MOI” and Malaysia ascending the world corruption ladder to become a “global kleptocrary”?

This is unthinkable in present-day Malaysia, but why should it be impossible to envisage as something possible in Malaysia, especially as Malaysians are invited to dare to dream big dreams and think big thoughts about TN50 – National Transformation 2050? Read the rest of this entry »

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Najib should confirm or deny that he had three other Ambank Accounts which were active at the material time of the alleged payment of RM9.5 million to lawyer Shafee Abdullah as well the payments themselves

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, should confirm or deny that he had three other Ambank accounts which were active at the material time of the alleged payment of RM9.5 million to lawyer Shafie Abdullah as well as the payments themselves.

Silence is simply not an option for the Prime Minister if he wants Malaysians and the world to believe that he is committed to the principles of accountability, transparency and good governance.

The Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamad Apandi Ali also cannot keep his silence to the claim by the PKR National Vice Chairman and MP for Pandan, Rafizi Ramli, who said that information on the flow of funds from these three accounts were detailed in a flowchart shown by the Attorney-General during a press conference in January 2016.

A prompt and straight-forward confirmation is called for if Najib had three other Ambank accounts at the relevant period concerned, or there should be denial; similarly, if Najib had paid Shafie RM9.5 million from his personal banking accounts – confirm if true, giving the reasons for the payment; deny, if untrue!

Why is Najib finding it so difficult to do a very simple thing? Read the rest of this entry »

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Sabah should be model of inter-religious harmony, understanding, solidarity and unity with zero tolerance for extremism to Malaysia and the world

My three-day visit to Sabah, partaking in the Pesta Kaamatan celebrations in Bingkor in Keningau, breaking fast with Sabahans of diverse religions and diverse ethnic groups whether Bajau, Murut, Kadazan or Chinese in Tanjong Aru, and visiting the more than 10,000-strong Bajau fishermen Kampung Numbak squatter settlement in Sepanggar who had been marginalised after being forced to move from Teluk Sepanggar over a decade ago because of the Sepanggar Submarine Naval Base project, has reinforced my belief that Sabah should be a model of inter-religious harmony, understanding, solidarity and unity with zero tolerance for extremism not only for Malaysia but also the world.

There are scores of ethnic groups in Sabah, with adherents of diverse religious faiths in one family or village – but all living harmoniously with understanding, tolerance, solidarity and unity, taking part in each other’s religious festivities without distrust, suspicion, venom or hatred!

In Sabah, we see Wasatiyyah or moderation and tolerance in action, lived in real life and not just preached from minbars, rostrums, pulpits or international conferences!

This is an useful and even precious experience and example in today’s very troubled world, where the rancorous and discordant voices of extremism or fanaticism, preaching hate, distrust, suspicion, intolerance and conflict are trying to hijack and dominate public discourse and mainstream space. Read the rest of this entry »

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Vital importance to implant three pledges of Batu Sumpah Keningau in the hearts and minds of Sabah voters in 14 GE so that they can become living commitments of new Sabah state government

This morning, we gathered at the Double Six Memorial to commemorate the Double Six Tragedy 41 years ago, to honour and remember the great loss to Sabah and Malaysia when suddenly the new Sabah State Government elected in a whirlwind of hope and change in the April 15, 1976 Sabah State General Election was decapitated on the 53rd day of the election on June 6, 1976 when the new Sabah Chief Minister, Tun Fuad Stephens, three Sabah Ministers Datuk Salleh Sulong (Finance Minister), Datuk Peter Mojuntin (Local Government and Housing) and Chong Thien Vun (Works and Communications) and an Assistant Minister, Datuk Darius Binion, were among the eleven who were killed when the Nomad aircraft they were flying from Labuan to Kota Kinabalu crashed at the Kota Kinabalu airport.

The cause of the crash of the Nomad aircraft crash on 6th June 1976 has remained a mystery after 41 years, as the investigation report into the Double Six Tragedy has never been publicised and continues to be under lock and key of the Official Secrets Act.

If Pakatan Harapan can bring about a change of government in Sabah State and at the national level in Putrajaya, the first thing we will do will be to make public the investigation report into Nomad aircraft crash in the the Double Six Tragedy, as there can be more justification for keeping the investigation report under wraps for more than four decades when it should have been made public four decades ago!
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Call on Sabah State Government to convene a “Spirit of Double Six” Roundtable of Sabah stakeholders to make Sabah an example of Malaysia and the world of harmony and solidarity of diverse ethnic groups, religions and cultures with zero tolerance for extremism

I have visited the Double Six Memorial several times, the first occasion some 39 years when I revisited Sabah after being banned from entering Sabah.

The Double Six Memorial commemorates the Double Six Tragedy when the Sabah Chief Minister, Tun Fuad Stephens, three Sabah Ministers Datuk Salleh Sulong (Finance Minister), Datuk Peter Mojuntin (Local Government and Housing) and Chong Thien Vun (Works and Communications), an Assistant Minister, Datuk Darius Binion, and six others perished in the Nomad aircraft crash while trying to land at the Kota Kinabalu airport on the 53rd day after Parti Berjaya won the 15th April 1975 Sabah state elections.

The Double Six Tragedy dashed the high hopes of Sabahans for reform and restoration of unity and justice and the sorry tale is told in a new book “Harris Salleh – The Rise and Fall: The Inside Story” by Paul Raffale, published recently.
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Sabah can teach Malaysia and the world on the importance of spreading the values of tolerance, understanding and mutual respect with zero tolerance for extremism and fanaticism of any form

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak said this morning that Malaysia has to also win the ideological warfare to address the threat of terrorism instead of only with the use of military and police assets and through arrests.

He said at the monthly assembly of the Prime Minister’s Department at Dataran Perdana Putra in Putrajaya this morning that the recent terrorist attacks in Kabul, Manchester (United Kingdom), Marawi (the Philippines), Jakarta and London were serious and most saddening, and it was important to win the ideological warfare against the threat of terrorism, but more than that it was vital ‘to understand what Islam really is, what it demands of us’.

I fully agree with the Prime Minister, and this is why Najib should reconsider the thrust of his Global Movement of Moderates (GMM) initiative, for it serves no purpose to preach the Wasatiyyah principles of moderation, justice, fairplay, balance and excellence to the world to all nations and religions in the world, if in Malaysia, the Wasatiyyah principles of moderation, justice, fair play, balance and excellence are suffering face greater challenge in the country, with extremism in various forms rearing their ugly heads.
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Keningau and Pendalaman Sabah made history with 1963 Batu Sumpah and 1984 kebangkitan Tambunan – time to make history again in 14GE for new governments in Putrajaya and Sabah to make three Batu Sumpah pledges living commitments

Keningau is the oldest town in Sabah, full of history as the centre of the Sabah hinterlands.

When Malaysia was formed in 1963, Keningau made history with the Batu Sumpah which engraved in stone the three solemn pledges on religion, Orang Asal customs and land for which the Orang Asal in Sabah swore their loyalty to the new Malaysian nation; and again in December 1984, Sabah history was made with the Tambunan uprising in the historic by-election calling for the pledges and commitments in the Malaysia Agreement 1963 to be fully adhered to.

The time has come for the people in Keningau and Sabah Pendalaman to again make history in the forthcoming 14th General Election by working hand-in with all Sabahans and Malaysians for a change of governments in Putrajaya and Sabah to reset nation-building directions and policies to ensure that the principles and the pledges in the Merdeka Constitution 1957, Malaysia Agreement 1963, Batu Sumpah and Rukunegara are restored as bedrocks of nation-building for both Malaysia and Sabah.
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Why Malaysians could walk tall all over the world during Mahathir’s premiership but shy to admit they are Malaysians when abroad under Najib’s premiership?

Malaysia’s continued decline in international competitiveness was again highlighted a few days ago when it slipped another five notches to 24th place in latest World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) by the Institute for Management Development (IMD) – after falling to 19th spot last year from 14th in 2015.

It is Malaysia’s lowest ranking in five years and the country cannot take comfort that it remained the second most competitive ASEAN country behind Singapore.

Malaysia is losing out in the race of nations for development and progress, and the recent spate of incidents which signaled the rise of racial and religious extremism in the country would aggravate this national decline and fall into a failed state.

Malaysia must stop the present trajectory towards the politics of lies, hatred and fear to exploit racial and religious divisions by fanning intolerance, distrust and extremism in the country.

Malaysians must unite and stop fighting among ourselves, but must leverage on the best qualities and values from the diversity of races, religions and cultures in Malaysia so that we are not left behind in the international race of nations for development and progress. Read the rest of this entry »

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Why the 1MDB saga could be far from over for Singapore

Chan Chao Peh
The Edge
June 02, 2017

SINGAPORE (June 2): This past week, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) imposed penalties on two more banks and said it had completed an extensive, two-year-long probed into the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

But charges could be brought against more individuals in the future, The Edge Singapore understands.

Following the latest announcement by MAS of financial penalties issued against UOB and Credit Suisse, the total of banks that have faced MAS action over their roles in the 1MDB saga have been brought to eight.

These eight banks have been fined S$29.1 million in total, while two of them – BSI Bank and Falcon Bank – have been ordered to close in Singapore. Read the rest of this entry »

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Call for an independent prosecutor to be appointed to probe into claims that Anwar’s prosecutor got money from Najib

I fully support PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s call for Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, the lawyer who successfully led the prosecution that secured his sodomy conviction, to be investigated.

Anwar made the call after allegations emerged that Shafee received RM9.5 million from the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak in two tranches – on Sept 11, 2013, and on Feb 17, 2014.

Anwar said: “The claim by Sarawak Report that RM9.5 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds were transferred from Najib’s personal bank account to Shafee’s personal bank account is very serious.

“This matter urgently needs to be investigated by the authorities. What is the purpose of Najib transferring such large amount of funds to the personal bank account of a private lawyer who the Najib administration appointed to handle my prosecution?” Read the rest of this entry »

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Moderate Malaysians regardless of race, religion or politics must speak up strongly and steadfastly for peace, tolerance, understanding and mutual respect and not cede any single inch of mainstream ground to advocates of hatred, intolerance and extremism

Moderate Malaysians regardless of race, religion or politics must be very concerned that of late, the voices of hatred, intolerance and extremism are rearing their ugly heads.

Moderate Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or politics, must speak up strongly and steadfastly for peace, tolerance, understanding and mutual respect and not cede any single inch of mainstream ground to the advocates of hatred, intolerance and extremism or Malaysia will be heading towards a perilous and disastrous end.

Malaysia can only succeed as a world-class nation by leveraging on the best qualities embedded in the diverse races, languages, religions, cultures and civilizations which meet in confluence in Malaysia.

There is therefore no option but for Malaysia to pursue a policy of moderation in our nation-building policies and directions which give primacy to the goals of unity, peace, tolerance, understanding, mutual respect and excellence.

We will end up as a broken and a failed state if we do not resist the siren song of extremists who preach distrust, hatred and intolerance, and want to build walls segregating the diverse races, religions and cultures in Malaysia. Read the rest of this entry »

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Najib should be the first to take the lie-detector test and answer questions on the 1MDB scandal and his private banking accounts by a panel of independent and eminent Malaysians

A week ago, the Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Dr. Ali Hamsa said that the government is studying the possibility of using the polygraph – lie detector – test as a mechanism to help curb cases of corruption among civil servants.

Ali Hamsa said the government was looking at using such tools as part of its initiatives to strengthen the integrity of government agencies.

This is a good idea, especially as it was recengly reported by an establishment “mainstream media” that an entire division of a government agency, which collects revenue for the country, had failed a polygraph test showing that most of the senior officers had been stealing money and abused their position for gratification – one reason why the polygraph test for civil servants was discontinued.

Bearing in mind the proverb “A fish rots from the head down”, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak should be the first to take the polygraph test and answer questions specifically on the 1MDB scandal and his private banking accounts by a panel of independent and eminent Malaysians. Read the rest of this entry »

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Call on moderate Malaysians to launch a virtuous movement of goodwill and solidarity among Malaysians regardless of race, religion or politics to build a nation of peace, tolerance, understanding and mutual respect to defeat those who want Malaysia to be trapped in a vicious circle of hate, enmity, intolerance , mutual distrust and extremism

Ramadan of 2017 is of special significance for Malaysia for moderate Malaysians should launch a virtuous movement of goodwill and solidarity among Malaysians regardless of race, religion or politics to build a nation of peace, tolerance, understanding and mutual respect to defeat those who want Malaysia to be trapped in a vicious circle of hate, enmity, intolerance, mutual distrust and extremism.

Pakatan Harapan leaders from PKR, Amanah, Pribumi Bersatu and DAP are visiting Pasar Ramadan in various parts of Johore and Malaysia to spread the message of peace, tolerance, understanding and mutual respect among the citizenry, regardless of race, religion or politics, for this is the best way to counter the evil designs of irresponsible elements who want Malaysians to be divided or torn asunder by hate, enmity, intolerance and mutual distrust, solely based on factors of race or religion.

It is a sad commentary on our failure in nation-building in the past six decades to lay a strong and powerful foundation for a united, harmonious, tolerant multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural nation that on the 60th anniversary of our National Day celebrations this year, there are forces in Malaysia preaching hate, enmity, intolerance and mutual distrust trying to divide Malaysians based on race or religion.

Patriotic and moderate Malaysians must unite to save the country from such irresponsible forces of disunity, division and disunity. Read the rest of this entry »

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