Archive for category Corruption

Dzulkifli must decide whether he wants to be a MACC Chief Commissioner or Barisan Nasional politician, and if latter, let him ask for a candidature from Najib and contest in 14GE

Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad should decide whether he wants to be Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Chief Commissioner or Barisan Nasional politician, and if the latter, he should ask for a candidature from the Prime Minister and Barisan Nasional Chairman Datuk Seri Najib Razak and contest in the forthcoming 14th General Election.

After his first anniversary celebration as MACC Chief Commissioner, Dzulkifli is acting something none of the dozen heads of the anti-corruption agency since its establishment in the past 50 years since 1967 had ever done – conducting himself more as a politician than as MACC Chief Commissioner.

A most recent instance was his open attack on the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Paul Low, for the latter’s proposal for a new Department of National Integrity and Good Governance (JITN) to monitor MACC and ensure that it properly investigate corruption cases and charges perpetrators effectively.

Leaving aside for the moment the merits or demerits of the proposed JITN, what is most unprecedented is the open attack on a Minister by a head of a government agency, which had never happened before in the 60-year history of the public service and raising the question whether Dzulkifli thinks he has the patronage or protection of the Prime Minister to lash out publicly against Ministers – and why Dzulkifli thinks so!

In fact, Dzulkifli should have been put on the carpet for his outburst against Paul Low, but who dares to discipline Dzulfifli when even the Prime Minister is wary of him? Read the rest of this entry »

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Challenge to MACC Chief Commissioner Dzulkifli to explain at the Pakatan Harapan “Sayangi Malaysia, Hapuskan Kleptokrasi” rally in PJ on Oct. 14 what MACC had done about fighting corruption and abuses of power in the 1MDB scandal

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Chief Commissioner (MACC) Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad said two days ago that the people are watching me to judge my commitment and seriousness towards fighting corruption and abuses of power.

I have been watched by the people for more than half a century, and DAP leaders are prepared to be judged by the people.

But the MACC Chief Commissioner does not seem to realise that the people are watching the MACC under his leadership to judge whether it dares to fight the “sharks” of corruption, or only goes after the “ikan bilis” and the “medium-sized fishes” in its campaign against corruption.’

In his first anniversary as MACC head, Dzulkifli has launched a nation-wide anti-corruption campaign by MACC officials.

Unfortunately, MACC officials only dare to tell the people to “Say No to Corruption” but they dare not say so themselves, in particular on the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal which had turned Malaysia overnight into a global kleptocracy.

I challenge Dzulkifli to come to the Pakatan Harapan “Sayangi Malaysia, Hapuskan Kleptocrasi” rally in Petaling Jaya on Oct. 14 to tell Malaysians what the MACC under his leadership had done about the No. 1 financial scandal and corruption in Malaysia – the 1MDB scandal. Read the rest of this entry »

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Reply to Dzukifli – people are watching whether you will be the head of the world’s first “kleptocratic” anti-corruption agency

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commissioner Chief Commissioner, Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad said yesterday that the people are watching me to judge my commitment and seriousness towards fighting corruption and abuse of power.

I thank Dzukifli for this reminder, for I have placed myself to be judged by the people for 52 years since my decision to be involved in politics, but unlike so many in UMNO and Barisan Nasional, I am in politics not for titles, wealth or other personal advancement but for my political beliefs and principle to make my contribution towards the building of a Malaysian nation where every Malaysian, regardless of race, religion, socio-economic status, region or politics, could feel proud as a Malaysan because of the unity, harmony, freedom, justice and prosperity in the country which is also an example to the world of a successful, moderate, tolerant, plural nation.

Let me remind Dzulkifli that the people are watching him whether he will be the head of the world’s first “kleptocratic” anti-corruption agency.

Let me tell Dzulkifli of the things he must do to ensure that he does not go down in the history of Malaysia and the world as the first Chief Commissioner of a “kleptocratic” Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. Read the rest of this entry »

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Good questions, Dzukifli – MACC must not only resist Najib hiving off SPRM to Paul Low, it must demand MACC comes directly under an Opposition-headed Parliamentary Committee to ensure its independence and professionalism

“Who are you to control us, MACC boss gives Low a blow” is the Malaysiakini headline for a Penang-datelined report of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad hitting out at Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Paul Llow for his proposal for a new Department of National Integrity and Good Governance (JITN) to monitor MACC and ensure that it properly investigate corruption cases and charges perpetrators effectively.

Dzukifli fumed and said: “We are supposed to be independent. If the excuse of forming the JITN is to monitor MACC, why should I report to him?”

He then asked: “Who is this minister? Who is the minister to control how we investigate cases?” Read the rest of this entry »

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If MACC can recommend that BN candidates involved in the 1MDB scandal, which turned Malaysia into a global kleptocracy, should not be fielded in next general election, I will recommend to DAP CEC that DAP candidates in 14GE be vetted by MACC

The Chief Commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has invited political parties to submit the names of their prospective candidates for the coming 14th general election (GE14) to it for vetting.

He said that although there was no law or compulsion for the political parties to do so, vetting could be done to ensure the candidates were clean and not tainted by corruption and abuse of power.

According to Dzulkifli, only the Barisan Nasional sent in the names of their leaders and would-be candidates for vetting by the MACC while the opposition parties had never done that.

Dzulkifli is not so naïve as not to know the real reason why the Opposition parties had never sent their prospective election candidates to MACC for vetting.

In fact, if there is an opinion poll as to who believes that the MACC is independent, impartial and professional and not a tool of the powers-that-be, in particular the Prime Minister himself, I have no doubt that the overwhelming majority, may be even exceeding 90 per cent of those polled, would hold the view that the MACC is not independent, impartial or professional and a mere tool of the Prime Minister’s Office.

But I am prepared to be convinced otherwise.

If the MACC can recommend that Barisan Nasional (BN) candidates involved in the 1MDB scandal, which turned Malaysia into a global kleptocracy, should not be fielded in the next general election, I will recommend to the DAP Central Executive Committee that DAP candidates in 14GE be vetted by MACC.

The ball is in MACC’s court. Can the MACC deliver? Read the rest of this entry »

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Three FAQs on 1MDB scandal on whether Najib received RM2.6 billion donation from Saudi royalty and returned RM2.1 billion, whether the RM144 million pink diamond necklace for “wife of MO1” came from stolen 1MDB funds all answered in US DOJ kleptocratic suits

Tonight a historic political night for Pahang with the launch of Pahang Pakatan Harapan.

We have with us tonight the Pahang Pakatan Harapan Chairman and PKR Pahang Chairman, Datuk Fauzi Abdul Rahman (MP for Indera Makhota); DAP Pahang Chairman and Pahang Assemblyman for Tanah Rata, Leong Ngah Ngah and DAP Pahang Vice Chairman Tengku Zulpuri Shah b Raja Puji (State Assemblyman for Mentakab); Amanah Pahang Chairman Dr. Hamzah Jaafar and Amanah Pahang Deputy Chairman and Pahang State Assemblyman for Kuala Semantan Syed Hamid Syed Mohamed; Pribumi Bersatu Pahang Chairman, Datuk Salim Salleh as well as the national representatives of the four Pakatan Harapan component parties – Mohamad Sabu, Amanah President; Sdr. William Leong, PKR MP for Selayang and Akramshah Sanusi Junid, Pribumi Bersatu Central Commttee member.

The gathering of the national and state leaders of the four component parties of Pakatan Harapan to launch the Pahang PH wants to send out a clear message to the voters of Pahang – that Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, are on to move to reclaim their democratic right to save Malaysia from kleptocracy and fulfill our Merdeka and Malaysia Dream for Malaysia to be a world-class example of “unity in diversity” where diverse races, religions, languages and cultures can come together to build a democratic, just, progressive and prosperous nation.

There is a great difference between the Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan coalitions.

The BN coalition leaders talk in forked tongues – UMNO leaders playing the race and religious cards among the Malays, inciting fears among the Malay voters with lies that DAP and I are anti-Malay and anti-Islam, that Tun Mahathir, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim , Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Mohamad Sabu are all my stooges and can only say and do what I told them to do; but MCA and Gerakan leaders among the Chinese voters try to scare them with a different story, that I am a puppet of Tun Mahathir and Anwar Ibrahim.

But we in Pakatan Harapan, whether DAP, PKR, Amanah or PBBM, say the same thing whether to Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans or Ibans – that the time has come for Malaysians regardless of race, religion, region or even politics to unite and as summed up in tonight’s theme, “Sayangi Malaysia, Hapuskan Kleptocrasi”. Read the rest of this entry »

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How long will Najib and his administration perpetrate the charade that there is no 1MDB scandal although it continues to make waves and hog international headlines and turned Malaysia overnight into a global kleptocracy?

How long will the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his administration perpetrate the charade that there is no 1MDB scandal although it continues to make waves and hog international headlines, the subject of the largest kleptocratic litigation and investigation by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and turned Malaysia overnight into a global kleptocracy?

So long as Malaysia plays the modern-day role of “The Emperor with no clothes” in the international arena, pretending that there is no 1MDB scandal within the four walls of Malaysia although in foreign financial centres, former bankers are convicted and imprisoned and banks and financial houses and banks are penalized and even closed down for involvement in the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal, so long will the 1MDB scandal hamper and impede the healthy political, economic, moral, nation-building and democratic development of the country.

It will even affect Malaysia’s foreign relations as witnessed by Najib’s recent disastrous visit to the White House and meeting with President Trump, the conspicuous absence of a press conference by Najib with the White House press corps and Najib’s equally conspicuous absence from the United Nations General Assembly opening session although he was in Washington a few days earlier. Read the rest of this entry »

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MACC should change its slogan from “Say No to Corruption” to “Say No to 1MDB scandal” to demonstrate MACC is really leading the fight against corruption and abuses of power in Malaysia

Yesterday, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s Kembara Jelajah Anti-Rasuah Konvoi 2017 came to Johor Baru, with the slogan “Say No to Corruption”.

MACC should change its Kembara Jelajah slogan from “Say No to Corruption” to “Say No to 1MDB scandal” for five reasons:

Firstly, the 1MDB scandal is the country’s largest financial scandal in history, in fact, it is the subject of United States Department of Justice (DOJ) largest kleptocratic litigation to forfeit US$1.7 billion 1MDB-linked assets in US, UK and Switzerland;

Secondly, it is the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal which has turned Malaysia overnight into a “global kleptocracy”;

Thirdly, “Say No to 1MDB scandal” embraces “Say No to Corruption” while “Say No to Corruption” does not include “Say No to 1MDB scandal”;

Fourthly, there is no single issue which will as forcefully and powerfully send out the message to Malaysians and the world that the MACC is serious about fighting corruption than to launch an all-out battle against the 1MBD scandal; and

Fifthly, so long as MACC does not directly address the 1MDB scandal, it will never get the trust and confidence of Malaysians and the world that it has finally come of age and become a truly professional world-class anti-corruption agency dedicated to the war against corruption “without fear or favour” of the powers-that-be. Read the rest of this entry »

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Najib’s three “political disasters” on the seventh day of his week of “political disasters” totalling nine “political disasters” from Sept. 12

Yesterday, I listed the six “political disasters” committed by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s in his new “swamp politics ala-Trump” from Sept. 12 when he visited the White House and met with US President Trump, viz:

1. Najib’s visit to the White House and meeting with US President Trump on Sept. 12, without any sense of personal shame or national humiliation at being branded a “kleptocrat” and “MO1” by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) largest kleptocratic litigation to forfeit US$1.7 billion 1MDB-linked assets in US, UK and Switzerland, and his subservient position in a supplicant role to Trump to the extent of offering up as “homage” three “value propositions” to strengthen the US economy.

2. Najib publicly labeled as a “crook” by former World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz and Newsweek magazine on Sept. 13, and Najib dare not sue them for defamation.

3. Najib’s speech at the MCA-organised Chinese Community Patriotic Assembly at the UMNO HQ in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, Sept. 16, where he threatened the Chinese saying that “the Chinese community would be targeted should Malaysia ever descend into chaos…If there is no peace in our country, what will happen? The Chinese will be the first to be targeted if there is no peace in this country.”

4. The perfunctory manner in which Najib as Prime Minister celebrated Malaysia Day on Sept. 16, spending less than 24 hours in Sabah to attend the official Malaysia Day events in Kota Kinabalu at night while completely ignoring Sarawak altogether.

5. The Prime Minister’s highly-hyped media conference announcement on Sept. 17 at 4.45 pm, resulting in the swarming by over 100 reporters from all over the world at the media conference, but which produced a dud in Najib’s latest “swamp politics” – “Mike Tyson” rejoining UMNO after a five-year sojourn in PAS and PKR from April 2013.

6. The continued hearing on Sept. 18 of the farcical Royal Commission of Inquiry into Bank Negara foreign exchange losses a quarter of a century ago, while there is no RCI on the elephant in the room – the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal which turned Malaysia into a global kleptocracy overnight. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Wolf Of Wall Street producer settles civil suit linked to 1MDB

The NewPaper
Sep 18, 2017

KUALA LUMPUR The company that made the film The Wolf Of Wall Street and was co-founded by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s stepson has settled a civil lawsuit brought by the United States government to seize assets allegedly bought with money stolen from a Malaysian state fund.

Red Granite Pictures announced the settlement in a filing at the federal Los Angeles court last Friday, without revealing any sum.

US prosecutors had claimed that the 2013 film, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was financed by Red Granite using funds stolen from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). Read the rest of this entry »

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Was RCI into Bank Negara forex losses three decades ago concluded earlier than scheduled to avoid the issue of Najib having to testify why he had opposed my call for an RCI in 1993?

A few hours after I issued a statement describing “the continued hearing on Sept. 18 of the farcical Royal Commission of Inquiry into Bank Negara foreign exchange losses a quarter of a century ago, while there is no RCI on the elephant in the room – the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal which turned Malaysia into a global kleptocracy overnight” as the sixth political disaster of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak in a week, the Sidek RCI into the Bank Negara forex losses concluded earlier than scheduled.

Was the Sidek RCI into Bank Negara forex losses three decades ago concluded earlier than scheduled to avoid the issue why Najib is not testifying at the RCI to explain why he had opposed my call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Bank Negara forex losses in 1993?

In his testimony before the RCI yesterday, former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad revealed that Najib was among the ministers in a 1993 cabinet meeting who rejected my proposal at the time to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Bank Negara foreign exchange losses.

I had at the time, some a quarter of a century ago, asked the then Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to refer to the Cabinet to set up a RCI on Bank Negara’s forex losses. Read the rest of this entry »

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‘Wolf of Wall Street’ Producer Reaches Settlement in Federal Corruption Case

Gene Maddaus
Variety
15th Sept 2017

Red Granite Pictures, dogged for more than a year by its connection to a massive Malaysian corruption case, on Friday reached a settlement with federal prosecutors.

The Department of Justice filed a civil forfeiture case in July 2016, seeking to recoup proceeds from “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Prosecutors alleged that Red Granite — whose CEO, Riza Aziz, is the step-son of Malaysia’s prime minister — used funds embezzled from a Malaysian development authority to produce the film.

The case was one part of a much broader effort to seize more than $1 billion in assets, out of $4.5 billion allegedly stolen from the development fund, known as 1MDB. Prosecutors have seized a Picasso and a Basquiat that were gifted to Leonardo DiCaprio, as well as an Oscar statuette that once belonged to Marlon Brando. Read the rest of this entry »

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Najib’s sixth mistake in one week: the continued RCI hearings into Bank Negara forex losses a quarter of a century ago while no RCI on the elephant in the room – 1MDB scandal which turned Malaysia into a global kleptocracy overnight

Two days ago, I spoke about Datuk Seri Najib Razak as a very disaster-prone Prime Minister who made history by committing five political disasters within a week.

But I had under-estimated Najib, as I am today writing about Najib’s sixth political disaster within a week, while tomorrow, I will deal with Najib’s seventh political disaster within a week – from Sept. 12 to 19. Read the rest of this entry »

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US court grants stay in 1MDB assets seizure case

by David J Lynch in Washington
Financial Times
18th Sept. 2017

A federal judge in Los Angeles has granted a US government request to delay its attempt to seize assets allegedly purchased with funds stolen from the 1MDB Malaysian state investment fund while a criminal investigation proceeds.

The ruling came one day after President Donald Trump proclaimed it “a great honour” to welcome to the White House the Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is linked to the investigation but denies any wrongdoing.

The US Department of Justice has been pursuing the alleged misappropriation of $4.5bn from the 1MDB fund along two paths.  Read the rest of this entry »

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Five political disasters in one week – isn’t it enough?

What an anti-climax and a political disaster!

The much hyped-up media conference announcement this evening by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak which attracted not only national but world-wide attention proved to be an utterly inconsequential one of the former Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Muhammad Muhammad Taib rejoining UMNO, after leaving UMNO in 2013 to join PAS, and then leaving PAS in 2015 to join PKR.

May be, Najib should be congratulated for getting a better candidate to be Selangor Mentri Besar than the one Selangor UMNO/BN has at present, but whether “Mike Tyson” will inspire Selangor voters to give the Selangor Government mandate back to UMNO/Selangor is another question.

What is most deplorable is the “game” which UMNO propagandists and cybertroopers played on the media, to make then their “agents” to spread their ploy, naming various ex-UMNO personalities who would be returning to the fold, like Shafie Apdal, Tamrin Ghaffar, Khalid Ibrahim, etc. We are indeed seeing “swamp” politics of the most immoral and despicable variety now in Malaysia.

This is Najib’s fifth political disaster in a week. Isn’t it enough?
Read the rest of this entry »

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Instead of a meaningless “hero’s welcome home” in KLIA last night, is Najib prepared to convene a special Parliament on 1MDB scandal to clear and cleanse Malaysia of the infamy and ignominy of a global kleptocracy?

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak returned to “a hero’s welcome” at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) last night after his recent visit to White House and meeting with US President Trump.

What was the “hero’s welcome home” for?

Was it for representing Malaysia bearing gifts like a vassal state to the White House in the meeting with US President Donald Trump, with three “value propositions” to strengthen the US economy to make America great again – as stated in the White House transcript of the 5-minute 58-second exchange between Najib and Trump in their meeting?

Although the Finance Ministry Secretary-General Tan Sri Irwan Sregar has denied that Najib was bearing gifts to Washington to “strengthen the US economy”, the Prime Minister himself has not made any denial in the past four days.

I do not think Najib could deny what was clearly stated in the transcript of the Najib-Trump 5-minute 58-second exchange at the White House meeting, as the transcript was released by White House itself.
Read the rest of this entry »

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Will Najib sue former World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz and Newsweek for calling him a “crook”?

Will the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak sue the former World Bank President Paul Wolfowitze and American news magazine Newsweek for defamation for calling him a “crook”?

This is the first time that a Malaysian Prime Minister in 60 years has been publicly called a “crook” by an international personality like the former World Bank President and an international news magazine.

Is Najib going to keep quiet and submit to such public defamation or is he going to defend his personal honour and the nation’s dignity by taking legal action to sue Wolfowitz and Newsweek magazine for calling him a “crook”?

Malaysians can still remember that it is more than two years ago that Najib had threatened to sue Wall Street Journal in July 2015 for implicating him in the 1MDB and RM2.6 billion donation twin mega scandals, but nothing has come out of it.

Similarly, can Najib be believed if he now indulges in saber-rattling warning that he would sue Paul Wolfowitze and Newsweek without coming through with any defamation proceedings? Read the rest of this entry »

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Trump’s meeting with Malaysian crook Najib reeks of the Swamp

BY PAUL WOLFOWITZ
Newsweek
9/13/17

This article first appeared on the American Enterprise Institute site.

President Trump met yesterday with Prime Minister Najib of Malaysia, a visit the Wall Street Journal in an editorial last week characterized appropriately as “Trump’s Malaysia Swamp.”

As an Australian expert on Southeast Asia quoted in the New York Times said, “From a pure public relations point of view, it’s a meeting the White House should avoid. . . . Even a photo op with Kim Jong-un would be better.”

The Washington Post in an editorial yesterday said that the visit “sets a new low. Not only is Mr. Najib known for imprisoning peaceful opponents, silencing critical media and reversing Malaysia’s progress toward democracy. He also is a subject of the largest foreign kleptocracy investigation ever launched by the US Justice Department.” Read the rest of this entry »

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The 5 minute 58 second-exchange in the White House that launched a thousand jokes

Just as there is a saying about “The face that launched a thousand ships”, I would not be surprised if there is saying about “The 5 minute 58 second-exchange in the White House that launched a thousand jokes”.

The Trump-Najib meeting at White House on Sept. 12 was choreographed as a “master propaganda stroke” to position the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak in an unassailable position in the run-up to the 14GE.

It was to knock out the adverse publicity hounding and haunting Najib as a result of the US Department of Justice (DOJ)’s largest kleptocratic suits ever to forfeit US$1.7 billion of 1MDB-linked assets, and coupled with the “go for the jugular” propaganda offensive blaming the Opposition of using the 1MDB issue to undermine investor confidence in the Malaysian economy, it was to place Najib in the elevated and unbeatable position of a world-respected Malaysian leader facing unreasonable attacks by unpatriotic Malaysians!

But within 24 hours, the two-prong propaganda offensive of the Najib strategic communications team came apart, for it was so artificial and lacking in candour and truth that it is not sustainable, and the top-heavy propaganda artifice erected by Najib’s highly-paid media foreign consultants has come tumbling down.

In fact, instead laying all controversies, including the RM55 billion 1MDB and RM2.6 billion donation twin mega scandals to rest, the Najib-Trump meeting at the White House, and in particular the 5 minute-58 second Trump-Najib exchange in the White House, opened up more questions. Read the rest of this entry »

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Malaysians dependent on mainstream media out-of-sync with rest of the world – believing Najib’s meeting with Trump at White House “resounding success” when US and world media regard it as a disaster for both countries

Malaysians dependent on mainstream media for their information are out of sync with the rest of the world – believing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House was a “resounding success” when US and world media regard it as a disaster for both countries.

Najib has given a new meaning to foreign trips by our Prime Minister and Ministers as until Najib’s US visit, one criteria to judge the success of such a foreign visit is to consider the amount of foreign investments it had been able to attract for Malaysia, but there was not only none in Najib’s White House visit, the Prime Minister visited the White House bearing gifts like a supplicant visiting a reigning potentate!

Any self-respecting Malaysian who read the transcript of the remarks made by Trump and Najib at the White House Cabinet Room on Tuesday would squirm at the tone and tenor of the exchange, for it was not between two equals representing two sovereign nations but like those between a monarch and a minor chieftain of one his far-flung territories! Read the rest of this entry »

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