Archive for category Corruption

Does Prime Minister Najib know that he is the”MO1” referred to in the US DOJ lawsuits to forfeit US$1.7 billion 1MDB-linked assets money-laundered through American banks?

I am quite impressed. Two page headline leads face-to-face on page 12 and page 13 in the New Straits Times (NST) – the page 12 headline lead “KIT SIANG’S RETIREMENT OFFER A ‘DIVERSION’” for a three-column report while page 13 headline lead “’KIT SIANG A HYPOCRITE’” for a four-column report.

I have never received such coverage by the self-proclaimed national mainstream newspaper before. Why have I suddenly become so important?

Pity, I am not one of NST fans.

Even greater pity that such prominent coverage comes at a time when the NST has degenerated from a newspaper into a lies-paper, with its formidable circulation in the region of 300,000 copies a day in the past shrinking to the pitiable figure of some 40,000 actually sold circulation today!

But the mission of NST, just like other media in the UMNO/BN stable, is not to report news but to disseminate lies, fake news and false information and there are many such lies, fake news and false information in the two mentioned NST reports today. Read the rest of this entry »

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Congrats to Najib in getting Hadi to be his chief defender on 1MDB scandal as the PAS President himself is worth more than the phalanx of overly-paid local and foreign and media consultants and propagandists

I congratulate the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, for getting Datuk Seri Hadi Awang to be his chief defender on the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal as the PAS President himself is worth more than the phalanx of overly-paid local and foreign media consultants and propagandists.

On the eve of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Hadi issued an extraordinary Open Letter to all Political Parties asking all political leaders to ease up on their attacks on Najib on the 1MDB scandal, introducing the ridiculous notion that the US Department of Justice (DOJ) kleptocratic lawsuits to forfeit US$1.7 billion 1MDB-linked assets which had been acquired through stolen 1MDB funds money-laundered through American banks as “foreign interference” in Malaysian domestic affairs.

Yesterday, Hadi came out with another novel defence of Najib and the 1MDB scandal, claiming that the 1MDB scandal is a consequence of Barisan Nasional’s motto of “leadership by example” over the years, as good as arguing that just because there had been scandals in the past, Malaysians should not object to another scandal – even though the 1MDB scandal is the greatest financial scandal in the nation’s history and given Malaysia the infamous and ignominous appellation of a “global kleptocracy”!

On this basis, Hadi will be able to defend and justify all the abuses and corruption of power by the Najib government.

Is this the basis on which Hadi wants PAS to defend and even save Najib and UMNO? Read the rest of this entry »

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No stronger proof that Hadi’s PAS is not the PAS in Pakatan Rakyat than Jasa chief’s attack on Tuan Ibrahim using Hadi’s arguments

There is no stronger proof that Datuk Seri Hadi Awang’s PAS is not the PAS in Pakatan Rakyat when it was bound and guided by the Pakatan Rakyat Common Policy Framework for a united, harmonious, inclusive, successful, progressive and prosperous Malaysia with zero tolerance for corruption than the news yesterday that “Jasa chief uses Hadi’s argument to slam Tuan Ibrahim” – an UMNO propaganda operative using the PAS President to attack the PAS Deputy President!

When was there such similar incident in the 66-year history of the party?

As far as I know, such a thing had never happened before in the history of PAS.

Will the PAS President come to the defence of his deputy from such UMNO attacks? Quite unthinkable! Read the rest of this entry »

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Three instances where Hadi and his hardline mainstream leaders in PAS were caught red-handed as foremost apologists for UMNO kleptocracy and emulating UMNO propaganda campaign of demonization against DAP and Pakatan Harapan

Nobody would have thought that PAS would one day become the foremost apologist for UMNO kleptocracy and emulated UMNO propaganda campaign of demonization against the DAP and Pakatan Harapan.

But the PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang and his hardline mainstream leaders in PAS were caught red-handed in three such acts in the past one week.

It started with Hadi’s Open Letter to All Political Parties on the eve of Hari Raya Aidilfriti, joining forces with UMNO propagandists to divert the agenda for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri “balek kampong” discussions from 1MDB mastermind Jho Low’s gift of US$27.3 million pink diamond necklace and other multi-million US dollar gifts to the “wife of MO1”, the handing over of multimillion US dollar gifts by Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr and American actor Leonardo DiCaprio to US Department of Justice (DOJ) investigators to alleged “foreign interference” in Malaysian domestic affairs by US DOJ’s kleptocratic suits to forfeit US$1.7 billion 1MDB-linked assets from US$4.5 billion 1MDB international money-laundering scandal. Read the rest of this entry »

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Zeti, helpless, says central bank imposed highest fines in history on 1MDB

By Cordoba Ali
Independent, Singapore
June 28, 2017

Giving the impressions that she might still be under some pressure from the powers that be, former Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz said the institution imposed the highest fines in Malaysian history on the embattled 1MDB.

“So, we could issue letters of administrative compound to relevant bodies and financial institutions breaching Bank Negara’s regulations in the 1MDB case. I would say the fines were probably the highest in history,” she told a Chinese vernacular daily.

But she did not reveal the amount paid by 1MDB or whether there was a ‘discount’ after she left her post as governor last year.

But she said Bank Negara was powerless to take further action than just some fines to “relevant bodies and financial institutions” over breach of regulations in relation to the 1MDB case.

Netizens however does not agree with her on this statement, saying she should and could have done more to expose the 1MDB issue which has since then been thrown under the carpet in Malaysia. Read the rest of this entry »

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Call on Kelantan voters to “kill two birds with one stone” by voting to change two governments – state and federal – in the 14th General Election

The 2008 General Election saw a “political tsunami” which saw UMNO/BN coalition losing power in five states – retaining power in Kelantan as well as capturing Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor.

The 2013 General Election was meant to be a political watershed event, bringing about for the first time in the nation’s history a change of Federal government in Putrajaya.

But there was national disappointment all round, as Datuk Seri Najib Razak was able to cling on to power as the first minority Prime Minister in the country through gerrymandering and a most unfair and undemocratic electoral system.

With 47% of the electoral vote, Najib secured 60% of the parliamentary seats although the majority of the voters voted against Najib and the UMNO/BN coalition with the Pakatan Rakyat at the time winning 53% of the popular vote.

Following the break-up of Pakatan Rakyat in June 2015 because of the refusal of the Hadi leadership of PAS to honour the Pakatan Rakyat Common Policy Framework and the Pakatan Rakyat’s consensus operational principle, Malaysians experienced the worst political disappointment in the nation’s history.

As a result many Malaysians lost hope in the possibility of bringing about political change through the electoral process.

What then does the 14th General Election, which will be held in the next 10 months, hold in store for Malaysians? Read the rest of this entry »

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1MDB’s RM56 million since 2011 to sponsor 5,711 pilgrims is only .01% of the total 1MDB debts of some RM50 – 55 billion

It was announced today that 1MDB had spent RM56 million to sponsor 5,711 pilgrims to Mecca since 2011.

This seems to be a major allocation of charity, but is really a drop in the ocean of 1MDB debts.

Nobody knows what are the total debts which had been piled up by 1MDB, which eventually would have to be paid by generations of Malaysians.

This is because the last accounts of 1MDB to be audited and published was up to the end of March 2014, with three years of outstanding 1MDB accounts from 2014 to 2017 a mystery even to Cabinet Ministers!

The total debts of 1MDB could be in the region of RM50 – RM55 billion – which would put the RM56 million allocated by 1MDB to sponsor pilgrims to Mecca in the past six years since 2011 to represent only a paltry .01 per cent of the total 1MDB debts. Read the rest of this entry »

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Will PAS rank-and-file endorse the Hadi mainstream PAS leadership position to help Najib overcome the national and global kleptocratic storm arising from the international multibillion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal so that Najib could continue as PM after 14GE?

This is my third stop after Kuantan and Kemamam in my three-day “Jelajah Raya di Pantai Timur” to Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan.

One objective of the Jelajah Raya is to underline the importance of unity, understanding, tolerance, goodwill and solidarity of the Malaysian population, regardless of race, religion and region, which is one of the ingredients of the formula to guarantee Malaysia’s success as a nation.

Hari Raya Aidilfitri is a national holiday and should be celebrated not only by all Muslims but also by non-Muslims in Malaysia to develop a Malaysian culture where the major religious and cultural festivals in Malaysia are also celebrated by all Malaysians, to transform our diversities of race, religion, culture and customs into an asset and strength in welding our diverse people into one national entity, instead of being a liability and weakness which breed suspicion, mistrust and hatred leading to grave problems of racial and religious polarisation.

Malaysia as an “instant Asia” should not just be a tourism slogan, but be the Malaysian creed and motto – which makes Malaysia different and better than all other nations. Read the rest of this entry »

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Hadi boasts that PAS can win five states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Kedah and Selangor in next general elections when in fact, PAS will be fighting for its political life to retain power in Kelantan State Government

This is my second stop after Kuantan in my three-day “Jelajah Desa di Pantai Timur” to Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan during this year’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri season.

Malaysians, regardless of race, religion or region, must realise the critical importance of ordinary Malaysians coming forward to unite to save Malaysia from hurtling headlong towards a failed and rogue state.

Ordinary Malaysians must not allow the country to join the ranks of the failed nations, incapable of achieving the greatness we envisaged for our country when we attained Merdeka 60 years ago in 1957 to be a world-class nation and a model for the world of an united, harmonious, progressive and prosperous plural nation of diverse races, religions, languages and cultures.

South Korea is an example of a nation which had overtaken Malaysia in the past six decades. Read the rest of this entry »

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The highly-expensive UMNO/BN Strategic Communications machinery completely went haywire, even sabotaging Rosmah’s propaganda campaign, as a result of US DOJ’s kleptocratic suits expanding their forfeiture targets from US$3.5 billion to US$4.5 billion 1MDB money-laundering scams

Late last night, a statement was issued in the name of the press secretary to the Prime Minister – the latest proof of the desperate straits of the highly-expensive UMNO/BN Strategic Communications machinery which completely went haywire, even sabotaging Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor’s carefully choreographed propaganda campaign, as a result of US Department of Justice (DOJ) kleptocratic suits expanding their forfeiture targets of 1MDB-linked assets from US$3.5 billion to US$4.5 billion of 1MDB money-laundering scams through American banks.

The statement that was issued last night returned to baseless, ridiculous and even outrageous personal attacks on me – after I had virtually been forgotten in the past ten days following the expanded US DOJ kleptocratic suits to increase forfeiture of 1MDB-linked assets from US$1 billion to US$1.7 billion, including the gifts of US$27.3 million 22-carat pink diamond necklace and 27 different 18-carat gold necklaces and bracelets worth US$1.3 million to the “wife of MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1” – apart from multi-million US dollar gifts to American actor Leonardo diCaprio and Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr by 1MDB “mastermind” Jho Low misappropriating stolen 1MDB billions.

After the shocking third series of US DOJ kleptocratic suits on June 15, which showed that the DOJ had not been dormant or inactive in the past 11 months since the initial filing of kleptocratic suits against 1MDB-linked assets in July 2016, Rosmah’s handlers had painstakingly crafted a propaganda campaign to insulate her from “attacks and false allegations”, with her lawyers in the law firm of NoorHajran Mohd Noor announcing that Rosmah’s lawyers are “closely monitoring all postings appearing on any social media platforms and other forms of publications in relation to false and malicious attacks” against her, warning of “legal action without further notice”.

But all these carefully orchestrated plans to insulate Rosmah from the “gathering storm” from the third series of DOJ suits were destroyed by none other than the Director of Barisan Nasional Strategic Communications, Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan himself who, in his typical bravado which made him the only person to tell an BBC interview last September that “MO1” is none other than the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, opened up public questioning on the receipient of Jho Low’s gift from stolen 1MDB funds for the US$27.3 million 22-carat pink diamond necklace after Abdul Rahman’s second admission that “the wife of MO1” is Rosmah. Read the rest of this entry »

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Apandi has exceeded his powers and jurisdiction as Attorney General and usurped the powers of the Cabinet, in particular the Foreign Minister, when he pronounced the US DOJ kleptocratic action as “politically motivated”

Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali, has exceeded his powers and jurisdiction as Attorney-General and usurped the powers of the Cabinet and in particular the Foreign Minister when he pronounced in Kota Bahru yesterday that the US Department of Justice (DOJ)’s largest kleptocratic actions to forfeit US$1.7 billon 1MDB-linked assets out of US$4.5 billion 1MDB money-laundering activities through American banks and financial system as “politically motivated”.

The decision whether the United States, or any other country, had been “politically motivated” in taking action, whether legal or of otherwise, which are prejudicial to the national interests should be made by the Cabinet and not by the Attorney-General.

It is for the Attorney-General to submit such a case to the Cabinet but it is for the Cabinet to decide and act on whether the US DOJ action is “politically motivated”.

Otherwise we have “the tail wagging the dog” phenomenon, with the Attorney-General yesterday setting and announcing the agenda that the US DOJ action is “politically motivated”, which is to be endorsed and acted upon by the Cabinet at its meeting today.

In our system of government, it is the AG who is answerable to the Cabinet and not the Cabinet which is answerable and beholden to the AG! Read the rest of this entry »

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Malaysian Reactions to DOJ Lawsuits Reflect Ignorance and Corrupted Concept of Justice

M. Bakri Musa
June 27, 2017

America is a Rorschach Test to most foreigners. What they view as America reveals more of themselves than of America; likewise, how they react to events in America.

One visitor to Washington, DC, would see only the homeless under the bridges, potholes on the streets, and “adult” stores at very corner; others, The Smithsonian, Georgetown University, and the National Institutes of Health. The contrasting observations reflect volumes on the observers.

Consider the Malaysian responses to the US Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuits relating to alleged illicit siphoning of funds from 1MDB. I am not referring to the kopi-o babbling in the echo chamber of UMNO-paid “cyber-troopers” that pollutes the social media. They are pet parrots; babbling whatever is coached to them. With a different master offering more leftovers they could be made to change their tune.

What interests me instead are the responses of ministers and commentators. Their utterances expose their appalling ignorance of the American justice system. They also reveal much of themselves, as per Rorschach’s insight.

One minister, eager to be seen as his master’s favorite lapdog, asserted that DOJ is being influenced by the Malaysian opposition. On cue, the other hounds and bitches piled on. A hitherto severe critic of the establishment pontificated that a former champion college debater together with Mahathir and Daim Zainuddin were involved.

Heady stuff for a young man! Though flattered, Syed Saddiq went ahead and filed a police report against that blogger! Mahathir described best those who believed such canards: “Bodoh luar biasa!” (Extraordinarily stupid!)

Those characters must also believe that the American judicial system is like Malaysia’s, where prosecutors could be influenced or paid off a la one Shafee Abdullah. Sarawak Report alleged that he was paid RM9.5 million from Najib’s slush fund before being appointed special prosecutor in Anwar Ibrahim’s case. Shafee has not denied that. Read the rest of this entry »

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With American actor Leonardo DiCaprio and Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr handing over their multi-million dollar 1MDB-linked gifts from Jho Low to DOJ, all eyes are now on “wife of MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1”

With American actor Leonardo DiCaprio and Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr handing over their multi-million US dollar gifts from Jho Low to the US Department of Justice (DOJ), all eyes are now on the “wife of MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1”.

Representatives of Leonardo Di Caprio announced two weeks ago that the American actor had turned over an Oscar won by Marlon Brando to US investigators probing money laundering by 1MDB as well as initiated the return of other, unidentified items that the actor said he accepted as gifts for a charity auction and which originated from the international 1MDB money-laundering scam. Read the rest of this entry »

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Miranda Kerr gives up $A11m in jewellery

BRADLEY HOPE
The Australian
June 27, 2017

Miranda Kerr had been keeping the jewellery in a Los Angeles safe deposit box.

Australian model Miranda Kerr has handed over $US8.1 million ($A10.7m) worth of jewellery to the US Justice Department a week after lawsuits said it was purchased for her by Malaysian financier Jho Low with allegedly misappropriated funds, according to her spokesman.

Ms Kerr transferred the gifts on Friday to government agents from her safe-deposit box in Los Angeles, the spokesman said.

“From the start of the inquiry, Miranda Kerr co-operated fully and pledged to turn over the gifts of jewellery to the government,” he said. “Ms Kerr will continue to assist with the inquiry in any way she can.”

Ms Kerr isn’t a defendant in the lawsuits.

The Justice Department declined to comment. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Cabinet should save the nation and Najib from further embarrassment as well as avert snowballing public protests by vetoing the Prime Minister’s appointment of Isa as SPAD Acting Chairman

The Cabinet at its meeting tomorrow should save Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the nation from further embarrassment as well as avert snowballing public protests by vetoing the Prime Minister’s shocking appointment of Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad as acting chairman of Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).

The Prime Minister and the Cabinet should be convinced by now that the appointment of Isa as acting Chairman of SPAD is the most unpopular appointment of a GLC Chairman, opposed by all sectors of society, embracing the civil service, the civil society and UMNO and BN rank-and-file. There are only brickbats and denunciations without a single good word for Isa’s new appointment.

It is most shocking that the “wizard” of government transformation, Datuk Idris Jala could even think of Isa’s appointment to head SPAD, which goes against all principles and precepts of government transformation.

Idris should clarify what “governance quantum leap” he has in mind for SPAD with his “musical chair” proposition for Isa to be moved from FGV to SPAD. Read the rest of this entry »

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Malaysia’s greatest political scandal: The 1MDB scandal that refuses to die

by Oliver Ward, edited by Francesca Ross
ASEAN TODAY
JUNE 26, 2017

Najib’s government is yet again on thin ice over 1MDB. It is long past time for the truth.

Najib is on thin ice. The Malaysian prime minister declared the “major challenges” of 1MDB were behind him earlier this year, yet the undying scandal has again reared its head.

The latest revelation from the tangled web of corruption is US$540 million (MYR2.3 billion) of assets the Americans say were funnelled out of the 1MBD project. The money was used to buy a 22-carat pink diamond necklace. The necklace was worth US$27 million. Read the rest of this entry »

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1MDB: What Next for Scandal Bankers?

finews.com
26 June 2017 | Written by Katharina Bart

Singapore’s financial regulator has closed the door on a two-year investigation over 1MDB. But Swiss banks – and bankers – are by no means off the hook. finews.com looks at who is sweating more than usual this summer.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore, or MAS, head Ravi Menon called BSI «the worst case of control lapses and gross misconduct» he had ever seen in Singapore finance. Six people were referred to Singapore’s prosecutor.

Two years after beginning to probe how banks in the city-state catered to 1MDB’s financial machinations, MAS has shut the investigation, levying nearly S$30 million in fines against UBS, Credit Suisse, DBS, Standard Chartered, UOB, Coutts & Co as well as Falcon Private Bank and Banca della Svizzera Italiana. Read the rest of this entry »

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Najib should give meaning to his Aidilfitri address to avoid slanderous statements by ensuring that his government and UMNO/BN do not become the father of lies, fake news and false information

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, in his televised Aidilfitra address has warned against slanderous statements disseminated by “irresponsible parties” especially on social media.

I support Najib’s call and urge the Prime Minister to give meaning to his Aidilfitri address to avoid slanderous statements by ensuring that his government and the UMNO/Barisan Nasional coalition which he leads do not become the father of lies, fake news and false information.

Recently, there are more and more examples of the UMNO/BN government and coalition guilty of the heinous sin of hypocrisy, preaching the iniquity of fake news and false information on the one hand while at the same time concocting fake news and false information on the other.

Without going back to the past where UMNO/BN were guilty of the most heinous lies and falsehoods to demonise DAP and DAP leaders, like alleging that I had been responsible for the May 13,1969 riots and had led illegal processions through the streets of Kuala Lumpur resulting in the May 13 riots although I was never in Kuala Lumpur at the relevant period, I will cite three recent examples of such lies, falsehoods, fake news and false information.

The first recent lie and slander perpetrated by UMNO/BN government/coalition: Read the rest of this entry »

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Call for the report of the Special Task Force on Bank Negara forex losses in early 1990s to be made public

Ministers of the sixth Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, say the darndest things but Najib’s Cabinet has made the darndest decision last Wednesdy, when the Ministers glued their eyes and minds to a quarter of a century ago to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into Bank Negara foreign exchanges losses scandal but were totally blind to the present and future – in particular the multi-billion dollar 1MDB world money-laundering scandal which had catapulted Malaysia to international infamy and ignominy of a global kleptocracy.

The chairman of the Special Task Force (STF) into Bank Negara’s forex losses in early nineties, Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan, said that the STS’ recommendation for a RCI into the Bank Negara’s forex losses a quarter of a century was to bring closure to the issue.

The question Malaysians want answer is why the former Chief Secretary to the Government and the STS members were totally unconcerned about bringing a closure to the 1MDB scandal, considering the shame and humiliation it has brought to Malaysians and the nation? Read the rest of this entry »

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Syed Saddiq is responsible for the intensity of the UMNO propaganda campaign, even roping in PAS President and several state muftis, to ensure Malaysians do not focus on Rosmah’s US$27.3 million pink diamond necklace but on the fairy tale of foreign intervention during the Hari Raya holidays

Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia Youth Wing Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has frightened the UMNO propaganda bigwigs with his call to Malaysians to keep alive the controversial issue of US$ 27.3 million jewellery bought for the wife of Malaysian Offical 1 (MO1) during the entire Hari Raya celebration.

US Department of Justice (DOJ) had drawn the ire of the Barisan Nasioanl Strategic Communications Director, Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan who publicly asked why it had implicated Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor as “wife of MO1” for committing a wrongdoing when it did not intend to seize the 28 jewellery items, including the pink diamond necklace, from Rosmah.

Just as Abdul Rahman had no problem publicly admitting in an interview with BBB in September last year that “MALAYSIAN OFFICIAL 1” (“MO1”) was none other than the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, and even saying “only an idiot does not know who that person was”, he had no qualms in publicly admitting that the “wife of MO1” was none other than Rosmah herself.

At least, on the matter of “MO1” and “wife of MO1”, Abdul Rahman was being forthright and truthful unlike his other Ministerial colleagues, including Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, who moved heavens and earth to deny knowing or suspecting the identity of these two personalities in the DOJ suits. Read the rest of this entry »

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