I was offered $2.7m for stolen data: Ex-PetroSaudi employee Xavier Andre Justo on the 1MDB saga
Posted by Kit in Financial Scandals, Media, Najib Razak on Saturday, 25 July 2015, 2:00 pm
Nirmal Ghosh
Straits Times
Bangkok
July 24, 2015
Ex-PetroSaudi employee says he was never paid what prominent Malaysian businessman promised him
Swiss national Xavier Andre Justo – who is now in jail in Thailand in connection with trying to blackmail his former employer, PetroSaudi, which is entangled in a huge scandal involving the Malaysian government – has claimed that he was promised US$2 million (S$2.7 million) in exchange for data he stole from his former employer.
He also told The Straits Times in a prison interview that he was never paid what he was promised by a prominent Malaysian businessman. Justo claimed a deal was reached in Singapore in February on the sale of the documents, which was followed by lengthy discussions on how he would be paid.
The group of people he met in Singapore to negotiate the sale of the data were named in a 22-page confession Justo made to Thai police. He showed a copy of the confession to The Straits Times. Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia’s Edge Group Publications Suspended
Posted by Kit in Financial Scandals, Media, Najib Razak, UMNO on Saturday, 25 July 2015, 1:44 pm
By John Berthelsen
Asia Sentinel
July 24, 2015
Government action comes as owner, publisher, say they obtained documents through a ruse
The Edge Financial Daily, the country’s leading financial newspaper, and The Edge Weekly have been suspended from publishing for three months by Malaysian authorities for reporting on the scandal-tarred 1 Malaysia Development Bhd development fund that authorities said was “prejudicial or likely to be prejudicial to public order, security or likely to alarm public opinion.” It also stated that the reporting on 1MDB was “likely to be prejudicial to public and national interest.”
The suspension is unprecedented. Last week, the government also blocked The Sarawak Report, written by Clare Rewcastle Brown from the UK, which has been equally critical of the government. Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has been tied directly to the scandal by reports that US$680 million had been spirited from 1MDB-related companies into his personal accounts.
Tong Kooi Ong, the owner of The Edge Group, and Ho Kay Tat, the publisher, have both been threatened with arrest. Ho was forced to report to the police on July 22 and was questioned for two hours over the paper’s publication of a 3,800 word on July 21 report describing in deep detail, with flow charts, how money had flowed out of 1MDB into PetroSaudi International, a Middle East-based oil exploration company, and that US$1.83 billion allegedly was stolen by company officers and others. Read the rest of this entry »
Najib intends to roll on, not over
Posted by Kit in Financial Scandals, Najib Razak, UMNO on Saturday, 25 July 2015, 1:33 pm
Economist
Jul 25th 2015 | KUALA LUMPUR
Soldiering on – Malaysia’s prime minister battles claims of corruption
WHATEVER the truth of them, the accusations levelled against Najib Razak, Malaysia’s prime minister, have astonished a country that some had thought inured to scandal. In early July the Wall Street Journal reported that it had seen documents produced by government investigators suggesting that nearly $700m from companies linked to a troubled state-backed investment fund had been paid into what they believed to be Mr Najib’s personal bank accounts. With worries about an oil-dependent economy, the controversy is the last thing Malaysia needs.
The allegation is that the money was received shortly before the general election in 2013, in which a coalition dominated by Mr Najib’s party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) scraped home, despite narrowly losing the popular vote. The prime minister helped launch the fund, known as 1MDB, in 2009 and chairs its board of advisers. It has acquired land and power plants, yet has struggled to service debts of around $11 billion. The firm’s affairs were already the subject of official investigations, but until this month no one had claimed to have evidence that the prime minister himself had received any money. Read the rest of this entry »
Hard Realities of Malaysian Politics – Hadi will again by “played out” by Najib in the next Parliamentary meeting as Hadi’s private member’s bill motion on hudud will not see the light of day as Najib has already achieved his objective of breaking up Pakatan Rakyat
I am shocked by the downright dishonesty of the PAS President, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang in continuing to accuse the DAP of wanting to grab political power for the Chinese as the reason why DAP wanted to restore local government elections and the break-up of Pakatan Rakyat.
I have just seen the video of Hadi’s interview with Channel News Asia (CNA) where he accused the DAP of violating the “morals” of Pakatan Rakyat and of wanting to grab political power for the Chinese in wanting to restore local government elections.
I am both shocked and saddened that a former Pakatan Rakyat leader could be reduced to a level to tell such a lie, which is a most immoral act for any top political leader.
Kenyataan pahit politik Malaysia – Hadi sekali lagi akan “dipermainkan” oleh Najib pada persidangan Parlimen akan datang kerana usul rang undang-undang persendirian berkenaan hudud tidak akan diberi ruang untuk dibentangkan kerana Najib telah pun mencapai matlamatnya untuk memecah-belahkan Pakatan Rakyat
Saya terperanjat dengan ketidakjujuran Presiden PAS Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang yang terus membuat tuduhan palsu bahawa keinginan DAP untuk merampas kuasa politik ke tangan kaum Cina adalah sebab mengapa DAP mahu mengembalikan pilihanraya kerajaan tempatan dan punca perpecahan Pakatan Rakyat.
Saya baru saja menonton video wawancara Hadi dengan Channel News Asia yang di dalamnya beliau menuduh DAP melanggar “moral” Pakatan Rakyat dan mahu merampas kuasa politik demikaum Cina dengan cara mengembalikan pilihanraya kerajaan tempatan.
Saya terkejut dan sekaligus sedih kerana seorang bekas pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat seperti beliau sanggup meletakkan dirinya ke tahap yang begitu rendah dengan menyebarkan pembohongan sedemikian. Ia perbuatan yang tidak berakhlak bagi seorang pemimpin politik atasan.
Ketika UMNO menyebarkan pembohongan tentang DAP, pemimpin atasan UMNO tidak melibatkan diri, membiarkan kerja-kerja kotor dilakukan oleh para propagandis dan pemain politik tingkat bawah.
Namun dalam PAS, Presiden parti sendiri terlibat secara giat menyebarkan pembohongan yang dulu diulan-ulang oleh UMNO!
Kita mungkin boleh berbaik hati dan memberi alasan bahawa Hadi mempunyai masalah ingatan sehingga sanggup berbohong dan menuduh DAP cuba merampas kuasa demi kaum Cina dengan cara menuntut supaya pilihanraya kerajaan tempatan dikembalikan dan kononnya pilihanraya itu akan merugikan Melayu kerana 60 peratus daripada kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri dalam negara ini telah dikawal oleh DAP.
Dakwaan sedemikian adalah pembohongan terang-terangan dan tidak masuk akal atas enam sebab:
i) DAP tidak mengawal 60 peratus daripada kerusi DUN kerana gabungan ketiga-tiga parti Pakatan Rakyat, iaitu DAP, PKR, dan PAS (sebelum Pakatan dikorbankan dalam Muktamar PAS pada 3 Jun lalu) telah memenangi tidak sampai 50% daripada jumlah keseluruhan kerusi DUN dalam PRU ke-13 yang lalu. Jumlah keseluruhan dan peratus kerusi DUN yang dimenangi oleh parti-parti Pakatan dalam PRU 13 adalah 229 kerusi atau 45% daripada 505 kerusi DUN dalam negara.
ii) DAP tidak pernah menjadi sebuah parti khusus untuk kaum Cina atau mana-mana jua kaum atau agama. Sejak penubuhan parti ini hampir 50 tahun lalu, DAP komited dengan matlamat menjadi parti untuk semua kaum dan penganut agama di Malaysia. Malah, DAP adalah satu-satunya parti politik pan-Malaysia di Malaysia, dengan cabang di semua negeri dalam negara ini.
iii) Pemulihan pilihanraya kerajaan tempatan sentiasa menjadi matlamat DAP sejak penubuhan parti ini pada tahun 1966.
iv) Suatu perbuatan yang amat mengelirukan dan tidak bertanggungjawab untuk mengatakan bahawa pilihanraya kerajaan tempatan akan memanfaatkan kaum Cina dan merugikan Melayu. Kenyataan sedemikian mengabaikan hakikat bahawa sejak lima dekad lalu penstrukturan semula kerajaan tempatan telah berlaku dan begitu juga proses urbanisasi Melayu, menghasilkan 148 buah kerajaan tempatan, sekitar 90% daripadanya mempunyai majoriti Melayu lebih 50%, manakala kaum Cina hanya membentuk majoriti di hanya dua atau tiga peratus daripada 148 kerajaan tempatan itu, dan 13 kerajaan tempatan bersifat majmuk dengan tujuh daripadanya didominasi Cina dan enam didominasi Melayu.
v) Suatu kemuncak sikap tidak bertanggungjawab juga untuk menuduh para pejuang pilihanraya kerajaan tempatan sebagai “cauvinis” atau “komunis”, memandangkan pilihanraya kerajaan tempatan turut diadakan di Indonesia, Turki dan Iran. Apakah Hadi cuba menyatakan bahawa Presiden Jokowi di Indonesia, Erdogan di Turki, dan bekas presiden Ahmadenijad adalah “komunis” dan “cauvinis” kerana mereka berjaya dalam pilihanraya kerajaan tempatan?
vi) Tiada asas bagi dakwaan bahawa DAP telah melanggar “moral” Pakatan dengan bertindak secara bersendirian untuk cuba memulihkan pilihanraya kerajaan tempatan sehingga mencabul Dasar Bersama Pakatan Rakyat. Hakikatnya, pemulihan pilihanraya kerajaan tempatan terdapat dalam manifesto Pakatan Rakyat di peringkat kebangsaan dan manifesto Pakatan Rakyat Selangor untuk PRU 13.
Pada Mac 2010, Menteri Besar Selangor dan Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang telah menulis surat secara berasingan atas nama kerajaan masing-masing meminta Suruhanjaya Pilihanraya mengendalikan pilihanraya kerajaan tempatan di negeri masing-masing, namun permintaan itu ditentang oleh Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Saya berasa sedih melihat Hadi menggunakan pembohongan dan pendustaan UMNO untuk memburuk-burukkan DAP sedangkan beliau sendiri tahu menerusi penglibatan beliau selama tujuh tahun dalam Pakatan bahawa semua dakwaan itu adalah dustasemata-mata.
Lebih buruk daripada itu, Hadi cuba menyemai perpecahan dalam DAP dengan mendakwa bahawa “sesetengah pemimpin DAP” dan “pemimpin negeri” tidak bersetuju dengan pemimpin parti di peringkat kebangsaan dan bahawa hubungan pemimpin PAS dengan pemimpin-pemimpin DAP yang dimaksudkannya itu “masih baik”.
Hadi boleh terus dengan khayalannya itu kerana DAP tidak akan mula menjalankan proses “menyucikan parti” hanya berasaskan dakwaan berniat jahat Hadi itu.
Lebih penting untuk setiap orang mengenal pasti kenyataan pahit dalam politik Malaysia.
Realiti pertama – Pakatan Rakyat akan kalah teruk dalam pilihanraya umum akan datang jika melibatkan diri dalam pilihanraya itu tanpa mempedulikan sama sekali pelanggaran Dasar Bersama oleh PAS, menjadikan hudud satu isu panas dalam kempen pilihanraya.
Malah, sekiranya Dasar Bersama Pakatan dilanggar sebelum PRU 13 yang lalu dan hudud dijadikan isu panas, tentu keputusan yang terhasil berbeza – kerajaan negeri Selangor mungkin telah kembali ke tangan UMNO/BN dan UMNO/BN mendapat semula majoriti dua pertiga, menghasilkan akibat politik jangka panjang.
Sekiranya Dasar Bersama Pakatan dicabul dalam keadaan sedemikian, kesannya di kalangan pengundi Melayu mungkin tidak banyak, tetapi sokongan bukan-Melayu pasti akan merosot teruk, membawa kepada kehilangan sokongan daripada pengundi bukan-Melayu sebanyak sehingga 20%.
Peningkatan undi Melayu sebanyak 1% dan pengurangan undi bukan-Melayu sebanyak 20% dalam PRU 13 mampu menghasilkan senario berikut:
Projeksi berdasarkan negeri sekiranya Hudud dijadikan isu pilihanraya
Senario
Sokongan kepada pembangkang | Senario baru |
---|---|
Melayu | +1% |
Bukan Melayu | -20% |
Rumusan berdasarkan negeri
GE13 | Senario Baru | |||||
Summary Parliament | PAS | PKR | DAP | PAS | PKR | DAP |
PERLIS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
KEDAH | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
KELANTAN | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
TERENGGANU | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
PULAU PINANG | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 7 |
PAHANG | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
SELANGOR | 4 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
W.P. KUALA LUMPUR | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
NEGERI SEMBILAN | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
MELAKA | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
JOHOR | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
JUMLAH | 21 | 28 | 31 | 16 | 7 | 21 |
GE13 | Senario Baru | |||||
Ringkasan Parlimen | PAS | PKR | DAP | PAS | PKR | DAP |
PERLIS | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
KEDAH | 9 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
KELANTAN | 32 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 0 |
TERENGGANU | 14 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
PULAU PINANG | 1 | 10 | 19 | 1 | 7 | 17 |
PERAK | 5 | 5 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 14 |
PAHANG | 3 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
SELANGOR | 15 | 14 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 11 |
NEGERI SEMBILAN | 0 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
MELAKA | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
JOHOR | 4 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
JUMLAH | 85 | 42 | 91 | 62 | 15 | 57 |
Dalam senario seperti di atas, Pakatan tidak memenangi 89 kerusi parlimen atau 40% daripada kerusi parlimen, sebaliknya jumlah kerusi yang dimenangi hanya 53 kerusi (44 di Semenanjung dan 9 di Sarawak/Sabah) atau 24% daripada keseluruhan kerusi parlimen. Bermakna UMNO/BN kembali mendapat majoriti dua pertiga, membolehkannya membuat persempadanan semula demi memanjangkan lagi cengkamannya ke atas kuasa secara tidak demokratik.
Di peringkat Dewan Undangan Negeri, 229 kerusi DUN yang dimenangi di Semenanjung Malaysia tentu telah merosot kepada 42% atau hanya 134 kerusi DUN.
Walaupun Pakatan berkemungkinan kekal berkuasa di Pulau Pinang dengan 25 kerusi DUN (17 DAP, 7 PKR dan 1 PAS) berbanding 30 yang dimenangi dalam PRU 13 (19 DAP, 10 PKR dan 1 PAS), kerajaan negeri Selangor akan kembali jatuh ke tangan UMNO/BN di mana 44 kerusi Pakatan yang dimenangi dalam PRU 13 (15 DAP, 15 PAS dan 14 PKR) akan merosot kepada 21 (11 DAP, 5 PAS, 5 PKR).
Keputusan di negeri-negeri Pantai Barat yang lain tentunya sama buruk.
Di Johor, Pakatan tidak mungkin membuat penerobosan dengan memenangi 18 kerusi DUN (13 DAP, 4 PAS dan 1 PKR) dalam PRU 13 dan negeri itu akan kekal sebagai “deposit kekal” UMNO/BN dengan Pakatan hanya memenangi 4 kerusi negeri (semuanya DAP dan sifar untuk PKR dan PAS).
Di Perak, jumlah 28 kerusi Pakatan (18 DAP, 5 PKR dan 5 PAS) pada Mei 2013 mungkin merosot kepada 17 (14 DAP, 2 PKR dan 1 PAS); di Pahan 12 kerusi Pakatan (7 DAP, 3 PAS dan 2 PKR) mungkin merosot kepada 4 (2 DAP, 2 PAS dan 0 PKR); di Negeri Sembilan, jumlah 14 kerusi Pakatan (11 DAP, 3 PKR dan 0 PAS) mungkin merosot kepada 6 (6 DAP, 0 PKR dan 0 PAS); dan di Melaka dari 7 kerusi Pakatan (6 DAP, 1 PAS, 0 PKR) berkurangan kepada (3 DAP, sifat untuk PAS dan PKR).
Jika Hadi mencabul Dasar Bersama Pakatan Rakyat sebelum pilihanraya umum yang lalu dan hudud menjadi isu panas, PAS mungkin telah lenyap di Johor, Melaka, dan Perlis, mengekalkan hanya 1 kerusi DUN di Perak, 2 di Pahang dan 5 di Selangor dan juga Kedah – hanya mengekalkan kedudukan di Kelantan dan Terengganu.
Kenyataan pahit kedua: Dalam pilihanraya umum ke-14 yang akan datang, PAS mungkin hilang kuasa ke atas Kelantan yang telah ditadbirnya selama 15 tahun sejak 1990 jika berlaku perubahan undi sebanyak 4% yang tidak memihak kepada PAS di negeri itu.
Kenyataan pahit ketiga: Satu kesilapan besar untuk mengabaikan kemungkinan PAS kalah di Kelantan dalam PRU 14 jika berlaku perubahan undi sebanyak 4% kerana PAS hilang kuasa di Terengganu dalam pilihanraya tahun 2004 setelah berlaku perubahan undi sebanyak 15% setelah PAS memerintah dan Hadi menjadi Menteri Besar Terengganu selama hanya satu penggal.
Kenyataan pahit keempat: Hadi sekali lagi akan “dipermainkan” oleh Najib pada persidangan Parlimen akan datang kerana usul rang undang-undang persendirian berkenaan hudud tidak akan diberi ruang untuk dibentangkan kerana Najib telah pun mencapai matlamatnya untuk memecah-belahkan Pakatan Rakyat.
Based on reasons given by Home Ministry for 3-month suspension of The Edge Weekly and The Edge Financial Daily, will 1MDB become a new “sensitive” issue which will attract the full weight of Najib’s law if discussed or mentioned?
Posted by Kit in Financial Scandals, Media, Najib Razak on Saturday, 25 July 2015, 9:12 am
The Home Ministry’s secretary-general, Alwi Ibrahim has given three reasons for suspending The Edge Weekly and The Edge Financial Daily for three months, from July 27.
Firstly, the headings and reporting by the two publications has raised questions and created negative public perceptions towards 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and also implicated the government and national leaders.
Secondly, the published news reports were based on doubtful and unverified information, which might alarm public opinion and could/might be prejudicial to public order and national interest.
Thirdly, the 1MDB issue is being investigated by an investigation team that has been set up. Therefore, it is inappropriate for the reporting (on the issue) to create negative perceptions and done continuously, and it is unfair for 1MDB and consequently for the government and national leaders.
Based on the reasons given by Home Ministry for the three-month suspension of The Edge Weekly and The Edge Financial Daily, will 1MDB become a new “sensitive” issue which will attract the full weight of Najib’s law if discussed or mentioned? Read the rest of this entry »
Malaysia’s Growing Opposition Can’t Be Silenced
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, Najib Razak on Saturday, 25 July 2015, 7:36 am
By ANWAR IBRAHIM
Wall Street Journal
July 23, 2015
Why I’ve chosen to stay and continue the fight for peaceful, democratic reform from my prison cell.
COMMENTARY
Since Prime Minister Najib Razak’s 2013 electoral victory, which was plagued by widespread allegations of gerrymandering, fraud and voter intimidation, Malaysia has taken a turn for the worse. Mr. Najib, who once promised democratic and economic reforms and pledged to allow “the voices of dissent” to be heard, has doubled down on political repression.
A former deputy prime minister of Malaysia and leader of the opposition, I am now in the fifth month of a five-year prison sentence that has been roundly condemned by governments and human-rights groups around the world. I spend my days in solitary confinement in meditation and in the company of the few books that are allowed into my cell. Meanwhile, allegations of corruption at the highest levels of Malaysian government have surfaced.
In 2012, the draconian Internal Security Act was repealed by the Najib government with much fanfare, only to be replaced by the Prevention of Crime and Prevention of Terrorism Acts, which are equally, if not more, repressive. Beyond encroaching on Malaysian citizens’ fundamental liberties, these new laws rob judges of their discretionary sentencing powers. Read the rest of this entry »
For truth’s sake, don’t hound the heroes
Posted by Kit in Malaysian Dream, Media, Najib Razak on Saturday, 25 July 2015, 6:26 am
By Kee Thuan Chye
Malaysiakini
Jul 24, 2015
COMMENT Counter-measures to discredit the credibility of citizens and media organisations making allegations against Prime Minister Najib Razak and 1MDB are sick and getting out of hand.
And the reported latest action of limiting the movements of a few concerned citizens who have been in the thick of exposing what might be terribly wrong with 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) appears to be sinister.
It also prompts the public to make connections – rightly or wrongly – between this latest measure and related incidents that have occurred in the last couple of months.
These include the arrest of former PetroSaudi International director Xavier Andre Justo in Thailand; the hoax perpetrated by the fictitious NGO Citizens for Accountable Governance Malaysia (CAGM) to entrap Malaysian online media and The Wall Street Journal (WSJ); and the allegation made by former Sarawak Tribune editor Lester Melanyi of opposition leaders having colluded with Sarawak Report to tamper with 1MDB documents.
The inference one could make from all this is that some forces are doing their darnedest – and, in the process, sinking to the lowest depths – to tamper with the truth regarding 1MDB.
It begs questioning, too, that Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar appears to favour Lester’s allegation that “there are those who are attempting to overthrow the government through undemocratic means”. Read the rest of this entry »
Is Najib serious in wanting to sue WSJ?
Posted by Kit in Judiciary, Najib Razak on Saturday, 25 July 2015, 6:03 am
By Mohamed Hanipa Maidin
Malaysiakini
Jul 24, 2015
MP SPEAKS By now everyone on this planet knows that The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has made a very serious allegation against Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.
The allegations may be true or false and only Najib is able to determine that.
If he really cares about protecting his reputation, he has no choice but to put the record straight by suing WSJ for defamation.
The issue now is whether he is willing to do that.
For the record, so far, Najib has sued several individuals for defamation. He has sued MPs Tony Pua, Rafizi Ramli and Nga Kor Ming; Dr Rosli Yaakob (Harakah); and Taufek Yahya (harakahdaily.com). All the suits have been filed in Malaysian courts.
It is interesting to note here that Harakah’s Rosli is being sued for an article which substantially contained reports from The New York Times (NYT).
When asked by reporters as to why he decided to sue harakahdaily.com, Najib stated that he has to protect his integrity as well as his family’s reputation. Read the rest of this entry »
Are we allowed to ask what happened to 1MDB?
Posted by Kit in Financial Scandals, Najib Razak on Saturday, 25 July 2015, 5:57 am
Zan Azlee
The Malaysian Insider
24 July 2015
Malaysia is being plagued by one of its biggest scandals and it is even getting significant attention from the international community. You know it – the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.
Sure, it’s a difficult issue for a lot of people to understand, me included. Complicated financial transactions and business negotiations can confuse a lot of people, even the experts.
But as the case develops and more media agencies cover the unfolding story, people understand it better and better. And when people start understanding it better, the more questions get asked. Read the rest of this entry »
With three-month suspension of The Edge Weekly and The Edge Financial Daily, Malaysia in free fall to become a failed state
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Mahathir, Media, Najib Razak on Friday, 24 July 2015, 6:39 pm
Three days ago, I warned: “A darkness is descending on Malaysia.”
Two days ago, DAP MP for Petaling Jaya Utara Tony Pua was barred from leaving the country to fly to Yogyakarta, Indonesia and may be investigated under the new-fangled offence of “activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy” which could send him to jail up to 20 years.
Today, the Home Ministry suspended the publishing permit of The Edge Weekly and The Edge Financial Daily for three months from July 27, for reporting on the RM42 billion 1MDB scandal which were regarded by the Najib premiership as “prejudicial or likely to be prejudicial to public order, security or likely to alarm public opinion or is likely to be prejudicial to public and national interest”.
Darkness is swiftly descending in Malaysia.
Malaysia has become a topsy-turvy world. Read the rest of this entry »
The least Abdul Rahman should do as BN strategic communications director is to get Najib to declare at the PM’s birthday bash tonight where the RM2.6 billion in his personal bank accounts in AmBank in March 2013 came from and to whom and where they have gone to
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Financial Scandals, Najib Razak on Friday, 24 July 2015, 2:22 pm
Minister for Urban Well-being, Housing and Local Government, Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan will be guilty of the greatest national disservice if the sole agenda of his appointment as Barisan Nasional Strategic Communications Director is to distract attention from Wall Street Journal’s (WSJ) July 2 report that Malaysian government investigators have found US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) deposited into the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal accounts in AmBank in 2013 just before the 13th General Election instead of helping to establish the facts of the Prime Minister’s alleged RM2.6 billion personal accounts.
Since his sudden appearance as BN Strategic Communications Director the previous Wednesday, Rahman had got so much eggs on his face, and on a daily basis, that it is virtually impossible to find a centimeter on his face which is not egg-splattered – whether because of Rahman’s “God-send” Lester Melyani; Lester’s utterly discredited video confession even before all the parts had been aired publicly; the crazy and counter-productive notion for Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to block access to Sarawak Report (forcing Malaysians to undergo an instant education of how to circumvent official Internet blocks) or the hyping of patriotic and valiant efforts to pry open the RM42 billion 1MDB financial scandal whether by journalists in the Edge or by MPs like Tony Pua and Rafizi Ramli as offences like “activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy”, sabotage, “toppling the elected government” or even treason! Read the rest of this entry »
Hadi is the single cause of the death of Pakatan Rakyat not only for violating the PR Common Policy Framework and the PR consensus operational principle but trying to be “master” of PR
Posted by Kit in DAP, Pakatan Rakyat, PAS on Friday, 24 July 2015, 10:45 am
(Scroll down for English text)
Hadi adalah punca utama kematian Pakatan Rakyat bukan saja kerana mencabul Dasar Bersama dan prinsip muafakat Pakatan Rakyat tetapi juga kerana cuba untuk menjadi “tuan” Pakatan Rakyat
Berat hati saya untuk menyatakan rasa kesal saya yang bersangatan melihat Presiden PAS Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang terus mengulang-ulang propaganda UMNO bahawa DAP mahu menjadi “tuan” ke atas parti lain bagi menyelindungkan pendirian politik baru beliau untuk menjadi pembela terkuat Datuk Seri Najib Razak dalam keadaan para pemimpin dan ahli UMNO sendiri sedang mencari arah baru untuk negara ini.
Sebagai contoh, ketua UMNO Cheras Syed Ali Alhabshee kelmarin menyifatkan pakatan baru pembangkang tidak mampu menggugat UMNO sambil terus menyebarkan pembohongan bahawa gabungan baru berkenaan akan dikuasai oleh DAP seperti mana kononnya DAP dulu menguasai Pakatan Rakyat yang telah berkubur.
Dakwaan yang hampir sama diulang oleh Hadi kelmarin dengan menyebut bahawa golongan yang menghargai perjuangan Islam tidak akan menjadikan DAP sebagai ‘wali’, mengulangi tuduhan UMNO bahawa DAP mahu menjadi “tuan” dalam hubungan “tuan dan hamba” dengan parti-parti politik lain.
Tuduhan itu bukan saja tidak berasas sama sekali, malah ia pembohongan paling keji daripada seorang bekas pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat. Read the rest of this entry »
Useless watchdogs, Tinju Dunia and 1MDB
Posted by Kit in Corruption, Financial Scandals, Judiciary on Friday, 24 July 2015, 6:31 am
Rama Ramanathan
The Malaysian Insider
23 July 2015
“It would appear… [that] Cerberus, the mythological three-headed hound guarding the gates of Hell, virtually guided and controlled the destinies of the Bank and held its fortunes in [the hands of the 3 accused]. The analogy is perhaps not inappropriate in view of the canine element injected into these proceedings, what with references to watchdogs, toothless, barkless, spineless, chained and all, Government or otherwise, and not forgetting the Press hounds.”
That quote is from Justice Abdoolcader’s 1976 judgment (upheld on appeal in 1978) at the conclusion of the 2 months long trial of Datuk Haji Harun bin Haji Idris & 2 others.
Abdoolcader explicated various aspects of the law. And, in ripe words, he caricatured the so-called watchdogs: toothless, barkless, spineless, chained. Read the rest of this entry »
Ku Li moots truth and reconciliation initiative to save Malaysia from leadership crisis
Posted by Kit in Malaysian Dream, Razaleigh Hamzah on Friday, 24 July 2015, 6:16 am
The Malaysiann Insider
23 July 2015
As Malaysia grapples with a national leadership crisis, Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah today said he plans to start a new reconciliation initiative involving Malay and non-Malay non-governmental leaders as well as civil society groups.
The Gua Musang MP, popularly known as Ku Li, said the worsening situation that was caused by allegations of financial impropriety against the country’s leadership, now called for efforts to reconcile and find solutions for the country’s future.
He said he would a start a “Truth, Reconciliation and Healing initiative” to seek solution to the current leadership crisis.
“Since the current leadership crisis involves mainly the Malay community, which is deeply divided, I would like to start and focus my consultative process with Malay leaders and relevant Malay organisations.
“But the fallout of the crisis also affects the non-Malays and in fact, the entire country, so I would also like to engage with non-Malay politicians and relevant civil society NGOs,” he said in a statement.
Ku Li said the initiative was needed to prevent the country from sliding into further “self destruction”.
“Something must be done quickly to prevent the country from descending further into civil chaos and conflict.” Read the rest of this entry »
A post-PR, post-BN future for Malaysia?
Posted by Kit in Pakatan Rakyat, Politics on Friday, 24 July 2015, 5:45 am
— Zairil Khir Johari
Malay Mail Online
July 23, 2015
JULY 23 —Many Malaysians are understandably dismayed by the recent break-up of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR), a seven-year-old coalition that had been cobbled together by force of necessity following the unprecedented results of the 12th General Election in 2008.
In the aftermath of the landmark polls, which saw the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition losing its customary two-thirds Parliamentary majority for the very first time, and in the process also relinquishing control over five out of 13 state governments, the three main opposition parties of DAP, PKR and Pas suddenly found themselves in the awkward position of having won enough seats to form five state governments – together. Thus, as entrenched differences were set aside for the sake of pragmatism, a tripartite coalition pact was forged.
For the most part, the arrangement functioned. By the next General Election in 2013, despite visible hairline cracks, the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) coalition was able to present itself as a viable alternative to the decades-long domination of the BN. This premise was confirmed by the results of the 13th General Election (GE13), which saw the three-party coalition picking up 52 per cent of the popular vote – but unfortunately denied the right to form the Federal Government, thanks to creative gerrymandering and malapportionment of seats.
Alas, that was to be the pinnacle of the PR story. Everything began to slide downhill after that. Aggressive goading by the dominant, Umno-controlled Malay media, quickly saw the Malay-Muslim ethno-religious nationalist agenda gaining traction. Coupled by factional infighting within Pas, this led to the resurgence of highly divisive issues such as the shariah criminal code, or hudud law.
In the end, amidst broken promises and much mudslinging between and within the PR component parties, Pas capitulated by ushering in a new slate of right-wing hawks as leaders, and by means of a motion to cut ties with the DAP during its general assembly, the fate of the coalition was sealed. Read the rest of this entry »
Najib is taking Malaysia to his Vision 2020 of a “banana republic” and not a fully developed nation under original Vision 2020
Posted by Kit in Financial Scandals, Najib Razak on Thursday, 23 July 2015, 12:03 pm
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, clearly has a very different Vision 2020 from former premier Tun Mahathir, for from what is happening in recent days, weeks and months, Najib is taking Malaysia to his Vision 2020 of a “banana republic” and not a fully developed nation under the original Vision 2020.
It is only in a “banana republic” where the principles of accountability, transparency and good governance are totally alien in practice, whatever the hifalutin slogans eulogising them, that there is a Prime Minister who could keep dumb for close to three weeks about allegations in an internationally reputable newspaper that Malaysian government investigators have found US$700 million (RM2.6 billion) had been deposited into the Prime Minister’s personal bank accounts just before the previous general elections in 2013, without being frank and truthful where the RM2.6 billion came from, where and to whom they had gone to – as the Prime Minister had tacitly admitted the deposits into his private bank accounts by repeating the refrain in the past three weeks that he had not taken funds for personal gain.
It is only in a “banana republic” that either the entire or the overwhelming majority of the Cabinet is “suspect” and “tainted” of having received improper funding from these personal banking accounts of the Prime Minister for the 13th General Election campaign, and for three weeks, the Ministers dare not make any statement to clear themselves of such impropriety, malpractices and conflict of interest.
No wonder former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir in his blog “Conspiracy” on 20th July 2015 commented:
“11. To all comments made against 1MDB, the standard answer is to deny, to say “No it is not true.” It is like somebody upon being asked whether he had stolen the money as alleged, simply denies that he had stolen, expecting the judge to acquit him simply because he denied.
“12. There is no denial that money was deposited in the private account. The explanation to UMNO is that it was for the elections. UMNO seems satisfied. Don’t they know that Government money cannot be used to help a political party to win elections? But the money was from donation. Who donated 2 billion Ringgit? No answer.”
It is Hadi’s prerogative if he wants to provide a life-line to support Najib and shore up the Prime Minister in the gathering storm over the 1MDB scandal, but PAS leaders should not expect DAP leaders to keep quiet when they make baseless attacks on the DAP
Posted by Kit in Anwar Ibrahim, DAP, Pakatan Rakyat, PAS, PKR on Thursday, 23 July 2015, 8:42 am
(Scroll down for English text)
Terserah kepada Hadi jika beliau mahu membantu memanjangkan jangka hayat Najib sebagai Perdana Menteri di tengah taufan skandal 1MDB, namun pemimpin-pemimpin PAS tidak boleh mengharapkan DAP berdiam diri apabila mereka membuat serangan tidak berasas ke atas DAP.
Saya telah menasihatkan para pemimpin DAP untuk tidak mencontohi sikap Presiden PAS Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang dan bekas Setiausaha Agung PAS Datuk Mustapha Ali menyerang pemimpin DAP tanpa asas. Saya juga telah menasihatkan para pemimpin DAP untuk sentiasa “berpegang dengan prinsip, menjaga etika, sopan dan jangan sekali-kali menggunakan pembohongan dan pendustaan, memfitnah, atau menggunakan gelaran yang buruk atau memburukkan peribadi sesiapa.”
Terpulang kepada Hadi jika beliau mahu membantu memanjangkan hayat politik Datuk Seri Najib Razak sebagai Perdana Menteri di tengah taufan politik skandal 1MDB dan mengecam percubaan mantan Perdana Menteri Tun Mahathir untuk menjatuhkan Najib sebagai PM (mungkin Hadi boleh juga jelaskan mengapa beliau tidak cuba menyelamatkan Tun Abdullah ketika beliau menerima tekanan yang sama daripada Mahathir selepas pilihan raya umum 2008.
Namun pemimpin PAS tidak boleh mengharapkan para pemimpin DAP berdiam diri apabila mereka membuat serangan tidak berasas terhadap pemimpin DAP seperti yang dilakukan oleh Mustapha di Kuala Terengganu kelmarin.
Mustapha mengulangi dua tuduhannya terhadap pemimpin DAP, iaitu bahawa para pemimpin DAP angkuh serta menuduh DAP menyediakan “perangkap” buat para pemimpin progresif dalam PAS yang tewas dalam pemilihan parti itu baru-baru ini untuk menjadikan Gerakan Harapan Baru (GHB) “proksi” DAP. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s not about being Malay, Zahra
Posted by Kit in Malays, Malaysian Dream on Thursday, 23 July 2015, 6:35 am
Erna Mahyuni
Malay Mail Online
July 22, 2015
JULY 22 — More than a week after the “Saya Zahra” video went viral, people are still talking about it.
My social media timelines seem to be divided equally between the people who support what she’s saying and those who think she’s being whiny and entitled.
Sure, I can empathise with a lot of her struggles as Lord knows, it isn’t easy trying to survive in Klang Valley on very little. But when she called on the government to help and do more for the Malays, whatever sympathy I had for her disappeared where 1MDB’s money went.
Last I checked, Zahra, the Malays form the majority in Malaysia. Go to any civil service department and you’ll see very few minorities working there, much less leading it.
It’s not just the Malays who are poor. There are poor Chinese. Poor Indians. Poor non-Muslim, non-Malay bumiputera. Poor Malaysians of every creed and colour. Read the rest of this entry »
Judiciary in spotlight as Najib heads to court to clear name, say lawyers
Posted by Kit in Court, Judiciary, Najib Razak on Thursday, 23 July 2015, 6:20 am
by V. Anbalagan
The Malaysian Insider
22 July 2015
The Malaysian judiciary, already perceived as being subservient to the executive, could be under further strain now that Datuk Seri Najib Razak has filed defamation suits against his political rivals and some media outlets, lawyers said.
Whether the suits were in his personal capacity or not, lawyers said Najib’s administration would have to contend with public perception of him going to court for defamation – making him the first sitting Malaysian prime minister to do so.
Najib, as head of the executive arm of government, has a role in the appointment and promotion of judges. The prime minister appoints some members of the Judicial Appointments Commission, which selects judges.
While he still has the right to legal recourse, lawyers said it would be better for the prime minister to reply to criticism by engaging the media and to speak in Parliament to clarify issues.
Lawyer S.N. Nair said Najib’s moves to sue has certainly placed the judiciary in state of discomfort. Read the rest of this entry »
Travel ban on MPs, media owner politically motivated, says lawyers’ group
Posted by Kit in Financial Scandals, Human Rights, Media, Parliament on Thursday, 23 July 2015, 6:00 am
The Malaysian Insider
22 July 2015
Putrajaya’s move to prevent two lawmakers and a media owner from leaving the country is politically motivated, legal rights advocacy group Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) said today.
Its executive director, Eric Paulsen, said barring opposition MPs Tony Pua and Rafizi Ramli, as well as The Edge Media Group owner Datuk Tong Kooi Ong, from leaving the country was likely due to their criticism and exposes on 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
Paulsen said the authorities should remember that freedom of movement was guaranteed under the federal constitution.
Freedom of movement was also subject to security, public order, public health and the punishment of offenders, but Paulsen said these reasons were not applicable to the trio who are barred from leaving Malaysia. Read the rest of this entry »