Applying Rafizi's logic link Anwar and DAP to Tropicana deal

August 19, 2014, 11:28 pm

≪ Previous: RM100 million defamation suit against TMI

In our posting, Khalid sold 1,172 acres land for kickback?, the controversial Tropicana land deal was raised. It was mentioned that it was a deal to pay off Tan Sri Khalid's RM67 million loan to Bank Islam.

No it wasn't.

And, this blog did mentioned the possibility that the Bank may have erred when they force sold his shares. In the past, Bank tend to lose when clients raise this as an issue. Our sources with a former Bank Islam top official said the Bank would not have won at the Federal court thus they seek settlement.

Thanks to a tip from an ex-Malaysian Insider, it was found out that the settlement is about RM7 million.

Subsequently, the second posting, Royal touch to the Tropicana land deal?wrote of the Chinese business community got wind of the deal and was so upset that it cost DAP the Telok Intan seat.

Were they upset with Khalid or DAP?

Back then, the understanding was the Chinese business community were upset with Khalid and used their influence to teach DAP a lesson.

However, a certain message had gone viral recently to link the Ivory Properties-Tropicana deal with Tropicana-Eco World deal. There is a possibility that the Chinese business community was upset with DAP and taught DAP a lesson because it was DAP that was involved in the deal.

And, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim was recently implicated too.

In the past postings, it was mentioned that Khalid got upset when he found out that Eco World had bought the sold Tropicana deal for a premium. It had been long spoke off among property developers in Selangor that Eco World is Khalid's favourite developer.

If that is the case, Khalid may have not been involved in the Tropicana land deal. He was genuinely upset with Tropicana. Khalid would not be upset with Tropicana should he took a cut from them.

However, to say Khalid had Tan Sri Rashid Manap personally paid for his Bank Islam loan, it does not made sense.

It shows those making such accusation does not know Rashid Manap. Over a private open house recently, it was told by a former partner that he is "kedekut" and such money would not have come through him. He would probably kept the money.

Talking at the Chinese Assembly Hall, Rafizi Ramli, the bomb-out wunderboy strategist and MP for Pandan made allegations against Khalid.

Extract from The Malaysian Insider's news report below:

He said their suspicions were confirmed two weeks after the Kajang Move was announced, with the Federal Court announcing that both Khalid and Bank Islam had agreed to settle the debt out of court.

Rafizi said this was immediately followed by a “lopsided deal” signed between the state government and Putrajaya on the water restructuring deal, as well as hundreds of acres of land sold to Rashid’s firm, Ecoworld.

“On March 25 2014, Khalid signed a memorandum with Ecoworld and it was announced that the project to build 2400 affordable flats, a project worth RM591 million, was also awarded to Ecoworld.

“On March 31 2014, Bank Islam and Khalid announced officially that the two parties had agreed to not continue legal action because of the out-of-court settlement,” said Rafizi.

“If you are in our position, what would you have done? It was very clear that this was a serious case of integrity and transparency.”

He said Khalid’s explanations to Pakatan leaders over the settlement had left them unsatisfied, and they believed he had been negotiating the deal for months.

On why PKR did not reveal all this when they announced the "Kajang Move", Rafizi said it was unfair for Khalid as they had no documented proof of the deal until now.

Rafizi basically applied a chronology of event to give an impression that it was related. The common folks could believe but it is still speculative and spurious. What more when Khalid could afford to pay or borrow to pay the RM7 million settlement.

If one were to apply Rafizi's chronology-of-event method or more comparing the sequence of event, then one can see the Tropicana deal is not linked to Khalid, it is logical that it is more of a DAP deal then a Khalid deal.

In March 2012, Dato Danny Tan had Dijaya entered into a deal to buy over into Ivory Properties project Bayan Mutiara. An extract from The Mole below:

In the past few weeks, the DAP secretary-general has been accused of letting Penang fall under the control of mafia developers who are brazenly plundering the last of the green lungs on the island and snapping up every available plot of land.

On top of that, he has also been bombarded with never ending questions about the RM1.07 billion Bayan Mutiara land deal, which is fast turning into a major headache for the DAP similar to what the Penang Global City Centre (PGCC) project was for the Koh Tsu Koon administration.

Lim has been given various ultimatums to clarify queries on the controversial sale of the state-owned land to Ivory Properties Group Bhd (IPGB), including questions about affordable housing and the status of a mosque which was supposed to be built in the area.

A blogger has now posed another pertinent question on how the state government has allowed IPGB – which was the successful bidder for the Bayan Mutiara project – to end up becoming a minority shareholder in Tropicana Ivory Sdn Bhd (TISB).

The detail will not be republish but do read The Mole here and Khoo Kay Peng's Straight Talk here.

Khoo should cut the crap on UMNO this and UMNO that. Shallow ... because it is just the greed of two corporate player brothers. Today, they play on both sides of the political divide.

The deal is basically Danny and Vincent buying out Ivory's stake in a business in which they got the land for cheap and it is merely a mechanism to realise some "cash".

One former Ivory official suspect it is merely a pay off to DAP for their 2013 election political fund. The money could have come through Tropicana or Ivory or more probably a conduit like some personally named shareholders.

An extract of the message that had gone viral in the blog The Unspinners below:

BOTH Danny Tan & brother Vincent Tan are now doing big-time property development in Penang including in the RM10 billion GDV Bayan Mutiara Penang World City project (where they bought the land at a very cheap price of RM240 psf payable over 5 years fr the Penang State Govt) and also the IKEA Batu Kawan deal thru Ivory Properties Group.

Vincent Tan is also involved in the multi-billion redeveloping of the Penang Turf Club.

So, other than a common big-time property developer,why is DAP so concerned with removing Khalid as Selangor MB?

The deal opened the door for the brothers to enter into the DAP Corridor of Power.

Being seasoned players, they were able to do the same mechanism for DAP albeit faster than Ivory. In this case, the mechanism is less complicated but straight forward out right purchase by Eco World.

But the chronology is the same.

One party close to DAP gets the land for cheap. Then do something to the land to secure approval or change the approval to increase the land value. Then "sell" it, part or whole, to realise some profit and pass the proceed to DAP.

For Tropicana, they only paid some RM50 million and got paid RM470 million from Eco World in less than a year. Drinks all around if there is no political payoff.

The exco member in charge of investment in Selangor in the last term was senior exco Teresa Kok.

She had set out to bring in investment from China to Selangor. However, she was not been successful. The China Chinese view DAP similar to Singapore's PAP, as yellow banana, yellow outside but white inside.

FDI into Selangor last year was only RM1 billion. Far short from the targetted RM10 billion. Teresa and Khalid pales in comparison to even Terengganu's then MB, Dato Md Said who was able to bring in RM16 billion.

There is the likelihood that the Tan brothers used their Penang connection to get introduced to their faction member, Teresa Kok. It will not be a surprise that DAP needs the money to fund their Impian Sarawak project and pre-election psywar before the next Sarawak state election in 2015 or 16.

It is not believable for Khalid to not involve in the approval process as he is in charge of land matters. If it was Teresa's initiative, Khalid may have approve it when it was tabled at the exco meeting.

One rumour that reached us is that it was an Economic Adviser that instructed Permodalan Negeri Selangor Berhad (PNSB) to give the power of attorney to Tropicana to sell the land to Eco World for the money.

Another drink around the house should Anwar does not take a bite at the money. Anwar and Vincent Tan goes way back. He may have used Vincent Tan's name to attack Tun Dr Mahathir or UMNO leaders but that is just Wayang Tinggi Production.

The most important observation of all is why didn't Rafizi or Saifuddin Nasution raise issue with the Tropicana deal to implicate Khalid's so-called RM67 million Bank Islam loan?

But instead, they implicate Eco World.

For a company whose personnel was involved in the successful Battersea project in London involving the consortium of SP Setia, Sime Darby and EPF, they do not need to do shady deals with kickbacks.

It is more likely to be the brothers.

This is all merely logical deduction and piecing jigsaw puzzles of information. The honours falls upon Khalid to bare all should he want to clean his name.

↧

China cyber concern

August 21, 2014, 1:18 am

≫ Next: Another Nor Mohd Yakcop failure coming up!

≪ Previous: Applying Rafizi's logic link Anwar and DAP to Tropicana deal

The story on the stolen bank accounts of MH370 passengers made the headline and the couple involved were charged in court yesterday.

It involved a bank officer inside HSBC and her Pakistani husband. The money was channeled to fictitious names of foreigners including a fictitious Chinese national name in a Chinese bank abroad. It was relevent enough for CNN to report [read here].

Less that 15 hours ago, local and international media were reporting of Chinese hackers getting into the computers of MH370 Malaysian investigators.

Below news from Singapore's Straits Times:

Hackers target information on MH370 probe: Report

PUBLISHED ON AUG 20, 2014 11:21 AM

A file photo taken on March 18, 2013 shows a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 737 plane flying over the Sukarno-Hatta airport in Tangerang. -- PHOTO: AFP

KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - The computers of high-ranking officials in agencies involved in the MH370 investigation were hacked and classified information was stolen.

The stolen information was allegedly being sent to a computer in China before CyberSecurity Malaysia - a Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation agency - had the transmissions blocked and the infected machines shut down.

The national cyber security specialist agency revealed that sophisticated malicious software (malware), disguised as a news article reporting that the missing Boeing 777 had been found, was emailed to the officials on March 9, a day after the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) plane vanished during its flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Attached to the email was an executable file that was made to look like a PDF document, which released the malware when a user clicked on it.

A source told The Star that officials in the Department of Civil Aviation, the National Security Council and MAS were among those targeted by the hackers.

"We received reports from the administration of the agencies telling us that their network was congested with email going out of their servers," said CyberSecurity Malaysia chief executive Dr Amirudin Abdul Wahab.

"Those email contained confidential data from the officials' computers including the minutes of meetings and classified documents. Some of these were related to the MH370 investigation."

About 30 computers were infected by the malware, CyberSecurity Malaysia said. It discovered that the malware was sending the information to an IP address in China and asked the Internet service provider in that region to block it.

An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique numerical label assigned to each device on a computer network.

"This was well-crafted malware that antivirus programs couldn't detect. It was a very sophisticated attack,'' Amirudin said.

The agency and police are working with Interpol on the incident.

CyberSecurity Malaysia suspects the motivation for the hacking was the MH370 investigations.

"At that time, there were some people accusing the Government of not releasing crucial information,'' Amirudin said. "But everything on the investigation had been disclosed."

Flight MH370 with 239 on board went missing on March 8 about 45 minutes after take-off.

Expert: Spearphishing needs a lot of planning and work

Spearphishing attacks such as the ones that targeted the Civil Aviation Department and the National Security Council require a lot of planning and work, said a cyber security expert.

These point to either a very skilled attacker or group of hackers who have the know-how to spoof an email address to make it appear as if the message is coming from a familiar sender, said Dhillon Kannabhiran.

He is chief executive of Hack In The Box which organises the annual HITBSecConf series of network security conferences.

He said that sensitive and confidential documents should always be encrypted as an added layer of security against hackers.

How sophisticated an attack was, Kannabhiran said, depended on which version of the Microsoft Windows operating system was on the victim's computer and how up to date the system security was.

---------------------------

In the light of Chinese electronic products, especially smartphones and peripheral products like chips flooding the market, this should be of national security concern.

However, Malaysians including our media are not so alarmed. Quite sure there will be excuses such as what is stopping the Americans and Israelis from doing the same. If they are caught, we should be alarmed too. For now, two incident of cyber security infringements in a row involves China.

The thought of someone in Beijing is monitoring our Internet usage and secret fetish favourite websites emanating from our Hua Wei broadband is really scary. Makes one feel vulnerable. Government, industry players and business people must be concerned and feel scared.

Really really scared because it could eventually affect your rice bowl.

↧

Another Nor Mohd Yakcop failure coming up!

August 22, 2014, 8:00 am

≫ Next: Expect a hung Selangor state assembly

≪ Previous: China cyber concern

The Edge Review reported that a London panel of arbitration will make a decision on the dispute between Malaysia and Singapore on levy usually imposed by Singapore on the JV company between Khazanah 60% and Singapore's Temasek Holdings 40%.

It is the usual practised of Singapore to charge levy on any development on the island. Malaysia contested the levy and claimed the history of the deal should be the basis of exemption.

The levy could be similar to any payment to local authorities for development and property ownership like quit rent, land premium, etc. Does it mean the practise in Malaysia is for Khazanah to be exempted from such payments to local authorities?

Tan Sri Nor Mohamaed Yakcop will testify for Malaysia. Well ... if he fail to win, it should not be a surprise. Losing and pocketing public money is nothing new to him. What is a couple of hundreds of million when he has lost billions.

Malaysian Insider has a report on the Edge Review report, below:

London panel to rule on US$1 billion Malaysia-Singapore dispute, says report

Published: 22 August 2014

A dispute between Malaysia and Singapore will come to a close in a few weeks when a London arbitration panel decides on a US$1.12 billion (RM3.54 billion) development charge the island state imposed on a joint-development project in which Malaysia has a 60% stake, The Edge Review reported today.

The weekly regional magazine reported in its Informer column that the closed-door hearings in London concluded earlier this month after leading Queen's Counsels representing both nations had argued their case.

Former second finance minister Nor Mohamed Yackop testified for the Malaysian side, while Singapore's former foreign minister George Yeo was the key witness for the island state ‎in the hearings, sources told The Edge Review.

Both ‎parties have resolved to accept the panel's decision‎, expected in a few weeks.

"The worst case scenario is that the developer will have to pay the charge or an amount ruled by the (arbitration) panel," a senior financial executive figure familiar with the arbitration told The Edge Review.

"But the Malaysian side strongly believes that there should not be a charge because of the history behind the deal," he said, adding that the figure was seen by the government as being on the "high side".

The levy was slapped by Singapore on the joint-development project shortly after its state-owned Temasek Holdings and Malaysia's sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional finalised the deal three years ago.

Under the deal, four parcels of land in Marina South and two in Ophir Rocher are being developed by M+S, the joint-venture company that is 60%-controlled by Khazanah and 40%-owned by Temasek.

Malaysia reportedly demanded that the charge be waived on the grounds that the development project was the result of a unique political arra‎ngement between the two governments.

But Singapore, which imposes the levy on all projects on its shores, is said to have adopted a strict business approach to the dispute.

Both countries decided to proceed with the project and to resolve the impasse through arbitration.

The projects are reportedly a direct result of a breakthrough deal in 2010 to overcome a decades-old dispute for control over a railway corridor that runs from Malaysia to Singapore's central business district.

But the issue comes at a time when relations between the two neighbouring countries are strained by the recent row over toll charges for vehicles crossing the causeway, as well as several large development projects in Malaysia which could have an environmental impact on Singapore.

Read on here.

Keep failing and he will continue to stay on. That is a new meritocrasy.

↧

Expect a hung Selangor state assembly

August 24, 2014, 4:59 am

≫ Next: Edge sued, AWO questioned for "Fotokopi Ekspres"

≪ Previous: Another Nor Mohd Yakcop failure coming up!

Malaysian Insider highlighted Rafizi Ramli's plea at the PKR party convention to not inconvenient the voters by dissolving the state assembly. [Read here]

His royal highness the Sultan of Selangor returned from abroad yesterday. Unless there is post-phonement till Wednesday's usual audience, Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid is due to have an audience tomorrow.

Will his high royal highness request Khalid to resign following Datin Seri Wan Azizah announcement that she has the numbers and support of PAS's Central Committee?

But, why is PAS calling for a meeting tomorrow?

Rafizi should have made his call to PAS and not to Khalid. PAS seemed to have made another U-turn following a U-turn statement from Saari Sungip.

The state assemblyman for Hulu Kelang from PAS said recently that he had not signed any Statutory Declaration to support Wan Azizah but was merely present to support Khalid's removal.

It is a bit late for PAS to play games for the public have lost trust in PAS's political statements following the U-turn by PAS's Central Committee to veto the decision by PAS Spiritual Leader, Dato Nik Aziz Nik Mat, PAS President Dato Seri Haji Hadi Awang, Ulamak Council, Syura Council and various wings to maintain support for Khalid.

Public will not believe that PAS is seriously disputing Wan Azizah's sole candidacy for Menteri Besar.

There was expectation from Selangor Malays for PAS to suggest it's own candidate but instead PAS Central Committee suggested Wan Azizah and Azmin. On the same day, DAP's obedient dog, PAS's Deputy President Mat Sabu agreed with Lim Guan Eng and Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the sole suggestion of only Wan Azizah.

What is the odd chance of PAS making a formal change of stand against Wan Azizah's candidacy? Say nepotism as basis?

PKR anticipated that argument by having Professor Aziz Bari commented that offering more than one candidacy is inviting the palace to interfere in politics. Only shows his ignorance of the state constitution or Undang-Undang Tubuh Negeri Selangor.

Rafizi tried to justify Wan Azizah's candidacy by saying that she was voted through proper due process and not selected at the whim and fancy of her husband. The perennial problem with Rafizi is that he assumes the public is blind and stupid thus his words are both believable and chewable.

Similar to his denial on the authencity of the Langkah Kajang document spreading on the social media, he has been on an endless string of illogical spinning and lies that his words are no more believable.

He should do a police report to gain some level of seriousness.

By pleading to Khalid not to dissolve the state assembly, Rafizi divulged his card. He is giving the impression that PKR is afraid of facing a state election. They should be afraid.

PKR is split and weakened by the scandalous party election laden with fraud and flying chairs. Significant percentage of members is expected to leave PKR. Poor attendance at the party congress was visible. This time PKR could not rely on PAS election machinery.

PAS sent no high officials to PKR Convention. Only one present was Khalid Samad.Not even Saari Sungip or Hasnol.

If Rafizi is serious about not causing inconvenience to the people by the dissolution of state assembly, then he should have heed the same call against his strategy to vacate Kajang to make way for Anwar to be Menteri Besar.

PAS went along with Langkah Kajang for Anwar to be Menteri Besar but not for Wan Azizah to be Menteri Besar. That is a different set of agreement. It is only rightful for PAS to demand to be part of the planning discussion and not merely to endorse PKR's decision.

Should PAS decide not to support Wan Azizah candidacy, then there is no firm majority for Wan Azizah. Theoretically, Wan Azizah could not survive a state assembly test should there be a vote to elect Wan Azizah for Menteri Besar.

PKR's obstinate move to insist on only Wan Aziah is not going to convince the Sultan that she has majority support now.

Back to the drawing board for PKR and without any new Menteri Besar to replace Khalid, Sultan has basis to allow Khalid to continue. The government will be a hung government.

In the meanwhile, Anwar's May 2009 lawsuit against Datok Anifah Aman for RM100 million will begin trial tomorrow till Wednesday. Since he is suing, he will be the first witness.

Anwar is not only up against the legally trained and brilliant strategist Foreign Minister but also his nemesis Tan Sri Dr Shafee Abdullah, the hired Deputy Public Prosecutor for his liwat appeal at the Federal Court.

If Anifah can turn and make New Zealand kow tow to Malaysia despite the Malaysian embassy staff is perceived to be the guilty party, do not expect Anifah to not go to court without his guns blazing.

Anwar can play politics in the court of public opinion but since it is him that sued Anifah, it will not work this time. For that matter, he run the risk of getting himself in the same predicament as New Zealand and have open himself to another difficult front to fight.

He will not be able to give enough attention to Selangor and the hung state assembly will remain till a state election is called. With everything hanging with no progress forward, a hung government will only make life more difficult for PKR.

↧

Edge sued, AWO questioned for "Fotokopi Ekspres"

August 28, 2014, 1:45 am

≫ Next: Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!

≪ Previous: Expect a hung Selangor state assembly

The Edge Financial Daily face a potential lawsuit of RM100 million from the consortium of Fuel Sub Sdn Bhd, Datasonic Berhad and Pos Malaysia following it's August 19th report, "Cabinet puts fuel subsidiary job award". The said report is available in our August 19th report posting here.

This second lawsuit that received good coverage from mainstream media, print and TV, was reported in Utusan Malaysia. Extract below:

Peguam, Tan Sri Dr. Muhammad Shafee Abdullah yang mewakili konsortium berkenaan berkata, pihaknya turut menuntut akhbar berkenaan mendedahkan sumber yang mendakwa mesyuarat Kabinet memutuskan pelaksanaan rasionalisasi subsidi itu ditangguhkan bagi membolehkan tender terbuka dilakukan.

"The Edge mendakwa mereka tahu keputusan mesyuarat Kabinet. Sekiranya ada kebocoran maklumat, kita mahu tahu siapa yang membocorkan kerana ini adalah perbincangan di peringkat tertinggi dan melibatkan Akta Rahsia Rasmi (OSA)," katanya dalam sidang akhbar di sini hari ini.

The news coverage can be found in the Bulletin Utama dated August 25th here in Tonton.com (7:40).

"Fotokopi Ekspres"

Shafee expressed the intention of the consortium to donate the RM300 million lawsuit after deducting cost to charity. Also mentioned, the consortium would submit to the court to obtain IP ownership on the 15 working papers already submitted to the Ministry.

This is the consistent line of argument by the consortium as described before as "Fotokopi Ekspres". The Consortium alleged that their proposals could be stolen and the contract resubmit as open tender. This is certainly some of the unethical practises in public tender.

"Fotokopi Ekspres" was mentioned by few UMNO leaders in late July and August. The Star dated July 31st reported Selangor UMNO Secretary, Dato Johan Abdul Aziz and UMNO Supreme Council member, Dato Puad Zarkashi raised the issue of "Fotokopi Ekspres".

They claimed private initiative proposal by private sector are leaked by insider to friendly party to then participate in an open tender.

UMNO Supreme Council and state assemblymen for Lanchang, Dato Sharkar Shamsuddin echoed the same call by Johan to have MACC come in. The Star report dated August 2nd here.

Maybank-Iris Consortium

On August 8th, Utusan Malaysia wrote a detailed report of YDP Perkasa Negeri Sembilan, Ruslan Kassim against Dato Abdul Wahid Omar for an alleged failed fuel subsidy rationalisation project involving Maybank and it's sub-contractor Iris Corporation in 2009:

08/08/2014

Jangan ulangi kesilapan sama

Oleh KAMIL MASLIH
pengarang@utusan.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR 7 Ogos - Kerajaan digesa tidak mengulangi kesilapan yang membawa kepada kegagalan pelaksanaan program rasionalisasi subsidi minyak RON95 dan diesel oleh Konsortium Maybank-Iris Corporation Bhd. pada 2009.

Yang Dipertua Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa (Perkasa) Negeri Sembilan, Ruslan Kasim berkata, beliau difahamkan kerajaan telah membayar RM200 juta kepada konsortium berkenaan, namun pelaksanaan program rasionalisasi subsidi itu dihentikan pada 2010.

"Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar (bekas Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Maybank) dan Datuk Tan Say Jim (Pengarah Urusan IRIS Corp. Bhd.) sedia maklum keadaan ini, namun pelaksanaan program ini dihentikan pada 2010 tanpa alasan yang kukuh daripada konsortium Maybank-Iris.

"Kita dengar bahawa skim cadangan konsortium Maybank-Iris iaitu pemberian subsidi mengikut kapasiti enjin kenderaan tidak diterima rakyat," katanya dalam satu kenyataan di sini hari ini yang turut disiarkan Buletin Utama TV3 malam ini.

Akhbar sebelum ini melaporkan sebanyak tujuh syarikat telah menghantar cadangan rasionalisasi subsidi minyak kepada kerajaan.

Langkah melaksanakan program rasionalisasi subsidi bahan api itu bertujuan menangani ketirisan dan penyelewengan yang mencecah nilai RM1.2 bilion dalam tempoh lima tahun kebelakangan ini serta memastikan subsidi berkenaan sampai kepada golongan sasaran. Program itu mampu menjimatkan perbelanjaan kerajaan antara RM7 bilion hingga RM9 bilion.

Program rasionalisasi subsidi dijangka dilaksanakan pada September ini bagaimanapun ia dikatakan akan ditangguhkan sehingga November depan.

Menurut Ruslan, pihaknya mengharapkan penjelasan sama ada benar konsortium Maybank-Iris mengenakan caj 30 sen untuk satu transaksi dan pada masa yang sama menuntut kerajaan membayar perbelanjaan modal (capex) yang amat tinggi.

"Kami juga menuntut agar kerajaan tidak akan mengulangi kesilapan yang sama seperti yang dilakukan oleh konsortium Maybank-Iris apabila melaksanakan program rasionalisasi subsidi minyak untuk kali ini," katanya.

Ruslan's comment in TV3 is available at the link here at 34:30.

Iris Corporation was the PLC that created the MyKad with 8 application capability. Current MyKad is supplied by Datasonic.

There is no truth to the message gone viral in the Social Media What App that one has to change to a new MyKad to get the fuel subsidy. Datasonic should have the fuel card and all the 8 application capability imbedded in the MyKad chip.

Blogger paid by civil servant?

Jaringan Melayu Malaysia (JMM) president. Azwanddin Hamzah echoed the "Fotokopi Ekspres"issue and was reported by The Star on August 16th 2013. He alleged that there had been misuse of power by civil servants.

The letter of demand against TMI by the consortium was given coverage on TV3 dated August 18th here at 20:30 .

Subsequently, Azwandin was reported by Utusan Malaysia dated August 21st to accuse bloggers used for this "Fotokopi Ekspres"operation.

TV3 report on August 19 can be found here at 20:00.
.
He alleged that the concerned bloggers are being fed information by civil servants. Surely it will not be this blog. However, no specific blog was mentioned. Surely not this blog who has raised the same issue against civil servants and GLCs using certain tenders as example.

The "Fotokopi Ekspres" issue took a new height when Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Dato Abdul Wahid Omar was being questioned again on "Fotokopi Ekspres" by Dato Zulkifli Nordin in a Utusan Malaysia report dated August 26th. Extract below:

26/08/2014

Abdul Wahid wajar jelaskan

Oleh SOFIAN BAHAROM
sofian.baharom@utusan.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR 25 Ogos - Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar diminta menjelaskan mengapa terdapat projek inisiatif swasta (PSI) ditender selepas kertas cadangan rasmi itu dihantar oleh syarikat swasta kepada Unit Perancangan Ekonomi (EPU).

Bekas Ahli Parlimen Kulim-Bandar Baharu, Datuk Zulkifli Noordin berkata, perkara itu berlaku selepas pihak swasta tersebut telah melalui proses pembentangan kepada Majlis Ekonomi, Jawatankuasa Polisi Fiskal dan Kabinet sendiri.

Katanya, selepas pembentangan itu, konsep cadangan PSI tersebut dipercayai telah dipersetujui.

"Jika ini benar, tindakan memanggil untuk tender sebarang projek PSI selepas melalui proses berkenaan akan terdedah kepada penyalahgunaan maklumat PSI tersebut apabila pihak 'fotokopi ekspres' akan mempergunakan proses tender ini.

"Perkara itu dilakukan untuk memberi ruang kepada pihak ketiga termasuk rakan mereka untuk menyertai tender secara 'pintu belakang' dengan menciplak kertas cadangan pihak PSI tersebut," katanya seperti dipetik dalam Buletin Utama TV3, malam ini.

The TV3 coverage can be found in the link here at 20:55.

To clarify, Zulkifli Nordin is no more the Vice President of Perkasa. It is no more his platform. He is more involved with other NGO now.

↧

Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!

August 30, 2014, 8:59 am

≫ Next: Havoc havoc ... Pakatan riot [up-dated]

≪ Previous: Edge sued, AWO questioned for "Fotokopi Ekspres"

57 years ago...

Today

57 years later...

Farewell Malaysia ....

↧

Havoc havoc ... Pakatan riot [up-dated]

September 2, 2014, 7:21 pm

≫ Next: Frankly, it is the same ol' shit ... from Amokh

≪ Previous: Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!

Havoc havoc ...

Since Pakatan Rakyat became state governments and more dominant in Parliament, Malaysia is constantly in a state of havoc. It is no more as peaceful as it used to be. Political debate, discourse and quarrel dominate our lives than the agenda to build a nation.

The more liberals would say it comes with the openness and people cannot remain passive and subdued by the authorities. To some extent it is true, but it should be done with maturity and in a peaceful manner.

Conversation on few Whats App groups yesterday was about the absense or more precisely, minimal presence of Chinese at the Merdeka parade. It was as though there is a concerted effort to boycott Merdeka. Maybe Chinese do not like participating in parade.

During the many Bersih demonstrations, one could see Chinese maintained a token presence. The incident of Pasukan Peronda Sukarela (PPS) paraded in Penang but to a waiting police will only deter them.

It is poor taste on the part of police to take in the 154 PPS members on a day to exhibit patriotism and unity as Malaysians.

Defiant

But the law is the law. It must be upheld. There is no room for emotion and sentiment in it's enforcement. No room for a politicking Attorney General.

As law enforcement officials, the police may have their own unique reason and ways to address the PPS matter. If there is anyone to fault, the Penang Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng should be at fault for openly challenging the police.

Without ISA and the more dominant presence of Pakatan Rakyat, DAP and PKR is seldom at the fore front to challenge authority. The video of Lim Guan Eng challenging the police, below:

Guan Eng was refering to Datuk Huan Cheng Guan who participated in the Bukit Gelugur by-election and lost his deposit. Huan was angry to see PPS in uniform openly involved to put up DAP flags and sabotaged challengers posters and flag.

After the mass arrest, Guan Eng's response was expectedly one of defiant. He consistently claimed PPS is legal, established by the state government and not subject to the Societies Act. The video below:

Guan Eng claimed PPS is similar to JKKK, which is involved is commissioned to monitor security condition in kampong and rural area. He continued to be defiant and up his ante against the Chief Police:

This does not come out of the blue and may have been suspiciously planned. The issue DAP raised at the GE 12 in 2008 was crime and public security. It was the time Pakatan Rakyat placed pressure on former IGP, Tan Sri Musa Hassan.

DAP anticipated the need to have their own security force to face up to the police. Imbedded in their mind is that police are pro-BN and will have ulterior political motive to help BN in every of their actions.

As a political party, every of DAP action and position on issues have it's political interest, and agenda, visible or subversion. For Guan Eng to defend the PPS members with criminal record and positive urine tests, it only leads many to the believe that PPS too have insidious motive.

PPS members had beaten up individuals with differing political views. They ignored public order and police authority. And, there have been confrontations with the police. No one gets away with creating havoc, it is a matter of time.

Vigilante groups have existed in the past and they eventually lose out in any confrontation with police. In this case, the group is backed by a state government which openly defy police and are provocative towards them. It proves they are preparing to take over security affair of the state from police or there is something else.

Bigger agenda

The manner DAP provoked the police lead some to believe that DAP planned this confrontation. Guan Eng arguments could translate to a larger question of the state authority versus federal authority.

According to Schedule 9 of the Federal Constitution, internal security is a federal matter. But, DAP may have wished to have their own security personnel for their ruled state, thus find loophole in the state law and local ordinance.

Some sceptics see DAP wants their own police force in which the majority is made up of Chinese. They argued it can be done under a local ordinance. DAP is not DAP unless there is a bigger political agenda.

Questioning the Federal list is in tandem with their agenda for Sabah and Sarawak.

In Sabah and Sarawak, DAP is working to gain ground on the Pribumi interiors. They are pushing for a volunteer program called Impian Sabah and Sarawak as a DAP model rural community.

They are using Dyana Sofea as the Bumiputera voice for more Pribumi and state rights. Only the rights and interests of the other races is sounded equally loud.

State rights is seldom expressed in terms of bigger percentage of oil royalty. That is where the questioning on Federal list could lead to.

In striving for this agenda, DAP is suspiciously involved in creating havoc by the call for seccession loudly heard on the social media.

It could merely be a ploy to squeeze more from the federal government. The past ISA detention of Dato Dr Jeffrey Kitingan revealed that there was a serious guerilla military operation for a coup d'etat.

Slowly the politics of hate and strategy to ignite havoc deployed will be re-routed as support for DAP and Pakatan Rakyat. They have the support of urban voters and is working to gain the support of non-Muslim from the interiors.

The call for oil royalty do have political value in Kelantan.

Dato' Husam's Royalti group may have lost their case in the courts but it is the court of public opinion in Kelantan that matters. It need to be fueled to maintain PAS's support.

As one approach the Pengkalan Kubor by-election, the promises made by Husam that will never could be fulfilled will be recycled together with the blame against BN.

DAP's case will ignite back the same demand for oil royalty.

Selangor impasse

Only this time, PAS is seemingly at loggerhead with PKR on Selangor. Havoc ....

If PKR insist on running, one can expect PAS to boycott in the same manner they boycotted DAP at the Telok Intan by-election. PKR does not have sufficient election machinery in Pengkalan Kubur and have to rely on PAS machinery. They will only get token help.

In Selangor, PAS is believed to have the support of Sultan for a PAS Menteri Besar to replace Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim. However, they are divided between the Anwarinas affection for Anwar and Pakatan Rakyat and the ulamak desire to reassert their Islamic agenda.

DAP makes no bone of not wanting to have Menteri Besar from PAS. In Penang, PAS assemblyman are not offered position as state exco and religion portfolio given to PKR.

Sultan requested all Pakatan Rakyat parties to nominate two names from their own parties but PKR and DAP are steadfast to insist on one and only Datin Seri Wan Azizah.

If PAS nominate two PAS state assemblymen, it will be theirs till a vote of no confidence is tabled at the Selangor state assembly in November.

PAS can only maintain that position by having alliance with UMNO and have few PKR members jump to their side.

As for tomorrow's deadline to submit the names, Sultan will receive them but in a few days time, his royal highness is anticipated to reject all and request them to re-submit.

Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim will remain stubborn but PAS could submit other names. This could go back and forth till November in which by then, PAS could submit PAS names.

Before November, Anwar's schedule is already filled with court cases. He has his sodomy appeal at the Federal Court in late October, in which it is as good as done for him to enter Sungai Buloh Prison. He has no new point of law to raise.

Compulsive Liar

In early October, Anwar is due to face Dato Anifah Aman in his lawsuit for an unfavourable statement made by Anifah.

On the first day, Anwar was embarrassingly caught lying to claim it was Anifah who called him to defect on the stand. He claimed to have the numbers to takeover but when asked to name the 40 MPs ready to defect, he refused. [Read The Mole here]

On the second day, Anwar acknowledged all that he said in the following video entitled Anwar pembohong.

Bigdogdotcom has access to the court transcript here.

TV3 reported that few of Anwar's former political allies will testify and it will only weaken his case as they revealed his lies. It may not have an impact on Anwar's diehards but appearance from existing PKR leaders and supporters will surely catch the headline and turn a few hardheads around.

Anifah will take on Anwar and is due to take the stands in October.

The politician lawyer from Kimanis Sabah has shed a new light to the position of Foreign Minister. His presence in court together with Dato Zaharin Hashim and Dato Yong Teck Lee will surely create havoc to Anwar's already muddied reputation.

It is a pity that Tan Sri Syed Hamid chicken out from Anwar's lawsuit against him. It would only pack his pre-prison schedule and create more havoc in his head. Syed Hamid apologised and retracted his words against the compulsive liar.

In the meanwhile, it will be havoc havoc ... havoc havoc ...throughout September.

*
First published: 8:30 PM 2/9/2014
Edited: 10:00 AM 3/9/2014

↧

Frankly, it is the same ol' shit ... from Amokh

September 5, 2014, 3:47 pm

≫ Next: Posing questions or intention to slander for corruption?

≪ Previous: Havoc havoc ... Pakatan riot [up-dated]

Being critical of Khazanah, we held back our reaction on the announced turnaround plan of MAS by Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar. After many have said their piece of mind like in Rocky Bru's commentary here, it is our turn to do so.

So far, the best description to the plan is by parodying an ole Boh Tea commercial from the 1970s.

"Bukan turnaround, tapi going around and around, bukan Tip saham, bukan kasi Top, bukan Flip, bukan Flop, tapi Flip Flop lagi, bukan shuffle paper, bukan shuffle organisation ... bukan bukan bukan. Tapi kali ini Khazanah investment."

The 12-point plan document produced by Khazanah and announced by Amokh [read here] is filled with verbage of new management terminologies like BPO for outsourcing which gives an impression that something new is being introduced.

From the first glance, anyone whose been following MAS over the last 14 years will immediately realised that it's the "Same ol' shit ... just in a different package" from the same bunch of hogs that put MAS where they are today. Some business reporters that follow MAS agree.

This time, it is no more fair to blame the CEOs. The strategy formulation and planning was done by Khazanah Nasional. They continuously failed to turnaround MAS from the time the Binafikir plan was implimented in 2000.

It is the same bunch of people - Amokh, Tan Sri Nor Mohamaed Yaacob, Tan Sri Mohd Nor Yusof, Tan Sri Azman Yahya, Dato Nazir Razak, etc.

In Defense

Let Amokh be MAS CEO!

PM commented that the RM6 billion is not bailout but investment in which government intend to get back every cent of it. Being Chairman of Khazanah, he has no choice but to give words of confidence.

However, Dato Najib is not as thorough as Tun Mahathir. Tun M would study Amokh's plan and not just rely on his Advisers. And, Najib can be pressured by public campaign thus his statement alone will not be sufficient to convince the public.

Tun M complimented the attempt to bring cost down. That is all. He had expressed criticism of Najib, thus may not want to escalate it further. Earlier, he expressed reservation in the ability of Khazanah's to turnaround MAS [Read TMI here].

Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz was reported by TMI here to have said that MAS should not turn into a low-cost carrier and stick to being a legacy airline but with an urgent need to relook at all its businesses.

She said, "Don’t expect Khazanah Nasional to turn around MAS in such a fashion, as MAS is not a factory." Perhaps, not a biscuit factory.

Khazanah had to bring a numbnut Frank & Sullivan consultant to defend them.

The consultant claimed Khazanah is capable by virtue of their successful spliting of Telekom into Telekom and Aviata and re-listing of Pantai in another form.

That is the quality of consultants that approached Pemandu, EPU and Khazanah for business. That is not turnaround, stupid!

Thus far, the so-called brilliant Khazanah still not identified a CEO. It means the person in charge to operationally turnaround MAS has no say in the turnaround plan like what happened to AJ.

Doubt there is anyone interested to be MAS CEO. If Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim could leave PNB to be CEO of Guthrie, so let Amokh himself be CEO of MAS. After all, Frank & Sullivan thinks he is a genius.

The reason Frank & Sullivan say so is because Khazanah was reported to emulate the likes of PEMANDU, EPU and MOE to rely on foreign consultants. It was reported that three involved are Bain & Co., McKinsey & Co. again, and Seabury [read Mkini here]. They gave Khazanah an award in San Francisco and still no job?

Using foreign consultants is a costly way to turnaround a loss making company. And Khazanah is adamant to use the same ol' top down planning process that put MAS in this shit in the first place.

Same Khazanah shit

Amokh plan to create a newco and transfer the relevent asset and liability of the MAS there.

If the reason is to rid and review MAS of rent-seeking contractors like Tun Abdullah's brother Brahim, it is good. If it is to rid MAS of problematic and corrupt staff by hiring the ones they want, it is good. But, if it is intended to hide the mess from the public like the shit they did on UEM, then it is no good.

Khazanah intend to inject funding of RM6 billion to reduce gearing to only 120%. No shit? Sounds nice, isn't it? During the time of AJ, Khazanah clearly said they are not pumping a single cent and MAS badly need new planes to replace the old ones. Suddenly they can or do they?

Khazanah or some funders will only be capitalising the bond. MAS has the cash and does not need cash injection. It needs profit to remain viable and the disaster MH370 and MH17 had discouraged passengers.

The money needed is for Khazanah to buy back MAS shares from the market and inject the paid-up capital for newco.

Same Business model

The operating model will be reset (ah a new term, reset) and it mentioned MAS to be regionally-focus, lower cost structure, and revenue yield management.

Isn't that copying and competing with Air Asia? Or it is to enable Air Asia to be moving more into long haul flight? Do they not realise that the region is in an overcapacity situation? The forecast of our detractors have turned out to be true?

Lesser outreach means less destination from the same ol' shit of repeatedly cutting routes by Azman that only lead to further decline of MAS. In fact, someone revealed that all this way, route planning for MAS is done by a newly grad young lady. No wonder the amazement by MAS Managers.

Finally, business model of revenue yield management. Thought MAS had done away with CASK and RASK. It brings the question of what Bernard Francis, that was brought from Air Asia, have been doing all the while?

Quite sure, Khazanah will be spending tens of millions consultancy fees. If only they bother to find, they have the people inside able to do it. He has an Ivy league education and respected by his peer in the area of discipline. MAS and Khazanah is to overawed with foreign consultants like a typical civil servant that refused to acknowledge the talent and ability of their own people.

By reducing capacity to focus on the tight regional market and operating at low cost, which logically will translate to lower return, where is the revenue coming from to turn MAS and bring additional return to repay the so-called RM6 billion investment?

Maybe the problem is not merely cost but serious effort to raise revenue. Go back to the basic 4 P of marketing and one would be amaze as to the series of shit done by Amokh's marvelous corporate planning to destroy the MAS the product.

Unaddressed Leakage

The concern to bring cost down is real but instead of reducing capacity which result in lower income and revenue, MAS have not address the real problem of leakage, kickback, and collusion.

Start with one, does MAS has the policy to rotate those in charge of contracts? Heard the same bunch of criminals are so well entrenched that they are more powerful than the CEO and Khazanah MD.

How much has been done to scrutinise leakages such as the 20 sen kueh supplied to MAS at RM2 each and requirement of 200 but ordered for 2,000 with cakes thrown away upon transfer and required number only delivered? How about cases of new spare parts fixed into aircraft but taken out and replaced by a used parts at the next airport stop with pilot cooperating to delay flight for the pilferage to happen?

There have been thousands of cases like this but no serious attempt to break the syndicate that could make two jet engine under MRO disappear. This is the very reason MAS could not bring cost down despite having a comparatively low "competitive" salary in the industry.

Why did the union leaders not complain of such destructive conduct of their own?

It is an open secret that union leaders were given contracts by bosses to shut their mouth. They make noise when their beaks are not wet. This has been going on for many years even during the years of Tan Sri Aziz Abdul Rahman.

The talk of bosses taking a crack at MAS contract themselves have not subsided. It was recently heard that a VP or SVP was asked to leave for giving contract to an immediate family member.

One more, how much cost will MAS save by moving to Subang. This is about moving Engineering and it will be a costly move. Suspicion is Khazanah wants their hand on MAS land in Subang and make money from development.

Khazanah must be up to something. Off course, some will argue that the land was meant for aviation activities. This is a long term play and given time, the Subang airport and plot allocated for aerospace industry will be moved elsewhere.

This is in fact the same ol' shit that Binafikir did which end up MAS paying exorbitant rent.

Retrenching again?

Before the announcement by Amokh, the plan to downsize or a new term, right sizing the workforce down by 6,000 people was announced earlier. The shocking news was released first so that the staff could at least prepare for the worse to happen on at least 3 out of 10 people. Smart move to kill the morale of all the staff.

During Dato Idris Jala time, he had retrenched or MSS, as the scheme was called some 3,000 people. It was meant to reduce cost. The scheme handsomely rewarded the long serving ones. Rather strange since the formula should be based on the remaining number of years.

Will the ones to be retrenched get an equally just package? Many of them wanted the MSS then but was asked to continue to serve and had to endure more suffering as outsiders are preferred over the staff with the ideas and experience.

Towards the end of Idris Jala term and it continued after Idris, they rehired back some 4,000 new staff. Many young, inexperienced and mostly non-Malay managers were brought-in and that lead many to suspect Idris as "racist" or anti-Malay.

These young "textbook theoretician" managers were placed into positions on similar rank or higher rank than the more experienced MAS managers. That only incite suspicion of ethnic cleansing then.

Since then, MAS has a serious problem of bloating at the 3rd and 4th level manager. Work done by one or two Managers in the glorius past of 100 destinations around the world was done now in the era of significantly less route by as much as five Managers plus one VP.

They live on high income but their output are low. However, they are good at the visibility game of talking a lot in meetings although it is mostly nonsense. This is the area that MAS has to rid off. Frankly, Amokh will not do it because he is too macro.

The victims of the chopping board will be in the key areas of cabin, pilot and engineering. As it is, they are already understaffed, overworked and stretched to the limit. Cabin crew are complaining of insufficient rest time. Where will the chopping be done?

Anwar is exploiting the 6,000 lay-off for his politics by blaming Putrajaya. He may not be that correct but it is Putrajaya that kept extending Amokh's contract before it's time [read TMI here]. He became so bold that there was a time a rumour was circulating that he was lobbying for Finance Minister position.

The 6,000 have families and friends. That could translate to at least 30,000 votes against BN. Is Amokh worthy?

Bee Pee Oh

Ah ... forgot, there is BPO or in more simple jargon, outsourcing. That will create the redundancy for Amokh to chop heads. And this is also the same ol shit that caused the high cost to MAS.

Remember back that outsourcing asset to PMB resulted in higher rental to MAS.

Outsourcing of catering resulted in the current talk of RM45 nasi lemak with no telor that is being viraled by opposition and double counting of mineral water bottles.

No more kow towing to sleepy hopeless adviser, Brahim one sided contract must be reviewed or just take KLAS. [Read Sun here]

Azman outsourced the important and strategic IT to another Azman, crony Tan Sri Azman Yahya. The money invested into MAS IT outsourcing could have probably come from the "atas angin" money he made at Danaharta.

One area MAS is looking to outsource is training. From being a reknown trainer in the field of customer service, former biscuit factory human resource manager but now earning RM120,000 a month with MAS, Zaharah Zaid made MAS to acquire their own knowledge from others.

She hired her crony, Azni Abidin, a failed female training company owner, to join her. She will be in-charge to outsource all training. It is heard she had been giving it out to her friends doing training.

Hmmm ... is there kickback exchanged, MACC? At least, outsource to MAS soon to be retrenched trainers.

Someone should dig up as to who are Scicom and Sutherland that will benefit from the reskilling training program for the 6,000 to be retrenched staff. Better not be another Khazanah shitty CSR in education but yet tell PM it is so damn successful.

It's Business!

Dato Abdul Wahid Omar spoke recently on the need for MAS to revamp in order to have an appropriate business structure in the face of stiff competition in the aviation industry. [Read in The Mole here.]

Business structure? What is that? Quite sure it is another fancy jargon to something simple.

A retired businessman used to share this business tip with us. He said business is about people. It requires people to make the product and provide the service. It require people to deliver the product and service. It require the right people to make all these people able to work together.

On the other side, it is people that decide to use your product and service. Some people think it is about the product and service together with the mumbo jumbo marketing and sales. But at the end, it about one person liking and trusting another person.

The same ol' shit call on everyone to support MAS was heard again but how will people, be they the employee or customer, which is most likely to be Malaysian, to like MAS if they do not like and trust the people running MAS.

Almost all of the people we spoke, especially seasoned business reporters, hoped that the 46 page MAS recovery plan [find here] work. They could only hope because they have no confident anymore with Amokh at the helm and still having his hands behind the scene.

They could see the strategy employed by MAS is the same shit generic strategy that was done before and not proven successful. Now they realised and appreciate that the CEO is not to blame but it is just Khazanah behaving as a stubborn novice.

Without a thorough hands-on understanding and feet implanted on the ground, Amokh is not savvy to find the "trick of the trade" and opportunity lurking to be discovered to turn MAS around. Same disaster is bound to repeat itself.

* Edited and updated: 6:30 AM 6/9/2014

↧

Posing questions or intention to slander for corruption?

September 10, 2014, 5:37 am

≫ Next: Did AG failed to properly advise Najib on the implication of lifting EO?

≪ Previous: Frankly, it is the same ol' shit ... from Amokh

No doubt as "investigative" blogger, we have expressed our suspicion of corruption, kickback and collusion of certain transactions, especially corporate transactions.

However, it is dangerous to assume without a logical explanation. The explanation must tally with procedures and usual process of tender. Sensible documents be presented to substantiate and it must be sensible.

When it involved government contracts, too often the public and even professionals have a tendency to assume the occurrence of corruption without knowing how the process of awarding contracts are done.

Such often heard words like "Ah ... sure ada apa-apa", "In that position, he sure take one ... who would not", and other versions. That is basically assuming there was corruption occurring when in fact, they are unsure.

Strangely, despite not having details on the transactions, the manner it was done, the story behind it, and who did it, some remain adamant.

Even if the whistle blowing is cautionary in nature and not meant to be taken to court, there should be a decent level of information being revealed for public to judge.

A certain former YB, though a professional and mature person, seemed to have fallen into such category of people. He seemed adamant with his accusation without knowing he is factually wrong. In his sincere effort to be a whistle blower, he only knew half the story and naively helping corruption to flourish.

And there are those who took for granted that the public are not aware of how sneeky certain things are done by orchestrating it in the media.

Just few weeks back, while getting clarification on a certain story, we met up a professional lobbyist for brunch at Dunkin Donut.

Frankly, nothing unsavory about the role of lobbyist in procurement of contracts. It is a relevant role to get decision makers involved in a contract to understand by highlight the salient points of a proposal.

Some may assume such lobbyist are the middle man that arrange kickback to committee members and decision makers. Probably the black sheep, but this one said it is pointless.

If the proposal and strength of the company is there, it will be a matter of time. Those that have to dish out money are those with inferior proposal and profile. Anyway, we are not going to get lengthy but to highlight a simple and important point in the process of contract award.

Decision on contract awards are made by the Ministry of Finance (MoF). The Ministries and agencies only provide requirement and technical capability or perhaps recommend companies which most meet the technical requirements.

Committees

It is then forwarded to MoF for further evaluation and final approval.

Firstly, there will be another technical evaluation and they make their recommendation to another higher committee. They do take into account the recommendation of the Ministries or Agencies but they have their own evaluation based on supposedly their own criteria.

There will be cases where the recommendations differ. Seldom there will be back and forth correspondence between the committee and the Ministries/agencies. There could be discussion before coming down to a decision by the MoF technical committee.

The final committee will evaluate the price quoted as to suit the budget. So they will make the final decision as to the contract that meets the best price and technical specification. As explained by the lobbyist, MoF or the agency would relay officially to the companies on the decision.

Ministers or for certain big amount contracts, the Prime Minister chair the committee meeting. In general, the process is done by government servants.

For anyone making accusations against Ministries and Agencies, they better not make a fool of themselves. To say, politicians or Ministers 'makan', do get the story to be absolutely right.

Its that simple a process but sometimes flip flop occurs.

This had been symptomatic with the current government since Tun Abdullah administration. It could be intervention or just plain negligence to assume things for granted and mistake only spotted later.

We did ask the professional lobbyist on the issue of intervention. He explained it this way.

For contracts of a certain size of say below RM150 million, it falls on the authority certain committee. For amount more than RM150 million, it is the authority of a more empowered committee with members from more senior officials.

If there is a way to bypass the authority of these two committees, it is to get approval from the Economic Council under purview of EPU. Projects that can cut the red tape approval must be of strategic and importance consideration.

Not sure as to whom the ultimate power in deciding the faith of a proposal; the Minister or Committee. Could Minister in charge of EPU over ride and withdraw approval presumably with concurrence of the Council?

If there is any such intervention by the politicians, it is in the selection of key position like KSU in his Ministries. The Minister has the choice of selecting the person to be the Ministry's KSU.

Not sure but it is most unlikely for Minister of Finance, I or II, to intervene on the selection of other positions in the Ministry and members of the various contract selection committees. If so, then the Minister concern could be accused of indirectly tampering with the tender process.

Otherwise, it is the civil servants in MoF that is participating in corrupt or taking kickback in collusion with participating companies.

Slanderous

But, it is not easy to accuse when certain contracts are so specific. In the case of subjective contracts, like IT proposals, evaluation could be dependent on the decision makers understanding.

Nevertheless, without the power to decide, no one in Ministries or Agencies could award any contracts to anyone. As to how, Ministers or politicians working with the Ministers or Agency Chairman can get accused of awarding contracts to cronies for kickback, someone must explain.

Unless so and it better make procedural sense, the accuser is merely being hard headed despite being given special explanation. Hopefully, there is no racist intention to only pick on Melayu or a former DAP politician unable to shed his skin.

Sure it could merely be posing of questions.

But, Hitler's propagandist, Joseph Goebbels said that a lie or wild accusation when repeated many times will be believable to the naive, shallow minded and gullible. That is part of the reason complaint reports made to MACC are not to be publicly revealed. It could mislead the public.

Sometimes the manner questions are posed could be intended to create doubts against government and government officials but without any hard fact or proofs.

If this is the case, Dato Najib should not consider the ill-intentioned person for any position in government.

* Edited 8:30 PM

↧

Did AG failed to properly advise Najib on the implication of lifting EO?

September 15, 2014, 12:53 am

≫ Next: BN looks to lose Pengkalan Kubor

≪ Previous: Posing questions or intention to slander for corruption?

At the Pengkalan Kubor by-election nomination, PAS sponsored group, Royalti were in red parading an effigy written the words “Tolak Akta 750”. The group is seeking all states to reject the Malaysia Territorial Sea Bill 2012 or ACT 750 tabled in Parliament on April 18, 2012.

They argued since all law passed and gazetted related to ownership of continental shelf enacted during the period of emergency May 15, 1969 to February 20, 1971, are null and void since the lifting of emergency on November 24, 2011. The law enacted to enable Malaysia conform to UNCLOS, need state endorsement before it could be enforced. [Read Suara Sabah here]

An immediate reply to PAS is needed although Dato Takiyuddin claimed BN would be deemed as contemptuous of the court should they do so. Naturally, they justify their ceramah attack on Petronas as acceptable.

The Attorney General (AG) may insist that there are Constitutional provisions to allow laws enacted by the Yang Di Pertuan Agong during the NOC (or MAGERAN) period but the damge is done. The rush for political expediency to lift EO and repeal ISA had left room to dispute the existing equilibrium of law and order.

Was the Government and in particular, AG sloppy and reckless in repealing ISA and lifting the EO in 2012?

Recently, there was a series of clampdown on offenders of the Sedition Act. Suddenly, when students and lecturers demonstrated against the charging of Dr Azmi Shahrom of University Malaya for sedition, AG seems to make a turnaround to say he is reviewing the charges.

Azmi even received support from PEMANDU Minister, Dato Idris Jala who echoed the opposition argument that this is curbing academic freedom. It only shows a naivety on Idris part.

Azmi hardly speak at public seminar and forum or write in his The Star column using academic arguments.

He usually used populist arguments and at times, is provocative against the establishment. Too understand Azmi’s offenses, do refer to this brief in MyMassa here.

Many believed the sedition clampdown came about after the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and AG was questioned by 89 UMNO Heads of Division in a closed door meeting for the slackening state of security and public order.

AG may have been reckless to undertake the seditious charges out of anger. Or it could have been done as a number on the UNMO Heads?

The dispute on laws enacted under the Emergency Ordinance argument did not came about from PAS but was first raised by someone from his home state, Sabah Chief Minister, Dato Musa Aman at the Sabah state assembly recently on July 14-16, 2014. [Read here]

Does that mean that certain charges which include clauses incorporated into the 1948 Sedition Act was made during the 1969 emergency thus is now null and void?

The 1948 Sedition Act had introduced a clause in 1971 to include questioning the status of Sultan as ruler, Malay right, Islam as religion of the federation and citizenship status of non-Malay Malayans as offense. Could AG had been influenced by Musa Aman’s argument?

When ISA was repealed in 2012, there is a strong perception that the decision made by Prime Minister, Dato Najib to appeal was done in haste.

Then Minister for Home Affairs, Dato Hishamuddin had asked for NGOs to give their suggestions to improve the ISA. Perkasa then had suggested that the power to detain is taken away from Minister and left to a committee of security experts.

As advise by few which are believed to be AG, Dato Nazri Aziz, Dato Omar Omar and Dato Idris Jala, Dato Najib made a sudden announcement to repeal ISA and lift EO. He also promised to repeal the Sedition Act.

This is the promise demanded by Bar Council, Human Rights group, and opposition on Dato Najib. It is also the argument used against the recent clampdown on Sedition.

The release of ISA detainees in 2012 not not only released the political detainees in Kemunting but also the hard criminal detainees in Simpang Renggam. That lead to a new gang war to regain coontrol on lost turf that resulted in stories of gang war related death for 2 months.

That should have made the government realised the danger to public life following the rush to repeal ISA and EO but Dato Zahid Hamidi reaffirm that ISA will not be reinstated upon assuming the position of Home Minister.

There is an interesting twist to this series of police reports on seditious remarks made for the last few years.

Few months back, AG made a statement to consider charging a racial slur made against Penang state assemblyman, Ng Wei Aik. Wei Aik is remembered for asking Mamak operators to “balik negeri.”

Police and AG was perceived as being too swift to charge Malay offenders for seditious.

In the case of Kiki Kamaruddin that was was made famous by a viral video of her in moment of anger after the accident, the time between the incident of causing harm and damage to charges and sentence to less than a month.

Whilst, police could not find the Chinese, who had abused a Malay pickpocket on video with his hands tied.

Since before the last general election, there had been a growing resentment from Malay pro-BN voters with Dato Najib’s tendency to appease Chinese schools, and left wing liberal demands.

The repeal of ISA and uplifting of EO had been attributed to the increasingly vocal and abusive words against the establishment and public institution.

Off late, they are pushing the envelopes to challenge the prohibition to question Malay and Bumiputera special rights, Islamic status as religion of the federation, and Sultan as ruler, and treasonous offences like seeking Sabah and Sarawak seccession from Malaysia.

There had been rampant insulting statements and abuse made against Islam, Malay, and Pribumi of Sabah and Sarawak on Facebook and other online media. In response, counter abusive language are made against Chinese, Indian/Hindu and Semenanjung.

The current abuse of the new openness is not conducive to nation building.

Some 191 UMNO Divisions had called for the revival of ISA and maintaining the Sedition Act at the UMNO Division Meeting. Few UMNO leaders have express the opinion that the Sedition Act should remain.

It is a strong message that the UMNO grassroot is not together with PM on this liberalism aspect of transformation. The existing SOSMA is being viewed as no bite to combat subversive security threat from within the country and foreigners.

Already, there is growing concern on national security arising the third incident of incursion and kidnap by Suluk fighters at the Lahad Datu and Tawau districts.

Dato Najib had to reaffirm his promise to repeal the Sedition Act but he has to convince his own voters that the National Harmony Act is not as harmless as SOSMA.

Few former top police officials have expressed the opinion that the preventative nature of ISA is non-existence in SOSMA and the burden of proof will not enable police to address subversive threats.

In the latest incident, one former ISA detainee and PAS member released due to the repeal of ISA died participating in ISIL jihadist in Syria. Some 300 Malaysians are believed to have participated and on their return, they are part of terrorist cells ready to take up arms against the country.

Read Bigdogdotcom here.

For the time being, Dato Najib had taken the safe position to review that the Sedition Act and cabinet had not made a decision.

There is comforting words that necessary elements of Sedition Act will be incorporated in the National Harmony Act. Heard it will include seditious words written in cyber space. That will be only be good till Dato Najib gets threatened by the left wing which claimed they have support of 120 NGOs.

The other side basis to oppose ISA or Sedition Act is merely on human rights argument. They are blinding the public from public safety and security matter. The idealistic freedom they aspire can only be achieve in a society that is mature in their politics and have clear sense of priority in matters of national interest.

At one time, DAP was loudly criticising police on perceived rising crimes. But, they are still not happy when ISA was abolished and criminals released. DAP and PKR lawyers were seen defending widely known hardcore criminals.

Which ever is his next move, Dato Najib must get proper legal advise and get his political and policy priorities on the right balance. The sedition law is about preserving the social contract and needs the blessing of the Royal Counsel of Rulers.

Prof Datuk Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi said Article 159 (5) of the Federal Constitution, which governs constitutional amendments, says that amending or repealing the law under Article 10 (4) requires the Ruler’s consent.

The current legal adviser had failed the country on issues of scenic bridge of Johor Baru and losing Pulau Batu Putih to Singapore, yet he had been kept 5 years longer than he should. Five years ago, Dato Najib just assumed the Prime Minister post from Tun Abdullah.

↧

BN looks to lose Pengkalan Kubor

September 19, 2014, 3:53 am

≫ Next: Tok Pa's sweet victory

≪ Previous: Did AG failed to properly advise Najib on the implication of lifting EO?

After several days monitoring the Pengkalan Kubor, Kelantan by-election, our hunch is Barisan Nasional could lose their thought-to-be-safe seat. Don't ask us why but ignoring our hunch usually come at a cost.

It is not that BN or UMNO Kelantan did not prepare and make prior effort before the nomination. They did prepare themselves early to address all campaign promises of the late 3-term state assemblyman, Dato Norzaidi.

In the early stage of the campaign, there was a healthy turnout at the nomination and initial activities. After a week, somethings does not seem right. It does not have that winning feel. All the touching with fence-seaters did not carry much political message.

BN seemed not to be reading and countering PAS strategy.

PAS profile advantage

Pengkalan Kubor has 11 PDMs or voting district centres; 6 held by BN in last general election and 5 by PAS. Some comes in large majority and some in smaller ones.

By virtue of PAS being the candidate over PKR, that in itself will convert PAS supporters in this PAS country that voted BN out of disgust for PKR into PAS voters. That in itself cuts the 1,700 lead significantly down.

PAS voters are usually hardcore loyalist in which no money or sweet talk could shake their ballot for others. It is unlike UMNO's voters that can turn to sabotage candidates which does not come from their preferences.

Internal power struggle usually negate any advantage UMNO has. One bad habits prevailing was the willingness to vote opposition just to see candidates they dislike lose

A PAS strategist would focus their initial onslaught to gain ground in UMNO stronghold.

There is another profile of Pengkalan Kubor to consider, which is the coastal population versus the inland population. The coastal voters tend to be pro-PAS, while the inland tend to be pro-UMNO. The coastal voters are usually the poorer fisherman and runners for smugglers.

In the current campaign, there is not much extra effort to win the heart of the fishermen.

They need enforcement by APMM on illegal method of fishing by foreign fishermen.

In certain area, only the presence of Minister of Agriculture, Dato Sabri to deal with certain licensing issue could sway some votes away from PAS.

PAS would be fightng for all the inches from minorities and sub-groups they could get their hands on to turn around the BN majority into a win.

Border town Pengkalan Kubor have a sizeable number of Thai minorities. They are usually pro-BN and PAS is seen working hard to attract them.

No less than the frail Dato Nik Aziz made a visit there. It may seemed to be a desperate move to bring Nik Aziz to campaign but it only shows PAS seriousness to win the seat.There is no walkover.

One minority PAS is working on are Thai of Malay origin with dual nationalities in Golok. Their number runs to about 2,000 and they are hardcore PAS. Heard few PAS leaders had met them there. Has BN made much effort to cross the border to meet them?

There is also minorities like single mothers, handicap, out of town voters, etc. Single mothers, be it widow or abandoned wives, is serious problem in Kelantan. Number maybe small but with a multiplier of 5, that could determine between winning and losing.

Since balloting falls on a working day, the majority PAS out of the area voters will not be able to return. They will not make much impact.

Issues

As far as issues, PAS does not have much to work on.

They are the current state government and any complain they make will fall back on them and the candidate who is Coordinator for the area.

PAS has made a lot of promises, even grandiose ones like a RM2.3 billion new township, new port, bridges, etc but all have merely been only announcement and launching ceremonies. It never got off the ground.

However, they have resorted to stay on the attack to accused the federal government on various accusations such as failing to solve the flood problem, and even slanderous ones like funding murderers of Muslim Southern Thai.

Priority issue used to turn the common people anger against federal government is oil. It is Dato Husam Musa's favourite issue. It does not matter that the issue was brought to court, lost and no more ground to appeal.

UMNO could use a long list of promises they made but never delivered as issues.

Kelantan is a state too dependent on Federal government help so it is slanderous to claim they are victimised by Federal government. Dato Mustapha has been instrumental in helping the state government.

Campaign

However, the Mustapha-led campaign seemed too defensive or lacking any punch. It as though they are the ruling government in the state. They have the bullets to shoot but are too shy to shoot.

Heard there is also the usual spate of problems related to money, opportunism, and local bureaucrasy.

PAS politics also has its toll on them.

The candidate is seen close to Anwarinas's Dato Kamaruddin Jaafar. The Director of Election is Anwarinas Dr Hatta Ramli. The fake oil royalty claim and R group are the hands of Anwarinas's Dato Husam Musa.

Some PAS members are not comfortable to support the current candidate. Rumour making it's around that PKR supporters will vote independent and PAS had to rebut it in their daily newsletter.

Candidate wise, BN candidate far outweigh PAS candidate in term of community acceptance and background. That is what BN is banking on.

However, PAS has a bullet on the candidate's second marriage to do a character assassination. BN could response with their own character counter attack and damage two nearby PAS state assemblyman. However, in this battle for inches, damage could be done.

Nevertheless, PAS is heard confident mood of grasping four of BN's PDM.

So far, conservative estimates see PAS name over PKR could enable Pakatan Rakyat, if it is of any relevance, to pare down BN's 1,700 majority in last year's general election to about 1,000.

With BN rather aimless campaign, we see it to be more than that. Possibly, it could turn from win to losing few hundred votes.

This is a wake-up call for BN.

↧

Tok Pa's sweet victory

September 25, 2014, 7:43 pm

≫ Next: Remembering Arafah ...

≪ Previous: BN looks to lose Pengkalan Kubor

We had an article ready entitled "The Last Stretch", but couldn't load it.

Internet was just 'gampang' and unpredictable in Tumpat. Then, we changed the tittle to "Last 48 Hours" but still couldn't get it posted from deep inside our place in a PAS-laden coastal village.

By the time, we get a good Internet service this morning in Kota Baru at Riverside Hotel, we have to eat our words due to the last pessimistic posting. However, we are only too glad to eat our words. If the last posting had awaken many sleepy eyes, better still.

The campaign started well but was not heading anywhere with too many no(s) and don't(s). BN was not getting it's message across and not even looking defensive. But, we are not saying Tok Pa-led campaign was ill prepared. Hardly, they had prepared well ahead.

Kudos for the win to the Kelantan state UMNO. They took charge of the campaign and at the end, the result worked out and proved many points. It must be a sweet victory to the constantly worried looking To Pa.

UMNO was banking on a high turnout. With out of town voters not expected to return, chances of a good win is high. However, the turnout was only slightly more than 40% by noon. The rule of thumb is the morning voters are mostly PAS people.

It is quite usual in a by-election but perhaps, the still low turnout of white voters may have made it difficult for Tok Pa to smile all day yesterday.

Tok Pa was under pressure too because the printing of the banners was not ready fast enough. It was only up early Saturday morning. That we believe must have helped sway sentiment.

BN was answering PAS's long lobs on oil royalty issues; the royalty itself, landing of gas at Kertih and Songkla, and Compassionate Fund which did not deny Kelantan state the benefit. While answering PAS's national issues, the banners were probing into local issues. It was something PAS wanted to avoid.

There was the inefficiencies and leakage of the state as raised by PAS's Dato Husam Musa. The reminder on the many promises made to Pengkalan Chepa resident but only left was launching stones must have been the swing.

Kudos to a blogger who brought up the Bandar Baru Pengkalan Baru as an issue.

His name will be left unknown as many other unsung heroes we know off in any election. While party members celebrate with jubilant, they just sit together feeling satisfied when winning and frustrated when losing.

The banner intensified as unofficial banners rose to probe on the local issues and PAS candidate credibility within PAS. In PAS last party election, Wan Rosdi was labelled as "I undi untuk Wan Rosdi, 1 untuk kroni."

Despite the gag on giving away pamphlet, there were pamphlets given away. Some blokes couldn't take PAS hit without hitting back.

Overall, conduct of the election in Tumpat is fairly decent and mature. Local voters hated overly aggresive campaign.

Local party workers are receptive to the other side. In one incident, an UMNO Flash Mob on a lorry acknowledge PAS campaigners passing by with call for Allahu Akbar and exchange campaign materials.

PAS "peraih undi" are not as aggressive as compared to other by-elections. A friend quipped, "These Kelantanis are only aggressive at other peoples' soil but behave well in front of family members."

Inter-party animosity is not intense in Tumpat. It is common in a family to hear brothers and sisters supporting different parties. Tumpat is a laid-back coastal and rural area.

Their main economic activities is trading, synonymous with duty free and smuggling of rice, diesel etc. There are some fishing and agricultural activities. But, the afternoon heat there can melt your energy away and darken one skin in a moment.

If there is anything ugly about Tumpat by-election, it is money. The locals are not shy to ask for money to do any campaign task. No money no talk. It is as much an UMNO problem as a PAS problem.

Nevertheless, the good outcome of the by-election must be attributed to Tok Pa's choice of candidate. It was said that Haji Mat Razi's name came 8th or 9th in the list.

The selection was not about his position in the party but his acceptability with the people. No single factor - be it machinery or issue or any other factors - stand out significantly as Haji Mat Rozi's character acceptance to both BN and PAS voters.

Hopefully it send the message to BN to consider the winnable candidate criteria seriously. Hear the rakyat call for new untainted faces and they will deliver the win.

As for Tok Pa, it was indeed a sweet victory as majority came out more than double of BN's forecast and PAS is left with only 3 winning PDM at reduced majority.

Party headquarter involvement is much less than usual. The local state, which know the ground better, was in charge.

Only thing is someone must put the idea into the head of UMNO's election official that last minute bomb tactic is not as lethal as it used to be. It is the three to four years pf psy-war and issue debate towards an election that is critical to ingrain the perception that lead to voting decision..

↧

Remembering Arafah ...

October 2, 2014, 7:29 pm

≫ Next: When "Menteri-Menteri bongok" wrongly explained as "good for government"

≪ Previous: Tok Pa's sweet victory

Time moved so fast that a week past since we returned back from Pengkalan Kubor. It was fast because we were practically sick for a week thereafter.

After two weeks in an oven-like temperature, the cooler Kuala Lumpur weather and the full blast air-con at home instantly affected us with flu. The blocked nose only complicates matters as we are kept in a state of constant drowsiness. That itself is another issue being addressed this week.

Right about when the public attention is on Selangor politics, then the surprised 20 sen fuel hike or termed as fuel rationalisation, we were reminded of wukuf at Arafah today.

Thanks to What App messages from our youngest brother and a friend from Kedah whose performing Haj in Mecca yesterday afternoon. It is customary to seek forgiveness and blessing of those close to us before begnning that once in a lifetime spiritual journey.

How time flies ... because it is already Haj, a ritual we performed three years ago. To read, go back to November 2011 in the monthly archive here. We will be re-reading of our past journey with with sentimental tears flowing in happiness.

If only we could be strong and healthy to be there again....

Since Haj, our life has been generally good. There had been a clear sense of purpose in our pursuits. If there is anything we could wish, it is not to be too busy and pre-occupied so that there is more time allocated for ibadah.

When our friend from Kedah asked what would we like to wish for him to doa at Arafah, which supposedly your wishes will be granted, we were reluctant to ask for anything more.

Frankly, we just too shy and do not know what else in life do we need, other than "rabbana atina fiddunya hasanah, wa fil akhirati hasanah, wakina aza bannar." May all of us - family, friends, comrades and "muslimin wal muslimat il ahya iminhum wal amwat" - find their straight and righteous path.

Oh yes, may a friend of ours get past his writer's block to finish his Master's thesis first chapter and move on further to finish the rest. While, two young ladies find their life partners.

Our friend was to leave for Arafah at 8 PM yesterday. At about the same time yesterday, youngest brother was in his perpetual wait for him and his wife transport for Arafah. By now, Arafah should look like snowfall of white tents and men and women in ihram.

We kid him with his nafar awal plan to clear their stoning ritual early to enable them to do circumbulation around the Kaabah without the maddening crowd. Just told him, if you screwed it up, maybe you could get to again again next year. Anyway quite sure, he has done his consultations.

We just advised him to stay focus. His three daughters are well taken care and looked after here under the watchful eyes of grandmother.

Today, some of us will be fasting in commemoration of wukuf. The spiritual and profound wukuf hours are 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM this evening. Those who have been there knows what it feels like.

May Allah smoothen the affairs of all Muslims in the holy land performing the Haj. Bless all of us too!

↧

When "Menteri-Menteri bongok" wrongly explained as "good for government"

October 8, 2014, 7:32 pm

≪ Previous: Remembering Arafah ...

Image that has gone viral

Within the week the fuel rationalisation to raise petrol pump price by 20 sen was announced, two notable Tan Sris expressed an alarming opinion that the government could not be relied upon to help solve many of the nation and rakyats' woes and needs.

One is of the view that government is only there to serve only corporate interest and not "rakyat didahulukan"as per the campaign slogan for GE13. He went on to say that Dato Najib's political fate lies with the upcoming budget, which opposition has already tried to put down.

Wrong budget and it is the end of Najib and BN.

Both the Tan Sris seemed to share a common view that the government is under the power oligarchy of ruling elites, civil and Chinese taukeh which only serves the interest of business and corporate, including government and multinational corporation.

It must have took the two government loyalist Tan Sris long period of observation to come to that conclusion. The public sentiment arising from the pre-Eidil Adha fuel rationalisation announcement serve to confirm their view.

The perception problem is compounded by "Menteri-menteri bongok", as one Whats App received described, explaining fuel rationalisation and GST as good for government without showing sensitivity to the rakyat.

What they should have said

They should have explained that the fuel rationalisation is meant to stop foreigners and profit driven companies abused the subsidy meant for the rakyat.

In the days of old, government had to spend merely about RM2 billion a year on fuel subsidy but today it is RM23 billion a year. Much of it, circa RM9 billion is lost due to smugglingaactivities to foreigners clients.

But, do not give excuse like our coastline borders are too open to encroachment and smuggling activities, it only opens the ruling party to criticism of corruption when all along it is civil servants in customs, KPDNKK and others are the ones with their hands in the pie.

Admit that it had got out of hand. Do not deny and claim it is under control when public can see openly the smuggling activities. Then admit that the only choice left is to rid off the price differential.

However, the public must be assured to still receive subsidised fuel through a new scheme using Mykad, in which only citizens can have access to subsidised fuel. Foreigners living in this country or coming through the border cannot get subsided fuel.

Assure the public that the selection of the system to be used will be transparent and open public tender. There is no rent seeking arrangement of over-riding commission on fuel paid by the public to the system provider. Government must own the system, has the source code and operates it themselves.

Hopefully, the "Menteri-Menteri bongok" maintain the same price level because subsidy spent will be drastically reduced by a focused distribution.

That way the public support the government if they say no one should be profiteering from subsidised fuel for the people, which is basically government sharing nation's wealth with the people. Emphasise subsidy for business people to profit from will stop.

Quote the amount of subsidy used by private sector and foreign companies.

Subsidy to IPPs and indirectly Tan Sri Francis Yeoh's palace is heard to total RM19 billion and not added to the RM23 billion statistic bandied around. Since IPPs will affect energy prices, another inflation sensitive component, government has to think of a way to address it.

What they should not be saying

The problem started when Dato Wahid Omar was busily saying the mean monthly income is RM5,900 and it is now on the rise. Hooray ... high income model works, at least for the upper class!!!

It wasn't long ago that Wahid said to the effect that more than 70% of Malaysians are earning below RM3,000. Probably there is a factual correction needed but the gist is the two statistics are different economic indicators but government ended looking inconsistent.

Being seen as inconsistent will negate any facts or arguments presented.

One reason public got emotional about the fuel rationalisation is because the 20 sen increase was explained with the same recycled argument by "Menteri-Menteri bongok."

It shows grave insensitivity and poor understanding on the part of government on the plight of the common rakyat. Najib gets the blame as being too distanced from the rakyat plight. [Read this FB comment by Saiful Nang that has gone viral here]

They should not be repeating the same argument that our fuel is still cheaper compared to other countries, including poor Cambodia and the same old process of fuel pricing structure.

They should not insult the public intelligecet to say it is not fuel price increase but reduction in subsidy. The Minister may not be intelligent but he does have to show to the public.

Surely such cliche as "rakyat harus bersyukor" in the midst of public tsunami of anger is an act of stupidity at its extreme. Neither does it offer comfort to quote hadith on documented incidents of Prophet Muhammad being posed with the issue of rising prices.

Splashing out statistics and telling the government could re-channel the subsidy to government projects is also a no-no. It does not take opposition but rakyat at the warung could conclude that "Ha ... rakyat have to pay so that cronies get contracts."

Missed priorities

True, we have to do things differently and the nation can go bankrupt as what Dato Idris Jala used to say. But what are our priorities?

Dato Idris Jala's economic planning Pemandu unit is preaching that but what his outfit is doing is merely is similar to Investment Banker rearranging corporate balance sheet. They are too gng ho without much thought to do balancing by boosting economic growth and consider it's drastic impact on the rakyat.

Nation building through the economy is about creating economic activities and new growth sectors, not just more infrastructure, construction and properties as what local businessmen and institutional investors are too engrossed in domestically and overseas.

It is about building industries, competencies, capability, jobs, knowledge, sustainability, continuity, entrepreneurship, and all for a long term social nation building agenda.

Instead every new Ministers and Prime Ministers, BN or PR are interested in building personal legacies. Their speech writers and press secretaries wrote glowing coffee table books which potrays their boss as another statesman.

Not only growth has been long foresaken and plight of the rakyat ignored for corporate interest these days, the elite economic planners at Pemandu with their expensively assembled foreign branded consultants are more interested in dreaming as being world players.

It reflects the unrealistic expectation of the urbane Kuala Lumpur.

Failure to understand

Many failed to realise that the public's seemingly unrealistic reaction to the fuel rationalisation is not about not appreciating the fact that our subsidy spending has grown too much.

It is not about them being too much of a masyarakat subsidi, although there is truth that the long years of pampering during the time of plenty has turned Malaysians into one. Malaysians complain a lot and over petty issues.

More so in these times when everyone are so partisan that quite a big segment are criticising for the sake of criticising because of their hate for Barisan Nasional or they refuse to rationalise and just want another government.

One misfortune of Malaysia is a large segment of Malaysian are too kiasu and selfish about themselves. Their understanding of patriotism tend to be self-centred.

Frankly, the 20 sen increase is not significant dent on their budget. There are more pressing and priorities issues such as rakyat's housing. So the real reason public is angry lies in their fear for uncontrolled rise in prices of other goods.

The public will not want to believe any denials or attempt to present statistics. They are more in tune than the Ministers. So it does not help when some chicken branded Minister say we are monitoring the situation.

The public knows the government cannot do anything. The economic oligarchy has dominated the distribution system that government sincere intention to help rakyat through such things as GST and price control will be sabotaged by them or lost in translation.

Distanced

Najib is too high up in the social echelon to understand how rising prices is so uncontrollable.

One businessman confided that he is more careful with his budget these days. He reduced buying from three ikan merah to only one fish per week in his weekly trip to the wet market since the price rose from RM18 to RM28. It is pointless to tell them that CPI is few percentages only.

Most discouraging part is Najib may not realise that underlying the emotional reaction is the subliminal distrust in the ability of current government to administer and manage the country.

Najib may have done much effort but he is perceived as being dictated by what the people and advisers around him say and unable to check on them. They is a growing believe amongst the public that Najib is not in charge and has lost control of government because too many obvious problem, particular his appointments, seemed to pass him by.

It is maybe quite unfair since he is has already spread himself thin and saddled with too many issues to address which he could not rely upon to his team of Ministers to do.

Political observer see government failed to realise that BN is still not in a position of political strength to make drastic people sensitive decisions despite the upset at Telok Intan, wider majority in Pengkalan Kubor, Selangor state leadship and problems and within and among opposition parties.

All it takes is increasing fuel price, begin GST and the political focus and pressure returns back to BN.

If Budget failed to truly address problems in basic needs, UMNO and BN is finish.

* Edited 9:45 PM

↧

Popularly elected Jokowi to raise fuel price by 50%

October 17, 2014, 3:41 am

≫ Next: Tun M's KTM suggestion expose neo-liberals problem-solving weakness

≪ Previous: When "Menteri-Menteri bongok" wrongly explained as "good for government"

The public outcry from the 20 sen increase in fuel price, or as they try to avert as only reduction in subsidy, can be heard everywhere.

Understandably, the distribution system dominated by cartels result in an amplified increase in consumer goods. Though the public understood the subsidy burden on the government, some reaction gave the impression they were ready to throw out Dato Najib out of office.

Now, Joko Widido just came out as the new popularly elected Indonesian President. He plan to increase fuel price by 50%. Not 20 sen, but by more than the 80 sen increase that led to the downfall of former PM Tun Abdullah. As it is, fuel cost more in Indonesia. There is no BR1M, nothing in the pipeline to buffer the impact .

Will the Indonesian emulate some local sentiment to throw Jokowi out after just electing him in July? Two countries but different reaction and approach to the same problem.

Reuters report below:

Fri Oct 17, 2014 5:14am BST

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia's President-elect Joko Widodo plans to raise the price of subsidised gasoline and diesel by around 50 percent within two weeks of taking office, a move that will save the government nearly $13 billion (8.08 billion pounds) next year, an adviser to Widodo told Reuters.

Widodo, who will take over the presidency of Southeast Asia's largest nation on Monday, is under pressure to reduce a budget deficit inherited from the administration of the outgoing president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

The aide said Widodo aims to raise the price of both gasoline and diesel by 3,000 rupiah ($0.25) per litre by November.

Indonesian fuel prices are among the cheapest in the region, with gasoline costing 6,500 rupiah a litre, and diesel costing 5,500 rupiah.

"The plan is Nov. 1 ... but it's safe to say they are likely to do it within the first two weeks of taking office," said the adviser, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, adding .

The adviser said Widodo could still decide to "change his mind" on the fuel price hike at the last minute.

Elected in July, Widodo had hoped a politically unpopular fuel price hike would be imposed before he took the reins, but President Yudhoyono denied the president-elect's request in August.

The incoming president lacks a parliamentary majority, making it harder for him to push through measures, but parliament's approval is not needed to increase administered fuel prices.

To offset the higher fuel prices, Widodo plans to provide the poorest families with 300,000 rupiah per quarter until the first quarter of 2016, the adviser said. And Widodo will consider whether to raise fuel price again in the fourth quarter of 2015, the adviser added.

The government is expected to save 156 trillion rupiah (£7.94 billion) next year in fuel subsidy costs, the adviser said.

Widodo's advisers say the money saved would be diverted to spending on infrastructure, agriculture, education, and health projects.

The 2014 budget deficit had been targeted at 2.4 percent of gross domestic product, but it is in danger of busting a budget law setting the limit at 3 percent because of a shortfall in tax revenues and the slowest economic growth in five years.

(Reporting by the Jakarta bureau; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

Reuters

-----------------------

Aren't we Malaysians so lucky that the government is still considerate on the plight of the rakyat?

Hopefully it is a saviour for Najib.

That is if his highly paid media consultants and psywar strategist knows how to exploit the opportunity that is presenting itself.

↧

Tun M's KTM suggestion expose neo-liberals problem-solving weakness

October 18, 2014, 1:56 am

≫ Next: Malay "pendatang" remark spoil Gerakan comeback

In his blog yesterday [read here], Tun Dr Mahathir suggested few business ideas for Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) in order to reduce their losses. He suggested to lease their tracks and use trains to transport goods to Bangkok.

The additional profit generated could be substantial and return KTM back to profitability. As it is, Tun Mahathir said KTM is losing about RM185 million annually.

In his first line, it may seeemed as though Tun may have took a swipe at another of Dato Ahmad Maslan's typical comment that made him a common conversation piece. He claimed KTEM would turn around after an "intensive transformation" plan with a RM30 million profit by next year.

Without Tun M having to say anything, the bigger jokers that got swiped in his posting was the predictable textbook thinking neo-liberal advisers, specifically Pemandu in government, and young leaders and politicians in UMNO.

The KTM issue came about when Ahmad Maslan was responding to a question on KTM's accumulated RM2.5 billion loss by Dr Lee Boon Hye (PKR-Gopeng).

As advised accordingly, Ahmad Maslan attributed the loss in his answer to low fare and high maintenance. Obviously, part of the suggested solution is increasing fare.

The typical neo-liberal Pemandu thinking textbook solution can be seen as the term "rationalisation" creeps into Ahmad Maslan answer. It will mean the predictable cutting down on schedule, workforce, sell-off, etc. like how MAS was butchered by Khazanah.

And they predictably did it as so. [Read the Star coverage here.]

Ahmad Maslan maybe a favourite subject of ridicule but no poking fun at him on this, please. Dato Najib too said the same thing. [Read TMI here.]

Maybe the Deputy Minister and Minister lack the ground experience and business knowledge that passenger is not the real income for KTM. It's nature of business is in land transport of human and cargo.

The business turnaround and development has to be done by KTM management. But, typical of how things are these days, the thinking is done by some theoreticians consultants outside the organisation and most likely outfit like Khazanah and Pemandu.

Tun M's suggestion was merely a simple common sense.

There are two ways of going about and that is to cut cost and face up with a public already agitated by rising cost anger [Read Rakyat post here] or look for opportunities within the business to increase revenue.

If there is none, then look at related diversification but do not talk of advertising business in Parliamanet. That's peanut meant for monkeys.

Yet the neo-liberal consultants in KTMB Transformation Lab advised the Deputy Minister to mention of advertising. Aren't neo-liberal consultants allergic to diversification, related or unrelated? Thus it is puzzling why Pemandu aren't they thinking of privatisation since it could take the kinks out of the government subsidy bill?

Yes, government will not privatise KTM ... for now. [Read in The Star here.]

If there is anything to be learned from this, it is for government and country to stop with this economic ideological bullshit which comes with predictable textbook answers without putting in much effort to think.

Tun M was merely looking at generating new businesses from existing infrastructure.

Highlighting Tun M's suggestion is not about trying to champion NEP although it is similar to the idea of increasing the pie rather take from someone else. More so for a man not adhering by any economic school of thoughts, although there are those that described him as close to a Keynesian.

The point is to not be too Idris Jala-like by automatically think of slashing or a fancy way of saying, rationalise whenever one is faced with a problem. It shows a tendency for textbook solution to complex problems.

Tum M maybe no match for the heard to be privatised Pemandu consultants but the manner they do things shows they could be either inexperienced and lack the practical problem solving skill. Maybe they do not do proper research and work since Pemandu tend to hide behind a public lab to justify their inadequacies.

Actually, all it takes is common sense, some thinking and ingenuity. The problem is it may not be so common these days.

↧

Malay "pendatang" remark spoil Gerakan comeback

October 19, 2014, 8:38 pm

≫ Next: The hypocrasy and ulterior motive to get Ibrahim Ali charged

≪ Previous: Tun M's KTM suggestion expose neo-liberals problem-solving weakness

Whether it was because of the Chinese vernacular school issue raised at the UMNO Petaling Jaya Utara annual general meeting or the ensuing discussion on the root of Chinese vernacular school as education for the children of then Chinese immigration worker, the Malay "pendatang" remark uttered at the Gerakan AGM was unnecessary.

Surely it is untrue and illogical, be it from the archeological or historical or geo-cultural or even DNA finding done. Not only former MP Dato Zulkifli Nordin's immediately reaction rebutted, one article by a Chinese writer by the name Tai Zee Kin disagreeing to any intention to claim Malays as "pendatang' from Indonesia has gone viral. Prior to modern nation-state introduced by colonial masters, Malay archipelago is one big nation.

Politically, it is not a smart move, even for merely a drama to attract the attention of Chinese voters and hopefully secure back their votes. If that is what the Gerakan delegate from Johor, Tan Lai Soon intended, that is not the way since such remarks makes politics a zero sum game. By attracting one group, one anger another group.

How do Gerakan do their number crunching?

Before the AGM, President Dato Mah Siew Keong's tone setting statement was for moderation as the new crying call for Gerakan's comeback. Mah acknowledged that after two general elections, Gerakan's have been reduced to a nominal presence in Parliament and State Assemblies.

For that matter, the one that used to utter the same remark in Parliament, the Ketua Wanita Dato Tan Lian Ho had focused her speech on the fanaticism and radical politics of DAP.

Basically, the Gerakan AGM should have been the platform for Gerakan politicians to use to lambast DAP Penang at a time when the Penang voters are slowly begining to realise the ugly head and incompetence of Lim Guan Eng.

It is certainly not the time to attack fellow BN party members or their voters. MCA and Gerakan's existing presence in Parliament and State Assemblies come at the camarederie spirit and willingness of UMNO to giveaway Malay majority seats for MCA and Gerakan to contest and remain relevent.

Tan Lai Soon made a statement to retract his statement yesterday. But the damage is done.

Already some Malays felt the apology is not sincere because an old timer politicians like Tan cannot claim ignorance.

Some remain slighted and see that it was an intentional act. Although there was an apology, it was a ploy to put the argument into play to put in into the general Chinese psyche that only orang asli are Bumiputera.

That has seditous implication to indirectly question article 153 of the Federal Constitution.

The opposition could exploit it or maybe they would not. However, the argument presented by Tan Lai Soon echoes the same argument uttered by DAP, and PKR.

At a time BN should be uniting, working and be seen together instead of working as three seperate entities under a Kapitan Cina, Kapitan Keling and Malay artisticrats as in the colonial days, it only brings back suspicion on the Chinese majority component parties of Peninsular Malaysia.

Believe me, that view have been heard uttered and Gerakan's pre-May 13 1969 history as a feisty opposition was recalled. Some believed Gerakan has not shed that past especially since Pemuda Gerakan was at time on a combative mode and calls to leave BN was heard.

Some may even view it as an of sabotage from within Gerakan to assist the trouble brewing DAP. MCA is still grappling with the conscience that their own members voted for DAP.

Now, Mah have committed to be firm on any members taking extremist views. That puts pressure on him to deal with the wayward delegate. A political polemic could arise as there will be voices demanding UMNO act the same.

Interestingly, the words uttered by Tan Lai Soon is seditous in nature. If DAP is so worked up to see ISMA and Perkasa President charged for sedition despite them opposing the Sedition Act, will they demand Tan Lai Soon be charged for sedition?

Their silence will mean agreement.

↧

The hypocrasy and ulterior motive to get Ibrahim Ali charged

October 20, 2014, 11:25 pm

≫ Next: Touching a dog doused Anwar's campaign

≪ Previous: Malay "pendatang" remark spoil Gerakan comeback

Upon seizing power at the Federal level, DAP will be more draconian than the BN the accused as draconian. All one need to see is the reaction of Penang DAP Chief Minister, Lim Guan Eng to any criticism or questions on his administration of Penang or DAP party.

Guan Eng would threaten them with lawsuit as former PAS Youth Chief is facing, use goons to physically harass them as in the case of defiant Johor DAP members, expelled and suspended BN state assemblyman, and many more.

He refused to meet and deal with the Kampong Buah Pala Indian. And in the case of falling FDI to Penang, he resorted to lying and blaming the Federal government. However, he claim credit when FDI was rising in his first year in office.

In the latest episode and in the midst of campaign by Bar Council, Pakatan and their linked NGOs for abolishment of the Sedition Act, DAP and few Bar Council activists are applying pressure on Dato Nancy Shukri to charge Dato Ibrahim Ali for sedition.

It shows they are inconsistent in their principle and hypocritical in their attitude. When Pakatan do take control of government with DAP in the driver seat, the likelihood is they will reinstate ISA, Sedition Act, and other law they say now as draconian?

We were there the morning of Janurary 19th 2013 in UiTM, Permatang Pauh to hear Tun Dr Mahathir deliver his speech with the introduction by Ibrahim.

Ibrahim did touched on the incident of Malay Bibles being distributed to secondary Muslim student outside the school compound. It was in the height of DUMC and Malay Bible issue.

If students are given, we remembered Ibrahim said casually without any high tone to not throw it in the dustbin as it would be an insult. He suggested burning it as in the usual manner of Muslims not throwing away old or tattered Quran but burn them.

Today, we are surprise that those words could be an issue.

It has become viral that one Bishop echoed DAP call for Ibrahim's prosecution and one new and attention seeking Pribumi rights NGO in Sabah is asking that Perkasa not be allowed in Sabah. Both were not there when he uttered those words.

Only do we realise now that the lot of pro-opposition portals of Malaysiakini, Malaysian Insider and FMT picked on his words at the press conference. We weren't there to listen but FMT report here quoted or misquoted Ibrahim as below:

“Muslims must unite to protect their religion. They must seize those Bibles, including the Malay editions, which contained the term Allah and other Arabic religious terms, and burn them.

“This is the way to show our anger against disrespect to our sensitivity.”

Official reply

We had received a statement by Perkasa's Secretary General, Syed Hassan which reads below:

Kepada semua media.

Perkasa ingatkan semua media jika ingin menulis berita isu Presiden Perkasa berkaitan dengan membakar Bible hendaklah menulis dengan penuh 'Bible bahasa Melayu yang kandungannya mempunyai kalimah Allah dan tulisan jawi jika diedarkan kepada orang Islam'.

Perkasa dapati banyak media menulis dengan ayat setakat 'membakar Bible' sahaja. Jika benar Presiden Perkasa berkata begitu (bakar Bible), kami juga menentangnya. Tiada siapa yang berhak membakar kitab mana-mana agama dalam negara ini.

Tetapi Presiden Perkasa dalam isu ini tidak pernah menyebut membakar Bible. Apa yang Presiden Perkasa pernah buat kenyataan sebelum ini di Pulau Pinang adalah apabila menjawab satu soalan dari seorang wartawan yang bertanya kepadanya berkenaan laporan polis terhadap pihak yang mengedarkan Bible pelajar Islam di Pulau Pinang awal 2013.

Presiden Perkasa menjawab kepada pertanyaan wartawan itu dengan berkata "Kalau kita(orang Islam) diberi Bible seperti itu, kita ambil dan kita akan bakar" dengan merujuk berita sebenar laporan Polis yang dibuat oleh pihak tertentu terhadap pihak yang mengedarkan Bible bahasa Melayu yang dalam kandungannya ada Kalimah Allah serta beberapa perkataan dalam tulisan jawi kepada pelajar Islam di Pulau Pinang dan Presiden Perkasa tidak menyebut Bible sahaja.

Presiden berpendapat usaha pihak yang mengedarkan Bible dalam bahasa Melayu dengan kandungannya terdapat Kalimah Allah dan beberapa perkataan dalam tulisan jawi kepada pelajar Islam adalah cubaan menglirukan pemahaman pelajar Islam kepada ajaran Islam yang sebenar oleh pengedarnya. Bible seperti itu boleh membuatkan pelajar Islam keliru dan terpengaruh dengan agama lain.

Presiden Perkasa menekankan bahawa mengedarkan sebarang buku atau risalah agama lain dengan menggunakan bahasa Melayu adalam cubaan mengelirukan umat Islam dan hal ini(mengedarkan bacaan agama lain dalam bahasan Melayu) adalah salah dan melanggar undang-undang negara.

Presiden Perkasa juga pernah menjelaskan byk kali isu ini tetapi byk pihak sengaja terus memanaskan keadaan walau mereka tahu kanyataan Presiden Perkasa bukan merujuk Kitab Bible sebenar.

Dengan itu Perkasa gesa semua tidak hanya menulis 'Bakar Bible'. Perkasa sbg sangat menghormat kita suci penganut agama lain apa lagi Bible (Injil) merupakan kitab sah ikutan umat manusia sebelum datangannya Islam. Bagaimana pun kita percaya Kitan Injil diturunkan dalam bahasa Nasrani sahaja dan Kitab Injil dalam bahasa lain adalah buku terjemahan kepada Kitab Injil sahaja dan itu bukannya Kitab Injil. Kitab Injil sebenar adalah dlm bahasa Nasrani

Sepertimana Al-Quran, Kitab suci umat Islam itu diturunkan dalam bahasa Arab. Jika dalam bahasa2 lain ianya bukan Al-Quran, itu adalah buku terjemahan sahaja. Kita tak boleh sebut Al-Quran bahasa Melayu atau bahasa lain2.

Perkasa lihat byk pihak terutama dari pembangknag sengaja mahu membuat penganut kristian membenci Perkasa. Tujuannya utk rakyat beragama kristian tolak BN kerana dalam pada masa yang sama mereka mengwar2kan UMNO menyokong Perkasa.

Tujuan bukanlah hendak membela masyarakat Kristian.

Begitu juga di Sbah dan Sarawak di mana pihak2 yg kerap bangkitkan isu ini adalah org politik disebelah pembangkang. Sedangkan bila wakil-wakil Perkasa Pusat ke bebrapa Parlimen di Sabah bagi merasmikan Persidangan Khas Tahunan Pribumi Perkasa Parlimen2 di negeri iaitu terdapat ramai penganut agama Kristian menduduki jawatan AJK Perkasa Parlimen2 dalam negeri Sabah.

Mereka sedia maklum apa yang dinyatakan oleh Presiden Perkasa. Mereka faham dan tiada apa yg perlu nak dijadikan isu besar. Malah mereka sedar itu semua adalah dipolitikan.

Sekian
SU Agung Perkasa.

Even if they do not wish to believe, remember that their source of information came from pro-opposition portals that are infamous for twisting words and spinning stories. Bear in mind that Ibrahim is too seasoned a politician to get caught uttering such politically incorrect words.

It is cheap trick on the part of these portals, DAP, and their Bar Council allies to pick on Nancy. She is from Sarawak and of mix blood of Iban-Chinese-Scottish. It unnatural for her to get mixed up in racial or religous dispute.

DAP should know better than ask a Minister to instruct the Attorney General office to charge. That would probably be how DAP government will operate. However, politicians cannot interfere in the process of law.

The Law Minister deals with administrative policies, and in simple words the tables and chairs matters.

For AG to charge Ibrahim, the question is: can he win?

It is a case of interpreting intention. Not easy ... but DAP will surely make it into another issue when Ibrahim is eventually acquited. Seriously, Ibrahim should sued these basxxxxs.

As we see it, DAP is merely provoking the issue with the seditous intention to ignite the anger of Sarawak Christians and hopefully gain ground in Sarawak. They should be charged instead. [Read this here]

DAP's campaign for the upcoming Sarawak election will be linked closely to the interiors and Christians. It is the very reason DAP Sarawak is cutting relationship with PAS. It is all a political show!

Hypocrits

These people are so predictable hypocritical.

When ISMA President seek for postponement to await the precedent making defence by Dr Azmi Shahrom, one Bar Council activist believes he is supposed to be denied the fair and just proces of law.

It is obvious they are targetting ISMA and Perkasa for the political reason to squash any last vocal Malay and Muslim voices. Pemuda UMNO is no threat for the Pergerakan have turned liberal.

In his defense, Azmi is attempting to question the legitimacy of the additional clause to the Sedition Act which was not done under the power of Parliament in 1971 but by the power of the king during the NOC (or MAGERAN) administration.

However, what we gather from the law writer himself, who happens to be still alive, it was enacted under the law of Parliament.

So the question: why is DAP and Bar Council interfering and being hypocritical here?

Common sense tells us that they are merely making noise because police reports and investigations on seditous words by opposition politicians in the past have reached the stage where it could be charged. However, Penang state assemblyman, Ng Wei Aik made no complains when a seditous police report he made in 2010 is being charged in 2014.

Why is there more opposition being charged? The answer is simple.

Their hatred politics entailed them to spew more provocative words than the BN politicians. Generally BN politicains are too cautious and that is the reason their ceramah are not entertaining to attract large crowd.

Bar Council

The reason behind Pakatan and Bar Council can be understood but we can't understand this numbnuts from Johor Baru and another one from Temerloh.

Bar Council is claiming that the Sedition Act is draconian, undemocratic, surpressing free speech and offense not specifically defined. However, we can't help to observe that the Bar Council timed the campaigned with a certain someone destined for Sungai Buloh prison.

One lawyer argued that why the need for Sedition Act when a similar offense can be charged under Penal Code with a more harsh penalty.

Probably it is because the burden of proof will not be able to effectively squash any question on the status of Malay rulers, status of Islam and Malay language, Bumiputera special rights and non Bumiputera citizenship.

One argument heard was Sedition Act applies to MPs in the Dewan Rakyat. It means that by abolishing Sedition Act, opposition MPs can say anything as they wish in Parliament and question the constitutionalised social contract terms that form the foundation of the constitution and the nation.

Dato Najib has commited himself to abolish the Sedition Act as part of the political transformation or lets say call reform as reform. He has promised to change it to a more friendly sounding Act but he cannot avoid maintaining the essence of the Sedition Act.

He should remember that he needs the consent of the Council of Rulers to abolish it.

Bar Council is fighting to abolish Sedition Act against. They are fighting for abolishment of OSA, Dangerous Drug Act and Printing Press Act too.

At the same time, it is said that Bar Council activists - six or seven of them, all Indians - are assisting and funneling overseas fund for Sabah and Sarawak activist to call for cessation from Malaysia.

Bar Council is now in a strange mode of fighting against the constitution and abolishment of laws in which they are supposed to uphold and defend. In their quest for their new found passion for individual human rights, they seemed to lose the equally important rights and interest of the community and nation should surpass that of individual.

Some of their action do not reflect that openness to diverging view. Tan Sri Johan Jaafar's son also don't seem to want a discourse with lawyers for the Sedition Act.

As a professional body, Bar Council is supposed to administer the profession but are indulging in activism. Maybe another truly professional body should be put in place or better, still replace.

Be it Bar Council or NGOs supporting them or Pakatan Rakyat, their common consensus is not the ideal that they spew but it is nothing but a long drawn political campaign to oust the BN government.

You think Kit Siang and Guan Eng care about democrasy? Don't answer, see Singapore.

↧

Touching a dog doused Anwar's campaign

October 23, 2014, 12:31 am

≫ Next: When is the big day, Zahida?

≪ Previous: The hypocrasy and ulterior motive to get Ibrahim Ali charged

Until an intimate video of popular pro-opposition Ustaz Azhar Idrus with his third wife surfaced last night, the most viral subject on the social media was the weekend Dog Touching event.

It dominated the social media to the point that it even overshadowed another intimate revelation on the FB of DAP candidate for Telok Intan by-election, Dyana Sofea and married Member of Parliament for Bukit Bendera Penang, Zairil Khir Johari.

It was a unique happening and the ensuing debate attracted the public attention that Anwar's campaign to gain sympathy and pressure the court to save him from an impending prison sentence by the Federal Court was lost.

Syed Azmi may have innocently helped to douse Anwar's usual rabble rousing.

Let's give this pharmacist from Muar, Johor and living in Taman Tun Dr Ismail a break.

It is beyond us to question his faith or get taken in by wild speculation of him as organiser or the ustaz that attended the "I want to touch a dog" event as part of an evangelical Christian insidious attempt to adulterate the Muslim faith.

However, there is justification on the part of MAIS, Selangor Mufti and other clerics to feel the event - which was meant to rid of a common fear among Muslims towards dogs but got out of hand to encourage touching and cuddling - had insulted Islam.

The Ustaz himself admitted that it got out of hand when the event ended up up encouraging Muslims to touch and cuddle dogs.

According to Mazhab Shafie, dogs are considered haram and dirty. It is catagorised as najis mughallazah.

It is haram to intentional touch certain category of najis without reason. And, intentional touching and cuddling of dogs, without any purpose like as watch dog or hunting dog is also haram.

Having them as pets is a no no in the Shafie tradition practised by the majority of Muslims in Malaysia.

However, the Wahabi leaning Dr Maza showed his ego, arrogance and bad manners to lambast the opinion of other ulamaks of authority. Didn't all the other ulamaks said the same as him that Islam does not discourage but encourage Muslims to be kind to animals?

Nevertheless, although the organisers could be sincere and pure in their intention, the event turned out to be rather disrespectful towards Islam.

It is not for non-Muslim to interpret but only to respect the Muslims practises and rituals.

The event encouraged Muslims to breach them. Non-Muslims encroached into the Muslim space with their negative criticism of certain Muslims reaction..

The innocent intention of the organiser could be misconstrued as another attempt to push the limit by the wayward Islam liberal group. Today dogs, will it be pigs tomorrow?

There was support of liberal and opposition medias together with known liberal Muslims. Nurul Izzah encouragement and Zaid Ibrahim defense of the event is an affirmation for mainstream Muslims.

Read this article by MyKMU here to understand the mainstream Muslim viewpoint.

Actually the polemic on touching dogs had been around since 1937 and it should not be made a bigger issue than what it is. [Read The Flying Kick here and Jahabar Saddiq here.]

Anwar Ibrahim is right to say that there are bigger issues than just touching dogs. [Read MI here]

However, the question remain as to why the need and how important is it that an event has to be dedicated to make Muslims comfortable with dog?

Simple religious campaign to be kind to animals, including dogs would have been more politically correct. There is a National Geography channel program on dogs. It gives some understanding on pet dogs behaviour.

While Jahabar mentioned of income disparity, stormy weathers, and TPPA, Anwar only mentioned of haram economic activities involving beer, gambling and liquor labeling in his ceramah in Seberang Jaya, Permatang Pauh.

He was refering to Dato Hishamuddin Hussein Onn brother's security labeling business which was politicised by politicians. Unless there was an abuse of power by Hishamuddin, give his brother a brak. He needs to make a living too.

Anwar's ceramah at Seberang Jaya may have been affected by the dog touching event. His roadshow had not been attracting the crowd and it was an embarassment that only 500 turned up to hear him in his hometown.

In Johor Baru, only 50 attended.

Before the touch the dog event, Anwar realised that without PAS support, he could not attract the crowd as much as he got in 1998. One PKR sponsored NGO, LENSA asked him to accept the inevitable and retire.

Anwar tried to make his campaign to be in line with other campaign against Sedition Act, rising prices, GST, fuel rationalisation, PTPTN, etc. to give legitimacy.

But touch the dog spoiled his plan.

It only explains his disappointment last night with Muslim reaction to the touch the dog.

Today, many are of the view that the expose on Dyana-Zairil and Ustaz Azhar Idrus is a desperate attempt by Anwar to ignite anger against UMNO and attract DAP and PAS members to come to Putrajaya on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Heard was Zairil's wife found the picture in his laptop and uploaded it on his FB. Thus it explains why the pictures could be removed in a jiffy. So Zairil's lost handphone excuse does not make sense.

It is believed that Lim Guan Eng was given the images.

As far as Ustaz Azhar, it is his private matter with his wife. Lets not even bother as to whether it is true or why would there be a camera to video their intimate moment.

The interesting part is many yellow coloured T-shirts was noticeably present during the touch the dog event.

Could that mean Bersih together with the big and powerful animal activist may have made the event bigger than expected and got Syed Azmi surprised?

It is remote but possible. Bersih had became wary with Anwar due to his lies, inconsistency and hypocrasy. They may have sabotaged Anwar.

↧

When is the big day, Zahida?

October 23, 2014, 6:24 pm

≫ Next: Food security is national security

≪ Previous: Touching a dog doused Anwar's campaign

A big break for Zahida but one question still remain

Actress and model Zahida Rafik is back in the news again. The driver which sued her for defamation will be charged for CBT. he had allegedly squandered away with the RM200,000 money entrusted by Zahida to bank-in.

It is a face saving development for Zahida, which had been rumoured to have an affair with Dato Shafie Apdal. When this blog wrote of it in September 2010 [read here], there was a follow-up denial from Shafie's aide [read here].

However, the rumour unabated as more stories surface claiming Zahida had married Shafie in London and lives in a RM4 million home in Ampang bought by Shafie. It was aggravated further in April 2012 when the matter involving Zahida's driver surfaced. [Read here and here]

PKR MP for Ampang, Zuraidah seized on the opportunity and had Latheefa Koya provide legal help. They sued Zahida for defamation and used the opportunity to expose Shafie as corrupt and immoral.

Shafie even had to threaten a lawsuit [read here] but the slander kept on in court as Zahida could not strike out the suit [read The Star here].

For some time, the opposition media had a field day reporting the judge telling the police to not disrupt the ongoing defamation case [read MChronicle here]. That was till yesterday's report, which we picked up from FMT:

Actress’ ex-driver charged with CBT

FMT | October 23, 2014

The single father of two is also suing the actress for accusing him of misappropriating her money.

KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian actress’ former driver claimed trial in the Ampang Magistrate’s Court here today to criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving RM200,000.

Noor Azman Azmi, 40, now a taxi driver, allegedly misappropriated the money belonging to his employer Zahida Rafik, 40, who had entrusted him to deposit it into her bank account.

The single father of two, who was arrested today, is accused of committing the offence at Lot 186 Lorong Kempas 2, Kampung Melayu Ampang at 11.30am on Feb 29, 2012.

Counsel Eric Paulsen told the court that Noor Azman also had an ongoing civil case in the High Court, in which he was suing Zahida for accusing him of misappropriating her money.

Magistrate Ayuni Izzaty Sulaiman set bail at RM20,000 with two sureties and ordered the accused’s passport to be temporarily impounded. She also fixed Nov 20 for mention. – Bernama

This must be the break the 41 year old actress and model hoped for all this years. Perhaps, the same for Shafie too.

There is still issues on how a one-film actress and a model known to be associated with botox or plastic could amass a RM4 million home and unknown businesses with cash inflow. But, let that be her trade secret to success.

This development gave her the chance to cleanse her smeared name and Shafie. Only one more issue needs answering.

She was engaged to a single businessman of same age with her and they are supposed to be married in a year time [read a gossip blog Beautiful Nara here.] It was around the time she was sued last year [read here.]

So when is the big day?

Wouldn't it be great to have a man to give support in the heat of the lawsuit and maybe provide financial assistance for another Shafee's expensive legal fee?

Hopefully Zahida will not consider delaying the date in the manner Anwar postphoned the court more than 60 times. Age is catching up and it only arouse more suspicion on Shafie.

↧