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Pemuda UMNO should shut up and solve taxi's legacy issues

March 26, 2015, 11:33 pm
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Those who disagreed with cab fare increase had expressed their views.

Some claimed these taxi drivers are unworthy of help for being supportive of opposition. At one time, they support the government but had betrayed despite assistance from government.

There are those who felt our taxi drivers does not deserve the raise due to their poor service, disregard for regulations and rudeness. And many behave as or actually are gangsters.

Deep hiding behind their displeasure is their displeasure with the personality and past politics of Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar as SPAD Chairman.

Though they are not completely right, everybody is entitled to an opinion and quite fair to say they are not wrong too. It is just unfair to paint all the more than 30,000 taxi in Klang Valley with a stroke of a brush.

Undeserving to oppose the cab fare increase are Pemuda UMNO and leaders of UMNO divisions. Instead of criticising Syed Hamid or SPAD, they should be addressing the legacy problem of the taxi industry that UMNO had created.

It is them and them alone that can do it, hmmm .... maybe other BN leaders too.

Before giving the political solution to the cab fare increase, read this article from Motor.me.my website below:

By YS CHAN

The Road Transport Licensing Board (RTLB) was set up in the 1970s to take over the licensing role of the Registrar and Inspector of Motor Vehicles (RIMV) with the aim of allowing more bumiputras to venture into the transport industry.

The RTLB was later renamed Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board (CVLB) and was under the Ministry of Public Enterprise, while RIMV was changed to Road Transport Department (RTD), remaining with the Ministry of Transport.

There was a clear separation of powers with CVLB issuing commercial vehicle permits and RTD registering and licensing vehicles and drivers, and followed up with enforcement.

But later CVLB wanted more and was granted enforcement powers. Its enforcement team was tiny compared to the RTD.

It also led to buck passing between these two enforcement agencies and is one of the main reasons why enforcement is lacking until today.

The arbitrary issuance of permits created a mess in the transport industry and the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) was set up in 2010 to overcome challenges free from political interference.

As there were over 32,000 budget taxis in the Klang Valley when 20,000 would be more than enough, SPAD did not increase the number of these permits.

Many people think that issuing permits to individuals would solve most taxi problems but the irony is that the majority of permits are individually owned and many are rented out.

After having written over a hundred letters on taxis in recent years, I sensed that we have reached the tipping point during the press conference held by SPAD on March 19.

Together with the new fares, new app MeterOn, passengers playing their part and our lawmakers giving more teeth to SPAD, transformation of the taxi industry will be shifted from neutral to drive.

But alas, some ministers had objected during the last cabinet meeting, each offering their own views such as the increase was too high; that public transport fares should not burden the rakyat; his ministry was not consulted; and whether it contravened the Competition Act.

Cheap taxi fare is a legacy of the past and should be left behind if we wish to move forward.

When public transport was poor and private cars were few, the majority of the population had to rely on taxis, including kereta sapu or pirate taxis.

Today, where trains are not available, stage buses are preferred by commuters, and SPAD is rolling out the MyBas project from April to ensure these buses run according to schedule, with or without passengers.

By 2020, the number of stage buses under MyBas would reach 4,000 units and costing the government RM2.7 billion annually to operate.

Although fares for stage buses are low, there is no increase. As train and stage bus fares are subsidised, it is up to the government to ensure that their fares do not burden the people.

But it would not be fair to suppress the income of taxi drivers as the old rate generates an income well below the poverty line of RM1,500 set by the Selangor government.

The fact that fares had to be increased substantially showed that they were too low.

It is the duty of politicians to express the sentiments of the rakyat but comments on the fare hike should also be based on facts.

The fare hike was announced on March 19 morning. In the afternoon, a group of people from the youth wing of a political party descended at SPAD HQ to handover a memorandum.

They warned that protests would be bigger if taxi drivers do not improve services and gave them one month to buck up.

The wing’s consumer squad will be checking whether taxi drivers are still not using the meters or choosing passengers and trips.

But such protests have no effect on taxi drivers as they are self-employed individuals scattered all over the country.

For example, under the Teksi Rakyat 1Malaysia (TR1Ma) programme, 76,000 taxi drivers were handed vouchers for new tyres.

However, they can be a game changer and earn the respect of everyone by lodging official complaints against errant cabbies at the nearest SPAD or RTD office.

It would drive fear among taxi drivers when large numbers are hauled up. If not, they will continue with their ways, knowing that they can get away with it.

The youth wing can also show its compassionate side by arranging for aid to families of drivers under suspension, or are undergoing rehabilitation for substance abuse or uncontrollable anger.

Putting the fare hike on hold would lead us back to square one and allow the Taxi Transformation Plan to gather dust.

If we lack the courage needed to transform the taxi industry, we might as well deregulate it and allow kereta sapu to reign.
Political solution?

The legacy issues has a lot to do with political interferences by UMNO leaders and not to be left out are other BN component party leaders.

At one time, every UMNO Pemuda Division leaders and Division leaders expects to get taxi permits for them to rent out to cab drivers as income to finance UMNO Division activities.

Someone should do a study and publish as to how much went to the Division's program and community work. And how much goes into their pocket?

It only reminded us of a fellow ANSARA who became a Division Youth leader in the 80s and gloated of getting 100 taxi permits. Professionally, he is a doctor and operates a private clinic so he does not run the business or drive cab but just rent seeking.

Unfortunately, some Youth member working at a pump station got to know of it and challenged him. He lost and was tarred out of the division. Kawan or not, padan muka!

That is just one example.

Off course, those older than the current crop of Pemuda UMNO leaders remember a company called Saujana. It was the first or one of the first taxi company that did the rent seeking business of squeezing the blood, sweat and tears of cab drivers.

There was few cabinet members, living and deceased, in the company's shareholding. 

Sunshine Taxi is a familiar name. This and another company is linked to the Minister  in charge of Public Enterprise and got something like 3,000 taxi permits. It is heard the Minister cashed out. The chap is still in cabinet.

These taxi companies charge RM55 a days on these poor cab drivers but maintenance, petrol, and incidental expenses are absorbed by drivers. The meter still runs on Sunday. That is almost RM550 over 10 days and RM1,650 per month for the red and white cabs.

By right, Proton sells cars to taxi at discounted price but at that monthly repayment rate, the poor drivers are paying more expensive repayment than normal purchases!

If Pemuda UMNO is unhappy with the predicament of cab drivers and brave to do something about it, they could get the list of these rent seekers and free loaders amongst UMNO and BN component parties leaders. Pressure them to give the taxi permit to the impoverish cab drivers.

Do not be over impress should any one of them goes around with a pious exterior and said to play a beneficial role in the writing and publishing of Quran. Same treatment should be given to all rent seekers and blood suckers. 

To add further, a high number of cab drivers whose blood are ex-servicemen or retired policemen. Quite often found are retired or second jobs of lower end staff of companies and government. It is a common to come across single mothers driving cabs to make ends meet or as second jobs.

Cab drivers would have came out solid for BN should the leaders are sensitive and responded to their needs. Cut out the rent seeking taxi companies or restructure the industry to be more just and humane to these common folks trying to make ends meet.

Hope Pemuda UMNO dare to put their shoes where their mouth is.


* Edited 11:58 PM
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A house in disorder does not offer hope

March 28, 2015, 1:42 am
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Thank God, Pakatan did not win GE13


Ong Kok Hin
Malaysian Insider
28 March 2015

Technically, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) did win the popular vote. But the fact remains that they did not form the federal government and that might be a blessing in disguise.

On May 5, 2013 (505), like many Malaysians, I wished there can be a change for a better Malaysia. “Ubah!” and “Ini, kali lah!” were the battle cries. 

Mega-rallies were held across major cities. 84.84% of eligible voters showed up, the highest in the history of Malaysian general elections.

My friends and I gathered at our little home overseas and stayed up all night to follow the results.

Alas, when Sabah (PR won 12% of the seats) and Sarawak (19%) were tallied, we knew it was over. Fast forward today, with heavy heart,

I have to say that the 505 disappointment is probably atoned by the dismal state of PR. I suspect even some PR supporters and politicians secretly agree about this.


Let’s take a step back and rewind. Remember when MH370 and MH17 were lost?

It is a big tragedy for our nation and we were at the centre of global attention. I was anxious that our politicians, who have the habit of poor word choice and saying the wrong things to the media, would embarrass us on the international stage.

The handling of MH370 was poor and we, and I mean, we (the country, not just the government), rightly received backlash from international reporters.

But, I have to say that the response to MH17 is much better.

Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein held daily press conferences, even after the limelight was gone. By Malaysian standard, his conduct is professional and his English is good enough.

Then, there’s that impressive negotiation brokered by Datuk Seri Najib Razak. At that particular junction and time, I was proud that he is our prime minister.

If you find the above statements nauseating, you can stop reading and go straight to the comment section. If your pro-PR blood is not boiling yet, read on.

Our leaders represent us on the global stage, and I shivered at the thoughts of having some leaders saying to the international press that the tragedy is God’s will, or that the planes were missing because Malaysia Airlines stewardesses were wearing skirts and serving alcohol. Do you realise how badly that would make us look?

Stop for a second and imagine. Done?

No, please really think about it because that is what’s at stake every time we choose our representatives.

Sure, Barisan Nasional faltered a lot of times and 1MDB is just one out of many reasons why we could have rejected them.

But PR, just don’t present themselves as a viable alternative government. What if in the midst of those crisis management, the PR government fell?

This is a valid question.

Recalling Rafizi Ramli’s admission that just before GE13, where several leaders of a component party met with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and said that they do not want him as prime minister (if they win Putrajaya) and suggested Tengku Razeleigh Hamzah (Ku Li) as an option.

With due respect to Ku Li, the rakyat voted with the impression that Anwar is the undisputable leader of PR and the prime minister in waiting. Not only this is backchanneling, but it is a betrayal and manipulation of the rakyat’s trust.

That has to bring us to the mother of all political dramas, the “Kajang Move”. PR destroyed its own credibility with this move.

Many people I know who used to be pro-PR became disillusioned with all the multi-layered deceptive moves, and how much they aired their dirty laundry and shooting each other in public view.

For the rakyat, it is simple. Most fence-sitters do not care who the menteri besar is. But what we do know and care about is that they (the PR politicians) are not honest with us.

The rakyat can no longer trust them as plainly as before. And what a mess it was.

Rather than a government in waiting, PR seems more like an episode from the "House of Cards" drama series.

If they can’t get their house in order, how can we let them run the country.

Sure, PR politicians and supporters can come to me and say, “Well, it’s easy for you to say. You are just sitting here and typing nonsense.”

To that I will reply, “Well, that’s precisely the point. You are the ones who run for office and ask for our votes. We have expectations and if you can’t fulfill those expectations, of course we will complain and criticise. If you can’t take criticism as a wake-up call and want to silence your dissenters, you are no different than Barisan Nasional and their sedition dragnet.”

In politics, there is no angel. You have to pick between the devils.

Look at PR today. There was so much hopes and ambitions but so little of it remains. Coalition politics is never easy and PR itself is made of many different, perhaps competing, key players. There are anti-PR people within PR who are bent on discrediting PR from within.

I’m not referring to the whole of a certain party (or two). Indeed, there are people in all three parties who have worked hardest to bring PR together. They have to answer to their allies in PR and negotiate with the disagreeable faction in their own party.

But some people, out of their narrow interest and failure to see the bigger picture, have all but burnt the bridge.

If previously cooperation within PR is obtained through painful negotiation and keeping a united front in the eyes of the public, now probably they must get all the pro-PR on one side and leave out the anti-PR faction.

The ship isn't going anywhere if the crew keeps on quarrelling among themselves.

If PR were to survive, or a new coalition led by pro-PR elements were to succeed, they must agree to stick to the “common manifesto”. At the very least, this ensures that the rakyat will know what they are getting if they vote for PR, unlike now.

No local council election and no hudud without consensus. All major decisions must be agreed to by all, otherwise the action or policy shall not be pursued just yet. Many common goals should not be neglected at the expense of a few differences.

It is not impossible that had PR won the last general election (GE13), their government would have fallen by now.

Umno-Barisan Nasional (BN) has never lost the election and they would surely consider all options to restore their rule, including the “unity government” proposal.

They would have made a desperate bait, much like the hudud bait they threw last year, and the anti-PR faction within PR would probably take the bait, just like they did now.

Or perhaps for a few months after GE13, there is still no prime minister because they could not agree among themselves.

Or that some PR ministers quit the coalition halfway because they do not get things their way and cause the fall of federal and state governments.

We cannot afford this at the time, especially with the falling of the ringgit and a thousand other problems.

There is no sense of direction and leadership in today’s PR. PR politicians like to portray Najib as a weak leader, but at least there’s a clear and unanimous leader in BN.

Can we say the same about PR? Who’s in charge? What’s their common agenda and where’s the alternative government?

 The top leadership barely meet for months and some of them are not on speaking terms with each other. The astounding lack of unity is the clearest indication that they are just not ready to govern the country as a whole, and only suited to shout and bark from the opposition bench.

Pakatan has failed Anwar. He has helped build the coalition at the expense of a five-year jail term at the age of 67.

Regardless of what one thinks of Anwar’s politics, he chose to stay and fight. Any lesser man, like myself, would probably be cowed by means of compromising with the powers-that-be or fleeing to other country and spend the twilight years with family and freedom.

Those who count themselves as his colleagues and yet hell-bent on tearing the coalition apart are rendering his sacrifices amounting to nothing.

Most of all, today’s PR has failed the rakyat. And for that, and for as long as PR does not change its ways, the nation is better off if we stick with the devil we know than the one we don’t. – March 28, 2015.

 * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.
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MUSICAL INTERLUDE: Jessica

March 29, 2015, 6:08 pm
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Gee... Gee ... GST

April 1, 2015, 10:04 pm
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The first day of GST was extremely chaotic.

Our scheduled meeting with our web designer was cancelled. He was too swarmed with GST system issues that he had to miss lunch and expect to be back near midnight last night.

The nearby Mini Market which has a payment system couldn't accept any utilities payments yesterday. System is off due to GST. Better come back tomorrow.

"Hari pertama GST ini gila ... Macam mana Nescafe kena GST tapi Milo dan Horlick kena?" he complained.

"Najib dan Rosmah suka minum Nescafe ke?"

Endless complains


We gave up the idea of going to a nearby Pusat Bandar to pay TNB and Unifi. The traffic is usually ridiculously jammed. Too many cars and too little parking available. All open spaces slotted for parking is under development.

In the meanwhile, our smartphone was endlessly blinking signals of WA groups, FB and Twitters updates of GST abuses. Consumers were sharing on the social medias of Seven-11 charging GST for phone card top-ups which turn out to be different policies for different telcos. Only CELCOM is not charging GST.

That claim of not charging GST got Mydin under criticism. GST "expert" and spokesman, Dato ahmad Maslan promoted and praised Mydin for not charging GST. It turns our they did charge GST.
Mydin revised the price down so as to make the net price after adding GST comes out as GST not charged. 

Mydin could be just seizing on the commotion to get publicity. With GST imputed in his system, it will be a matter of time he will charge GST. Mamak are so calculative and not so straight so he must be up to something. But, this is not accusing him as a cheat. The man is quite religious and ethical.

The complain yesterday was shops issuing receipt which include GST charges but did not dosclose ther GST registration number. It means they are not registered to collect GST.

Consumers should refuse paying the GST. Should they are forced to do so by waiters the size of Mr T surrounding them, pay it but report them to Customs or KPDNKK. There is supposed to be hotlines and war rooms numbers for public to complain.

Conspiracy

An allegation that suspicously happening

The big complain yesterday had been of all shops, especially Chinese shops, charging GST on all items including the zero-rated items.

Two issues there - firstly, there is no GST for zero-rated items and secondly, where is the 4% net effect of 10% for removal of SST and 6% charged for GST? Some items had no SST previously so it will automatically see rises.

However, the prejudice against Chinese shops arise from rumours that DAP had directed Chinese traders and shops to not reduce prices when oil price decrease temporarily BUT increase price without sympathy whenever the opportunity arise.

The comspiracy theory says that the Chinese taikos have agreed to do so to sabotage GST and make government look bad. The tentative proof allegedly is petrols at Chinese-owned Petronas stations are charged for GST.

It is an open secret that Chinese businessmen are not happy with GST. By registering for GST, they will end up having to declare their real taxes. Chinese shop keepers hardly pay income tax or pay minimal by having few sets of accounts - one for Income Tax, two for banks for loan purposes and three the real one.

Some tried to get around GST by registering few companies and keep annual revenue of each company below RM500,000 each. While some close shop out of fear their past records being tracked, thus end up paying their properties away. This was the one Lim Guan Eng hyed of a 60 years shop closing up in Penang.

There many layers of value added tax by manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers etc charged but the  GST can be refunded.

By right, price increase should be limited to 6% for consumers. Businessmen being businessmen, they added on all money outlay into the retail price. The rebate they will then pocket. Same with the case of service charges being GST-ed, the net effect for consumers are more then 6% and in some cases more than 10%!

Unlike in Singapore, everything are charged for GST but our government are more humane and generous. Basic daily requirement are exempted and this only complicates the system. Yet the PKR people took up GST as their crying call despite then Finance Minister, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim agreed that GST is a fair and efficient tax system in 1993.

Unready to enforce


The GST had been planned as far back as during Tun Daim's time as Finance Minister but delayed several times and only Dato Najib has the political will to carry it out.

Still Tun Mahathir and Tengku Razaleigh all asked for it to be postphoned. Tengku Razaleigh claimed the economy is not in a good situation to implement it. He could be looking at the oil drop as the factor.

Tun Mahathir may be looking at it politically and operationally. Dato Ibrahim Ali already echoed his view to say that BN could lose as a result of GST. His economic treatment was not made known.

A friend felt that Tun Mahathir asked for the delay because he had no confident in the government readiness and the ability to enforce.

KPDNKK MInister Dato Hasan Malek admitted his Ministry is short of staff.

Although he turned around to say ready for political face saving to PM who said Customs has 13,000 staff to monitor GST, Hasan already presented the fact that there are only 3,000 custom staff to carry out enforcement.

Singapore assigned 50 companies to one GST enforcement officer. Malaysia have 300,000 regitered companies. 

KPDNKK failed in their monitoring diesel leakage in their Ops Titik. And now to carry out the Price Control Act through out the country?

Weak enforcement is a culture in the Malaysian government machinery. Civil servants love to launch new initiatives, programs and products. It is good on their KPI but weak on implementation and weakest on enforcement.

Idris and Pemandu, what happened? Didn't theystrongly pushed for GST? So, why the silence?

In areas where there are overlap in authority, these government servants end up not doing anything about it. They either avoid conflict or let it linger for years to leave it to Ministers to resolve.

Another big problem with GST is the poor dissemination of information. Major part of the problem is the public attitude to not bother till the last minute. Agencies have been on a campaign drive to explain about GST for 17 months.

Unfortunately there are agencies that merely focus on UMNO divisions instead of public groups thus expecting the UMNO Information machinery to do their work. Why would the UMNO Divisions bother?

Even during by elections and oppositions having political rallies in their area, they do not bother to respond. Let alone to do for GST.

Yet some expect UMNO Division to play the monitoring role. Kena suap terus diam....

Some RM17 million was spent but for the last one month something was missing in the mainstream media that Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz was heard to come out of retirement and scream on FB.

The hype could only be felt towards the last two weeks. Even that is to respond to opposition lies, spin and manufactured allegations.

All for it


For what the allegations made against GST by opposition, GST make economic sense. Having experienced New York state's 7% sales tax and City's 9% tax, it's nothing new. If the political side can be addressed, it is a matter of adjustment.

Malaysia have some 13.3 million voters but only 1.7 million pay income tax. For a country that rely a lot of revenue from tax, some 65% is derived from Petronas and GLC. Corporate is around 25% and individual 10%.

High paying expatriate is included in the 10% and that makes it ludicrous for Malaysians to argue politics and public policy as taxpayers or voters. Government machinery to help the people is not paid by the people but money raised by government machinery!


It is only high time that Malaysia join the 169 nations to implement consumption tax. If anyone disagree, they can go migrate to any of the 40 countries mentioned by Rocky here. Nepal also pay GST [read Hantu Laut here].

Bigdog has another angle on the need for GST here.
 
However, government should not have done it at one go. There should be a gradual implementation process by starting on a certain class of goods and services first. Then, followed by another and another. That way the system can be gradually adapted to bit by bit.

If not, start with 3-4% first as to ascertain the impact and not affect the consumers and business too drastically.

Now that consumption is taxed, government should look towards the other side of the consumption-investment matrix. It is time for investment tax.

If rakyat have to pay for their consumption, FDI, capital gain tax and other income and profits derived from stock market or any form of investment should pay tax too.

So it is bad for the market. Since rakyat had to suffer the consequence of paying GST, capitalist and those with axcess cash to invest should pay their fair share of the tax burden and stop hiding behind their capital gain.

Capital gain on the stock market hardly help the economy to spur jobs, products and services, technology etc.

Tight cashflow


Taking about suffering, Ahmad Maslan or even Hasan Malek and many other politicians love to talk about GST is good for the country.

Over the last few nights, we have spent time with few friends in finance, accounting, tax and government enforcement agency. One common concern arise and it is in conflict with what Mat Masan said. Off course, many of what he says are not right but only pleasing to the ears.

Some politicians got spinned to say GST help to pay for government salary, help pay for government over spending, Government jet and even Najib and Rosmah's daughter's wedding.

The concern now is about the term input tax and output tax. Input tax will be the GST collected and paid to government. That will take sometime.

Output tax will be the rebate to pay manufacturer, wholesalers and many layers of supply chain.

If output tax is to be paid immediately since it is online, Government will end up paying upfront and instead of being good for Government, they will be a serious deficit in Government cashflow. It is believed to take 3 years till Government cashflow will be in surplus.

According to the Star yesterday, government is expected to receive RM23.6 billion from GST but after netting off for foregone RM13.8 billion SST, RM3.8 billion exempted goods and services, there is only enough to pay for RM4.9 billion of BR1M. Net gain on paper only RM690 million for a heavy political price.

An accountant and corporate player disagree. The rebate will come as tax credit so cashflow should be OK.

Politically, will the voters be happy with BN Government? As for last night at one GST session by JASA at a public university, it did not go down well with the students.

They seem to echo Rafizi Ramli's arguement.

For the future, JASA's new DG, Datuk Dr Puad Zarkashi should consider hiring Rafizi to do "penerangan". Students  and youth hear him better than the politically naive Azwan Bro.

Almost every other ex-PKR  and reformasi are given roles to do "penerangan" and propaganda for UMNO and government. Someone up there seem to think there is something special in their losing ways.

Without even campaigning for GST, MOF Communication Director, Ezam Mohd Nor must have a magic formula to solve the possible political fallout without having to utter a single words.
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"Hello Mahfuz, ini Sirul ..."

April 5, 2015, 11:41 pm
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Not actually Sirul.... just playing fun on Dato Mahfuz Omar.

He was trying to pull a publicity stunt to try call Sirul. The former UTK is on deathrow and had fled to Australia before Federal Court re-sentenced him and his immediate superior, Azrilah for the murdder of Mongolian escort women, Altantunya Shariibu.

Sirul is under detention at the Immigration detention center in Australia.

Few weeks later, after getting trolled to do a press conference with Sirul's mother on that Friday of the stunt, Mahfuz went to Australia with Sirul's mother.

Maybe sincerely and maybe to save face with the media, Mahfuz actually brought Sirul's mother to Australia. Comedic as it is, Mahfuz has managed to win the heart of Sirul's mother and he could turn it into an issue.



Unfortunately, he was not allowed in to see Sirul. He only took pictures outside the detention centre. Words are Sirul did not want to see Mahfuz.

The issue died down in the media with GST taking centrestage till Tun Dr Mahathir pop the question as to who directed to kill Altantunya. It has given Mahfuz's issue a lease of life.

Actually, Mahfuz does not need to make that call but just google.

Azrilah statement

The source is not 100% reliable but let's assume the content was not tampered. Asia Sentinel had obtained and published Sirul's statement made to the police on March 2009 [read here].

It is reproduced below. Judge for yourself:

Report No : 7380/06
Station : Travers
Name : Sirul Azhar bin Haji Umar
IC No : RF125591
Race : Malay
Date/Place of Birth : 29-1-1971
Age : 35 years male
Occupation : Police officer
Address of workplace : UTK, Bukit Aman
Name of father : Haji Omar bin Haji Hassan
Address of father : Deceased
Recording Officers : Insp Nom Phot a/l Prack Dit at Office D6, 3rd Floor, Bukit Aman on 9th November 2006 at 1307 afternoon.

Interpreter-from-to-


On 19th (sic) November 2006 I was asked by the investigating officer K/ASP Tony Anak Lunggan to record the statement of a Malay inmate named Sirul Azhar Bin Haji Omar Kp RF 125591. The inmate was then brought to me and I ordered the release of his handcuffs.

I then interviewed the inmate who appeared to be proficient in Malay. I also found the inmate in good health. I then read out the warning under Section 113(1)(a)(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code to the inmate as follows;-

IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO WARN YOU THAT YOU ARE NOT OBLIGED TO SAY ANYTHING OR TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. BUT WHATEVER YOU SAY WHETHER IN ANSWER TO A QUESTION OR NOT SHALL BE GIVEN AS A STATEMENT. 

S. Do you understand the warning that has been read and explained to you?
J. Yes I understand.

S. Do you have any questions about the warning?
J. No.

S. Do you want to give a statement?
J. Yes I want to give a statement.

S. What do you want to tell me?
J. As a member of the Special Action Unit (UTK) on an undetermined date 5 or 6 days before the incident on 19th October 2006 while I was in my office I received a telephone call from Tuan Azilah (Azilah) the officer above me requesting that I meet him in Central market. I could not meet him at the time because I was together with Tuan Khairy as his driver.

At that time, I was driving Tuan Khairy to deliver hampers in Selayanga and Batu Caves. On my way to there roughly after 12 noon I received another call from Azilah who asked me where I was and I told Azilah I may be late coming back as I was assisting an officer and I replied I would call him back after completing my duties.

At around 3.00pm, after dropping off the officer at the office in Bukit Aman, Azilah telephoned me again and told me to meet him in Central Market.

At about 3.15pm I met Azilah at Central Market. He instructed me to observe Malaya Hotel where the woman who was disturbing the businessman [sic] stayed. Azilah also informed me there were three women staying in a room on the 8th floor, the number of which I am unable to recollect.

After that I went together with Azilah in my car, a Satria bearing registration number WEA 4717 to look for Malaya Hotel. On the way there, Azilah talked about a reward of between RM50,000 and RM100,000 if the case was settled. Azilah and I however failed to locate the hotel after circling the area many times.

After failing to locate the hotel, Azilah and I returned to Central Market and while we were there, Azilah asked an artist at Central Market for directions to Malaya Hotel.

The artist, who was Malay, drew a plan of the location of Malaya Hotel.

After that Azilah and I walked towards Malaya Hotel. We reached Malaya Hotel at 4.00pm.
When we arrived at Malaya Hotel, Azilah invited me to go to the 8th floor of the hotel. After we reached the 8th floor Azilah showed me the room that was occupied by the woman who was disturbing Razak.

While on the 8th floor, Azilah asked me to “shoot to kill” all three women in the hotel room and asked that I stay in any one of the rooms on the 8th or 7th floor or any other floor with all lodging expenses borne by Azilah.

I informed Azilah that I would not be able to do it because of the presence of CCTV (closed circuit television cameras).

After that Azilah and I took the stairs to the 7th floor to find a suitable room to stay. After looking at the room, I found it to be unsuitable and Azilah and I returned to Central Market.

Upon arriving at Central Market, Azilah ordered me to use my car and drive to Razak’s residence to observe the residence. At about 4.30pm Azilah and I were driving when Azilah pointed Razak’s residence to me.

I then drove my car and reached a petrol station near the Puduraya area. Azilah filled the petrol tank with RM30 worth of petrol. After filling the petrol, Azilah and I drove back to Razak’s residence in Damansara Heights.

After observing Razak’s residence, Azilah and I returned to Central Market to enable Azilah to get his car.

After dropping Azilah at Central Market I went to the UTK office in Bukit Aman. After that I did not contact Azilah again.

On 19th October 2006 at about 8.30pm while I was at home in Kota Damansara, Azilah contacted me via his mobile phone and asked me to go to Razak’s house immediately. Azilah also mentioned there was a Chinese woman who was causing a commotion in front of Razak’s house.

I was ready at about 8.40pm and drove my jeep bearing registration number CAC 1883 towards Razak’s house in Damansara Heights.

Upon arriving in Damansara Heights, I stopped my jeep a distance away from Razak’s house. After parking my jeep, I walked towards the entrance of Razak’s house.

When I arrived in front of Razak’s house I saw Azilah together with a Malay woman in front of the house. There was a car and Azilah was outside the car and the Malay woman was inside the car.

I saw a Chinese woman talking to an Indian man whom I did not recognize and also a Chinese taxi driver who was seated inside the taxi and security guards inside Razak’s house.

I then entered the car which was a red Proton Wira and sat in the passenger’s seat. While I was seated in the car, I saw Azilah persuading the Chinese woman with the help of the Malay woman to sit in the same red Proton Wira Aeroback where I was seated.

The Chinese woman entered the car and sat behind me while the Malay woman also entered the car and sat behind Azilah who was in the driver’s seat.

While Azilah, the Chinese woman, the Malay woman and I were seated in the car, the Chinese taxi driver came and asked for the taxi fare from the Chinese woman. Azilah gave him RM50 but the Chinese man demanded an additional RM150 because he said he had to make several trips. 

Azilah then gave the Chinese man RM100.

After that Azilah drove the Wira car towards my jeep. Upon reaching my jeep, I alighted from the car and drove my jeep out of Damansara Heights towards Kuala Lumpur. During the journey, Azilah called and said we would have to transfer the Chinese woman to my jeep and said that we should look for a spot.

When I arrived at Jalan Duta I stopped my jeep by the side of the road and got down from the jeep and I asked Azilah whether the spot was suitable to do the transfer. Azilah replied that it was not suitable and suggested Bukit Aman instead.

I then went ahead to Bukit Aman followed by Azilah closely behind and arrived at Bukit Aman at about 10.00pm.

Upon reaching Bukit Aman, I stopped my car at the back of the Bukit Aman officers’ mess and Azilah together with the Malay woman brought the Chinese woman to my jeep. I noticed the woman was refusing to get in while being pushed into the back of my jeep.

After the Chinese woman got into my jeep, Azilah entered my jeep and sat in the passenger seat. I drove out of Bukit Aman followed by the red Proton Aeroback which was driven by the Malay woman.

I could no longer see the red Proton Aeroback driven by the Malay woman once we had passed the entrance to Bukit Aman.

Along the journey, Azilah asked me to find a place to “shoot to kill” the Chinese woman. Before arriving at Jalan Duta I noticed the back left tyre of my jeep was punctured. I drove through the Smart Tag lane at the toll booth and stopped on the left hand side of the road to change the tyre.

While I was changing the tyre, I noticed two Road Transport Department (JPJ) officers on duty but I continued to change the tyre with Azilah’s help.

After changing the tyre, I drove to my house in Kota Damansara to take the explosives that I had kept there. After taking the explosives I got into the jeep and drove to Sungai Buloh and Kuala Selangor before arriving at the Punchak Alam forest reserve at about 11.00pm.

At the Punchak Alam forest reserve as I was bringing the jeep to a stop, I felt a pain in my stomach and got out of the jeep and relieved myself (defecated) not far away from the jeep. 

After I had relieved myself, I went back into the jeep and at the same time I saw Azilah outside the jeep carrying a bag containing an M5 weapon and silencer from the jeep that was located at the foot rest of the passenger seat and gave it to me ordering me to “shoot to kill” the Chinese woman who was inside the jeep.

After asking for the Chinese woman’s articles, the Chinese woman surrendered her jewellery. She then asked to be allowed to urinate. Azilah brought her down from the jeep and I saw the Chinese woman urinating by the side of the jeep.

After urinating, she saw the weapon that I was holding. I saw that she was in a state of fear and she pleaded not to kill her and said she was expecting.

At the same time, Azilah wrestled the woman to the ground and I could see that she had fallen and was in an unconscious state. I opened fire towards the left side of the woman’s head.

After the Chinese woman was shot, Azilah removed all her clothes and I took a black garbage bag and Azilah put all the Chinese woman’s clothes into the bag.

After putting all her clothes into the bag, Azilah noticed movements in the Chinese woman’s arm and ordered me to fire another shot but the gun did not fire. I then emptied the weapon and loaded the gun again and fired another shot at the same area which was the left side of the woman’s head. I then took a black plastic garbage bag and with Azilah’s help put the bag over the Chinese woman’s head to prevent blood from spilling.

After that I lifted the hands of the victim while Azilah lifted the legs of the victim and we carried the victim into the woods. Azilah then carried the bag containing the explosives and handed it to me. I took the explosives and attached it to the victim’s head while Azilah attached the explosives on the victim’s legs up to the abdomen.

Azilah then pulled the long wire towards the jeep and I altered the position of the jeep so that it faced away from the woods and drove the jeep about 15 meters from the victim.

After the detonation of the explosives, I pulled the excess wire into the jeep and left the scene and headed towards Bukit Aman.

Azilah and I arrived at Bukit Aman at approximately 12 midnight. At the UTK office, Azilah handed me approximately RM430. After that I had a bath and changed clothes and put the clothes that I wore during the incident together with the victim’s clothes into a plastic bag.

After that, I entered the jeep and drove the jeep to a rubbish container in the Bukit Aman area near a construction site. I threw some of the victim’s belongings and the wire that was used to detonate the explosives together with the empty bag that contained the explosives into the container.

After throwing the things, I drove the jeep out of Bukit Aman and head towards my house in Kota Damansara. I threw the victim’s clothes and my own clothes along the way to my house.

I arrived at home at about 1.00am and to lay down to rest and slept. After that I did not have any contact with Azilah until I was sent back from Pakistan and was arrested.

S. To whom did the MP5 weapon and silencer belong to?
J. The weapon belonged to the UTK Bukit Aman and was for my use.

S. What do you mean by the word “jimat”?
J. Jimat means “shoot to kill”.

S. Are you telling the truth.
J. Yes it is the truth.

The statement was read back to Sirul Azhar Bin Haji Omar KPT/Paspot RF 125591.

S. Do you wish to make any amendments or additions to your statement after the statement has been read to you?
J. No

S. Are you giving this statement voluntarily?
J. Yes

The recording of the statement ended on 9th November 2006 at 1635 hrs.

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

Tun M debacle


As far as we see, Sirul admited killing to Altantunya on Azrilah's instruction. So the question Tun Dr Mahathir raised is who instructed Azrilah?

Tun M's blog posting was written in such a manner as to ask Dato Najib to not leave the issue of Altantunya and 1MDB unexplained as it remained the talk at grassroot and public level despite the denials and court due process.

However, on one side there are quarters in UMNO that read into Tun M's blog posting as having the political intention to knock off Dato Najib. In an event on Saturday, Tun said Najib should vacate the seat or UMNO and BN will lose in the next general election.

Many cybertroopers tolerated the questions on 11MDB as most do not understand but felt the Altantunya issue was a "low blow" from Tun M and he was playing opposition politics.

The pro-Najib cubertroopers are now going all out to strip Tun M naked. In a tic-for-tac, they also asked why was the case of video business lady Markizah was not investigated during Tun M's time. It is believed that she was a secret lover and some quarters believed she was the wife of a member of Tun M's cabinet.

On that Saturday, Tun M mentioned his justification for being critical and asked Najib's resignation.

He had done the "proper channel" routine for four years but he is somewhat saying it has fallen on deaf ears.

Most pro Tun M supporters believe that at his late age, he has no more interest other than the interest of alif ba ta. They strongly believed Tun M would not make any allegations unless he has the full proof and fact.

Former reformasi activist and former Pemuda UMNO exco member, Lokman Nor Adam slam pro Tun M supporters as looking at Tun M as "maksum" (protected from sin). Tun M had lobbed a statement to say he has done no wrong to indirectly meant it as Najib.   

The pro Najib claimed Tun M attacked Najib because he could not get the RM1.8 billion R&D fund for Proton, Najib refused to resurrect the scenic bridge project of Johor Baru and doing it for the IPP owners.

There is also the whimsical allegations that Tun M is doing all these to smoothen Mukhriz's career path which is is a political immature allegation.  

The attack on Tun M can be heard from pro Pak Lah and less pro Tengku Razaleigh. Strangely some of the loudest detractpr's of Tun M used to be his supporters in the fight against Pak Lah then.

These supporters turned around when Tun M had criticised their boss, Dato Seri Dr Khir Toyo after the dismal 2008 general election.

These former pro Tun M turned pro-Najib cybertroopers are claiming that the questions have been answered so what else need to be answered. Some of them claimed the instruction is to hold back the lengthy explanation as it would shame Tun M.

This Dato Najib had specifically instructed to never reveal in his lifetime. 

If there is an explanation due, Najib should do so and make himself heard than risk the party. Quite sure the explanation can be done professionally and rationally without embarassing Tun M. Quite sure he is capable of defending his past decisions.

Even if pro Najib supporters are able to decimate Tun M and his credibility, it will not do UMNO and BN any good, at least in Semenanjung. Tun M will be judged by historians but Najib has to face voters with Sarawak the soonest.

A solution does not look in sights yet.

Who killed Altantunya?


Back to the question, who instructed Sirul to kill Altantunya?

By his own admittance, it was Azrilah who instructed Sirul. Should Sirul be relieved for carrying out instruction to kill? He shouldn't, isn't it?

As for who instructed Azrilah to instruct Sirul to kill Altantunya?

According to court documents, Azrilah had wrongly heard instruction from Najib's chief security, Musa Safri. He said take care of her and meant it as please address the problem but it is not sufficient to say Musa meant as "shoot to kill".

Musa should have asked an OCPD to take care but it will mean to make a police report. So why didn't Razak Baginda make a police report instead of asking a police friend to deal with it unofficially.

By the look of it, there is no motive to murder and it would look an incomplete case for judges to pass judgement. Maybe, and it is still maybe, that could be the basis court of appeal acquited the two.

But that will not look fair because they actually admitted and it is proven that they killed Altantunya. So again maybe, Federal Court sentence both of them to death.

However, the public wants to judge Razak as guilty. But, Razak went to trail and was acquited not guilty by the High Court on October 31 2008.

Razak has since came out in the open in an interview with Malaysian Insider at the end of January this year. [Read it here.] 

Razak said he does not know the motive of the murder.

Since the public had sentenced Razak guilty irrespective of trial, they asked as to why the Public Prosecutor did not seek for an appeal with the Court of Appeal.

Maybe there is no further argument to appeal on Razak but they claim AG Tan Sri Gani Patail had cover-up for him.

It was said that there exist a letter by Altantunya found in her room which says if anything happened to her, it is Razak. No such evidence was produced in court. And will such a letter by a woman described in court as courtesan and blackmailing Razak for money be given much credence.

Datok Nancy Shukri gave a statement to state that there was insufficient evidence to implicate Razak [Read the Star here].

There are still talks going around saying Azrilah had offered money to Sirul to entice him to act outside his official role as police. Naturally, Razak will be implicated.

There was allegation that Altantunya was pregnant with Razak's child but in court, it was made known that Altantunya wanted money to pay for her child back home's medical bill.

Do we listen to the Rakyat Hakim Negara or the legal authorities and the practitioners involved?

Sirul's lawyer will maintain silent for the moment [read FMT here].

Transparency

Najib would be deemed to interfere with judiciary by answering court matters

Certainly Najib cannot in anyway answer on court matter. The executive would be seen as interfering in court matters which should be independent from interference.

As for 1MDB, Najib should answer. By right, 1MDB should be answering and be more open and accessible to the media.

No such hocus pocus answer coming from unauthorised source to say it is for political fund raising or not answering issuess by saying they are doing lots of CSR. That is not the points.

Even cybertroopers aligned with Najib or PMO have no locus standi to answer. What more when 1MDB is not talking and not accessible to media. Corporate comm style of statements from 1MDB is insufficient answer at the moment.

Get the first Directors of Terengganu Investment Agency (TIA) namely- Tan Sri Ismee Ismail and Dato Shahrol to face the media. These people should speak and face public scrutiny too.
 
It would be unfortunate of Najib who is more open and accessible to be brushed as emulating Pak Lah's elegent silent.
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TMI's version of army roadblock, CM accident and bus turned turtle

April 6, 2015, 9:31 pm
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Early yesterday morning a friend sent a message alerting of a massive traffic jam in the direction to  Putrajaya and KLIA. The message mentioned the existence of army checkpoints and intensive search.

Innocently, the message was forwarded into our Alumni Whass App group. There was a reaction that speculated the possibility of a catastrophe. Another speculated #KitaLawan did a demonstration inside Putrajaya. An auntie was worried of her niece living in Putarajaya.

So there was a request to get updated. When an update came in, it turned out to be the picture above. Upon forwarding it, we were naturally accused of pulling a belated April fool prank.

By late noon, another message came in with a more serious note:
👀 ketua menteri melaka datuk seri ir ideris haron eksiden kt air keroh keadaan 50-50... van langgar depan depan... .berdoa semoga beliau selamat ... keadaan kritikal
Members of the WA group was posting well wishes and prayers for the Melaka CM. The list was long. Right after the helicopter incident that caused the death of Tan Sri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis, Dato Azlin Alias and 4 others (Al Fatihah!) and Pak Ibrahim's (Anwar's father), suddenly there is another .

Without giving much thought, we forwarded it to our Alumni WA group. Same thoughtful reaction.

Not too long later, Melaka CM office issued a statement and it reached our WA group:


It turned out that it was a bunting of the Melaka CM that was knocked down by a van:


By the look of it, the "CM" is not in a 50-50 condition but completely damaged. So we forwarded both the images to the chagrin of friends and admitted we had been had too.

It must have been a days of pranks. Then came another picture:


No .. No ... not this time. 

Gullible

If there is anything that can be learned from these pictures, it would be that the public is so dependent on getting those early newsbreak from social media that they are easily duped by false news.

Cautions by Information Minister, Dato Ahmad Shaberry Cheek and Sarawak CM, Tan Sri Adenan Satem sometime ago on the reliability of information on the social media is most relevant and should  be taken seriously.

Judging from the arguments on issues by most Malaysians, including the educated and learned ones, the sufficient ground to indicate Malaysians are not scrutinising the information they received and is strongly influenced by the social media.   

The recent The Malaysian Insider (TMI) report claiming the Council of Rulers rejected hudud law by Kelantan comes to mind. [Read it here].

There was police report made by the Council of Rulers. Editors, Chief Editors and Managing Editors were picked up by police.

The usual suspects of NUJ, CIJ, Bar Council, Opposition leaders and UMNO's Saifuddin Abdullah and Nurjazlan calling it a crackdown on freedom of the press. Was there Marina Mahathir?

Dato Huan Cheng Guan came out to rebut on the ground that media freedom is not a license to fabricate lies and law has to be respected.

Yesterday, TMI issued an apology:


Read it here.

They admitted that it was based on a yet to confirm tip off. For that this blog does that too BUT we tell it as a tip off and undisclosed source, but not as a confidently claim it as the truth. And they claimed they immediately reported another news which does not confirm their reported news.

TMI complained why no report was made against other media which only means to shrugged off from responsibility. In the posting, there was no commitment to take extra care to not do it again.

Most likely the clarification and apology was made to appease MCMC and police.


Do we forgive them and just take it as another belated April Fool prank? If it is a mistake or even a fun prank, why not smile and just forget about it?

The fact that there are police reports made only shows there are people out there that did not see it as prank. 

For TMI, this is neither the first time nor a mistake. They are a known repeat offender and as Helen Ang puts it, "are congenial liars". They did a number on PMO, Hishamuddin, Muhyiddin and Mukhriz, and Haji Hadi.

Their role is clearly to intentionally spin, redirect public discussion on issue, make a mountain out of molehill and fabricate false news for a clear opposition political objective to smear the public image of government of the day.

Helen Ang puts it:
TMI does this sleight-of-hand consistently and in the most brazen, unscrupulous manner but yet Umno has never called them out.

Najib once complained that BN has lost the war of perception. But of course. The BN is no match for the sneaky bastards plus the BN is constantly being backstabbed by the media conglomerate owned by one of the coalition components.
RIP Fatwa


The sleight of hand done on Council of Rulers was noticed immediately but the public outcry they made on the religious authorities on a non-existence fatwa that allegedly forbid saying rest in peace on the death of Karpal Singh was left unnoticed.

It attracted global condemnation.

In an April 2014 posting here, Helen Ang wrote of this;
Malaysian Insider is again driving a wedge between Muslims and non Muslims and creating hatred against the Islamic authorities and distorting facts,” wrote blogger Ellese last year on 18 April 2014.
TMI said:

“Hours after the death of Karpal Singh, Muslims were told by the National Fatwa Council today they were not encouraged to use the phrase ‘Rest in Peace’ (RIP) to a non-Muslim because the term had Christian connotations.”

“This is a blatant lie to incite unjustified hatred,” said Ellese. “They purposely gave a false impression that the majlis fatwa is somewhat targeting against those wishing farewell for Karpal. Really blatant lie.”

See ‘False hate allegation against fatwa council‘ (18 Apr 2014) by Ellese in the blog Hak Bersuara
Not only an apology is insufficient, someone should make a police report against TMI on the RIP fatwa and expose many more of their devious work.

TMI only appreciate firmness as demonstrated by Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli, Mukhriz and Khazanah Nasional. [Read Helen Ang again here]. MCMC and police should not be so nicey nicey with them.


On a different but current issue, note Dato Abdul Kadir Jasin's comment below:
3. Mohd Najib might not have played a key role in forcing Pak Lah to resign. But he must have learned a few lessons to avoid Pak Lah’s pitfalls. Mohd Najib has an ambitious determined wife who would want him to stay at all costs. On the other hand, Pak Lah’s wife, (Tun) Jeanne, is not ambitious woman and it was said that she urged him to resign.
Nothing seriously wrong with the non-quantitative political analysis. Social analysis is always subjective. It only meets the description of the term Appurtenent in psywar strategy.  

Does it serves to affirm the truth or a perception built up on Rosmah?
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Cutting off leg to remove the pain of gout

April 8, 2015, 1:41 am
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Ludicrous isn't it, Arul?

Just weeks a go, there was a presentation and discussion by an "economic consultant" on 1MDB. He presented the list of issues on 1MDB compiled from statements of opposition leaders, reports of left leaning medias and bloggers postings.

Using the anonymous and unconfirmed material, he concluded to recommend 1MDB be liquidated. Anyone with any basics in Strategic Management or Business Policy knows that it is like cutting off one's leg just to remove the pain of a gout attack.

Today another positive effort is made on 1MDB to bring in Prokhas.  It must be consequent to Arul Kandasamy's statement on their strategic review in February.

A week earlier to the presentation one corporate personality said 1MDB can be salvaged. It means there are values to be derived from it. Only last week, Edge Financial Daily reported a former TNB CEO said his company is exploring into the IPP assets of 1MDB.

Since those attending the presentation were politically inclined and had minimal understanding in corporate matters, it was pointless to educate them on other strategic options available. They were too eager to chew the RM2-3 billion annual parking meter argument and pull off a political stunt devoid of any substance.

Prokhas

It is yet to be confirmed as true but The Star has jump the gun on the news:
Prokhas steps into 1MDB

Wednesday, 8 April 2015

PETALING JAYA: Prokhas Sdn Bhd, the in-house restructuring outfit of the Finance Ministry (MoF), has been tasked to help sister company 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) deal with cash-flow problems tied to its debt obligations.

It is learnt that Prokhas was roped in to assist 1MDB, which needs about RM5bil this year to meet its debt obligations.

“Prokhas has come into the picture, which is why CIMB Investment Bank Bhd that was appointed two weeks ago to look into the sale of 1MDB’s energy assets has been out of the job,” said a source.

The amount due this year is largely to cover the payment of a US$975mil term loan taken by 1MDB Energy Holdings Ltd that falls due on Aug 31 this year. At the current exchange rate of 3.64 to the US dollar, the maturing term loan is valued at RM3.55bil.

1MDB Energy Holdings is the energy unit of 1MDB that was supposed to list by the first quarter of this year under the new name of Edra Global Energy Bhd. But 1MDB withdrew its proposal on Feb 28 this year because it could not meet the listing requirements.

“CIMB was roped in to arrange for the sale of Edra Energy, which is about the only asset that can be sold immediately to raise funds for 1MDB to help meet its debt obligations,” said a banker.

But its mandate was terminated on April 1 – just a week after the investment bank was appointed.

The other portion of the RM5bil obligation this year comes from interest cost totalling around RM1.4bil on all other outstanding loans that 1MDB has taken over the last five years.

1MDB is RM41.9bil in debt to fund a buying binge over the past five years, as the company built up a portfolio of power and energy assets, as well as amassing prime landbanks earmarked for future development.

While the power plants acquired from Genting Bhd and Tanjong Plc are generating some cashflow for the company, it is not enough to cover its interest cost and planned development expenditure.

Last year, 1MDB had to defer a debt payment taken to finance the purchase of Tanjong’s power plants in 2012 for RM8.5bil.

An outstanding amount of RM2bil was finally settled with the assistance of billionaire T. Ananda Krishnan, who owns Tanjong, after two delays.

Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah had, in his winding-up speech in Parliament on March 25, said that the Government had formed a special task force to look into 1MDB’s performance, as well as the debts borne by the firm.

He had earlier in March told Parliament that 1MDB’s financial position was “unsustainable” with a cashflow problem.

The Government, Husni said, had already extended RM950mil to 1MDB as a “standby credit” facility to address its short-term financial needs.

The firm generated a revenue of RM4.26bil for the year ended March 31, 2014, but reported a loss of RM665mil as finance cost ballooned to RM2.4bil.

As it is, 1MDB’s total US dollar-denominated borrowings stand at a staggering US$7.5bil, or RM27bil, at the current exchange rate.

Based on these outstanding debts, 1MDB’s interest payment cost amounts to at least RM1.2bil a year over the next seven years.

In 2022, the massive US$3bil bonds taken by 1MDB Global Investment Ltd will reach maturity.

1MDB is 100%-owned by the MoF, but unlike other Government-linked investment companies, the ministry has never had board representation in the company.

But as worries about 1MDB’s financial obligations are reaching a boiling point, the Government has taken a more active role.

Prokhas is a special project outfit under the MoF and is involved in various corporate restructuring work for the Government. The company was set up in 2005 to take over the role of Danaharta Nasional Bhd.
Danaharta had much success in restructuring Banks facing loan and debt problems in the financial crisis of 1998-2000. Their experience is most relevant for reviving 1MDB.

Strategic review

The step taken must be along the result of the strategic review done by Arul Kandasamy in late February. The Malaysian Reserve reported then:
1MDB concludes strategic review

TMR
Wednesday, February 18, 2015

“These projects are crucial to the socio-economic development of the country in general and Kuala Lumpur in particular, with TRX and Bandar Malaysia expected to generate, over time, gross development values of RM40 billion and RM150 billion respectively," said Arul. (Graphic by:Dayang Norazhar/TMR)

1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) today announced the outcome of its comprehensive strategic review, which was led by president and Group Executive Director, Arul Kanda in January this year.

The conclusions of the review, which had been endorsed by the Board of Directors, are:
* 1MDB has fulfilled its objectives of acting as an enabler for new ideas and sources of growth, and serving as a catalyst for the development of assets and projects of strategic importance, that would create value for the economy;
* The company's significant achievements include: consolidating its separate energy assets under Edra Energy with a unified management team and Board; establishing the platform for developing TRX as a financial centre, which has attracted investment interest from major Malaysian and international firms; and successfully positioning the Bandar Malaysia development master-plan to include the Malaysian terminus for the High Speed Rail link to Singapore, along with two MRT lines for seamless intra-city connections;
* The company will now focus on its core businesses, and no new investments or projects will be undertaken. Furthermore, no new debt will be raised except in order to refinance existing debt / meet existing liabilities, and/or on a non-recourse, project finance basis, as needed;
* As with Edra Energy, TRX and Bandar Malaysia will be run as standalone entities, with independent governance structures, and responsibility for their own operations and finances. Both entities will continue to be ultimately owned by the Ministry of Finance, thereby ensuring that their significant future value benefits the rakyat;
* Edra Energy to focus on its core existing projects, and the company to be monetised in 2015, with a portion of the proceeds being invested in the business for future growth and remainder going towards repayment of 1MDB's short term debt;
* Air Itam and Pulau Indah land to be monetised through joint ventures or outright sale;
* Maturing debt to be met via refinancing from best available sources or repaid from sale of land development rights, raising of external equity from joint-ventures and/or outright asset sales;
* The 100% shareholder of 1MDB, the Ministry of Finance, will be involved as relevant and as required in the interests of maximising shareholder value.
Commenting on the strategic review, Arul Kanda stated:

“Following a thorough examination of the business and our operations, I am pleased to confirm that we have now completed the strategic review that was announced by the Board of Directors at the beginning of January.”

“In conducting the strategic review, we were mindful of 1MDB's vision and mission: to act as a strategic enabler for new ideas and sources of growth, and to drive sustainable economic development in Malaysia. In essence, 1MDB's purpose is to serve as a catalyst, developing assets and projects of strategic importance, with a view to creating maximum value for the economy,” Arul said in a statement today.

“Having achieved this, 1MDB will not undertake any new investments or projects, and we have developed a clear strategy for each of our existing businesses moving forward.”

“Since its inception, 1MDB has systematically built high quality businesses in the energy and real estate sectors. As has already been achieved with Edra Energy, we believe this is the right time to establish TRX and Bandar Malaysia as independently managed companies, with full autonomy and accountability for their operational and financial performance. We believe this is the best way to realise full value from these investments for all stakeholders,” he elaborated.

“Whilst options are being pursued with respect to the monetisation of Edra Energy, ownership of 1MDB’s real estate assets must ultimately remain with its 100% shareholder, the Ministry of Finance.”

“These projects are crucial to the socio-economic development of the country in general and Kuala Lumpur in particular, with TRX and Bandar Malaysia expected to generate, over time, gross development values of RM40 billion and RM150 billion respectively. The government's continued ownership will ensure that such value ultimately benefits the rakyat,” he said.

According to Arul, it is recognised that 1MDB’s debt financed capital structure is no longer appropriate for the company, and measures are intended to be taken to ensure that 1MDB and the standalone entities are well positioned to service debt and infrastructure obligations.

“Additionally, there is a need for more direct matching of assets and cash-flows. TRX and Bandar Malaysia will sell land development rights and/or enter into profit-sharing joint ventures, for example, with government linked investment companies as well as with Malaysian and international private sector companies, who can contribute not only development expertise but also equity and debt to finance specific projects,” he explained in the statement.

“We expect to implement these plans over the next 12 months, and will provide periodic updates on our progress," said Arul.
The entry of Prokhas could be a follow up to statement by Datok Husni Hanazlah that 1MDB's existing structure is not financially sustainable.

Failed listing

1MDB is believed to be in the current state due to failure to list Edra Energy according to the planned listing last year.

That would have enabled them to retire some of the debt and strengthen the asset value which would propel them in a stronger financial position to move on further with their planned development.

Unfortunately, problem arise at the parent company level due to debt commitment with Ananda. It was rumoured that Ananda sabotage the deal but such accusation does not jive with the words that he had via his company lend 1MDB the money.

This blog had wrote before that sources within 1MDB claimed the listing is on track and will be completed by March or April.

Undoubtedly the RM51 billion asset versus RM42 billion liability is comforting and opens the company to many strategic option other than liquidition.


However, the fundamental question that pervade us was as to why the need to undertake such a risky highly leveraged financial structure. Contrary to Dato Ahmad Maslan's claim of government made no guarantee, there is the cross default term in the loan agreements.

Denials and statements have been made but this blog still remained suspicious of Taek Jho Loh and Petrosaudi. This should throw any perception that this blog is a paid dog to defend 1MDB at all cost.

1MDB had been in our radar since 2009 and there are many more relevant issues pertaining to 1MDB that had not been explored. In fact, the critics on 1MDB may have been diverted the wrong way.

Nevertheless, to make unsubstantiated allegations on 1MDB is irresponsible politics. This blog had highlighted before that the publicly available information on the allegations on 1MDB are based on unconfirmed and anonymous sources.

All the vocal personalities questioning 1MDB has yet to reveal any documents or proofs to confirm their allegations.

Thus heard by words of mouth is that Tun Mahathir and Tun Daim have done all the research and documents prepared by various investigation and intelligence agencies. Unfortunately one agency was heard to only begin investigating last month!

Tun Mahathir is only asking that rumours spreading around on 1MDB be addressed. A surat layang on 1MDB is said to have been circulating and had reached UMNO grassroot.

Allegedly Tengku Razaleigh acknowledged the Tum Mahathir and Tun Daim's claim and had received explanation from Ananda Krishnan.

With 1MDB not uttering any concise explanation, merely denials refuting allegations and unaccessible for media to enquire, Goebbel's words become true. A lie (if it is a lie) repeated many times will be accepted as truth.

In the land of the deaf and dumb, those who speak will be leader.
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Malay massacre at Maybank (Part 1)

April 8, 2015, 11:59 pm
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The Maybank building was designed by the architect Hijas Kasturi to emulate the kris, a weapon and more a symbol of power in Malay culture. It was symbolic for Maybank as the leading Bank of Malaysia and owned by Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB).

In a complex organsation structure, PNB is owned by Yayasan Bumiputera Berhad in which the Chairman is the President of UMNO and members of  the Board of Trustees are UMNO leaders too. Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad (ASN) is a subsidiary of PNB which managed the Sekim ASN and ASB initiated by PNB.

This was all established under the NEP era to increase Malay and Bumiputera equity and assist the government in their role to increase Malay and Bumiputera particpation in the economy; employment, corporate ownership and entrepreneurship (via PUNB).

Maybank is one of the major flagship investment of PNB-ASN-ASB. It is expected that it continues their NEP role into the environment of open competition and merit. But, it would be most appalling should Maybank end up practising discrimination on Bumiputera.

There is a fine line between merit and discrimination. At the employment place, employees are seldom handicapped in their appreciation and understanding of employee rights and labour law.

If an employer or management above decide to discriminate, it would see to be done legally and according to proper procedure and due process. Racial discrimination by employers can happen but it would look legally right.

For employees to challenge in court, it would take years and the legal cost is burdensome. It is too risky to take on and more so when the employer could spend millions on legal fee to win at all cost.

Maybank has an IT Department which was established in 1975. Our memory of Maybank is in the 80s. It was a time Maybank openned its door for Bumiputera to enter banking.

Initially, the once called coffee shop bank was mostly filled by Chinese. It was owned by Tan Sri Khoo Teck Puat but a run on the bank saw government had to step in to revive confidence in the banking industry. Subsequently, Maybank was transfered to PNB as part of the ASN program.

Under PNB, the special path for Bumiputera was successfully done. However, the race composition remained reflective of Malaysian racial composition.

Since the new corporate culture with the emergence of Khazanah and the concept of GLC came into picture with emphasis on performance over social obligations, the NEP policy to create more Bumi in banking was put aside.

In Maybank, the increase in number of Chinese at top and middle management begin under the CEO-ship of Tan Sri Amir Sham Aziz. Come Dato Abdul Wahid Omar and Dato Farid Alias, the Chinese number grew to the point that they became the majority.

For now, the focus will be on the Malay massacre in the IT Department.  

In IT companies like Oracle, IBM, HP etc, 80-90% of management is dominated by non Malays/Bumiputera. Even in GLCs like Petronas, CIMB, Bank Islam etc, Malays still did not get a place and 70-80% are still non Malays/Bumiputera.

In Maybank, that is the same trend and according to sources, Malay staff perceived that the Chinese dominated management of the IT Department had resorted to indiscriminately apply pressure, oppress, slander, sabotage, and not withstanding, threat of 24 hours dismissal to make the targetted staff resign or abusively justify non-renewal of contracts.

The Malays staff perceived the reasons or justification to do is no more than an excuse to rehire a non Malay.

This had started way back during the entry of foreigner Geoff Stecyk as exco member in Maybank top management in 2008. It has become more intensive under Christina Low Poei Mei in 2012.

Ever since more than 20 IT experts at levels of EVP, VP, AVP, and so on had to quit, transfered or "fired". The remaining Malay executives are under constant pressure and discriminatory practices. Ethnic cleansing is happening in a GLC established for NEP and under Malay CEO and Malay majority members of the Board of Directors.

The oppressed and dismissed Malay IT management and staff are the one that built Maybank IT Department to win many awards in the past. So was it a case of incompetents or orchestrated to look incompetent and failed to deliver?

To be continued.
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Malay massacre in Maybank (Part 2)

April 9, 2015, 7:35 pm
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The tip-off to this series of postings came from talks within the IT industry. Maybank has lots of vendors and the staff and management have networking with industry people through participation in courses, conferences, and conventions.

Words do come around. Only last week one IT staff of a GLC was talking about it. He said it has been the talk of the industry. By the second part, quite sure insider will be contacting us to tell more.

Few words from commentators to yesterday posting was interesting and useful. One highlighted that members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of Yayasan Bumiputera are all Melayu, Board of Directors (BoD) of PNB are all Melayu [see here] and some 7 members of Board of Directors of Maybank [see here] are Melayu including the Chairman.

How could this had happen? Did the two ANSARA Seremban - Dato Abdul Wahid Omar or now successor, Dato Farid Alias - failed to monitor the organisation under their watch?

As one Chinese friend kept telling us, the people that screwed Melayu are not Chinese but the Melayu themselves. He notice Melayu, from humble beginning that went up the social and economic ladder through NEP, foresaken their fellow Melayus.


As highlighted in the previous posting, it is not about Maybank should only employ Melayu. It never had such a policy before and should not turn it into a Malay ghetto like Bank Bumiputera used to be. How could an organisation under the watch of Melayus that was never racial could now be perceived by their fellow Melayus as practising "ethnic cleansing" on their own?

Do our NEP-benefited and groomed top Malay executives not care any more to help give their breathen a break that they must be more 1Malaysia by allow discrimination on their breathen? Cina tolong cina, apa salah Melayu kasi peluang yang adil pada Melayu lain?

To substantiate such allegation, it is too tedious and lengthy to prove legally. Court decisions do not necessarily be the truth. So this is a version of the truth from the perspective of our Malay sources who notice the trend developing over the years. It has similarity to MAS under Dato Idris Jala though as another Bumiputera, he may have no such intention.

One ex banker commented at 4.03 AM on the inability of Malays (some Malays we presume) to meet up the needs of the industry. Partly true but hear us out first.

"Ethnic cleansing"

Geoff Stecyk joined Maybank in 2008 as previously the Head of Transformational Services for Maybank Group before being appointed to the present position of Group Chief Technology Officer on January 2014.

Maybank website credited him with the "success"of the LEAP30 programme to improve performance. To the IT industry people observing Maybank from afar, LEAP30 was no big deal.

Out of 30 program being planned to transform Maybank into a Regional Bank, only one program was launched. It was a failure!

The one successfully launched program was described as quote and unquote successful because subsequently, they allegedly managed to hoodwinked management and the BoD with a program called IT Transfomation Programme (ITTP). 

ITTP was given a budget of RM2.7 billion, given a time frame of 5 years and encompass 16 transformation program. Again, as sources revealed, only 3 programs got launched. Since sources are outsiders, they are not sure the 3 launched programs was a success or not.

Every other IT guys and gals were aware that Maybank were hiring people by the busloads to do their ITPP. Sources believed it was few hundreds if not a thousand.

One would expect that they were to be hired as contract workers in accordance with the practise of the day. When their contract expires, the best will be picked as permanent staff.

No .... the Canadian educated and Balkan ethnicity Geoff took them in as permanent staff and most of them turned out to be non-Malays. Maybe Malays were not up to the mark and have poor command of English, thanks to millitant pejuang bahasa like A Samad Said.

So by the time, ITTP was sent to the dumpster, Maybank had an overload of humans instead of IT machines!

In line with the fashion of Tun Abdullah era and early days of Dato Najib, consultants were hired and they were exorbitantly expensive. Do not be surprise that names like Ethos, PW, McKenzie, or Booze Allen Hamilton were hired. They need brand names that leadership acknowledged.

The talk among consultants is that Maybank was like Government. They hired consultants but they hardly used their advise. What do they care? They got paid handsomely.

Geoff got ESOS despite failures of LEAP30 and ITTP at the expense of Melayus' jobs!

Geoff was well compensated to do this so-called "ethnic cleansing" under the name of transformation.

So when it failed, these people need to point finger at someone. It will definitely not be management. The boss is always right. When the boss is wrong and decided wrongly, it will always be because the Managers under or the staff working did not perform to KPI.

Furethermore, KPI is a convenient scapegoat serve to quantify the unquantifiable and be abused to screw on those with the qualitative credentials.

Industrial relation

As said in the previous posting, IT staff are so ignorant of labour law, human resource procedures etc.

They thought Industrial Relation are fair, liberal and diplomatic people like the Public Relations people.

For those that got entertained by vendors, they thought IR are friendly as Guess Relation Officers or GRO at sleazy lounges though it is just "you got money you my flen....". 

They are people with relation to Industrial Court la ... If the IR people fix you up, some will say serve them right for their ignorance. It is not morally right to take advantage of peoples' ignorance.

IR are programmed to win it for the Bank, and not for the staff. Their investigation motive is not about being fair or not but whether they can pin you or not. It does not bother them that the bosses of the IT Department had cleverly and allegedly fix them up.

That is what the likes of Nora Manaf could do [see here].

The talk in the IT circle is that several heads were chopped off based the mere accusation by bosses that systems were not tested. Some were forced to resign. The heads include a former winner of CIO of the year and some was rehired as CIO of other organisation.

Not all are Malays but so happen majority of the victims and the upcoming victims are Malays.

Upon enquiry with some old friends in Maybank, the IR that took the IT Department cases were  mostly non-Malays, sorry to say Chinese in fact and Managers under Geoff's are also mostly Chinese. Maybe Geoff developed prejudice against Malays during his days at Southern Bank and too much interaction with his Chinese subordinates.

Still waiting for the names. It is heard that since 2008, more than 25 Malay executives from EVP to AVP had been removed. Many more coming with another scheme to "massacre" through subsidiarisation.

Slept on the job


Ultimately, the blame should go to Dato Najib as Chairman of YPB but he just finished an intense interview yesterday thus give him a break. The day to day operations is the purview of management.

Representing management on the BoT of YPB is Tun Ahmd Sarji. Things such as this happened under his watch. He should be in the know and inform the PM of such happening.

Ahmad Sarji is a doyen of public administration, The 76 year old was instrumental in Tun Dr Mahathir's aggresive phase of the NEP implementation. He was Deputy Director General of EPU from 1976-81 and subsequently was in MARA, JPA, and MITI till he became KSN for 1990-96.

Upon retirement, he filled the chair of a legendary civil servant of impeccable integrity and respectable standing, Tun Ismail Ali and remain till the present day. It means Ahmad Sarji was of a certain standing to fill up that shoe. Ismail Ali was PNB Chairman for 18 years and Ahmad Sarji is there for already 19 years.

It is sad to say this but was it a case of too much "Pukul tiga pagi" for the P Ramlee's biggest fan that he missed such alleged discriminatory happenings in the PNB Groups of Companies?

To be continued

Part 1
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Malay massacre at Maybank (Part 3)

April 12, 2015, 11:43 pm
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A lawyer read the two earlier Parts of this series and wrote a message anonymously.

He claimed to be in the panel of Maybank and admitted to have been approached by Maybank staff on racial discrimination cases but have to reject potential clients due to conflict of interest. It had been going on for a long time.

The commentator said there is the same phenomenon in Maybank's Legal Department. Instead of Chinese controlled, the Legal Department is Indian controlled and generally only Indian lawyers are getting legal jobs. Allegedly, Malay and Chinese law firms are being discriminated against.

Exactly a year ago, another commentator alerted of Dato Farid Alias's poor choice of replacement for the position of CEO of Maybank's Investment Banking arm. After Farid was reassigned from that position, he was replaced by Tengku Dato Zafrul.

Zafrul then left for CIMB and it was replaced by Johnson Chong. Same thing occcurred as one after another Chinese was hired for key position or new key position created. It is as if only Chinese are capable and Malay or Indians or Bumiputeras are incapable.

Legally, it is difficult to claim Chong made racially motivated appointments but it is heard Farid was alerted of Chong's racial bias. Maybe it is not Farid but former Shell man, Chairman Dato Megat Zaharuddin that does not care.

The first correction to be made first. The IT Department is not called so as it used to be but some fancy description called Mayban Shared Services (MSS).


In Part 2, it was mentioned of how despite two failed plans, the orang putih from a European penjajah bloodline, Geoff Stecyk could be rewarded with Share Options, and promoted.

Not only that, like a colonial master, the brown gentlemen in Maybank could just stand back and look as these descendents of our colonial master and junk owner that double crossed at the Malacca harbour slander and dishonour their breathens.

Gestapo


As told by sources in the IT industry, the Industrial Relation and Geoff Stecyk people were behaving like Hitler's Gestapo. Stecyk is a polish name and the poles were victim of Hitler's invasion but they were allegedly behaving like Gestapo.

The Gestapo operation allegedly is to victimised staff by slanderous fixing with cooked up allegations, answers and replies by victim with documents and proves were thrown out, and victims coerced to admit and resign by the Gestapo.

When people in major position were discriminated against and badly treated, the industry will know and talk about it.

The MSS staff of Malay and non-Malay will feel something bad happening and talk about it. IT Vendors (like IBM, Oracle, HP etc) and partners (like Tabung Haji, Pos Malaysia Bhd, etc) will realise something is going on and talk about it.

So it is just not lawyers who are discriminated against. 

In one instance, there was intervention by the HR superiors and CEO to reject the 24 hours resignation secured by threat, pressure and harassment by the Gestapo gang. When a proper audit was undertaken, it turned out that the Gestapo gang insidious work were exposed and the victim was innocent.

The Gestapo gang cooked up other allegations and went on new waves of attack. This is a person that had been there for more than 20 years.

In another case, one staff of more than 25 years and dubbed to be the next CIO became a target of the Gestapo gang that he had to resign on 24 hours. No way can Maybank hide his case because it is known all through the industry.

When he left, there was an internal e-mail that reads " ... the pain point had been remved ...". It means he was the cause of the failure of MSS and ITTP. All along the Polack failed!

After these two major cases, the reign of terror by the Gestapo was more drastic as police were brought in on the most frivolous of allegations to force staff on the unemployment line overnight. Gestapo gang used trumped charges to justify suspensions.

Then it was made into a police case by making police report for matters of only alleged inefficiency and non delivery. It was merely a scare tactic on others to smoothen the forced resignation of more than 50 people later on. The police detect no wrong doing of a criminal nature.

The source was told by the staff that by having the police involvement in cases of criminal nature, the Gestapo Gang could use the opportunity to flush out the rest of the Malay staff in the PNB anchor company. It is not based on a case to case basis but merely race!

The latest harassment used to flush out the over-staffing [by Geoff Stecyk's wrong move to hire more than 300 IT workers with salary 2-3 times the original MSS staff] is by readjusting grade appraisal. The Malays were the natural victims.

One can't say they can't speak English because after in the workforce for a long time and built up their competency, they should be more competent than any fresh graduate newbies.

In 2010, 4 out 5 heads in the senior management of Maybank IT are Malays. By today, the latest structure of 11 departments had only 3 Malay Managers. That is a marked decrease from 80% to 23%. One of the head was the person slotted for CIO but harassed to resign by IR.

The Gestapo gang members from IR team are 7 of them - 6 Chinese, 1 Indian and no Malay. While Geoff Stecyk people doing the purging are 6 of them - all Chinese.

This is not about racial prejudice against Chinese or non Malays and Malay nationalism political call but about humanity.

The racially bias composition on the aggressor and victims are too distinct to ignore and not notice. The long serving Chinese staff of Maybank were equally appalled to such racial discrimination and ethnic cleansing.

Maybe one day when no Malay are in key position of Maybank, the source speculate that the chauvanist among the gestapo Gang could sabotage the Bank and PNB will be force to sell it for a song to the off springs of Tan Sri Khoo Teck Puat.

If Tun Ahmad Sarji cares, he should appreciate this P Ramlee classic ...


To be continued in the final part.

In the final part, this blog will conclude to alert readers with the reality to be faced by the local IT industry. It is not about Malay vs Chinese but about globalisation. Eventually the Gestapo gang in whatever the eventual form they come in will beat up not only on the Malay as happened now but also Chinese.

Rather than get into narrow racial self interest, Malaysian should think as one to upgrade and improve themselves together because globalisation does not care one is Malay or Chinese or whatever race.

Part 1
Part 2


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Malay massacre at Maybank (Part 4 but not the last)

April 15, 2015, 12:28 am
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This is Part 4 for this series but it will not be the last posting on Maybank IT.

Information having been pouring in. Industry people, vendors, ex-Maybankers and various sources got in touch and some are still trying to get in touch. It will be the last for this series but it will continue to be pursued till Maybank response.

No threat of lawsuit will scare us because we don't care. It only makes us more aggressive.

Heard the Public Relation (PR) people have been asking around. It shows Maybank PR have been typically dulu, kini dan selamanya sombong, stiff lip and frigid. Maybank had always had that attitude to the masses.

The Gestapo gang (read in part 3) should go after them. Chain up these sotong and beat them up till they resign. They have not been doing their job, not been putting their ears on the ground, insensitive to the public and it's workforce, and had a brown nose attitude with media.

Never bother to engage the alternative media and now doing so for fear this issue will go viral. Rest assured it will ...

They think that by bribing the media with buka puasa and crystal present can win them votes like BR1M had been accused off by Tun Dr Mahathir and media will give coverage to their sponsored tigers at the National Zoo.

Hypnotised

New CEO Dato Farid Alias promised to meet media but hardly answer SMS. Maybe it was blocked by the layer created between Farid and exco members in the form of a person by the name of Chief Strategist cum defacto "Group Deputy President" cum"toll operator (?)", Michael Foong?

Was Farid merely a token Malay but the real person running the Bank is Micheal Foong? Before he left, did Dato Abdul Wahid Omar insist his successor got a Chinese to hand hold the ex-Aseambanker Farid? Will Farid be sabotaged eventually to be replaced with Michael Fong?

Maybank's and any corporate's PR and communication practise is to tell the least information possible about happenings, plans and problems inside the Bank. As per 1MDB official public statement, corporate statements comes in corporate prose of and are well worded but tells you nothing.

Betcha .. they will eventually answer when Jans Lim pester Dato Megat Zahararuddin.


For whatever reason, she had been so good to him as PA that she was reassigned as Head of Compliance. Maybank was recently fined by Bank Negara Malaysia after she was head for three months. So much for compliance.

No worry for her. The IR and Gestapo Gang would go after her staff and not her. Make sure they go after the Malay ones. Megat would be upset to see Chinese victimised. That is racism and ethnic cleansing but discriminating and oppressing Malays is not racist.

Megat and Farid could only been under a long psychological trance from their days in MNCs. THey could be hypnotised by advisers and PA from functioning accordingly. 

Sabotage, cover-up and blame

The point this blog is beginning to release names is to explain to a commentator that the sacked staff and managers lack "capability or qualification" that is getting them "by-passed or ignored or denied".

No only it is not true but there is a real sinister and even partisan political manouvering to discriminate and do ethnic cleansing on Malays in the Bumiputera institution-owned Maybank. It is similar process happening inside state organisation in Penang but the rough stuff have not begin yet.

If they had read the earlier Parts, they would not have described the original permanent staff in which the majority are Malays as "deadwoods and non-performers or passengers who do not contribute to the Bank's performance".

Believe their reply will be ignore the ruthless mechanism and go rhetorical. The mechanism is not based on a genuine business decision but real dirty play with the insidious intention of not making the IT development a success but was meant to fail and blame.

These comments could be coming from the Gestapo Gang cytro or supporters for ethnic cleansing. In part 2 [read here], it was described that the ethnic cleansing by Geoff Stecyk and the Gestapo Gang was done by the way it was done on the Poles in World War 2.

Geoff Stecyk is not someone with IT background but only with a business/consultant background. The talk in the market is that he know nuts. Somehow the orang putih manage to bullshit the Malaysians with his blonde hair, skin color and accent.

Most of the people he brought into his team does not have sufficient and substantial practical experience in system development but are mostly con-sultants from Accenture.

From the start they had no idea of the requirement and practical problems that can arise in IT development.

Geoff had taken them in at top ringgit with double and triple their salary as compared to the original time scale permanent staff. When LEAP30 and ITTP program failed, they were stuck with huge number of people so they carnivorise on the original staff.

Since most of the original staff and management in MSS are Malays, so naturally the Malays become a victim. So there will be justification to say it is not discrimination on the Malays.

However, the bulk of new intakes taken were mostly Chinese and non Malays, 95% of them. No Malays or Kadazan or Iban or Bidayuh or Kenyah or Bajau.

When the development was going on, the Accenture people were so  typical of other Consultants in Pemandu, Khazanah elsewhere. They were merely theoretical and template thinking.

The original Maybank staff raised problems that will be encountered by their plans but it was snubbed aside and ignored. The young punk Accenture con-sultants with no experience were arrogant and refused to heed their warning.


Soon they realised that their work will fail. So what they did was for self preservation. They did repeated re-organisation exercise to position their people up on the hierarchy and the original Maybank staff are placed under to be victimised and suppressed later.

Come the time, they then point the fingers on the original Maybank staff. Like a heartless communist terrorist or Hitler's WWII German army, they turn around to say the staff were irresponsible for not highlighting the problems when all along any of their views are suppressed.

Ponder this because the pro-ethnic cleansing will ignore the logic: Shouldn't KPI be from top to bottom?

Since LEAP30 and ITTP failed, Geoff should get the chop first and followed by his kuncu-kuncu but not the ones not leading the effort.

The original Maybank staff were not responsible for the final decisions. All major decisions were made by Geoff and the gang. They should have been Gestapoed!

The new team brought in by Geoff had an amateurish manner in their planning.

IT development planning cannot be done conceptually and piecemeal basis. The whole business process must be thoroughly figured it out to the very minute detail before one takes the next step of designing the architecture, introducing the applications, data warehousing, and etc.

The front end like the web or page that one sees in front of the computer at home or kisok has a back end that is complicated and humongously large amount effort to make it easy and user friendly.

The management team were only thinking more of the front end and the gizmo they are mesmerised with but not the whole works involved. Given the budget ALL systems can be upgraded with faster speed, new applications and "toys".

In most cases, there is no need to spend on new system. It is only con-sultants and vendors that persuade to throw out previous system and buy up a new one. When new system is bought, companies have to rethink the business process and disrupt the operations.

Unfortunately, the management will always be right and Geoff had planned for it for long. Two failures by him justify his self prerservation instinct to abuse power and gang-up to blame on the original staff of Maybank.

The Gestapo Gang comes in to force them to sign up the Early Retirement Scheme (ERS). If they refuse, they will be shamed by fabricated disciplinary actions made against them. Being fired will leave a bad patch on their resume.

It goes to the point police report are made to justify suspension although police have found no wrong doing in most of the cases. One case of wrongdoing was used as an excuse to presume all are guilty despite no proofs.

DAP agenda

Here comes the partisan part.

Having most of the new intakes as Chinese does not necessarily mean they were racist. And having most of the Malays to be fired does not mean it was ethnic cleansing.

There was one Manager under Geoff that controls the RM2.5 billion budget.

Her name was Sherene Teo and is a strong DAP supporter. She was close to Geoff's wife and that trust was developed to enable her to bring family members into Geoff's team. And she was instrumental in ensuring that 95% of the staff are Chinese.

Her contribution include manipulating and hiding the true financial status of the overspending of the ITTP. She coordinates the operations for ethnic cleansing, system sabotage, mole operation for other financial institution, and the oppression, manipulation, and threat on Malay staff.

She had been able to make them so vindictive against the former staff that they ensure that the sacked staff will not a job anywhere else. They will give bad reference of them. It reminded me of what Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim did to a friend.

For that the Malay top management promoted her to EVP.

There is more juicy story to come but this is the point.

Today these people can oppress and discard capable staff that had won awards for their effort. Eventually the expectations of the time will catch up on them.

Malaysia's IT industry will eventually be swarmed or replaced by more effective and efficient IT workers from other centres like Japan, Taiwan, and Korea. Fees are based on work completion and not on permanent employment or time spent. System's problems are solved within 3 days and not 3 weeks as happening in Malaysia.

By such unethical and discriminatory practices, Maybank will be denied true talents and experience in IT. It is an industry about knowledge and experience. The application or software or gadgets can be different or change with the times BUT it is the knowledge portion that is essentiial.

Knowldge will be lost when good CIO and experienced IT staff are sacked by fabricated charges. Knowledge could not be preserved and skills are not developed in the organisation. Malaysia loses with such inhumane practices. In the end Maybank and Malaysia loses much needed talents.

The Gestapo Gang will be not be able to keep up with the time and eventually, they will get sacked too. It will be Chinese ethnic cleansing. Then public will hear of MCA crying wolf but all along the evil doer was DAP.  


Already the plan is to sack another 50 more before the end of the this month. The criteria to do so is not based on their IT or managerial capability and competency but by short listing according to age of the 50 year olds, or anyone that had worked under and dubbed as Mohd Ibrahim Senin's people or ethnic background.

Since most of the staff then are Malays so they brush off all Malays have to be exterminated from Maybank.

In the early days of IT in the late 70s to 90s, most of IT workers are Malays - be it in Maybank or GLC or IBM or other vendors. The foreign university programs and local university were generating lots of IT graduates. It wasn't just NEP affirmative action. Malay had an early start.

Upon exterminating the Malay staff, what will happen?

It is a bit early to say they will sabotage Maybank from inside to get a DAP supporting corporate player to buy out Maybank for cheap. But it is not impossible Chief System Architect, Neo Koh Teh could intentionally make system to fail and leak info to his former employer.

As for IT, they will by getting Maybank to subsidiarise the MSS or IT Department. Off course they will place their people and they will control the budget, the running and charges to Maybank.

A matter of time, they will manouvre to buy over the subsidiary. Hi-tech Padu is the off spring of PNB IT. Ahmad Sarji will just agree without winking an eyelid. By then, Maybank will be at their mercy.

Still under radar.  

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

* Edited 9:00 AM 16/4/15
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Root cause lies with human management of knowledge and machine

April 16, 2015, 7:21 pm
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Writing on the Malay massacre in Maybank series allowed us to learn few basic matter on IT system development.

It is not as easy as customer want this, this and this and voila it is done. It is as complex and problematic as depicted in the picture above. 

At the height of the Internet boom and we had pursued a portal idea, it took our younger sibling to get us to understand that IS development planning is not similar to conceptualising business planning.

In business planning, there is the luxury of looking at a macro level before fine tuning it at a more micro level. Not for IS development as the whole business process and nitty gritty workflow must be known and planned out before the developer comes in.

Part of that portal idea is what is today blogspot.com.

Waste


In the course of writing the series, we realised that both government and commercial entities may have wasted lots of money in IS development in this country.

Commonly heard is the wasteful redoing of the entire system development to meet the bosses fascination for new technology and application. As a result, the major core and essential effort in the knowledge on the business process and workflow is lost.

Usually customer do not know what they really want. Seldom the case they are not clear what they want. To the developer, customers could be redefined as end user and client.

End user will be the front end people using the supposedly user friend system. Seldom the case, end users only wants a certain features or gadget as used by others but not bother with the whole requirement.

While client are manager having control or influence over the initiation, direction or progress of the project. They are important because clients hold the purse to pay developers. Client requirement have to be made known to the developer. Client's can be fickle minded too.

An inexperienced and lacking knowledgeable client only will assure the eventual failure. A 2005 study by The Standish Group concluded that 70% of software project fail.

Seldom the case, the problems in software development (for that matter system development too) arise from "Poorly written requirements, unrealistic schedules, inadequate testing, adding new features after development is underway and poor communication." [read it on here]

The problem is not so much technical as in the machine, programming, software or integration but the bulk of the problem lies with the people and management issue. The responsibility lies with the final decision maker among the clients.

Did he or she made well informed decision? Have they taken account of all the factors and risk possibilities? Does the decision maker listen well or heed warning or issues raised by their subordinates?

Fickle client


We use to be a shareholder in an SI company. It is common to hear clients say things really irritating on a latter date. "If I’d known the real price, I’d never have agreed,” they say.

There are those that said, "It’s no use delivering it now, we needed it last so and so date!” Another version of their complain sounded like this "OK, so it works, but the installation was such a mess my staff will never trust it.” or "I didn’t want it in the first place.”

New bosses enter a government organisation and they come in with some new idea/s or ulterior motive/s. It is common in Malaysia to hear "Everything has changed now, we need a completely different system" so spent some more of peoples' money.

The IT companies will react. “We built what they said they wanted." It is quite common to hear they say, “There wasn’t enough time to do it any better.” Most common would be “Don’t blame me, coz it is them that listed the requirement in such manner."

In certain cases where client came to developers for problem on a system designed by other, the answer would be “How can I fix it? I don’t know how it’s supposed to work."

The IT management in Maybank was a client that would have the vendors scream, "We said it was impossible, but no-one listened." It is also possible that "The system is fine. The users are the problem." That will be the issue to be raised on system supplied to government.

So one of the most common recurring problem in development is knowing what the client want. Taking out of a website here, their advice is:
Clear Initial Requirements

Before starting any development project one must clearly know what the client’s requirements are. Unfortunately sometimes what the client wants is not what the client needs. It is the job of the system analyst to identify the requirements.
This does not mean that the client does not know what he wants from a system but it’s often the case that the clients describes the system how it can solve the current problem.
The system analyst must make sure to clearly understand the problem, the workflow that is leading to this problem and to identify ways how the system can work to solve the current problem while optimising other workflows.

The solution is to have one person who is in charge to write the requirements document, .... sometimes taken for granted due to time constraints or budgets.
Read on here.
IS development


From an operational viewpoint, we move to IS development itself. A website on a thesis written [read here] highlighted the problems that lead to The Standish Report claim that 75% of all IS development failed.

The important issues are low productivity, a large number of failures, and an inadequate alignment of ISs with business needs.

Low productivity in IS is in the areas of development backlog and maintenance problems. Demands for building new or improved ISs have increased faster than the ability to develop them.

A large number of outright failures are due to economical mismatches, such as budget and schedule overruns. Often it is due to poor product quality and insufficient user satisfaction.

The Standish Group survey for 1995 found only 16% of all projects are delivered on time and within their budget, 31% of projects were canceled prior to completion and the majority, 53%, are completed but over budget and offer less functionality than originally specified.

From the business point of view, there has been growing criticism of the poor alignment of ISs and business needs. An increasing part of organizations’ resources are spent on recording, searching, refining and analyzing information.

Then, each generation has brought new application areas as well as extended functionality leading to larger systems, which are harder to design, construct and maintain.

All in all, it seems to be commonly recognized that IS development is not satisfying organizations’ needs, whether they are technical, economical, or behavioral.

In conclusion, IS problems goes back to human and knowledge. So it is not so much about machine, or technology but the management by human to put knowledge and machines to work in synchronicity.
 
All leads back to the Maybank issue [read here, here, here and here for an active on-going debate] and a return to an issue this blog had pursued before at the tender stage.

The other issue to come next week. Which organisation now?
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Over-representation without taxation

April 19, 2015, 8:49 pm
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As far as the new Goods and Services Tax (GST), we are for it.

Theoretically, it is a fairer taxation system than the current situation in which only 2.3% of the 13.3 million voters pay taxes.

The Boston Tea Party of 1776 was about the colonial protesting against "taxation without representation." [Read about it here.] In Malaysia, the situation is the other way around. It is over-representation without taxation.

Non tax payers and tax evaders with no sense responsibility asking for endless help from government without taking up their fair share of responsibility for the nation.

The point will be further understood with the fact that government is reliant on income tax and excise tax for revenue. The bulk of government revenue come from income tax in which 65-70% is contributed by Petronas and GLC.

Basically, Government raised it's own revenue through businesses and that money is used to run the nation. Since Government can function on it's own, it seems far fetch but Government does not need representation or to have a democratic system to function.

No worry we are not going to agree on that. However, it's citizen must play their part and stop demanding abolishment of GST by threatening through through the ballot box.Till it is election time, Government must be allowed to govern accordingly.

GST forever

If Pakatan Rakyat were to take over government, believe us, they will not abolish GST. Like many of the promises they made before the election, they had negate on many promises to abolish many of the suitable and advantageous policies of the previous BN state government.


In 1994, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim admitted that GST is a fair tax system.

All previous administrations since 1984 had no political will to implement. It is only Dato Najib's administration that dare to take up the challenge of restructuring government finances including reducing government's subsidy expenses.

One staggering figure is the annual subsidy to IPP in order to maintain electricity at a reasonable level. The figure being bandied around is RM19 billion. It is not us that said it but DAP. [Read Lim Guan Eng in 2011 TMI report here].

Something had to be done and at the same time ensure electricity remain affordable to the consumer. And, something had to be done to maintain government finances in a realististic level.


More than 75% of Government tax revenue comes from direct tax in which individual's tax contribution is between 10-12%. So much for seeking more representation with taxation.
 
Top level income tax was once in the region of 30-40% but that rate had to be realistically taken down and it has been brought down to within 25%. Corporate tax had been brought down much lower rate to be competitive with the region.

Reality bites

The nation cannot depend on Petronas alone for oil royalty, and income tax anymore. Their business is more challenging. Oil fields in Malaysia are merely marginal fields and require investments, huge amount of investment and assuming of political risk.

It is also unrealistic to expect Government to slash budget drastically. Subsidy can only be further reduced upon the higher income model to work. The average income increase is still going at snail's pace. Believed Dato Abdul Wahid Omar mentioned a figure of less than 4%.

Pushing for higher income is not as simple. It attracts inflation and also inflate government budget. Currently it is the income at the higher bracket that is experiencing marked increases but not the lower end.

The Government don't seem to have the political will to institute minimum wage. Someone should find out whether the minimum wage for Government servant is above poverty level. This could be their fear of wanting minimum wage.

GST is one way of raising a source of revenue for Government. Contrary to what was said by Dato Ahmad Maslan, all Malaysian that consume goods or service pay a percentage of the consumption to the Government.

Naturally, what is good for Government is not necessarily good for the people.

However, there are certain features of Malaysian GST that is sensitive to the people. A long list of consumable goods and services are exempted from GST. It makes the system cranky because other country charges almost across the board for all items.


By right, GST at 6% should be lower than SST that was previously charged. Most goods should be lower.

Unfortunately, Information Department fail to understand traders and small businessmen mentality. They are not willing to cough out the cash to pay for the initial GST and wait for the refund but charges the consumers.

There is also that so-called conspiracy theory that Chinese traders and shopkeepers have gang up to agree to not lower prices but squeeze on the consumers. Malaysian consumers are too timid to use their rights as consumer to not boycott goods or shops.

Presuming all Chinese were to vote DAP and Pakatan Rakyat, it is believed that DAP wanted to create a sense of anger among voters towards Government. The anger from Government sqeezing into their pocket. 

Pakatan Rakyat activist had campaigned against GST by saying that the increase against GST will be at many level thus the increase will be more than 6%. People realise Pakatan Rakyat is right when they see a packet of 5 Maggi Mee of RM2.50 has shot up to RM4.50. [Not exact but about there]

Mistake and Problematic

This had put the Government in a difficult situation.

In the first place, traders' refusal to cooperate is expected. If not because of DAP, it had always been the kiasu, opportunist and penny pinching attitude of selfish Malaysians to take advantage of situations without consideration for others.

Malaysian government is good at developing laws and policies but dulu, kini dan selamanya poor at implimenting the strategy laid out. Too many compromises and adjustment for political expediencies.

System will usually cock up in the initial stage. Sin Chew's Deputy Executive Chief Editor said GST was problematic because "Government system is inefficient and our income gap is big." Most Government Department were ill-prepared.

The usual blame would be the lack of information problem. The GST penerangan have been going on for two years and so it is not an excuse. Maybe there is the problem of a certain agency focusing only on UMNO Divisions and hoping the Division Information service will do it's work.

To say that the pre-implimentation engagement had not been done is also not correct. The discussion had been going on for 30 years!

Another perpetual weakness of Government machinery is enforcement. It is laden with corrupt and low paying government officers.

Knowing that system usually cock-up and Malaysians only bother to find out, give feed back and complain at the last minute, it should not have started at full blast. Do so for a certain category of goods and gradually cover all.

To lessen the impact from profiteering and shock to the economic system, the rate should come in at a lower rate first. Say 3% and gradually raise it to 6%, but the public must be made aware that the rate should be 6% but only starting at 3%. In the meanwhile, get the enforcement to adjust and running. 

Another suggestion posed was to focus GST on the import and export sector. Malaysia is the 16th biggest trading nation in the world. A good system had managed to raise about RM36 billion of indirect taxes from excise tax, SST, etc.

The focus should have been focus at getting GST revenue from product and services related to import and export.

There are many loopholes and leaks in the system and corrupt customs officer have been enriching themselves by taking bribe to take advantage of loopholes and leaks. The top officials resist any attempt to cover-up.

It is said that once traders are confident of receiving the rebate from the GST output tax then prices will stabilise or lower again within 3 months.

In developed countries, government are less reliance on income tax and depend more on consumption tax and GST. Tax rate are usually in the teens.

Re-lowering of prices and lower income tax will be the tomorrow both government and public hope will happen. Will tomorrow come?
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In Malaysia, there exist pro-censorship liberals

April 20, 2015, 10:51 pm
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Free Malaysia Today gave space to report Dato Saifuddin Abdullah call for media editor to censor those they dubbed as "extremist". [Read here.]

That got a response from UIA lawyer at Zulrafique and Partners with a Masters from Cambridge, Lukman Sheriff Alias. In his FB , he criticised the hypocrasy in the views taken by liberals in the likes of Saifuddin. His FB posting below:

To the liberals their views should not be censored as they are exercising the right of free speech and expression. They have long argued that any restriction of their right to free speech is unconstitutional and illegal.

For the past few years they have thus spoke on everything. There is no sacred cow: from religion to race to anything against the constitution. This is part of free speech. No barrier and limits. 

Thus to them for example it's perfectly alright to promote secession of our country despite it being against our constitution. It's acceptable to insult our Sultan or many long held traditions of muslims as part of free speech. It's also fine to fabricate lies against our religious authorities as its part of free speech. Those on receiving end they reminded must learn to tolerate opposing views. These are not extreme views.

This is the new Malaysia to them. The moderate Malaysia. And they pursued their agenda and even succeeding in pushing us to the left.

But every action there is a reaction. 

Many are unhappy with the numerous challenges by the left to the time tested values of our social cohesion. The current result is a scenario opposite to what they had ever fathomed. We not only now strengthened the Sedition Act and enacted POTA, but on the verge of enacting Hudud which they dread so much.

Their modus operandi is simple. Categorise themselves as moderates and those who disagree as extremists. They decide and dictate who are moderates and extremists. 

So even though they are against sedition act, they have in no uncertain terms ensured that Isma be charged for sedition in uttering the word "pendatang" or migrant.

So as the nation is moving to the right, they are now left with fewer options. They now have decided to restrict and censor the views of whom they arbitrarily call extremists. They have called on editors of the media not to provide coverage so as their views become dominant. 


This is what freedom of speech has boiled down to for them. An incoherent or hypocritical logic of principles. A malicious devious manipulation of media for their self serving purpose. This is what moderates mean in Malaysia.


Go to the FB here for the ensuing discussion
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MUSICAL INTERLUDE: I'm so lonesome I could cry

April 22, 2015, 6:21 am
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Hear that lonesome whippoorwill,
He sounds too blue to fly.
The midnight train is whining low,
I'm so lonesome I could cry.

I've never seen a night so long
When time goes crawling by.
The moon just went behind the clouds
To hide its face and cry.

Did you ever see a robin weep,
When leaves begin to die
That means he's lost the will to live,
I'm so lonesome I could cry.

The silence of a falling star
Lights up a purple sky.
And as I wonder where you are
I'm so lonesome I could cry.

Songwriters: WILLIAMS, SR., HANK / WILLIAMS, SR., HANK



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Can the 10,000 demand for truth, apology and compensation too?

April 22, 2015, 11:08 pm
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Bigdog's latest posting here is on the family and relatives of 24 men killed by British troops in Malaya in 1948.

The families brought the matter to British Supreme Court for the five judges to considering "whether the UK has a duty under human rights laws to investigate the shooting of villagers at Batang Kali". 

In his argument, Bigdog felt that it is an impractical enquiry and best to let bygones be bygones. Because what about the 10,000 souls killed or disappeared under the atrocities of the Malayan Communist Party?

Do they demand on China which can now afford to pay the compensation? If not China, the successor-in-title? Who will that be?


MCP is an illegal organisation and was deregistered upon the emergency. Since then, it has no legal existence. Will the demand be made on the family and kin of those involved with MCP? 

Perhaps, demand on organisation that attracted the former MCP or sympathisers of the MCP. There is many that express support and sympathy for Chin Peng in his dying days to demand his return to Malaya. 

There was DAP, and the Pakatan Rakyat "component" parties namely PKR and PAS. There was Bar Council, Bersih component NGO etc. Quite sure Bersih's Maria Chin Abdullah supported his return as her late husband is a communist activist.

It may not be legally admissable but there is the moral justification.

Why not sue the British too? They were the one that armed the MPAJA ie Communist to fight the Japanese. It was the British that met Lai Tek and made a pact to train and armed them.

Out of the 10,000 victims; Malays, Chinese and many others races; there are those with dependents. For the soldiers, their family depended on father for livelihood and the family may had to struggle live on. 

Read here for many incidents of communist terrorist.

May 13 1969



The  communist atrocities did not just ended with the end of the peace pact in 1986. 

Along the way, they had infiltrated organisations like Parti Buruh, Gerakan and DAP that were the instigators behind the May 13 1969 racial riots in Kuala Lumpur. 

It started out with the provocation done by these political parties.

Some may say provocation does not kill. But how about the massacre in Sentul cinema in which attendants were locked in and communist terrorist were murdering the inncocent men, women and children.

The provocation was meant to incite and as a result more than 300 lives of gullible and innocent Malays and Chinese were lost. 

Maybe the 300 families should seek truth and apology together with compensation. It should be from the 3 political parties that accomodated the MCPs. 

Dr Kua Kia Soong claim there is more. Then let all victims make their claim.

He said the British and other Embassies together with foreign journalist seem to know more than security authorities of Malaysia. 

So let us drag all these parties to court to demand they reveal what document and proof they have so that the truth, apology and compensation can be realised.

Don't forget the wiseguy Kia Soong.  

Take him to court and make sure he has the proofs. Lots of family are demanding for the lives and life lost especially with property prices exorbitantly unaffordable for these old folks.

Otherwise, sue him for defamation. After all, every other person are taking someone to court these days for financial compensation.
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The issue boils down to 1MDB

April 23, 2015, 11:30 pm
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Tun Mahathir's last word on 1MDB in the supposedly private session with bloggers on April 10th was "If I don't believe it is true, I wouldn't do it."

He emphasised, "I have no agenda against Najib. My agenda is about this country."

That was not the last question for the day. As told by a blogger who was there, it was Rocky's. He said Najib repeatedly said he still respect Tun so will they meet.

Tun's replied, "I will still disagree with him.

"It is not personal between him and me. What he did is wrong ..."

The same question repeated in a movie title like manner. "Masih ada lagikah sinar harapan?"

"I have tried and tried ..." but Najib wouldn't listen.

If this is the tone of the message, forget that this is merely an act to prop up Najib. Rafizi was telling his people to not get caught. It could be Tun shielding attention from opposition and setting the ball for Najib to spike.

Dilemma

It was after this meeting that Tun M repeated saying of "feeling alone" [read here and here]. He could be slighted by the heavy opposition-like criticism against him from certain pro-UMNO cybertrooper, the new JASA team under Dr Puad Zarkashi, and allegedly Dato Habibur Rahman-orchestrated mainstream media onslaught.

That brought a teasing assurance from Tan Sri Muhyiddin. While it was not on the subject of his dispute with Najib, it was spinned conveniently along the conspiracy of Muhyiddin seizing power. That accusation is a convenience for being the most likely to benefit from a Najib resignation.

Actually, the attack on Tun M only made him stronger and attracts much support and sympathy. Though one reporter estimated that at best Tun M's support from the Ketua Bahagian is 30%, he is comfortable where he is.


That only made many feeling alone.

On one side, some are still trying to understand whether it is a real fight. General election is drawing near and time is opportunistic for BN to get their act together but now UMNO has an internal fight between Najib and Tun M.

The sense of frustration can be heard from the active party workers and volunteers. Some felt that other than Najib, there is no better choice.

Muhyiddin should be a natural replacement in the UMNO tradition but he is handicapped by his age, exposure and lacking in political support within UMNO. It only makes him a weak President.

One Johorean still fresh with his grouses against Muhyiddin during his MB-ship said his skeletons will turn up.

Let us not even discuss Dato Dr Zahid Hamidi, or Dato Hishamuddin or Dato Shafie Apdal. Khairy has to wait till he has experience beyond heading a Ministry for Sports and Youth. Dato Mukhriz has yet to strengthen his foothold in UMNO.

The Tun M fanatics and pro-Najibs are already at each others' throat.

It is the Tun M supporters but have been helping Najib that is feeling lonely and in a dilemma. They appreciate and agree with the issues by Tun M on poor GE13 campaign strategy and execution, Malay neglect issues, breakdown of the civil servants, Pemandu, etc. It was issues they may have expressed with Tun M but was then responded with a "can't be me still toppling PMs" answer. 

However, there was a shock reaction when Tun M raised the issue of Sirul. [read here]. It was a politically motivated cause attempted by PAS's Dato Mahfuz Omar but was shot down by the keyboard warriors.

In his posting [read here and here], he explained himself for feeling sympathetic towards Sirul and various allegations hurled at him.

And, there was a view that Tun M was repeating his same line of attack and repeating the same project he mentioned in his attack against Pak Lah.

Answer


Tun M was clear.

From the beginning, Tun M was asking Najib to answer issues raised by the public and that raised by  opposition but gaining attention of UMNO grassroot. Najib answered on TV and he did left some questions and issues unanswered. It only brought more criticism. [read here]

The TV was not well planned. For 45 minutes, there was only so much that can be covered. Wonder who was the idiot that insisted Hamdan Ahamu take up time with condolence for late JJ?

The UMNO reaction to Tun M was generic and predictably old school. The stream of support does not divert public attention from the need to answer. Yo ... this the new millenium, the second decade of new millenium. Use different trick la ... [read Tun M comment here]

After the interview, there were appreciative response.

Najib had explain or at least touch base with all aspect of the issues raised and they concluded that the differences between Tun M and Najib were merely different leaders for different era with different condition and environment.

Tun M fanatics insist Najib did not answer the pertinent questions. That only convince more to side with Tun M.

However, the question remains as to what then is the issue or issues that warrants Tun M to insist on Najib's removal.

As Tun M wrote [read here], it was not the crooked bridge. Tun M was unhappy with the double tracking but that was Pak Lah's cardinal mistake. Malay issues was only raised after the bloggers' meeting.

GST and BR1M looked to be side issues because it is difference of economic management philosophy. However, knowing Tun M, it has it's relevance and serve to reinforce a more significant message.

One supporter after of Tun M alerted us that before April 24th, there will be a bomb released. That is only a day before Tun M will be reappearing at Kelab Taman Melawati (now called the K Klub).

It was at this club that Tun M started his fight that brought down Pak Lah. Only this time the faces are different. Raja Petra is in London. Zaharin Yassin is batting for Najib. But the same kedai kopi gang that started it then has evolved.

After changing venues from the Mahbol in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, it moved to Kayu in Kota Damansara and now comfortably residing at Nagas next to PWTC. Conveniently the gang is now called Parlimen Nagas and have a Facebook.

Yesterday, Tun M posted a bomb of an issue on 1MDB [read here].

He said there is an unexplained RM27 billion that disappeared. Though more accounting details need to be looked into, that simple accounting salient point will be a useful crying call. It stopped the complain and discussion on Tun M for implicating Datin Seri Rosmah.

He also confidently acknowledged an allegation by Sarawak Report, a day earlier that alleged account document for BSI is a fake. If the Sarawak Report is true, it may lead to the suspicion that second tranche of money from the Petrosaudi investment had been absconded.

FMT analysed the 1MDB issues raised by Tun M's [read here]. By the look of it, the straw that broke the camel's back has to be 1MDB.

One media practitioner had a private close door discussion with 1MDB's first CEO, Dato Shahrol back in 2009 in Concorde KL. He said Shahrol was told point blank that the manner they are operating were strange and unconventional.

Someone present told him that 1MDB can bring Najib down. 


At the Invest Malaysia conference, Najib said he is not alone. He has the support and expressed confidence with the Malaysian economy.

Someone was saying he will be explaining the 1MDB issue in detail soon. It is a matter of a week or two. Heard also there will be a bomb exploding by the Najib side but it will not be a blowing anyone or blog posting by anyone.

With yesterday's posting by Tun M, it looks like "tiada lagi sinar harapan"between both of them.

Najib will likely survive with 70% of Division Head still loyal to party leadership. When 30% with Tun M heading the fight tries to bring down the 70%, it will be a showdown. Maybe the showdown will be at the next party election in 2016. But maybe not that long.

What will happen to UMNO? That question only made many rethink before taking sides.
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Permatang Pauh saga continues

April 27, 2015, 1:47 am
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Upon entering Permatang Pauh and going under a highway, spread a banner that reads in Penang accent "Pi Mai Pi Mai ... Istana Segambut."

That epitomise the problem here. Everytime there is a problem with "the" family, the people of Permatang Pauh kept getting dragged into one by-election after another. Subsequently, they return to their big home in Segambut, Kuala Lumpur to continue the family's political saga at a national level.

In Permatang Pauh, the UMNO left by Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim is left in a turmoil. One Division head after another seemed to be haunted by the ghost left by Anwar in UMNO. The party and machinery continue to be stunted by the aura of Anwar.

This time there is a chance to shed this bad luck of Anwar off. But, it is still not likely to be sufficient to win.


Although the feud between Tun Mahathir against Dato Najib is intensifying, Pakatan Rakyat led by Anwar is now in a turmoil. Though remote to win, BN candidate, Suhami Sabuddin have a change the sentiment.

PAS is in loggerhead with PKR and DAP due to the hudud and Anwar's interference into PAS politics. In the absence of the imprisoned Anwar, DAP has taken over to finance the PASMA rebel.

After being persuaded to return and help, Permatang Pauh's Pas Youth announced stop work and expressing dismay for the insult leveled by AMK toward PAS President Haji Hadi. PAS votes could account for 15% of voters.

In PKR, there is a rivalry building up between Azmin and Wan Azizah.

Azmin wants to rejuvenate the party and leave the ghost of Anwar and family behind. He was hoping for a younger candidate for Permatang Pauh.


Azmin should be worried with a Wan Azizah win Permatang Pauh. Not so much as her poor performance as state assemblymen in Kajang but her win will delay his rise to the top in PKR.

He is already 51 and had he been an American, he could have been President.

President Obama is 41.  

A win will make her the new opposition leader and grassroot will see that as strength. That is unless her majority is lower. UMNO's candidate is only 41 and young.

However, it is not plain sailing for UMNO.

Anyone familiar with the mamak-laden Penang UMNO knows they do the worst cah keting. Unlike other places, Penang UMNO could sabotage their own faction member and close associate.

As it is, there are something like 6 factions inside UMNO Permatang Pauh.

Optimism is still there for Wan Azizah's candidacy. But this time around, she can't take loyalty for granted. The picture of herself with Anwar on banners and buntings cannot be taken for granted to deliver votes.

At 63, Wan Azizah is dubbed the recycle candidate. Challenger Suhaimi is only 41.

PAS expressed openly their disagreement with her candidacy on the principle of opposing nepotism practise. That was spinned as disagreement on matter of hudud and there was a polemic on who apologise to whom and for what reason.

Time has changed.

The excitement and euphoria for Anwar is not like before. While neither BN nor Pakatan Rakyat toyed with the sodomy issue, quite a fraction of the fanatic Permatang Pauh voters, especially PAS members, begin to realise he did it.

The influence of the Al Nahduh religious school in Kubang Semang, Permatang Pauh is wearing off.

That was Anwar's psywar nerve centre and it was used to defend him against his liwat case. The support of a popular religous institution was important in a rural setting of Permatang Pauh.

The local ustaz operating the centre could draw crowd in the tens of thousands. Anwar finance the school for his selfish political purpose and that caused the break up of the two ustaz partnership.


The bigger issue to face Wan Azizah will be her commitment to address the increasing problems due to urbanisation creeping into Permatang Pauh.

Despite situated close to the first Penang bridge, Permatang Pauh remain as a kampong backwater to the city island of Penang. It is part of the highway-laden Seberang Prai which is a crossroad for highway traffic to Penang, North-South Expressway and single-lane country roads to southern Kedah.

Having a former Deputy Prime Minister hardly made a difference. If not for federal effort to establish UITM, Seberang Jaya and Bandar Perda during Anwar's absence, Permatang Pauh woul dhave been totally neglected. Penang government done nothing.

As Wanita UMNO Chief Dato Shahrizat Jalil said in her speech, clock stopped for 17 years. There is some spillover from the island but early signs of urbanisation creeping into the kampongs is not expected to be beneficial to the locals.

Tom Yam eateries, Chinese owned workshop for heavy machinery and small factories sits between the kampong homes. In Tanah Liat, the padi fields are fast being taken over by industries and high rise can be seen in the horizon. Many stories abound of kampong folks losing their land to the trickery of developers or brokers.

A source said the problem have been raised to Anwar but he ignored as he does not wish to rock his good political relation with Lim Guan Eng. A family member was reminded of the neglect problem of Permatang Pauh but her response was only they will talk to Guan Eng.

What have the family been doing all these years?


Anwar and Wan Azizah have been winning Permatang Pauh with huge margin of 10-16,000 voters and about 55-65% of the votes. With DAP's backing, the Chinese votes is expected to be solid 20% for PKR.

The 15% PAS voters is assumed to not come out.

Indications are that some regular PKR voters are tired with "the" family saga but even though there could be a 5-10% shift in PKR regular voters to Suhaimi, UMNO must ensure that it's hardcore will come out to vote to give them a fighting chance.  

Kalau kalah, biar mati accident for trying.

Now, can Suhaimi avoid a sabotage and garner the support of old warlords like Jalil, Ahmad Saad, Arif Shah, and others to create the history he like to make for Permatang Pauh?

Rumours has it that even his division head, Cikgu Zaidi, who was willing to concede candidacy to Suhaimi, will sabotage should a Suhaimi win makes him insecure.
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Nothing personal, strictly accounting

April 28, 2015, 11:10 pm
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Tun Mahathir is appearing at the Dewan Tunku Syed Putra, Universiti Sains Malaysia Penang this morning to deliver a talk entitled "Youth and Nation Building". Glad that Dato Najib didn't play rough to block or get someone to sabotage his event.

Tun M's presence is welcomed by the "PASMA" faction and Information Chief of PAS, Dato Mahfudz Omar. In Harakah Daily here, he hoped Tun M would use the occasion to explain on his position on GST and 1MDB.

His intention is not so much as for issues to help the nation building by oftenly described by the cliche "future leader of tomorrow." Mahfuz is more keen to see the issues helped PKR in Permatang Pauh.

Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah will win but her campaign is struggling. She is banking on GST and 1MDB to lift her out of her doldrum [read MMO here]. PKR and DAP already managed to get the Anwarinas to force on Penang PAS Youth to gave a statement of support. [Read The Unspinners' latest here and here]

Concerned Tun M supporters are worried that it will only attract criticism that he is helping the opposition and it will invite continued personal attack against him. It is disheartening to see him treated this way late in his age.

There are already rational and unemotional views (not the cybertrooper level of tirades type) that have openly expressed lost of respect for him [read this blog here]. This was once a Tun M supporter and defender [read here].

Quite a few orang UMNO - be it pro Najib or not - had no issue with the differences of view on policies and even 1MDB or GST. They turned sceptic when Tun M took personal swipe at Dato Najib's family and insinuate involvement in the death of Altantunya. They thought Tun M had gone personal.

But who is to tell Tun M that? None of his concerned supporters dare tell him to stick to the real policy issue.

As Joceline Tan wrote in her weekend column here, there are among supporter-bloggers that attended briefing that were not convinced. For one, the missing RM27 billon of 1MDB fund seemed bizarre and more typical of Outsyed The Box style of spinning numbers.

More forthcoming

The Unspinners published latest balance sheet summary here.



2011-2013



2013-2014

A quick look shows all the asset item are accounted for. Off course, more need to be seen.

Furthermore, the current auditor had certified and sign the 2013 and 2014 accounts. A quick check on SSM online revealed that 1MDB have been regularly submitting their audited accounts to SSM. This is in contrary to claims by a Kelab Che Det (KCD) officials.

KCD can be a fanatic lots but they lack substance in defending Tun M. In the latest questions replying allegations against Tun M and questions on Tun M's reply, they could only argue that Tun M does not say or do anything unless he is sure.

True but it requires more than that. It requires facts, non-debatable facts. Critics will still see questions as making allegations.

Thus far, Dr Puad Zarkashi has a basis to say no proof of the allegations have been presented. That is along this blog's issue that most allegations (including questions) are based on anonymous sources.

Soros funded through Global Witness, Sarawak report kept claiming they have documents, correspondance, and evidences but not it is published. At one time, they cannot not publish even unrelated documents.

In a chance meeting with an insider in a certain high office, he repeated the same argument. Tun M would not do things without knowing the full details. He said there is something wrong and it is giving Najib headache.

If that is anything to go by, then Tun M will only have more to reveal.

Auditor statement

With this posting, hopefully Tun M will provide more to clarity certain issues.

Maybe reply and teach this hard-hitting posting here by dentistry-trained Tun Faisal that have gone viral on the social media. His first observation was Tun M had earlier said or wrote that RM42 billion dissappeared but now say it is RM27 billion.

An email response to The Unspinners got us the full accounts of 1MDB. The first shock that we got was the front page had a chop saying accounts in unqualified.



In both the Auditor comments, it seemed pretty standard included the following clause (b):

Except for 2013 had the following clause:


Mentioned is "obtaining sufficient appropriate audit evidence" and"do not contain misstatements".

Unless there are evidences and the Auditor General should point it out, then Deloitte could be in for Enron II scandal. Otherwise, the "unqualified" audited accounts should be taken as good.

Changing Auditor

The change in auditor from KPMG to Delotte for the 2013 accounts triggered suspicions. This is quite usual in the stock market whenever anyone change auditors there will be analyst finding out why?

Is there hanky panky going and accounting treatment looks suspicious that resulted in the accounts not signed by the auditors thus they had to redo the auditing by another auditor?

On the other side, some auditors can be, to borrow Outsyed The Box term, dunggu.

They could be stubborn as to not sign the accounts just because they do not understand certain accounting treatment. The auditors entering office premises and going through company's private books are junior ones but company financial controllers and CFO are senior people, probably ex-auditors.

Definitely, should these accounts be untrue, then it is trouble for 1MDB.

Financial notes

The important material in any analysis of the account is to know the accounting policies and notes to the accounts. That could help to uncover where the so-called money of RM27 billion that had disappeared but appearing in some bogus items.

That will be too lengthy so we keep it strictly to the asset side of the financial notes and the big items. The smaller items won't add up to RM27 billion. That is to be left to some NGO accountants to nitpick and split hair over.

Read on:

Note 12: Property, plant and equipments





 Note 13: Investment properties



Note 14: Investment in subsidiaries




Note 17: Service concession receivables



Note 18: Available-for-sale investments






Note 23: Other receivables, deposits and pre-payments


Note 24: Intangible assets




Those wanting more details should just pay a visit to SSM. The cost for company search is RM20 per company. Non CTC print is RM1 per copy and CTC is RM5 per copy.

Quite sure Tun M has all the facts and details to explain how the RM23 billion that was accounted for had disappeared.

The accounting tricks and play of definition, done along the law is both a science and art that resembles the card tricks of gamblers in Las Vegas and Monaco. Mere mortals like us non KCD will not be able to see.

Usually after his first round of appearances, where Tun M would stick to a set of scrip and repeat to a set of lines, he would add more materials. More sordid happenings will be revealed as he goes along.

The nation, especially Najib's office will be waiting with abated breath.

Even if Najib is not ousted and all these is a kepong trick to safeguard BBN, Najib should at least realised how terrible are the highly paid and so-called brilliant (but lack experience and dedication) young executives in 1MDB are getting out smarted by an almost 90 year old doctor.
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Why still no Jho Loh lawsuit against NY Times?

April 29, 2015, 9:30 pm
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Interesting quote from Jho Loh in SCMP here

The last time this blog wrote on Taek Jho Loh or Jho Loh was on February 12th here. It wasn't about Jho Loh and his lifestyle or business network but on the exposure by the New York Times. It widely available out there but make sure to read the first publicity of Jho Loh by New York Post [read here].

The NYT article [read here] was a blatant spin to smear him. Separated and disjointed events were written in one story telling style article to mislead the readers into believing it is all linked together. A similar style of propaganda and news spin in Sarawak Report that was used by other pro-opposition sites as reference.

That is another propaganda method. One party create the slanderous report. Then other media and online news portal use and quote them as though it is a reliable reference from legitimate source.
 
Jho Loh was urged to sue New York Times and by right, should sue Sarawak Report too. Till today, no news of any lawsuit by Jho Joh. It is just like 1MDB's silence to the public enquiry. Unlike 1MDB, which should be coming out to reply soon, Jho Loh should sue to clean his "good" name.

Didn't he say "I've never done anything illegal"?

Jho Loh have since gave an interview with Euromoney and The Edge but that is self serving.

He is not a politician and uninterested to be a winnable candidate but only wants to clean his name and remain as a "bankable" businessman.

To get public attention and support, he picked on a Pemuda UMNO leader and painted them as racist and spinners. How convenient?

Instead of picking on Pemuda UMNO which was voicing the concern of the masses and only make logical sense to demand answers, Jho Loh should be picking on The Edge, TMI, MMO, Kinibiz, The Star, NYT and Sarawak Report for making unsubstantiated allegations based on anonymous sources.


The above network was established by all these efforts.

Sarawak Report's Clare Rewcastle is having her creative juice flowing as she claimed that USD500 million flowed from 1MDB direct to Jho Loh's company [read here]. Later she claimed another USD300 million was channeled too [read here].

No self respecting graduate of a Wharton School of Finance, University of Pennsylvania would do such a thing. Not even a local Malaysian graduate or reknown frugal and unschooled Penang Chinese businessmen would do such a thing. 

Maybe it is done in such complicated and sophisticated manner. 

SR had alleged in February that some USD700 million was diverted out of the IMDB-Petrosaudi deal [read here], presumably into Jho Loh's account. His foreigner collaborator has a Hollywood lifestyle with Lindsay Lohan as girlfriend [read here]. Sensational!

It seemed Jho Loh's international clientele is losing faith with him as Jho Loh's contact man was removed [read here]. Without divulging much, there could be some truth here as Arul was sent by tem to 1MDB to clean-up.  


SR and Rewcastle have been silence on Sarawak issues and more focus on Malaysian national issues such as 1MDB, Dato Najib, Datin Rosmah, PMO's Tom Staedlen etc.

Maybe she have not been getting information allegedly from pro-BN bloggers. They were responsible to leak the info so they discourage attempts to debunk SR.

However she did try to put Jho Loh at loggerhead with Pehin Sri Taib Mahmud's family. [read here and here]. TMI also have one here. That could possibly be the reason Jho Loh is being targetted.

No bother about his lifestyle of the rich and famous. One can search on SR here.

The fact that Jho Loh said he had not done anything illegal implies it does not mean he was innocent and sincere businesmen with such yearning to help the country by sponsoring Gangnam concert in Penang.

Maybe he can tell us something of his relation with the following person's husband:


Tengku Dato Rahimah Puteri Binti Al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah is the younger sister to Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, the former Yang Dipertuan Agong and now back as Sultan Terengganu, 

Tengku Rahimah is one of the early Directors of Terengganu Investment Agency that was the predecessor to 1MDB.

She lives in Ampang, Kuala Lumpur and used to work for HSBC London and Esso Malaysia. Currently, she sits on the Board of Puncak Niaga Berhad [see here] and involves with cultural work [read here].

The husband is said to have fled for Australia.

Jho Loh can also answer why and what happened at TIA then. That is the reason why this blog believed Jho Loh is a question that needs answer. Tun Mahathir also spoken about him.

Till he sue NYT and SR, public will judge him and 1MDB as guilty until innocent. To clean up 1MDB, the long arms of the law should do the necessary of Jho Loh.
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