Another Brick in the Wall

Tun Daim: BN used the wrong strategy in GE13

The Mole
Monday, May 27, 2013

"BN's strength lies in the rural areas. Yet too much time and money were wasted in urban areas where the results were almost certain."

KUALA LUMPUR: Barisan Nasional (BN) used the wrong strategy in the 13th general election, said former Finance Minister Tun Daim Zainuddin, and as a result was a blow to the coalition in spite of its victory.

Tun Daim made his remarks in an interview with China Press. An English translation of the interview was shared by blogger and veteran journalist A Kadir Jasin.

In the interview, Tun Daim answered questions about the results, the cause of BN's poor showing relative to 2008, the so-called "Chinese tsunami", and whether Prime Minister Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak is a "lame duck" prime minister.

Following is the full English translation of the interview, edited by The Mole:

China Press: Tun, what was first in your mind when you first received the full election result? Did you expect it?

Tun Daim: I wasn't surprised. At around 12 noon the feedback I got was that - BN 141, DAP 38 but my own assessment was BN between 125 and 135 only.

Do you think this election was a fair one? Opposition parties and NGOs still accused BN of misuse of government facilities, and the problematic integrity of the electoral roll.

Of course it was fair. If it was not fair, how come in Penang and Selangor Pakatan improved on majorities and Federal BN got only 133 seats?

These accusations are not new. They said all this even before the elections.

I said earlier that they would be saying all these because they know they can't get to Putrajaya.

Read my interviews before this, I said they would be proclaiming to world they would win and that if they don’t it’s because they have been robbed and therefore entitled to protest, incite people, which is that they are doing now, and they want people to go to the streets.

They want FRUs, water cannons and tear gas then CNN, Al Jazeera etc. will be back and they are back in the news.

Anwar and Kit Siang are inviting police to arrest them. They want to be arrested. They are totally irresponsible.

If you see the recent rallies and that the majority of the participants are Chinese, what do you think will happen if one hot-headed Malay organisation wants to organise a counter rally?

But Anwar and Kit Siang don't mind, if there is another interracial incident, they will blame BN. If you are willing to sacrifice peace and stability for your ends, what kind of leadership is this?

They say they should be the rightful leaders of this country, yet they defy laws, defy the police, and they have no respect for -- and undermine -- every institution of government which they say they should helm.

What kind of leadership promotes lawlessness and anarchy? What message do you send and what lessons do you teach the young and the impressionable?

Leadership comes with responsibility.

There are laws in this country. Go to court.

Of course, they say courts are not fair, yet these same courts have acquitted Anwar. Again when it’s convenient to them they go to the courts to sue and silence their detractors. They accept where they won and reject where they lost. They are selective.

Karpal practices and appeals before this same Court.

Be brave and honest. Accept the results. Karpal says he is happy with the results. PAS has accepted them.

Azmin is critical of Anwar’s refusal to accept the results and doing these rallies, but don't read too much into his statements. It’s like an old married couple’s quarrel, one party merajuk (sulks) but in the end they are still together.

Anwar is already up to his tricks -- putting out feelers to Barisan MPs. He is waiting after the Cabinet appointments for another round of his Sept 16.

As expected in our last interview, BN managed to retain Putrajaya but couldn't regain the two-thirds majority. What are the main reasons?

Really you should ask BN.

But in my opinion, it was the wrong strategy. As I’ve said before, this was a parliamentary election, not a presidential election.

The PM's advisors should be sacked. If you associate a vote for BN with a vote for him, then BN's poorer results reflect on him too.

I kept reminding them that those huge numbers at BN’s ceramahs do not translate into votes. You don’t try to fight his (Anwar’s) numbers with your even bigger numbers.

Let Anwar be the entertainer (borrowing from The Financial Times). We are not entertainers, we don’t know how to sing, dance and tell jokes. It’s a serious business electing a government, so let's leave this clown’s strategy alone and not play his game.

If I know, then surely BN knows that the Chinese majority areas were gone. Why waste time and money?

As a strategy, you should concentrate on those areas where you lost by slim majorities in 2008 and strengthen the seats you won in 2008. There was also the question of choice of candidates, and for example in Pandan, why be petty?

Many people disputed that there was a Chinese tsunami. But there was, in the sense that Chinese voters voted en bloc whilst non-Chinese votes were split.

But this is their right. This is democracy.

What was disturbing was the reason for the en-bloc votes. Pakatan preached hatred for BN, particularly UMNO. The DAP has always told the Chinese that they are victims, marginalised; that the cup they have is always half empty; that this is the time to teach the MCA and Gerakan a lesson for being under UMNO’s control, that UMNO (and by extension the Malays) is dominant, and this is a Malay-led government, and the Chinese, by voting out all the Chinese parties in BN, are saying that they have had enough of being bullied by UMNO/ Malays.

If this is not racist, I don’t know what is.

Their cybertroopers were at work, 24 hours a day, sending misinformation, spin, rumours, lies, untruths etc. Where were the 'Banglas'? Where was the blackout? How many people whose ink washed off voted twice? Tun M flew away in a private jet?

Lies and lies and the Chinese believe in "Ubah" and "Ini Kali Lah".

I told you if the Chinese rejected Najib's leadership, the rural votes would swing to BN.

The DAP benefited the most. PAS, I do not know how it is going to reorganise itself. PKR we know practices nepotism, just ask Azmin.

As for the Indian votes, only some Indians votes came back to BN.

Koh Tsu Koon has announced his retirement. Chua Soi Lek is not seeking re-election. In the West you lose, you retire. Brown retired. Here they are not morally strong enough to quit. Anwar stays on, Kit Siang stays on, Hadi stays on.

Let me remind you, Anwar said he would retire if he failed to get to Putrajaya. Anwar does not keep his word. He will never retire, until the day he is on his deathbed he will still want to be PM.

Let’s recognise that nowhere in world is it easy to get a two-thirds majority. Urban voters everywhere in the world are anti-government. BN's strength lies in the rural areas. Yet too much time and money were wasted in urban areas where the results were almost certain.

Chinese votes for the opposition reached over 90%. Why? From your observation, why were the MCA and Gerakan rejected by the Chinese? We still remember in 2004 the situation was totally different.

I have explained at length the answer above.

Chinese votes for the Pakatan reached 90% because they believed in Pakatan’s propaganda. This was at last the chance to reject the Malay-led BN. We saw on polling day many Chinese came out in droves believing that Pakatan was going to win. They were all misled.

Pakatan knew that they were not going to get the numbers.

Imagine the Chinese voting for PAS, when they have seen what was happening in Kedah and Kelantan. Chinese voters were taken for a ride.

They were told that they were going to make the difference. If Hindraf can affect the 2008 results, imagine what the Chinese with their bigger number can do. This was the line given and they swallowed it.

In 2004, the Chinese gave the then PM with his clean image a chance but that got to BN’s head and 2008 was the result. In 2013, Pakatan tapped into the Chinese and urban psyche.

The Chinese are practical people. If they felt that the votes could go either way, they would not take a chance and would choose stability over change; but if they believed that they could change the Government and win, then they did what you saw in GE13.

The Chinese normally bet on a minority horse.

By analysing the results, we can see the DAP won more seats this time and seats won by PKR and PAS were also close to their numbers in 2008. Does it mean Malay votes were still split? How about Indian votes?

Malay votes were split four ways. UMNO, PAS, Keadilan and fence-sitters. Lucky for BN, this time most went to UMNO.

Less than 50% of Indian voters voted BN.

Why did the 1Malaysia plans, ETP, and transformation plans not work and cause BN a bigger loss?

I don't think people rejected 1Malaysia, ETP etc. The issues were not these.

In all my earlier interviews I listed the rakyat’s concerns. These were and still are: 1) corruption, 2) good governance, 3) security, 4) education, 5) inflation, 6) urban poor, 7) young graduates.

The government instead focused on giving handouts.

You give dinner once, people thank you. Give them five times and they think you are trying to buy their votes.

Even though you have given your warning, the so-called Chinese Tsunami was too big to be stopped. But, is it fair to blame the Chinese for BN's not-so-good victory?

I have explained the Chinese tsunami. Of course, Pakatan have to say it was not a Chinese tsunami, otherwise they will be held responsible for this racial divide. Are they denying the Chinese voted en block and Malay votes were split?

No one is blaming the Chinese, but this what it is.

As I said they were misled and they voted Pakatan but again it is their right to buy into that argument and vote to kick the BN out.

How to change their minds? Or should BN given up on the Chinese by promoting the Ketuanan Melayu sprit to rely more on the support of Malays?

You can always try and you must try to change their minds. You cannot give up on nearly 30% of your fellow citizens.

But you have to address issues as in my answer to Question 6.

Ketuanan Melayu was when the Malays fought against the Malayan Union. Ketuanan Melayu was in the Federation of Malaya Agreement of 1948.

After 1957 and later in 1963, there was a constitutional Malaysia.

All races have accepted the Constitution. It is a fine and well-balanced document. Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore too accepted this document.

The Constitution protects all citizens. We are all Malaysians.

As I said, I'm born a Malay, you are born a Chinese. We don't choose to be Malay or Chinese, but you and I choose to be Malaysians. That is our choice. If I don't like to be a Malaysian, I can choose to be something else.

So let us stay united and work hard and sincerely and make sure the country continues to prosper in peace.

Najib has offered a “reconciliation" plan. How serious is he? In addition, if this plan is necessary, how should Najib deal with it?

I am glad he offered reconciliation.

He must be serious. You don't make statements you don't mean. You are a leader.

But I read Pakatan has rejected his overtures, they talk about unity but do not practice it. Instead they offer preset conditions. Are they sincere?

As leaders, the country must come first.

How is this so-called process of reconciliation ever going to take place when chauvinists and radicals still there to give their provoking remarks?

We, the rakyat must reject the chauvinists and the radicals. The government must take action against them. The Rakyat must show support against these people.

The country must come first.

Whatever you may think about the Malays, they have shown that they reject extremists. They rejected Perkasa, Ibrahim Ali and Zulkifli Nordin.

Some people say Najib is a lame duck Prime Minister. He not only has to think of how to regain the support of non-Malays but also has to guard against the wolves in his party. Will he encounter any problems when the party elections take place this year?

I have retired. I don't know what the mood is in the party. He has to explain to party members what went wrong.

Is he going to be a lame duck PM? Cameron in the UK, Gilliard in Australia, Mohan Singh in India so far are okay even though in their cases they are ruling with razor-thin majorities.

UMNO has to remain united if it wants to get the support of Malays. Strengthen your rural support and the rest of the Malays will respect UMNO. If he explains to UMNO what went wrong then I think UMNO will accept and offer their support.

It will take a bit of time with the Divisions and he has to make sure they continue to support him and he has to tell UMNO members that only UMNO is their saviour. I believe UMNO members will give him another chance.

Those who are disloyal, you must punish them. But prove it with evidence.

You have the Opposition to deal with, you don’t need 'enemies in the blanket'. You don’t need over three million members if they did not work or vote for you. It is better to have a smaller but committed membership who love the party and want what is best for it.

For far too long, UMNO has had members who placed self-interest above the party.

Please analyse the result for Selangor. Far from what we expected, BN lost more seats and more popular votes this time despite thousands of good efforts.

Selangor was a disaster.

When I got feedback on the problems on the ground, I sent many messages to the leadership. I spoke to Zain (Mohd Zain Mohamed, the BN Selangor Election Director). He assured me of victory, totally ignoring the voices on the ground.

His own Ketua Pemuda stood against him and so many Ketua Bahagian campaigned against him.

I think Zain was the wrong choice. He was dropped from the Cabinet by Najib because obviously he didn’t think much of his ability, and then you then appoint him as Selangor UMNO Secretary. I don't understand Najib’s logic.

When you all asked me at the last interview, I said there were problems of wrong candidates. Ketua Bahagian were not happy. Among UMNO (members) sabotage was everywhere.

I told Zain a list of state seats that were in trouble. Zain said yes a bit of problem but BN would win. In all those seats that were on my list, BN lost.

With the wrong candidates, not going to the ground, ignoring divisional chiefs, not visiting your members and voters, and sabotage, you couldn't win.

When I was in Negeri Sembilan campaigning on Friday night, I got a message that the Bukit Selambau state seat under the Merbok Parlimentary seat was in trouble. I got back to KL at 2am and a few hours later, early on Saturday morning, I flew to Kedah.

They were still quarrelling about the state candidate, even when it was one day before polling. I told them they were crazy. Just vote BN. I told them they had half a day left to campaign and go together and campaign and be seen to be united.

They lost by 500 votes because they closed their pondok panas by 4 pm, confident that they had won.

I SMSed you by noon that BN won Merbok but the Indians there had to quarrel even at the last minute about candidates and we lost.

We were our own worst enemies.

As well as in Penang. Before 5 May, BN seemed to have some hope as the 1Malaysia welfare group had organised many free dinners around Penang and free concerts. They tried to attract the voters with money and presents. But, all efforts proved useless. Why?

These people are amateurs. They are silly people. They think they are clever and throw money around. Better give to charity.

Why did BN allow stupid events like these?

People were insulted because they knew you thought they could be bought with money, concerts and dinners. So they came to relax, have free makan and be entertained.

This is an election. It’s a serious matter. Let Anwar be the entertainer.

After few weeks of jostling, Selangor has finally put together a team to govern the state.

The selection of Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim as Menteri Besar was a difficult manouvre on it's own. If there is truth that Tuanku Sultan put his foot in the selection, it was a wise intervention.

If not, there are some wise and realistic people in the leadership of Pakatan Rakyat.

This could send some blood boiling among pro-BN readers and some MCE 3rd graders among them to suspect Anwar Ibrahim had bought us.

An unschooled remark is best responded with a stupid response. Actually, we had a tryst with Anwar at the most unlikely place to suspect.... Tivoli Villa.

Election is over and it is time to say things as it is. Hopefully UMNO will learn something. If they want to learn and change ....

Never learn

The reason being UMNO does not seem to want to learn and change.

They are still arrogant and audibly deaf to other views, feedback and criticism.

"Kau nak dengar aku cakap ke atau kau nak cakap?!!"

One group of bloggers was snubbed for questioning the choice of candidates for Parliments and State seats of Gombak and Ampang.

True enough.

If he had listened to the ground feedback from these bloggers, he would have saved himself the embarassment of being left with 12 state seats and substantially lesser Parliamentary seats.

And, UMNO members would have not known that he ignored all suggestions and single-handedly prepared and convinced us that his list can get 33 seats easy. At one time during campaign, it is believed he thought confidently claim BN can win 38 to 41 seats.

Word is spreading among the bloggers of one UMNO Headquarter high official called a blogger to yell at him on a "you don't know better" tone for highlighting a particular personality in his discussion of Tun Daim's criticism of PM Advisers. [Re-read here.]

There are those so insecure of Daim's comments that they try to play the cheap character assassination argument on him without knowing he turned a 0-6 situation into a 5-1 win.

How insecure and arrogant?! Take criticism and feedback in the proper light. These are small people.

This blogger also faced several harassments from Najib's boys and Adviser for expressing our independent opinion.

One paranoid cross-eyed m*therf^#&er instinctively accused us of conspiring to bring down Najib. It is as though we do not know who owns that black blog.

Is speaking out still a crime in Najib's era of UMNO?

Please do not give the proper channel mumbo jumbo argument. Najib promised to engage us regularly but never did for the next 4 years.

Subsequently, Najib via his officers became more protective of the boss. There was nonsense such as soalan bocor for vetting.

Increasingly, Najib via his Advisers showed an attitude contrary to the once often said sound bytes, "Government does not have all the answer. Government must learn to listen."

The learning curve seem slow. Made slow by Advisers and pengampus.

Sensible

When Azmin Ali was exerting his seniority in the party to claim Menteri Besar-ship, we called upon our junior in school who was a lost candidate for PKR state seat and in Azmin faction.

We told him up-front.

"Bro .. Azmin tak boleh. PKR would look foolish to put him as MB. For better or for worse, Khalid is more trustworthy."

He listened on.

"Without me having to refer to Ummi Hafilda, let me tell you as a friend. Those in the know knows Azmin will fleece the state dry. If I know it, Sultan knows it.

"No Sultan would want someone with a tainted personal life with pictures of himself being given a blowjob seen all over the net as MB. You know he is Singapore born."

The friend denied of victory due to split PSM just said thank for the feedback. He knows that we are a blogger and pro-UMNO.

"We know we know ... we will be sensible. I'm in an event and gotta to go. Regards to your brother."

Azmin gradually let off and Khalid sworn in.

In Terengganu, it would have taken the next general election to settle the dispute. Azmin's tantrum is just the quarrel of an old couple. They will make up.

Line up

Khalid has just announced his new line-up and today, all sworn in.

Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh of the DAP named Speaker of the Selangor State Assembly, making history as the first woman Speaker in the country.

Her deputy is Seri Setia assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad from PKR. This is a consolation to appease the Azmin faction.

Khalid himself will be in charge of finance, land development and natural resources management, state economic action council, publicity, Malay custom committee. He kept the strategic areas to himself.

The rest are:

Ahmad Yunus Hairi (Sijangkang, PAS) — youth and sports, infrastructure and public amenities;
Dr Daroyah Alwi (Sementa, PKR)— health, entrepreneur development, science, technology and innovation;
Ean Yong Hian Wah (Sri Kembangan, DAP) — investment, industrialisation and trade, development of new villages and of legalisation of illegal factories;
Halimah Ali (Selat Klang, PAS) — education and higher education, human capital development;
Iskandar Abdul Samad (Cempaka, PAS) — housing, building and urban settler management;
Rodziah Ismail (Batu Tiga, PKR) — welfare, women affairs
Sallehen Mukhyi (Sabak, PAS) — Islamic affairs, agriculture modernisation, rural development;
Datuk Teng Chang Khim (Sungai Pinang, DAP) — local government, study and research;
V. Ganabatirau (Kota Alam Shah, DAP) — estate workers, poverty, caring government; and
Elizabeth Wong (Bukit Lanjan, PKR) — tourism, consumer affairs, environment.

Listen

As an opposition blogger for Selangor, there are areas to criticise. We will pride ourself as one of the earliest blogger that begin to pick on Khalid.

But this is peace timeand we will be frank. It is a well thought out line-up. It is not as complex and extensive a line-up to prepare as one by Najib for his cabinet but credit where it is due, Khalid listened.

He is aware of the Malay grouses on the ground against his government.

Thus far, he has the political will to attempt to move in and fortify their rural Malay support by willingly make the calculated move to go for a Malay majority line-up. The previous one was Chinese controlled line-up.

Most of the controversial characters of the past are no more inside, except Elizabeth Wong but she is publicly acceptable since it is deemed as a personal infringement on her privacy.

Ganabatirau should understand the Indian problems better than the arrogant and scrupulous Xavier.

The portfolio held by Iskandar and Sallehen seem a coordinated attempt to fortify their position with the Malay and rural, even if Selangor BN has a better coordinator than Dato Zin "Badak". If Iskandar had been MB, lagi pening BN.

All the portfolio take into account political consideration. Not like BN, who seemed to offend their power base to be generous with those that are sure not to vote us.

Women makes up 4 out of 10 exco members. They are acknowledged and apreciated. Dato Noripah Kasnon and Dato Halimah Sadique remains as Deputy despite being fairly senior.

Racial and party proportioning is balanced. Not like the case of 6 dayak MPs but none get to be Minister. While one winning Bidayuh and SUPP could be made full Minister. A well represented state like Johor could have only 2 full Ministers while 4 MP Terengganu could have 2 full Minister.

Khalid chopped off the legacy of Ronnie Liu by giving the local authority portfolio to a better imaged Dato Teng Cham Kim. But, Najib kept many unnecessary legacies like Dato Wahid Omar as Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop legacy, Dato Nazri Aziz, Dato Shahidan, Dato Tengku Adnan, etc.

Some Senior Adviser can try to hustle us to bring this posting down. Some paranoid can accuse us as a conspirer. Cybertroopers can attack us. But we will say it as it as.

Khalid listened but Najib did not.

Khalid did not sacrifice the priority of good governance for political expediency but Najib did. His cabinet and candidate list is being seen by many as to safeguard his position in UMNO and have his people than drastically present a winnable list and new positive face for the party.

Selangor to Pakatan looks increasingly to be like another Kelantan for PAS. BN have to dig really deep and CHANGE from bottom to the top especially the bevy of leaders. Can they CHANGE with some by-elections expected to come?

There is a lot of work to be done and It need to get started immediately. However, every other UMNO personalities seemed to be away on Cuti-Cuti Luar Negeri.

To Sayangi Selangor, how to Yakini BN?

Today, there is no more preventive detention law called ISA or the Internal Security Act 1960. The legislation was enacted after Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957.

The ISA allows for detention without trial or criminal charges under limited, legally defined circumstances. It is applied for security threat because that is the most effective way to address communist and terrorist insurgency, which had historically operate as subversive movement.

In spirit, ISA was a preemptive measure meant for that. It is targeted to, in the exact words of Dato Ibrahim Ali, those in the likes of himself, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, Tian Chua, Hishamuddin Rais, Mat Sabu and Dato Hadi Awang.

It is not for you and me, not even the likes of Tamrin Ghaffar, and that Chinese reporter in Penang.

On 15 September 2011, Prime Minister Dato Najib announced this legislation will be repealed and replaced by two new laws.

The ISA was replaced and repealed by the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 which has been passed by Parliament and given the royal assent on 18 June 2012. The Act came into force on 31 July 2012.

He also lifted the three proclaimed Emergency Ordinance that are still officially in effect then.

It happened again and again. PM bent backward to the oppositions demands.

It also fulfills the Advisers plan to create Najib as a Political Transformer.

They avoid the use of the term reformer because it would be seen as trying to copycat Anwar Ibrahim. It is the coming of age of a new liberal and open Malaysia.

It came as a surprise to many because before that, Dato Hishamuddin only mentioned about reviewing the ISA and not repealed it.

We were involved in an NGO that submitted suggestions to the government. Basically, our recommendation was that the decision and power to propose detention is done by a committee of securities professionals. No politician must be involved in ISA decisions.

It could uncomfortably mean that committee could detain the Prime Minister and Home Minister.It is fair because no politician is spared.

When Najib announced the repeal, it startled people like us who were involved in the discussion and giving recommendations.

It is now uncovered that some Adviser poke their nose in an area they are not supposed to be involved. The nerd was never a policeman, or served the army or was in any position related to law or security.

We heard and we have reason to believe our source that the "Supremo" Adviser, Dato Omar Ong vehemently and psychotically pursued to talk, convince and nag the PM to repeal ISA and also a new card came out, uplift the EO.

When PM finally made his decision and told his position to Tan Sri Muhyudin and Dato Hishamuddin, both disagreed.

But, Najib insisted. Unfortunately, it is loyal cousin brother getting the brunt of being called pondan. No wonder he was praised by PM in a closed door UMNO meeting as to have commendably done well as Home Minister given the circumstance he is in.

The decision by PM came with mixed feelings.

The election is over so we will be uninhibited in our views. We want to feel free to express ourselves in the spirit that Najib and Omar Ong believed.

It is no more time to engage orang besar-besar and get ourselves stifled to express ourselves because we know them.

The threat of terrorism still prevailed. Political subversion was on the rise then. Many like ourselves anticipated the anarchic like political situation now was going to happen.

Since our youth days, we wanted to see the end of ISA. As an idealistic well read young man then, we believed democrasy, freedom and openness will make Malaysia a greater nation.

We haven't stopped believing such.

Public is gullible to conspiracy allegations

However, as we achieve political maturity and got our feet on terra firma, we realised it is not possible. The society must be educated or informed or rational. There must be a lot of sensible dialogues on issues in public.

If the public could be gullible to buy into any cooked up story of conspiracy and get agitated, then we are not there yet. How could the public believed Datin Seri Rosmah personally killed Altantunya out of jealousy?

Logically, she could have hired a pro and get disappeared the victim without trace. Altantunya's DNA is splashed all over the place and the murderers confessed and direct the police to the scene of the murder.

If anything that Rafizi Ramli accuse (but insist the burden of proof lies with the police or authority to investigate) is believed, the public gullibility is at new heights. The public is not only immature and Uninformed, it is also not thinking straight.

Anwar Ibrahim is currently trying to rile up the public with one unproven allegation after another of election fraud against the EC.

From the 40,000 voting Bangla from Sabah to indellible ink, then allegation of counting room Blackout ala old UMNO Team B allegation against Team A in the fight between Dr M/Ghaffar and Tengku Razaleigh/Musa.

One lie after another. The gullible public just consume it, hook, line and sinker.

DAP and PAS have officially abstained from any involvement. As Dato Zulkifli Nordin suggested, the planned Malaysia Spring should be called instead as Anwar Spring. [Read his blog here.]

Dato Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has assumed the position of Home Minister. He wants to see actions taken. No more amaran or warning.

The new Inspector General of Police (IGP), Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar is in sync too. The more able communicator and of firmer make-up believed the law must take it's course or there will be order.

However, the police faced an initial setback. The arrested Tamrin Ghaffar, Tian Chua and Harris Ibrahim could not be held for the 14 days remand to enable investigation. The court and suspected sympathetic Magistrate released them.

When the police wantedto take action, the court considers the personal liberty above public interest. The remand request was denied.

No one can be blamed here. That is how the process of law works when we then screamed it is as unfair to empower the Home Minister such absolute discretion. The favourite argument against such power then was potential abuse for political expediency.

Few years ago, we befriended a former Special Branch officer. He is a practising lawyer now and politician. It seems he ran recently as independent candidate.

He was the officer who detained Ibrahim Ali when he was a student. And the two have met again with no grudges held against each other. All of us are happy together hopefully ever after in an NGO.

As he said, other than the ISA detention incident during Pak Lah's time which involved Raja Petra, Theresa Kok and that Chinese lady reporter from Penang, there had been no abuse.

All detention including Ops Lallang had it's justification. All have proofs or some level of proofs or accumulated incidents that leads to strengthen suspicion of involvement in subversive movement.

It is not about their politics. There was always something threatening happening, except that it cannot survive the rigour of the court and if allowed, it is dangerous to public order and safety.

The subjects were followed and monitored for many years and usually closely for many months before detention.

It is the police that request upon the Minister and the Minister just chimply sign the detention order. He said even the so-called Mahafiraun also only act upon police request without question. That is why only police them made any public statement.

ISA was then a useful deterrent. It is a useful brake pad then against political, religious and social extremism.

In the recent charging of Adam Adli, Tamrin Ghaffar, Tian Chua, Harris Ibrahim and Safwan Anang, rightfully enforcing the law does not seem to weakened the resolve of the Blackout 505.

Blocking Nurul from entering Kota Kinabalu airport only makes the like of her more defiant to sue the goverment despite it being in contradiction to Anwar's call for greater autonomy to Sabah and Sarawak.

Assume Tan Sri Khalid undertake a more massive and widespread arrest on offenses under SOCMA, he needs to do that court process thing. It does not stop a defiant group of people who is unafraid of one night lock-ups from making hells loose on everybody.

Eventually, they will create and pile up more issues into their movement to attract more supporters. Will the police dare to be more firm when the crowd gets bigger and bigger? There was no police to stop the Dataran PJ illegal gathering.

One thing noticeable was that prior to the repeal of SOCMA, one could see only few Chinese in public demonstrations like Bersih. Since than, beginning Bersih 3, more young Chinese turn up and now the majority 60-70% at Blackout gatherings are Chinese.

What is the government and police to do? The police is still not without options, but it create uncertainty and security fear to the public.

And it was the opposition, particularly the Chinese that highlight the issue of rising crime and insecurity. Yet it is they themselves that is contributing to increase such fear.

There is a process of law but the opposition do not appreciate it. New lawmaker Rafizi threaten that they will hold protest daily and gather people outside Parliament in the next session.

When one is stiffled to act on such actions, how do you defend against subversive actions?

It looks to be a case of Punahsihat giving advise to fulfill his boyhood idealistic ambition from reading books without sufficient real life experience to understand it's implication and impact on the public.

The American still have their Patriot Act. Their role model Singapore and Britain still have the ISA. Explain to the people that.

Or these neo liberals does not care.

As Sadiq Sigaraga turns his eyes towards his Adviser, Kassim Pentalon, they exclaimed in unison, "25% persen!' and laughed.

Punasihat Omar Ong must be laughing yesterday evening at Bangsar Shopping Complex with his fellow neo Liberals Tengku Dato Zafrul, Danny Yusof, etc.

They must have achieved what they want. One can smell the "rolling stone that gather no moss" Zafrul to be next Maybank CEO. Danny Yusof returning to Maybank?

Farid Alias should be a far better choice.

Just not in the mood to talk of politics. Let us talk of something else.

The Red Bean Army (RBA) is now the topic of conversation since The Star made an expose of it few days before polling day. [Read it here.]

The ruthlessness of these cybertroopers that see no issue as taboo has attracted quite the attention. Perhaps, the fact they are mostly Chinese or their published name or nicname on the Facebook sounds Chinese maybe the reason too.

The discussion on RBA has now reached to the stage of whether there should be some tightening on the Internet freedom we are enjoying.

To us the pioneering bloggers, forumers and surfers, we are against it. It is tantamount to censorship and is against the spirit of the establishment of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC).

But, how do we address this highly seditous behaviour and total disregard for the law?

Law and Self Regulation

The News Straits Times published the views of few bloggers yesterday:

Bloggers: Self-regulation better than Internet laws

KUALA LUMPUR, 5 June : The Internet laws imposed in countries like China, Iran and Singapore are too harsh and should not be implemented in Malaysia, say bloggers and media analysts.

They felt that social media users should practise self-regulation and be prepared to face the music should their postings breach the accepted norms of the freedom of speech.

There were also those who felt that the formation of an independent body or institution to curb the emerging trend of social media users openly instigating and promoting hatred and chaos in cyberworld could assist in self-regulation.

Blog House Malaysia adviser Datuk Ahirudin Attan said calls for by certain quarters to monitor and impose Internet laws as practised by China and Iran would be akin to killing an ant with a hammer.

“It would be unfair to the majority of social media users, who use the platform wisely and they shouldn’t be punished for the recklessness of a handful few who don’t.”

Ahirudin, more popularly known as Rocky’s Bru, said emulating Singapore, which announced recently that news-based websites would be required to obtain a licence to operate, was also not the best option.

“We are far more advanced in terms of online freedom compared with Singapore and we shouldn’t fully follow the laws implemented by our neighbour.

“In the end, it boils down to the individuals themselves who should exercise control over their postings and be ready to face the authorities should they breach it.”

The Singapore Media Development Authority (MDA) had announced new rules stipulating that websites that had at least 50,000 unique visitors from the republic state every month and published at least one local news article per week over a period of two months must obtain an annual licence.

Websites granted a licence will have to remove “prohibited content” such as articles that undermine “racial or religious harmony” within 24 hours of being notified by the authorities

Licensed websites will also have to put up S$50,000 (RM123,000) as a “performance bond” that can be forfeited if the regulations are not followed.

This, however, has not gone down well with the online community, which raised, among others, the fear that bloggers would also be required to comply.

Ahirudin, a former journalist and editor, said Malaysia should mull the setting up of an independent body akin to the media council in the United Kingdom.

“The council should be formed with the help of the government and headed by a former media practitioner or someone of stature, like a judge or the head of a non-governmental organisation (NGO).

“It has to run independently and the council will decide on if an offence had been committed.”

Ahirudin said once this had been ascertained, it was up to the authorities to mete out the necessary action.

“Restricting the Internet will only make matters worse. The government has to adhere to its promise of not censoring the Internet but come up with other solutions.

“At the same time, we should educate the youngsters and remind the elders that posting such materials online will only put them in trouble.”

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s School of Media and Communication senior lecturer, Dr Sabariah Mohamed Salleh, said it was “too harsh” to block social media sites.

“Too many restrictions can make people retaliate. There should be rules and laws to curb this growing problem but, at the same time, I feel that one can never fully control the social media,”

Sabariah questioned how laws similar to those imposed in China, Iran and Singapore could be used to restrict Malaysians living abroad posting slanderous remarks.

“What about those living abroad? They’re not in the country, so how are you going to restrict the things they post?”

She, however, felt that Singapore’s Internet laws were a good example to follow but stressed that a thorough research had to be carried out to find out the best way to curb users from posting slanderous materials online.

Blogger Helen Ang echoed Ahirudin’s sentiment, saying that the onus of accountability fell on the social media user.

“This is becoming a social problem. Defamation will be there, but users must be able to back their postings and be ready to face punishment according to the law should they commit an offence.”

Ang also disagreed with following the footsteps of China and Iran in imposing Internet laws.

Blogger Y.L. Chong said it was impossible to impose such rulings.

“It would not be right to benchmark us against China which still struggles to fully contain the materials posted online despite the power-house’s resources and manpower.

“Should we review the laws, we should benchmark against the likes of those imposed in the United States and UK so that we can aspire to higher standards,”

Chong also explained that in order to fully monitor and restrict the Internet, the country needed an immense amount of resource and manpower.

“If China can’t do it, how can we? Huge volumes are posted daily on social media sites. It will be unthinkable to monitor everything,”

He said social media users must be educated on what they could post and what they shouldn’t.

“The same rules and regulations imposed for the mainstream media should be used for the social media.”

Datuk Ahirudin Attan says individuals should exercise control over their postings

We concur with our fellow bloggers - Dato Ahirudin Attan aka Rocky Bru, Helen Ang and YL Choong. No comment on the non player University lecturer. She is just being theoretical.

Yes, let the law takes it's course. The individuals must exercise self control. And, it is near impossible and costly to monitor and control.

Ah! Pleazzz ...

For us that campaigned for Barisan Nasional, we wondered why The Star only exposed the RBA only two days before polling when their presence have long been detected and known in the blogosphere. It is not Concorde but Wentworth Hotel.

Pleazzz la, Kit Siang.

Do not try to deny or deviate attention by saying it is cooked up to burn DAP [read MI here], then say it is just a group of volunteer and BN spend more [read M'kini here].

Give us a few days to prepare. Ada bom mahu kasi letup (There is a bomb waiting to explode.)

In one way or another, every side has their cybertroopers.

We are an old hand in this game and we can name the names in these game; be it the players in PAS, PKR, DAP and BN component parties. At least, we can guess the players by seeing the signature imprints in the style of game being played.

The pertinent question is why BN did not have their own RBA-like cybertroopers.

Not that the idea was not mooted but given excuses to refuse. Not that no smaller initiatives was not made but not supported. Not that we've not heard of Scott Goodstein or David Sasaski or other real experts brought to Kuala Lumpur to talk.

It could be some Little Napolean are too slow to understand and foresee ahead. One fine example in the weakenss of UMNO's leadership and War Room operators inability to listen to ideas of other, especially of the ground troops or small people than their own.

Hope before JJ takes up the position as Special Adviser to the Prime Minister, he is reading this and muhasabah diri sendiri in this holy months leading to Ramadhan because for many years, the main complain on him is this attitude and reputation of his.

And, it could also be that the power brokers could not see the "opportunity" there. The buzz in the community of pro-BN bloggers is about leakage by opportunists.

Read exposes by The Unspinners here, here and here that have been giving many restless nights. One of the posting seemed similar to a comment found in our blog here. Another after event blame here.

We heard some will only undertake such initiative unless they could secure a certain project from a certain authority. Do you smell something there?

And, we heard from a highly informative source that there was a sizeable amount of money donated but a sizeable sum got hijacked and diverted to an off-shore financial centre in Asia into some personal accounts on it's way to be redistributed to various component parties and operators. .

Buck up BN

Oh boy, we still end up talking politics. Our point is this.

For us, why must BN or the establishment related to the ruling political party bitch about the RBA when they should have countered it themselves.

If they bitch about the few thousand members of the RBA, what happen to UMNO and their so-called 3 million members?

One SMS blast involving all UMNO members and it will reach out to a wider audience than Utusan Malaysia, TV3 and NSTP medias could reach.

We have raised this many years ago.

Problem with UMNO is that it has become completely reliant on outsiders and volunteers to do their political work to answer, disseminate and even carry out their campaign. Sometimes we think that the UMNO members generally do not know politics and have no business being UMNO members.

In the recent general election, UMNO and BN style of campaign was to only shake hands, kiss babies and ladies, and ask to be voted. It is so out-dated because voters, especially urban and rural returning voters demand answers and want to be engaged.

Not only were the ground campaigners hardly able to attack, they could not answer the allegations against them or reply back the opposition. Anyone heard BN ground campaignesr replied on the issues of lower petrol pump prices, lower car prices, rising cost of living, and free education?

Be it Penerangan or whatever does the outfit initial JR means, all failed!!!

UMNO members generally does not understand issues and if they try to answer, they resort to character attack and old school argument like ingratitude or traitor. Seldom it is too simplistic and just does not attract the imagination of voters.

All the answers have been generated by the army of volunter bloggers and social media troopers. But orang UMNO just do not f%&^$ing read. The talking points given to the Penerangan head of the divisions are usually lost in transit and not disseminated down.

Cyberspace have been the game since reformasi days and yet they have not grasped it. There is no such stupid f%&^$ing excuses to playdown issues or people will forget anymore. The Internet have long lasting memories and the distributive ability of computers and Internet is deadly

If we are playing up on Anwar to as far back to the reformasi days and perhaps his childhood, what made them think that people will forget Dr Rozaidah's khalwat case 10 years ago.

We blame the likes of Dato Shahrizat, Raja Dato Ropiaah, Tan Sri Rafidah and Dato Zin for losing the plot on the today's cyberpace campaign and think people will forget. Heard these people pushed for Rozaidah's name.

Perhaps PM and his Advisers also forgot that nothing is lost from memory when those with a past are selected in the candidate list and appointed as Ministers or Secretaries.

In the case of Rozaidah, PKR's Zuraidah Kamaruddin campaign machinery photocopied and distributed the police report on her khalwat case and in 24 hours, Rozaidah is a lost cause before she could get started campaigning.

It happened also to the Gombak candidate, Dato Abdul Rahman Ismail and many others who had a past picture and story left unanswered for too long.

It is UMNO and BN that need to buck up instead of imposing harsher law that infringe on rights of non-political users of the Internet.

Heard there is some effort to emulate the effective distributive ability of RBA. But, sorry to say, from what we heard, it won't work. Go back to basic, understand how things work and why certain thing work.

There is the expertise among the existing players but the power-at-be are too arrogant to ask from the REAL players. Novices claiming to be experts surfaced and they could buy into their ideas. So we have sub-standard work like .... malas nak cakap.

However, in view of those leakages, any advise from your truly is no more free. If they can pay the novices, it is time they pay us as professionals. They can afford to pay APCO, the Obama boys and Labour party jerks commuting and misbehaving in the ERL daily.

OK? :-)

The Star's Biz section yesterday reads as "Halim Saad files suit" and it's content as plain reporting.

The Malaysian Insider's followed suit with their report "Halim Saad sues government over sour Renong deal."

The pro Kalimullah and anti-Tun M people in MI trying to play it down and label Halim as sour. It is as though the dealmaker, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop (no Tun there) outwit Halim in the deal. Forex trader Nor Yakcop did not.

Bernama merely reported Khazanah as acknowledging receipt of the lawsuit. It is rather tame.

Conveniently, today's paper has these headlines - The Star as "Khazanah Nasional says has strong defence against Halim Saad's claim" and Sun as The Sun as "Khazanah answers Halim Saad's war-cry."

It is so obvious that the mainstream media (MSM) are working in concert to cover up for Nor Yakcop and Khazanah and vilifying Halim, who used to have a spoil wunderboy image.

Halim is a name of the past and he does not need to be vilified. He has contributed and delivered something tangible for the country. We believe he had helped to solve problems of and contributed to UMNO.

Fraudulent Dracula or is it Blacula?

Not only Nor Yakcop and Khazanah has contributed none, be it as individual or as institution, he and the outfits he was involved destroyed billions and billions and committed frauds.

Nor Yakcop lost US$16 billion in fraudulent forex trading under the guise of active reserve management.

As a result of the lowered reserve and shareholders fund of our central Bank, Bank Negara Malaysia, it attracted British hedge fund traders to take a bite at our ringgit. George Soros came to talk the ringgit down after the Mexican and Thai Baht crisis in late 90s.

Nor Yakcop was with Anwar's boys in Abrar and was involved in a fraud to use Abrar Unit Trust money to finance takeover of Mun Loong Berhad. Anwar covered up for him by giving direction as to not charge him.

The mess that he made to the Bumiputera Commercial and Industrial Community (BCIC) runs in billions and billions in his assignment to restructure of MRCB and development of Khazanah.

Indifferent to the plight of Bumiputera

He created the deluge of Melayu Liberals indifferent to the plight of the Bumiputera like Abdul Rahman Ahmad and Sharil Ridza Redzuan of Media Prima, Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar of Binafikir and Khazanah, Dato Wahid Omar of then UEM, etc.

He destroyed the Malay corporate players. And along the way, destroyed also Chinese, Indians, etc. Since then, there have been no new corporate entrepreneur in Malaysia!

There is also another great fraud of Nor Yakcop named TERAJU.

Know nuts about entrepreneurship

The outfit is placed under PEMANDU whose got no interest to carry the Bumiputera agenda. TERAJU is merely to hoodwink the Malays into believing that there is some effort to help the Bumiputeras.

There is actually none and know-nuts CEO, Dato Husni Salleh is only lying to tell TERAJU is doing data collection and analysis.

Husni used the opportunity of his position to belasah usahawan Melayu when he himself acknowledged privately that he is no entrepreneur and know nuts about entrepreneurship.

All the so-called data compilation work is done by PEMANDU. Nor Yakcop's man and failed Venture Capitalist, Husni Salleh only makan gaji buta in the tens of thousand a month.

Nor Yakcop is believed to be corrupted and had lined his and his three sons pockets while at MoF and EPU.

OutSyed the Box may have meant Nor Yakcop to be the Dracula in one of his recent posting. [Can't find the link]. A more accurate description could be Blacula.

Does the MSM think that the public can be mislead to believe this former Minister, whose got two of his political secretaries charged by MACC, whether acquited or not, is an honest and trustworthy person?

Rocky Bru twitted yesterday to say it is a case of fraud:

We sense the same.

Nor Yakcop has got fraud written all over his face, hands, body and heart. What makes him not to have committed fraud in the case of Halim?

Let's read BK Siddhu's report yesterday:

Friday June 7, 2013
Halim Saad files suit against those who allegedly forced him to sell his shares
By B K SIDHU
bksidhu@thestar.com.my

Halim alleges the parties have the intention to deceive him

PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Halim Saad, the former majority owner and executive chairman of Renong Bhd, has returned after 12 years, with a legal suit against those he claims had forced him to sell his shares in the company.

He alleges that he was told not to exercise the “put option” but sell his shares to Khazanah Nasional Bhd instead.

Halim filed a suit at the Kuala Lumpur High Court in April, claiming that he had not been paid the agreed RM1.3bil and given the tracts of land that were agreed in a deal entered into in 2001.

According to documents obtained by StarBiz, the statement of claim names him as the plantiff in the suit and Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, the Government of Malaysia and Khazanah as the three defendants.

Nor Mohamed was the-then Special Economic Adviser to the Government while Khazanah now controls the UEM Group, which was then part of Renong.

Halim has alleged that despite the agreement signed in 2001 and/or the 2003 agreement, the parties had entered into the agreement with “an intent to deceive him or induce him to enter into both agreements”.

If Halim can convince the court of his allegations of wrongdoing committed by those who had forced him to sell the shares, this would turn out to be the biggest corporate battle the country has ever seen.

Halim claims to have only received RM165mil and not RM1.3bil. Of the RM165mil, RM100mil was the first instalment for the put option that was refunded to him, while the remaining RM65mil was for interest and costs.

To recap, Renong held a substantial stake in UEM, and in 1997, UEM announced that it had bought a 32.6% block of shares in Renong. However, this did not go down well with the investing public.

To appease the market, Halim had, in 1998, offered to buy the Renong shares from UEM by way of a “put option”.

The option price for the “put” was RM3.2bil, which he was to pay in four instalments three in RM100mil instalments and the balance with interest on Feb 14, 2001, when the option was due.

Halim was reported to have paid the first RM100mil but could not pay up the second when it was due, which was when Khazanah took over.

The sovereign wealth fund took UEM private in 2001 and later cancelled the option.
Halim resigned from the Renong/UEM group in October 2001.

BK Siddhu is an old hand. Remember the case of Securities Commission investigators tried to rough her up and compromised her journalistic integrity but she persisted?

Some lallang bosses or PKR or DAP sympathiser editors inside The Star may try to cover-up but BK Siddhu is a true journalist. Written in fine print in the caption "Halim alleges the parties have intention to deceive him."

If our memory serves us right, Dr Mahathir agreed with Halim something but this Nor Yakcop did something else.

Back then, our market sources used to tell us that Halim was co-erced into selling. With PLUS as subsidiary and listing it in 2005 will be a huge windfall, Halim had no problem raising money to exercise his Put option.

Upon the listing of PLUS, the whole Renong group should be in a steadier footing for overseas foray and all. Our sources back then was recommending us to buy Renong for the long haul. It was going cheap in the midst of the fianncial crisis of 2000.

Many took advantage of the financial crisis albeit in an insidious and dishonest way.

The talk among Merchant Bankers then was that Nor Yakcop and Danaharta people like Tan Sri Azman Yahya was milking out of the whole restructuring of the financial sector.

One of our source then was from within Amanah Merchant bankers where Azman used to be working with.

On one occasion, we saw Azman coming out of Ficus restaurant in old Hilton KL with very an unsavory looking character. We had witness seeing it happens.

The moment Azman left, there was a group of people coming out of the hotel's nearby cigar pub crying out in jubilation with that character. They went back into the pub presumably to hear the details of his lunch and celebrate.

We've got someone to dig up Halim's writ of summon from Khazanah hehehe .... We are looking for the jalan cerita (storyline) in the writ of summon. That is where the meat is.

No NMY .. only Dato Shariff Omar, Dato Rahman Maidin and Shabuddin running at Tasek Gelugor

Otherwise, why would someone who takes care of his kawasan in Tasek Gelugor was not selected to defend his seat?

Halim's writ of summon was heard to have been delivered before announcement of candidate.

Halim's summon is timely because Nor Yakcop was elected Deputy Chairman of Khazanah. By right, he should be powerless because the Chairman is PM.

Strangely, Nor Yakcop replaced Tan Sri Mohd Nor Yusof as Chairman of Executive Committee. This committee recommends to PM the Chairman, CEO and members of the Board of Directors of GLCs, particularly those under Khazanah.

Lagi masaklah ... because that is a powerful and influential position.

Nags and pester PM

Most of the time, PM have no time to do background check to just chimply sign and agree. More so, if Omar Ong comes nagging and pestering PM that so and so of his gang of Neo Liberals are suitable.

This is why the hands behind MSM are trying to over-up and hide for Nor Yakcop and Khazanah.

Not many will understand what the hell is call or putt options, callable or puttable, AND excersing call or put. There is also a different between the standard options in financial market and in corporate deals.

We will save them from the headache and confusion to just keep the story simple.

So wait Monday ...

An anonymous commentator here described the no contest call by several UMNO leaders for the position of President and Deputy President of UMNO as rubbish. It gives the wrong signal to UMNO members and voters.

It is as though UMNO leaders are only interested in preserving their position in the party and not it's struggle.

And, that perception have been spreading since the pathetic candidate list and later after the general election, the cabinet list that came out of the war room, UMNO headquarter and Dato Najib's office.

Do not compare to opposition parties, because the voters have a higher expectation on UMNO. BN candidates must not be just legally fine and halal, but halaalan toyyiba. Voters expect democrasy be preached and practised in UMNO.

If the President and Deputy President had served well, everybody will support them.

Since Najib had been man enough to face the rakyat and do battle with the fiesty opposition to get a new mandate for UMNO and BN, he should be man enough to face the members to affirm his mandate as party leader.

Why the silence, Najib?

Najib's Words in 2009

Najib promised reform in 2009

Blogger Life of Annie here politely expressed her disappointment should the call of no contest turned out to be true:

Well, I'm not against DS Najib Razak to continue as Umno president and prime minister.

It's just that I remember cheering for him when he announced at the first Umno general assembly after he took over as party president about five years ago that he didn't wish not to be challenged or hold any advantage if there is to be a contest for his post.

It was just after he said that Umno will be as democratic as possible with the introduction of a new voting system for the party election which was to be anchored at the grassroots level.

Yes, I remember cheering and sending a congratulatory text message to one of Datuk Najib's close aide when he said all that.

Below is an extract of Najib's maiden speech as UMNO President at the UMNO General Assembly at the Dewan Merdeka, Putra World Trade Centre in the morning of October 19th, 2009:

Tuan-tuan dan puan-puan,

69. Menuju ke arah ini, pertamanya, UMNO telah bertindak berani meminda perlembagaan parti untuk menjadikannya lebih telus, inklusif dan demokratik. Nampaknya, langkah kita telah menyebabkan pihak-pihak tertentu melatah, hingga ada yang tanpa segan silu cuba meniru dan sekonyong-konyong meminda perlembagaan parti mereka, sekalipun tanpa perincian yang rapi. Inilah tembelang, aliran dan gaya sebenar mereka, suka membuat janji umum yang tidak pula ada susulan tertentu.

70. Berbanding pindaan yang kita lakukan ini, bukan sekadar bersifat kosmetik mahu pun tempel-tempelan, sebaliknya ia merupakan perubahan secara tuntas dan signifikan. Ia akan meluaskan bilangan ahli yang terlibat sama secara langsung untuk memilih kepimpinan parti. Ia membabitkan anjakan angka daripada sejumlah 2,500 perwakilan kepada lebih 146,000 orang. Inilah petanda, bahawa semangat demokrasi hidup segar dan hidup subur dalam UMNO. Nyatanya, tidak ada mana-mana parti politik di Malaysia yang berani bertindak sedemikian rupa. Dengan itu, saya ingin mengingatkan kepada semua pihak, setelah pindaan kita lakukan, berhijrahlah meninggalkan gejala negatif seperti politik wang, supaya kita menjadi parti yang bersih dan dihormati.

71. Keduanya, berkaitan dengan cara parti memilih calon. KPI atau Petunjuk Prestasi Utama termustahak bagi sesebuah parti politik ialah untuk memenangi pilihanraya dan membentuk kerajaan yang kuat serta stabil. Dalam memenuhi maksud ini, kita perlu mencari calon yang betul. Untuk itu, kita akan mengubah kriteria menentukan calon.

72. Maknanya, dalam memilih calon, individu itu perlulah seseorang yang diterima masyarakat tempatan di samping mempunyai kualiti untuk berkhidmat kepada tiga peringkat penting, yakni, peringkat rakyat, peringkat parti dan peringkat negara. Pada analisa akhir, inilah calon yang dikehendaki rakyat dan akan memenangi pilihanraya.

73. Ketiganya, budaya berparti dalam UMNO haruslah bersifat inklusif dan bukannya insular atau, terpulau. Lebih banyak program penataran yakni harus dilaksanakan. Dalam konteks ini, seperkara yang harus diingat, ia tidak seharusnya terbatas kepada ahli UMNO semata-mata bahkan hendaklah melebarluas kepada semua orang Melayu dan bukan Melayu.

Was the candidate list in accordance to those state criterias or there still exist ad-hoc parachutes from above? Has UMNO open itself in the last 4 years to be more inclusive to non members; Malays and non-Malays?

And now, we hear of a no contest call which means less transparent, less inclusive and less democratic.

Walk the Talk

Najib's reluctant smile on victory night

Like Annie, we are merely supporters. Our views does not matter. It is up to UMNO and their members to decide.

However, should the President and his Deputy allowed no contest to happen, we have to remind them that the public and UMNO members on the ground will view it as a cheap attempt at self preservation of power. They matter most.

PM will be seen as not walking the talk on his own agenda transformasi. UMNO and it's leadership will be seen as not true to their words and deviate from the political transformation plan that they had plan to put in place.

In the first opportunity to implement the new system, UMNO is seen as making a concerted effort to deny a more sizeable number of it's members to exercise a right that have long been denied to all it's members in the selection of the party's leadership.

UMNO will lose the plot and locus standi to criticise any undemocratic practises of the opposition, particularly DAP and PKR.

Since Dato Mohamed Hasan of Negeri Sembilan made the no contest statement, many such as Dato Mukhriz, Khairy Jamaluddin, Dato Razali Ibrahim and others have echoed the same.

But, there is no attempt by the UMNO President to stop this "rubbish." Has he not shake off that 11th hour decision making habit?

Or he is allowing the no contest call to gain momentum and reach the grassroots?

Self Preservation

Another perception that will arise from this no contest call is that the President is insecure of his position. It will be seen that he has no confidence with his adviser-generated policies that he dare not face members.

We view the contest will dispell such perception and also the perception that he was willing to sacrifice the party from a larger victory in order to preserve himself. There is a widespread view in the party that the generally unacceptable "winnable" candidate list was to preserve PM's position in the party.

While there are many parties that had prepared candidate lists, including the BN Chairman, component party Presidents, UMNO Secretary General and War Room, the decision sits with Najib.

After election, sources claimed that PM's leading advisers, Dato Alies Nor and Dato Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis of the war room fame had urged Najib to select cabinet members that would fortify his position in the party.

It is heard that war room was partly responsible to recommend the latest cabinet appointments with it's ridiculous mathematics.

It explains for the presence of tarnished, expired and overstayed names like Dato Shahidan Kassim, Dato Mahadzir Khalid, Tengku Dato Adnan Tengku Mansor, Dato Nazri, etc. There is also questionable appointments like Dato Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis as Special Adviser and Tan Sri Nor Moahamed Yakcop as Deputy Chairman of Khazanah.

Basically, there are the presence of many state political warlords and operators to preserve PM. Words are the present cabinet is temporary and the real team will be after the November party election.

Again, the cabinet membership is the prerogative of Najib.

All these talk does not make good sense because the affair of the party should be independent from the affairs of getting re-elected and governing. If true, it only provide further basis that Najib should distance himself from these advisers or else his ability to make decision is suspect.

Money politics

Part of the reason for the new system is also to eradicate money politics using the process of democrasy.

It is our belief that money politics is intertwined with Malay feudalism. Thus, we welcome a contest because it is in the right direction to end the imbedded culture of feudalism in UMNO and Malay society.

Sociologists have long viewed past Malay court behaviour as sadistic and it arise from the practise of blind loyalty.

The feudal chief to serf relationship of provider and benefactor still remain till today. That dependent psychology is a mental block and hindrance to Malay progress. [Read our past posting in 2008 here.]

Maybe we are socialistic. So what? Aren't we hearing lots of bandying of the term rakyat these days?

Why worry?

From our ground analysis, Najib should not have any problem to get re-elected, thus he should not feel insecure. He has got several states in his hand and it should thwart off any attempt to dethrone him.

Those reluctant to see a contest, including those mentioned leaders, are worried that a tight race in the party will be bad for the party. Where are their senses?

If PM can be so open and receptive to the onslaught from the opposition, in which there are reasons to believe that they are backed by western powers, and won convincingly, why should he be so insecure with his own party members?

So what if there is another Sulaiman Palestin to surface and mount a challenge or a token challenge to deliver a message?

It is good feedback to the populist strategies he had adopted. At least, PM can gauge and see for himself the quantifiable KPI of acceptability with UMNO members for the policies of Omar Ong's Ethos Consulting and associate, McKenzie & Associates.

If we are Najib's Penasihat, we would advise him to contest because he will come out stronger after many baptism of fire. Tun Dr Mahathir went through many challenges. Hopefully one day, Najib will be acknowledged by historian and academics as a social liberator.

This is the new millenium and an open Malaysia could not accept undemocratic practises of the past. Like it or not, the decision today will build up towards the perception and poll results for 2018.

The Edge is trying to spin the story on the lawsuit between Tan Sri Halim Saad and Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop to redirect attention towards stock market crash in November 1997. Yes, we will finally know the truth.

And the truth is about the unscrupulous Nor Yakcop because this issue is about Halim Saad and Nor Yakcop.

It is not about Tun Dr Mahathir or UMNO or Dato Najib or anybody else. The first defender is Nor Yakcop and not someone else. But the chicken shit kept quiet and only Khazanah (the third defender or consequentially liable) was talking.

Eventually, it will provide further evidence that Nor Yakcop is unfit to fill-up high position of authority. It is already bad that Khazanah is led by failed CEO and Executive Directors, it now has someone who fraudulently enter into a deal to deceive as Deputy Chairman.

Looks good for Malaysia that the Deputy Chairman of it's Sovereign Fund is a fraud, isn't it?

Debunking Anwar

Inside the latest issue of The Edge, Managing Editor Ho Kay Tat gave special attention and publicity to alleged indiscretion done in Renong-UEM deal of 1997 which he attribute as the cause of the crash that year. He added an air of mystery by claiming UEM directors and regulators then were reluctant to speak.

Anna Taing view the lawsuit as a test case of transparency.

M Shanmugam tried to give an Edmond Gomez twist but it does not make sense for UMNO to giveaway it's asset for free to a government company called Khazanah.

Anwar's boy, Tong

Bear in mind, The Edge is linked to a Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim's man by the name of Dato Tong Kooi Ong who is believed to be currently residing in Canada.

The Edge have been presenting gloomy picture of the Malaysian economy and business in support of Pakatan Rakyat but giving bad perception towards Malaysia internationally.

Thank God, we have a good Foreign Minister in Dato Anifah Aman. UMNO ... ini VP material, bah!

Anwar, Tong and The Edge forgotten or intentionally forgotten that Anwar denied in Parliament in and about 1997 before he "went in" that Hatibudi Nominee Sdn Bhd and few others companies are UMNO proxies.

But, that is UMNO's affair and leave it for others time to speculate. Don't believe this myth about Tun Daim and Tun Dr Mahathir were at loggerhead. Maybe they are laughing at those who believe such tales over teh tarik at late nights together beyond the views of everyone.

The Edge should not try to cover-up for the repeated fraud offender, Nor Yakcop. [read back previous posting here.]

Long and Short Story

The Edge wanted to dwell on the UEM-Renong deal from the perspective of the November 1997 stock market meltdown and conveniently blame it on the deal.

BERSIH's financier, Soros

Again, they intentionally forgot that the Ringgit was attacked by hedge funds friends of Anwar and with the finishing touch done by BERSIH sponsor, George Soros back in 1997.

Refering to the 2001 MBA thesis by our friend, Tengku Dato Dr Rethwan Tengku Mansor (Yes, he is the withdrawn BN Seri Setia candidate), the financial crisis had it's root in the Thai Baht devaluation attack in May 1997 and the earlier Mexican pesos crisis in 1996 (we believe).

It started a contagion effect and the Ringgit was attacked twice in May, unsuccessfully and July, more successfully. The deal may have sparked the crash but it cannot be solely responsible.

To be fair, the UEM-Renong deal can also be traced back to 1988 when UMNO was de-registered.

UMNO assets was placed under official assignee and a white knight had to surface to save it from falling into unfriendly parties such as DAP supporting Chinaman. Halim came in on his personal capacity to help rescue UMNO assets.

But, that is too long a story.

Edmund Gomez version is not the full picture but based only on information extracted from the newspapers and various publications. Some bugger borrowed our book and not returned it yet.

So we zero in on the 1997 UEM-Renong transaction.

Transaction

For the benefit of the Saloran 3 and 4, whose probably not born yet then or was still sucking on their mother's tits but these days think they are a wise guy to make sweeping political statements, Halim was a major Melayu corporate player.

It is not like today's Melayu who want to be rich like corporate players but still makan gaji to work with GLCs and not put their own money where they mouth is. Sometimes one wonder as to how honest can these keparat be?

Halim had some 8 Public Listed Companies and many other prospective companies like PLUS and Nusajaya land in his stable.

Those days, under Tun Dr Mahathir era, the names of Malay corporate players and big businessmen was a long list that Sally Cheong had a fairly thick book written and there was updates version on the profiles of the Bumiputera listed companies.

All these crap that the Khazanah and PEMANDU boys are trying to do are not foreign but old tricks given new names. Back then, these people build and develop things. They hired Malays and made them into competent professionals.

Not like Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar of today, who is only a Fund Manager seeking for pittance return but masquerading as Manager of the Nation's "Treasure", who can't build or develop anything. His position is supposed to be strategic and not be just a by-stander manager.

There are also fakes like Omar Ong, who in the name of promoting efficiency and better performance is just milking the Treasury out of consultancy fees.

However, the kerja part kasi McKinsey & Co. and others and in turn, these internationally named consultants gave it to locals for pittance to do the real work. These work can be done by government servants but when out-sourced, it only make them hate politicians.

People like them and Nor Yakcop degraded the Malays/Bumiputeras and deny them opportunity and advancement. Nor Yakcop was tasked to establish TERAJU but he use it to hoodwinked the Bumiputera as though something is being done.

How is Melayu going to support UMNO and BN in 2018 if the liberal policies are detrimental to Bumiputeras and also the Nation?

Sorry got strayed away into politics.

Coming back to the issue, Halim flagship company, Renong Berhad (70%) had interest in United Engineers Malaysia Berhad (UEM), which in 1993/94 is around 33%.

In 1997, in the thick of crisis, the shares must be languishing. Renong is a holding company known to have high debt level but good assets. Halim may have decided to do something about it.

On November 17, 1997, UEM announced to acquire 722.9 million shares in Renong. Subsequently, with all the hoopla made by the press and market, Halim personally offered to buy the UEM shares through a complicated financing structure call a Put Option. Let's just understand it as a layaway plan for Halim to buyback in stages.

By May 2002, Halim will fully pay for all of it. It looks like a lease of life of 5 years for Renong and by the time PLUS is listed in 2005, this budak Melayu dari Perlis and schooled at Sekolah Melayu Jalan Stesyen is ready to conquer the world.

There should be no problem for Banks to finance him. By the time May 2002, the financial crisis should be over.

Khazanah Acquisition

Halim paid for the first installment of RM100 million in February 2001. By the the time he was to pay for the second installment of RM100 million in mid-July 2001, he was called over to Tun Dr Mahathir's office.

Gambler and fraud

In the writ, Halim claimed that he was told that the Government wants to takeover his shares in Renong and UEM and Blacula, Nor Yakcop will work out the details on behalf of the Government.

When they met on July 12th 2001, before the second installment of the Put Option, Halim was told not to exercise the Put Option and another transaction (which is the General Offer of remaining shares in UEM).

Being the businessman he is, Halim wrote to Tun Dr Mahathir and proposed another financing alternative, presumably better.

Nor Yakcop is a foreign exchange market gambler and not technically competent in M&A and financial restructuring. He was still a novice at the corporate game then with only the fraudulent Mun Loong takeover in his resume.

The urban legend has it that he threatened Halim with investigation. If there is an issue with SC, he should have proceed with it. However, it needs to be established first and perhaps undergo due process in the court of law. Basically, this use of threat is a fraudulent transaction.

They met again on July 17, 2001 and finally reached a deal. So there is no issue of Halim could not honour the Put Option. It was made into an Agreement that Khazanah will takeover Renong and UEM and proceed with existing transactions in exchange for:

1. Payment of RM1.3 billion in the form of RM325 million cash and balance of RM650 million value of land in Nusajaya;
2. Payment of RM465 million for the Renong shares;
3. Transfer of the company, Kualiti Alam Sdn Bhd as settlement of RM508 million for rescue of Fleet;
4. Sell Pharmaniaga to Halim or his nominee; and
5. Release of liability.

It is also agreed that the RM100 million paid for the first installment returned with RM65 million for interest, cost, etc.

Fraud

After the whole excercise for the acquisition to Khazanah was completed and in May 2003, Halim was paid back the RM100 million first installment and later the RM65 million, Nor Yakcop begin to behave like a true keling born in India to renegade on his part.

While he said verbally that the 2001 Agreement would be honoured, he begin to not honour the deal. Typically, he avoided from meeting Halim from 2003 to 2010. When met at social functions, his respond is that he will deal with it later.

According to Halim's writ of summon, it went on till he received the bomb in April 2010. Tun Dr Mahathir (by then retired) told Halim that he was informed by Nor Yakcop that Khazanah will not honour the deal. Halim got to finally meet hear it for himself from Nor Yakcop in Putrajaya that no more payment will be forthcoming.

Halim can be considered cooperative but he end up being deceived. Khazanah can claim to have defense. For Nor Yakcop, all crooks claim so, but Halim has all on paper; documents, correspondances, and witnesses. In all his meeting, there is lawyer Tan Sri Rashid Manaff as witness.

Destroyer

Tajuddin was framed

Another corporate personality, Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli could see the move. In fact, it is believed that there was some overture made to him for a cut. So he resisted and was dealt with.

Nor Yakcop abused his power to disallow Tajuddin to use the proceed from the sale of MAS that was in Naluri Berhad to retire his loans and stole Celcom from him.

There was collusion to charge and frame him with fictitous allegations using a crooked underworld-linked cop and opposition leaders and supporters.

Nor Yakcop and Khazanah acquired UEM-Renong, and Naluri-Celcom-MAS through fraudulent means. Together with the likes of Tan Sri Azman Yahya of Dana Harta, they were rampaging to massacre Malay businessmen.

Today they destroyed the Bumiputera Commercial and Industrial Community and the future of a Malay economic revival. Hope the Pribumi of Sabah and Sarawak be better prepared for these neo-liberals.

Don't believe TERAJU is a serious effort at helping Bumiputera when it is at the whims and fancy of PEMANDU, Ethos Consulting and the Jew, McKinsey & Co.

And don't raise about moral issue because we can raise about the Chinese business practices too. We've got a copy of Sterling Seagrave's Lord of the Rims.

The Malaysian Insider today carried a news on the Prime Minister. Off course, there will be some Ajinomoto flavoured in their story. Let's take it on good faith first.

The report claimed Dato Najib is not taking back his five officers that lost in the recent general election. Najib had many political secretaries but sources claimed none seem to work for him. Instead, they are more concerned with their own political career.

Tun Daim had blame his "Penasihat" for BN's dismal performance in the recent general election. It could actually mean his Advisers, Secretaries and Special Officers or it could mean something else.

Nevertheless, if his political secretaries are incapable of winning, what useful political advise can they give the PM?

It is as simple as that.

The news and interspersed with our comments, below:

Under pressure, PM to dump all five aides who lost GE13 contest

June 12, 2013

The move signals Najib's resolve to clear out the Umno "war room" that has come in for criticism following Election 2013 - File pic

KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 ― All five political aides to Datuk Seri Najib Razak will be dropped from office for purportedly putting their interests above the prime minister’s in what is seen as a move to axe the deadwood weighing down his office ahead of Umno elections this year, Barisan Nasional (BN) sources have told The Malaysian Insider.

Handpicked to run in the May 5 polls, Datuk Latt Shariman Abdullah, Datuk Shahlan Ismail, Datuk Mohd Shafei Abdullah, Datuk Mohamad Fatmi Che Salleh and Datuk Mohamed Suffian Awang have come under attack from Umno bloggers and pro-establishment critics following their embarrassing defeat in the 13th general election.

The five had been seen by Najib’s “war room” strategists as having the best chances to give a fillip to the ruling BN in its bid to regain the coalition’s two-thirds supermajority in Parliament lost since Election 2008.

Correction: None of the five are in the first list of "whites" generated by the War Room.

Running Aides

But Umno bloggers have blasted Najib for allowing his aides to contest in the polls, arguing variously that the five men had little grassroots support in their constituencies.

BN ultimately won 133 seats in the 222-member Dewan Rakyat and Umno, the coalition lynchpin, took 88 federal seats in Election 2013 ― up nine from 2008.

But several party veterans have blamed the party and BN’s lacklustre performance on Najib’s “war room” strategists, and hinted that the prime minister might be shown the door if he does not remove his strategists for their bad advice.

Najib’s two special officers, Shahlan and Latt Shariman, were beaten by PAS candidates in Kedah although BN succeeded in snatching back the rice-farming state from the PR pact.

Shahlan lost by 3,935 votes to PAS vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar in the Pokok Sena federal seat while Latt Shariman was defeated by PAS’s Mohd Nasir Mustafa by a 1,044-vote majority in the Kubang Rotan state seat.

Mohd Shafei, who is Najib’s political secretary in the Finance Ministry, lost to PKR’s Datuk Dr Tan Tee Kwong by a 5,511-vote margin in the fight for a seat in the Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory, which was significantly bigger than the 2008 results.

Two other special officers, Mohamad Fatmi and Mohamed Suffian, were also trounced in the contest for Kota Baru and Kuantan respectively.

Datuk Latt Shariman ran in one of the ADUN in Kuala Kedah. How does this MCOBA with a face that looks like he had weekly facial treatment in a Bangsar saloon expect to be accepted by the hardy fishermen and padi farmers of Kuala Kedah? He was not the first because there was another MCOBA cowboy before.

Latt held back the disbursement of campaign monies in the Division account and it contributed to the 0-4 lost for Kuala Kedah. PM's own adviser breached party headquarter's instruction!

Datuk Shahlan lost partly due to cah keting from Division head, Datok Ahmad Lebai Sudin. Grassroot believed Ahmad had a pact with Dato Mahfuz Omar of PAS. He may have not delivered all the seats because Mahfuz expressed surprise at his press conference when told Ahmad won at his ADUN.

His was a lost his cause when his campaign speeches shot his own feet. It may have been divine intervention because there was suspicion on Shahlan when certain BTN materials were found to be printed by PKR's IKD affiliated printers.

Dato Shafei and Dato Fatmi are destined to lose but thought they are winnable. Win-cable is more accurate. Shafei was responsible to sabotage Wangsa Maju's MCA candidate in the 2008 general election. Thus, the MCA support is not expected to be forthcoming in 2013. Don't blame it on Chinese Tsunami.

Fatmi had lost so many elections in Kota Baru and seen as a quarrelsome figure in UMNO Kota Baru Division that it is unfathomable for him to be allowed to contest. During campaign (in which we were at his constituency), he regularly did not turn up as scheduled and was not reachable to the media.

His slogan emulated a Jerry McQuire's movie quote, "Bantu saya untuk membantu anda." Gapo mu kecek ni, Fatmi? He could have done better with "Show me the money!"

Sufian is a protege of Dato Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis (JJ). He is parked inside PM's office and his presence had been suspiciously to serve the interest of JJ.

War Room

The culling of the losers is the first sign of Najib’s seriousness in ridding himself of his advisors, many of whom have been blamed for misreading the ground ahead of the closely-fought election.

The BN “war room” had been tasked with selecting the candidates and advising various strategies to win the polls.

It counted Rompin MP Datuk Seri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis, Putra World Trade Centre chairman Datuk Seri Dr Alies Anor Abdul, Petronas director Omar Mustapha Ong, Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor, party information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan and former Terengganu mentri besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh as among its members.

The war room had stuck to its prediction of BN winning between 145 and 150 federal seats and also getting back Selangor in Election 2013 although some senior BN leaders were privately doubtful of the figures.

No, like the over confident Dato Zin of Selangor War Room, the War Room had given a projection of more than 160 seats win for BN. Even Najib did not believed it.

Credit where is due, there is a War Room member who placed a projection of only 135 seats.

And by noon on Polling Day, the war room had issued its “white list” of 118 federal seats it was sure to win, but some like Pasir Mas, Shah Alam and Lembah Pantai were lost, which some Umno divisional leaders said reflected the disconnect between the leadership and the ground.

The country’s sixth prime minister is also under pressure from Umno to distance himself from his “war room” planners, namely Alies Nor, Omar (Ong) and Jamaluddin (JJ), a party insider had told The Malaysian Insider.

The "holy trinity" as some insider described. Or perhaps The Untouchable.

A blogger that raising the issue of Alies Nor received a call and a threat from an UMNO high official. Alies Nor is the man in charge of the War Room.

Raising the issue of Omar Ong may infuriate the PM who is overly protective of him. Emanating from his consulting company, Ethos Consulting and associate, McKinsey and Company, Omar Ong is in charge with generating the many acronymed liberal policies of Najib and milking the government with consulting fees.

Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar and Omar are responsible for policies that made Najib seemed to overly bend over to the DAP-voting Chinese demands. It is not going down well with BN's voters.

Over tea last weekend, Najib tried to blame others like Dato Shahrir Samad for inviting him to an event to deliver donation to Chinese school when asked from the floor. That is not good enough.

JJ has to contain his ego and gung ho ways. He is O-istic and widely known to be C-upt. The man thinks he is progressive and open but he is not.

He turned schizo and requested to pull down postings when bloggers questioned his suitability as cabinet member. His presence as so-called PM men will not endear the PM with the ground.

Token Challenge

Several disgruntled east Malaysian MPs met with veteran Umno lawmaker Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah last night to discuss their positions after not getting anything for their wins in the closely-fought Election 2013, pointing to a lengthening line-up to rattle Najib after he won his first personal mandate with fewer seats than his predecessor Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Analysts and other political observers have said that Najib’s leadership of Umno may be challenged in the party polls due year end, which could also unravel his hold over the 13-party BN coalition and undermine his default position as prime minister.

For Najib, he could survive the political assault and we believe he will win over any challenges.

However, any challenge or contest may expose Najib vulnerability. For Najib, he can take three routes to save him from any further embarassment and it is the same advise and winning that we have been repeating since 2009.

First, to seriously address issue of corruption. UMNO must not only be seen clean but Halaalan Toyyiba. One obstacle to clean up the country of corruption is the Attorney General, Tan Sri Gani Patail.

To regain confidence in UMNO, he need to wield his cane swiftly to address leakages in the system related with National Communication Team and internal UMNO's Secretariat. These led to systematic failure in BN's campaign. [Read Bigdogdotcom's series on Systematic Failures I and II here and here.]

Betrayed Malay Agenda

Second, he has to address the Malay aka Bumiputera agenda seriously and not rely anymore on his current neo-liberal Advisers. Many of his effort like Equinas and Teraju are perceived as hoodwinking the Malays.

Among the serious issues that need to be addressed are scholarships, University and College entries, jobs in GLCs and government, entrepreneurship development, etc. This is what the Saloran 3 and 4 really want but is wrongly presented by the likes of Omar Ong. Najib ended up giving them handphone rebates.

The change from affirmative action policies of NEP to need-based policies was not managed properly. Bumiputera are severely handicapped and deprived of basic opportunity. The solution to leakage is deprivation. Both Najib and Pak Lah side step this vote sensitive issue.

If the need-based policies is not properly formulated, there is no basis for Malay and Bumiputera to support or vote UMNO and BN anymore. As far as the ground is concerned, there is no two way about it.

Third, Najib must have a serious long term plan to generate economic growth. Projects like the KLIFD, Menara UDA, MRT, Naza's Exhibition Centre, etc. are not seen to boost the local economy when contracts are given to foreigners.

Too much emphasis on financial asset play than developing and promoting real sectoral economic tgrowth, which are economic multiplier. Like stocks, shares, money marker instruments and cash, property is also considered as financial asset.

Change or Bust

So far, not hiring five secretaries and special officers is still not a serious change.

Najib should fire first and review back his existing communication team. Better to get a new team. Some are not seriously focusing on their work. Some are incompetent and not respected by the media community. Some are rumoured to be corrupt.

Najib should review his economic planning team. Get real economist, not a Shell power point expert. For more than 55 years, the government servants had successfully planned the nation's development.

Off course, the implementation aspect can be assisted by the private sector but getting business consultants to plan the economy is a strange practise. The role of PEMANDU has to be reviewed because it is the sore point to government servants.

Is performance enhancement and KPI system a priority? And, it makes no sense to judge crime and corruption based on reports made. KPI is supposed to be a quantitative indicator and not the final say. Quantitative analysis and field survey is still relevant.

Having seen how NKEA works and all the expensive labs to generate data, it looks like a con job. Understanding and analysing industry should be done by experts and not a survey of any Tong Davindran and Haris.

The consultants are doing justification work and not real research work. There are lots of complains of PEMANDU massaging statistics.

Lastly, we know Najib does not like it but we are not in the business to please him like the pengampu around him. But, here it comes again:

Najib need to seriously consider forming a Council of Elders.It is not about stifling the power of the Prime Minister but to help elders guide the leadership so that no more fatal mistakes.

The Chinese did not vote for BN but there is wisdom in one Chinese proverb. "Aged ginger is more pungent." It means elderly people are more experienced. The elders know the potholes of the journey ahead. The young ones don't and not when they are too theoretical.

Najib should not repeat the mistake of Pak Lah to submit to the wishes of his young advisers who though seemed clever but are without experience, wisdom, and true ground information. We know Najib's boys have been ridiculing some old timers as out-dated.

Look at it this way. If it fails again, he can blame it on the elders. :)

Better late than never, Najib is showing that he listens. But he needs to do more to convince he has the guts to fire incompetents around him. Due to his advisers, Najib bungled on the candidate lists, campaign strategy, policies and cabinet appointments. Nothing less than cutting off the "holy trinity" of Alies, Omar Ong and JJ would satisfy the supporters.

Edited and Updated 8:00 PM

Berita Harian's frontpage headline yesterday reads: "Ghost" blogger banned. No more anonymous blogger?

Afraid? No, just surprised.

Why are we surprised and not afraid?

Is it because when "ghost" blogger or anonymous blogger are banned, it would mean the end of our profession. It will mean us so-called elitist blogger, as some blogger wish to label us as, will not get to collect fee in the million ringgit a year for each blogger.

Hope they reveal the paymaster correctly.

We sure could use few hundred thousand to patch our old leaky air-con vent and put a deposit for a Lambourghini similar to the one bought by a condo dweller near Seri Pacific hotel.

Afraid?

Being afraid is hardly an obstacle. Otherwise, why the heck should we be writing and making brave remarks and expose? That is making enemies from both sides of the political divide.

Off course, there will be those claiming we are brave because we are anonymous. But then again, we are not that anonymous. Many people know of us.

Off course, we will never admit in a court of law if we ever need to be present.

In fact, if we are anonymus, why is it someone told us of an attempt to sue us.

Since our lawyer (quite famous and a mamak, mind you how good those lawyers of subcontinent origin are) told us there is nothing to be worried, we ignored any legal threat or summon. Maybe the chap said that to us because we are supposed to be pro bono. Just kidding bro.

Actually, we are not afraid because we do not care to such threat. After going through half a century of living, we have nothing more to be afraid of what is on earth.

If weapons do not get the better of us, there is always gout, asthma, etc waiting.

Our only fear is if we are on the wrong side of the truth.

Off course, it takes somebody to claim to fight for a cause and believe the truth has to be made known without batting an eyelid or flinching their eyeball or hint of uneasiness.

We are not such somebody but not without our own noble causes and passion

No Licensing

It is quite a surprise that such an important statement about banning anonymity is not reported in The Star. The report below:

Thursday June 13, 2013

PM Najib: Govt won't impose licensing for news portals

By WONG PEK MEI

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government will not impose licensing requirements for news portals, as implemented by neighbouring countries, said the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

"Instead, to maintain the country's harmony, the federal government will enforce laws already in place to ensure that action is taken against anyone who fans hatred and racial sentiments or belittles the monarchy, and those who try to subvert the parliamentary democracy," he added.

Najib said this in his speech at the presentation ceremony of the Malaysian Press Institute (MPI)-Petronas Malaysian Journalism Awards 2012 here Wednesday.

He said the people must be mature and ensure social media was not misused.

"We must create an environment where there are principles and values as well as responsibility towards anything published in social media," he said.

He suggested a "positive control" to ensure that there was responsibility and that information published did not go against any laws.

The Singapore government recently announced that online news portals that regularly reported on the city state would be required to procure a licence, effective June 1.

Perhaps, it is reported in the News Straits Times.

Frankly, we welcome the position taken by the Prime Minister. Self regulation or self discipline is the way to go.

If there are bloggers or social media practitioners and commentators that got out of line, let the existing law takes it's course. We are quite sure the wayward ones will get back in line.

Provide budget to MCMC, police and public attorney to monitor and enforce the law. There is nothing to stop them since MCMC can trace the IPs of all users.

Anonymity

On the subject of banning anonymous bloggers and commentors, will Blogspot.com cooperate to change the blog registration, sign-in and commentator format to insist only real names used for Malaysian?

Can Blogspot.com verify if the names are genuine?

If foreigners used to operating anonymously abroad decide to blog or comment when in Malaysia, are we to refuse them Internet access?

If Blogspot.com refuse to cooperate because anonymity is an accepted practise on the Internet worldwide, will MCMC block out Blogspot.com sites totally?

Before attempting to answer, remember that the Bill of Guarantee of the Multimedia Supercorridor (MSC) guarantees no censorship on the Internet.

Supposed with the smart thinking Ketua Penerangan UMNO, they still get to implement the ruling to use actual names.

To be fair, will it mean that practise of using pseudonym is no more practise in newspaper article, poems, books, etc.

Otherwise it is not fair to the bloggers and social media commentators. It affects the bigger majority of non political users of Blogspot.com.

Assuming Blogspot.com refuse to cooperate, will the Government refuse access to Google.com?

This is a bigger matter than Blogspot.com. It is access and also investment.

Google.com has a collaboration in developing a Malay search website. Will it mean the end of that collaboration and investment?

How will the government make Blogspot.com to agree?

Is it by getting Google.com to sign an agreement with the government for those criteria and term of usage in Malaysia to be acceptable? Or get Google.com to move their headquarter from the US to Malaysia, thus make them abide Malaysian cyberlaw and practise?

One thing for sure is that combating anonymity for non political use will only anger the public towards government. Political news and discourse is only 10% (just a guess) of the purpose to use the Internet.

Misses

We have the strange feeling that someone must have written a report based on a circulated text that was not used by the PM in his speech.

It is supposed to not happen because any prior circulated text would request that they be check against the delivered speech.

Should the remark be true, it will be a case of some adviser or speech writer that do not understand the subject they advise or wrote.

If the government wants to address the excesses on the Internet by the opposition, other than using the process of law enforcement, they should understand how the opposition cyber propaganda works or they will be made a laughing stock.

Keep in simple and effective. But then again, PM will not impose a licensing requirement on news portal.

Let's leave it at that cause we can't give away any advice for cheap. We have to be true to the allegation that Rocky's gang got millions and millions and millions.

The alleged amount seemed to be in the multiple of 45 times to the acknowledged million received to certain state outfit. Read it somewhere in one of the eastern blog.

Strategy

General "Bean"

Frankly, if there is such amount of money for blogger, it sure could improve the army of volunteers. The whole BN cyber warfare can do much better than their present state. The heads can do his work more effectively.

With so much hype over Red Bean Army, we hope we will not be doing trend following like the rush to create bloggers after the 2008 general election.

These days every other person want to start their own such army.

Some are individual initiative. Some are UMNO initiated units. Some are component party units. Some are coalition unit. Some are agency units and that sounds like agent in 007 movie. Some are Ministry level units.

It is laughable if we are to reveal of a Ministry that intend to hold a forum on Red Bean Army. We'll give a hint. Their scope of work is related to areas with limited Internet access.

It really does not need a forum if politicians understand effective communication and know when to shut up and let professional civil servants and corporate men carry out their work.

Before the regiment or batalion is formed, they are already talking about an army like the Allied forces. But, do they know what cyberwarfare is about.

There is such task as understanding the terrain and opponent of such war. Prior to winning a war, one has to be capable at winning battle. The soldiers and the ranks have to be trained, capable and have some sense of strategy.

Red Bean or Green Peas or perhaps Blue Bonnet, the secret lies in the strategy. Any strategy need a clear objective or mission. Then it needs someone who understand how it works and how to orchestrate a war like Patton or Horatio Nelson or Sun Tzu, to lead.

No time for theoretical first timer to act as General. They must be players themselves in order to be respected by the troops.

And not General who tells the President that our blogs are highly ranked, dissemination is very successful and controlled 8 out of the 10 hot issues effectively, but yet say we lost out due to Red Bean Army. What a bummer!!!

It should be someone who not only understand but had experience in both mainstream and non mainstream media. Smoke created by burning dry twigs has been used before as media although these days it will be more related to technology.

There is also the matter of information and propaganda with it's different objective, time span effectiveness and characteristics.

If proper strategy formulation is done, they should realise that they do not need too much infantry. Unless, someone has other reasons.

Wink wink ... boy, that million could sure get us that dream house with indoor swimming pool, Merc and big bike.

Birds of same feather in co-hort together

We are eager and keen to start a series of issues on the "fraudulent" new Deputy Chairman cum Chairman of the Executive Committee of Khazanah, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.

However, the latest episode on KLIA2 with Air Asia CEO, Aireen Omar strange statement demanding for an Inquiry as highlighted by Bigdogdotcom [Read here] attracted immediate attention.

Make no bones about it, Tan Sri Tony Fernandez, or for our convenient he is to be called Tony F, had long wanted Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad Abdul Majid removed as CEO of MAHB. [Read Rocky Bru here.]

The weakness in accusing MAHB at fault for delaying the construction of KLIA2 is that it is Tony F's own doing. An expected delay in the near future will also be Tony F intentional doing too. He will twist it to be the fault of MAHB.

And again, he will demand for Bashir's removal. Busuk hati si udang geragau ini.

Our own insider in MAHB said, KLIA2 is 90% completed. There is no need for such hurrah from Tony and his Air Asia management.

In the earlier phase, it was Tony F's long list of demands that was responsible for the delay.

Our insider who knows very well the project management of KLIA2 said, Tony F's people had been involve in every step of the way from the very beginning, attend every meetings, and aware of the plans and progress.

But, they only raised issues when the particular phase was about to get started. They have endles helah and pick on issues. Being the obliging Melayu they are, MAHB played to their wishes, thus the many delays.

Then Tony F turned around to backstabbed MAHB to say publicly they did not want this and that and raised the issue that KLIA2 is over priced.

Tony Pua, who seem to be on Tony F's payroll, echoed every issue that Tony raised to add a political dimenstion to the pressure on MAHB.

That is a sneeky and dishonest way of getting things done.

In the last phase of the construction, which will involve system, there will be more encounters of the third kind between MAHB and Air Asia.

We have no details but it is basically CITA or common check-in system. Tony F will insist the airport use their system but the airport has decided on their own selected system.

Other airlines have no problem to conform to the specified system by MAHB. Dare to bet our daughter's saving in Bank Simpanan Nasional passbook that Tony will make an issue.

But there is more than that.

Despite the KLIA2 being almost 90% complete, Air Asia has not started making any preparation to move.

Part of their plan to move will involve building their own office building. Months back there was the issue of Air Asia planning to build a tower whose height is not technically and safety-wise acceptable.

Why not preparing?

Financial Storm

Our insider strongly believed Air Asia do not and never want to move to the new LCCT.

They don't care that the current LCCT is jammed and packed with the non conducive environment replicating a wet market in Chow Kit. Everyone can fly but Air Asia will treat them like maggots from the feet of houseflies.

Addition 15/6 7:30PM

At Kota Kinabalu, MAHB has built the Terminal 2 dedicated for Low Cost Carrier, as once demanded by Tony F.

Terminal 2, that was renovated to serve Air Asia as an LCCT, was completed and reopened in January 2007. [Read in Wikipedia here.]

Till today, Air Asia refused to move from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2. The EC has gave written instruction to Air Asia twice, but they are adamant to not move.

The latest development is that Air Asia is buying time to delay agreed financial commitment because they see a financial storm in the making for them.

Their plan to buy Indonesian Batavia Air was aborted and their boast about Indonesia being greener grass has stopped.

Air Asia Japan also closed shop. Their collaborating partner, ANA took over.Could there be more in the making?

First quarter profit down.

The perfect storm will be when Malindo Air is fully operational and is at every destination of Air Asia.

Saving Air Asia

Who does not know that Nor Yakcop, Kalimullah, Khairy and Tony F are all in cohort?

Definitely, Dato Nazir Razak of CIMB is there in the orgy. Otherwise, he would not have given words of support to the suspiciously gay Azran Osman Rani.

Azran studied at Stanford University, just cross the Golden "Gay" Bridge from San Francisco and after Sausolito. Stanford is one the first few American universities that acknowledge LGBT.

We seemed familiar with the place, do we?

He maybe gay but he is not the son of Dato berSeri-seri Anwar Ibrahim's brother, arwah Rani.

The reason Nazir is willing to embarass his own brother by supporting Azran's "official" position to tick off Utusan Malaysia is to boost confidence in Air Asia X IPO.

CIMB has got their Charles Dickens deep inside Air Asia. It means Tony F's eventual fall (God willing) can be a real bad loan headache for Nazir, CIMB and ultimately Minister of Finance, Dato Najib.

Do not forget that the whole MAS-Air Asia collaboration (CCF) win-win bull is about saving Air Asia and fleecing MAS.

Tony F has MAS staffed with all his people. [Read Wee Choo Keong's latest revelation here.] Immediately upon CCF, the main threat to Air Asia, Fireflyz was closed and Dato Eddie Leung dipencen. Nazir must save Air Asia, himself and brother.

What is there about defending bum basher Azran's reverse racism?

Suspiciously Overpriced

Thus the over priced IPO of Air Asia X.

Par value 15 sen stocks floated at 10 times price. [Read Wee Choo Keong here.]

Most likely the series of IPOs by Air Asia on the Kuala Lumpur and regional bourses was to pass the buck to the public all over the region. Remember we said that Air Asia can become a systemic risk that can result in regional crash of the regional bourse?

The problem is Air Asia X was said to have a business model issue earlier and changed it to a medium haul airline. Supposed it is now fine, how is it to sustain stable earning based on only flights?

What is this bullshit about going to North Asia when they had end tie with ANA?

Hello SC! That does not protect public investors.

Please tangkap Nazir and investigate him like how they did on Starbiz's BK Siddhu. Dare or not?

Conflict of Interest

Here is a stinky bit.

CIMB is owned by Khazanah, MAHB is subsidairy of Khazanah. While Air Asia has Khazanah as 9% only shareholders.

We are quite sure that when KLIA2 was delayed, this was made aware in MAHB and Khazanah.

Nor Yakcop maybe Khazanah's new Deputy Chairman but he had been all along a member of the Board of Directors. Not only that, Nor Yakcop is in on every other transaction of Khazanah. That will be divulge in the near future.

Some may say he is a genius and talent. If only they know better, they will realise that he is a fraud. Many of the so-called smart, educated, and urbane young people in Pemandu thinks he is a genius. So that tells about their so-called intelligence.

Financial world's all-time biggest loser

Nor Yakcop maybe seen as talking like a knowledgeable man but tell us what success has he done?

Any claim of success of his is debatable. His only success could perhaps be the Bilateral Payment Arrangement but it failed the moment oil price and CPO got out of whack.

Selective Capital Control is not just his effort. There were many that was involved. His effort was merely to suggest learning from the Chile experience. All currency trader know of that too. But, as told by my friend, we emulated China!

While his success are limited and questionable, his failures are without doubt and humongously big.

As a start, he lost RM16 billion in foreign exchange trading. The destruction of the Bumiputera Commercial and Industrial Community is several multiple more.

Nor Yakcop is the financial world's all time biggest loser. It is not enough for him to be in Malaysian Book of record, he should be in the Guiness Book of World Records.

Need we say more.

"Fraud"?

Back to MAHB, Nor Yakcop and the Board must have known and done enquiry on the delay. Otherwise, he is not doing his job and is sleeping like Pak Lah.

They would have known the reason for the delay is Air Asia. If he does not, then he is a fake who does not know what he is doing as Director.

What is he doing getting to close with Tony F to the detriment of Khazanah's more significant interest in MAHB and CIMB?

As someone who is buddy buddy with Tony F, why can't he used his friendship to achieve a win-win situation for MAHB and Air Asia?

If Nor Yakcop can threaten every corporate player in town back in the wild post-financial crisis days like he did on Tan Sri Halim Saad, Tan Sri Tajuddin and Realmild's empat budak Melayu, why can't he tell Tony F that "we will investigate you" like he did before.

Quite sure there is a lot of "fraudulent" and life threatening going-ons in the business and operational practices of Air Asia.

Basically Nor Yakcop is in collusion with Tony F and a much bigger "fraud" than the alleged fraud he did to Halim Saad.

He must be up to something. A fake and "fraud" like Nor Yakcop must be scheming something for Tony F to benefit immensely.

If there is something for Tony F, will there not be something for him too? The code among thieves: I scratch your ball, and you scratch my balls. The mistresses deal with the hard-ons.

Edited: 15/6 11:00 AM

Perhaps, some construction contract and divert some money to Dubai and return back washed clean. Or to get Tony F to support his many ventures under family proxies?

The current administration has an obsession with the American President, Obama since Dato Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis was sent to Washington to fill the position of Ambassador to United States.

The whole civil service machinery have been instructed to focus on his upcoming visit in September that no one seemed to be concerned with policy or 2014 budget discussion.

To the common political eyes, it could be Prime Minister Dato Najib's appreciation for Obama's surprise call to acknowledge Barisan Nasional's win. It ends Anwar's post GE propaganda.

However, the astute observer fear that the call of support may have it's price in the form of the Asia Pacific Trade Agreement or seldom referred as Bangkok Agreement. We were made to understand that in this region, it is only Malaysia that has not signed this dreaded agreement.

The neo-liberal advisers in the likes of Omar Ong and Nor Mohamed Yakcop are cheering for Najib to sign. But, it is the death nail to our economic sovereignty and will sent the majority of Bumiputera back to colonial days poverty..

However, the White House rumours we are writing about today is not of Obama's but of Tengku Razaleigh's Jalan Langgak Golf home in Kuala Lumpur.

Kept Alive

Talks of Tengku Razaleigh aspiring to be Prime Minister has not stopped despite him being in a late age of 76.

The tengkolok that cost him the '90 GE

It is partly because since 1984 (save for his years in Semangat 46 and a near miss in the 1990 general election), Ku Li, as he is seldom called, has consistently offered himself for the position of party Presidency at every UMNO party election.

Nothing less, not even to run for Vice President when he returned to UMNO, even though he has never held the position of Deputy President.

If there are such positions called Pengerusi Tetap (Permanent Chairman) and Timbalan Pengerusi Tetap (Deputy Permanent Chairman) in UMNO, Ku Li deserve the position of Calun Tetap untuk Presiden (Permanent Candidate for President) UMNO.

And, in recent years, it was kept alive through great spinning by online news.

These spinning can be as absurd as Ku Li's boy, Jadawi's claim that Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will vacate his position for Ku Li in weeks after he swore in as Prime Minister in late 2003. No politician would ever do that, not even a sleepy one.

During the "reign" of Abdullah, much of the spinning by Ku Li's boys on Malaysia Today came in the form of a theme called National Correction. When Najib became Prime Minister, it was spinned by Raja Petra (not Ku Li's boys anymore) as one of the Third Force.

Playing the same chord was blogger Sakmongkol aka Dato Ariff Sabri who described Ku Li as the only person capable of putting Malaysia on strong footing. [Read here]

The suspicion is DAP's former Pekan assemblymen Dato Ariff Sabri's loyalty is with Aspan Alias's boss Ku Li. Sources claimed that they are parked in DAP to wait for the right moment and there are many of them spread all over in DAP, PKR and PAS.

However, someone told us that Aspan have been berating on DAP's multiracial claim in his blog lately

Coup d'Etat?

Now, since last Thursday, the same type of rumour on Ku Li surfaced again. The Malaysian Insider reported that MPs from various groups of the political divide have been making a beeline to his home cum office. Extract below:

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

KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 — Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah has been meeting more MPs from both rival coalitions this week in a bid to get elected as prime minister after Parliament convenes on June 24, say sources.

The Malaysian Insider understands the Kelantan prince has initiated the meetings at his White House-styled residence in Langgak Golf here, to discuss strategies to get enough numbers in the 13th Parliament to take Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s job.

He would need 112 votes, including himself, if a motion is approved for the 222-seat Dewan Rakyat to choose a prime minister. But is still doubtful if he can get the numbers to unseat Najib.

Read on here.

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

Source from one Ku Li's boy said there is a discussion towards a vote of no confidence. PAS and DAP is with Ku Li but PKR could not agree. They insist on Anwar to be the Prime Minister.

But that would not attract the UMNO MPs willing to support Ku Li.

We questioned the feasibility of only Ku Li, the 17 disgruntled BN MPs, 21 PAS MPs and 38 DAP MPs to carry a motion of no confidence. It is only 77 votes to far from the 112 votes.

Assume PKR changed their mind, it will then be 107.

Same source claim confidently that there will be more coming from BN. Without divulging his secret plan, he claimed there are lots of disgruntled UMNO MP.

Perhaps so, because Selangor and Johor are not happy too with the cabinet appointment mathematics. Dato Ahmad Said of Terengganu was not happy with attempts to remove him from his MB post. Dato Adnan Yaacob may have some issue since he has taken a different tune to voice for a contest.

Polarisation

Disgruntled? Yes but is it enough to crossover. We have a different mathematics.

Jahabar may have jumped the gun on Ku Li to conclude that it is a preparation for a coup on Najib. It should make the first day of Parliament on June 24th an interesting watch but Zainal Epi of The Malay Mail has a more plausible story. Extract below:

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

THERE is a move to change the political system that will reflect the racial breakdown of the country. The idea is to formulate a political platform — not a party — that represents every race in which none will feel sidelined.

Heading it are 17 MPs from Sabah and Sarawak who met Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah on Monday to find ways to change the political system that can truly reflect the true racial breakdown of the country.

They discussed the current political scenario where race had become the focus of each party despite being under an umbrella that is reflective of racial representations according to the population.

The MPs expressed their worry given the trend had divided the population and mending them would be not be as easy and quickly.

Sources told The Malay Mail that the meeting did not conclude with resolutions or decisions, but suffice to say, it could be an impetus for other MPs to think and, if they have sufficient numbers, would move the motion in Parliament.

One of them said it was not a move to oust Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak ....

Read on here.

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

The source also said that for the time being, Ku Li would take the opportunity to submit a set of "suggestions" for Najib. Failing which he will ....

RealPolitik

Whether Ku Li's team has their act in order, it cannot be ascertain.

We will have to wait and see. It is easy to sense of movement when they are meeting people everywhere and the indication but not necessary confirmation is whether it is attracting audience at the ground.

To a political player, polarisation is only a facade. When the tree shake, it could be wind blowing.

However, that approach does not put Ku Li in an advantageous position. He has his aura and past achievement but he is not known to the current generation of political players.

Nevertheless, Ku Li is not a novice in this game.

The thing with old timers like Tun Dr Mahathir, Pehin Seri Taib Mahmud, Tun Daim, and Ku Li is that they have history behind them. Cheap character attack does not work.

Their every move is not so simple and easy to read. They know what everyone is thinking, what everyone usually do in every situation and what is the likely outcome.

Their ability to read and anticipate makes them many steps ahead.

If they can keep up with the times, their every move can be deadly. Mind you, Ku Li is one political rival that Dr Mahathir respect.

When it comes to permainan orang lama-lama (old timers' game), we step aside to observe and learn. They have too many tricks up their sleeve to be able to read.

Stretching the Spin

Anyway, if such info had leaked to us, it would have leaked to Jahabar Sadiq too.

Jahabar, whose portal is now in search of a new direction and funder since it is likely to be running out of fuel to burn and some 30 people had left. He needs to get a new political master.

He thought the story of Najib under pressure due to his advisers would make Najib publicly vulnerable to rumours and spins. On Friday, an SMS came in:

DS Najib & political arch rival DS Anwar are in Jakarta today fuelling talk of a meeting that could help the PM face down possible rivals in Parliament and his own party after poor results in Elections 2013 (Malaysian Insider).

Any novice political player would fall for it since there is no permanent friends and no permanent enemy in politics. An extract of the report below:

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

The Malaysian Insider understands that the meeting has been in the works for at least a week, just as Najib is facing a likely challenge in the Umno elections this year end and a possible motion of no confidence after parliament convenes on June 24.

It is learnt that Home Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is close to both leaders, has been tasked to facilitate the meeting. He is in Jakarta for a bilateral visit.

"A meeting has been set up with Najib before Anwar meets Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Satuday," a source told The Malaysian Insider.

Aides to both leaders are tightlipped about the meeting but sources say the duo have a common interest in preventing other challengers for the prime minister's post.

Read the full report here.

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

Naughty of Jahabar trying to implicate Zahid. He is not in the position of weakness in UMNO to undertake such initiative.

Nothing definite of Malaysian Insider's understanding and tight lipped aides.

Unlikely Pact

Sentiment seemed to be against him but Najib is still in a position of strength. Najib-Muhyiddin pact is still a solid combination in UMNO. The possibility of Sabah and Sarawak leaving is unlikely.

So, a pact between Najib and Anwar is most unlikely.

If there had been any inter-faction and coalition pact, our reading is that it would be a Pak Lah-Anwar-Ku Li pact. The problem is Ku Li will never be Anwar's underling and Anwar believe it is his time soon.

Most important, Ku Li is not at the age to do any more political battle.

He wants to keep his history intact and keep talking so that he will one day have the thrill of saying "Hmm ... I've warn of this before."

If he does take such risk, he must be absolutely sure the battle will not end with another lose. The last a royal, gentleman and statesman like him would do is to denigrate himself and be called a buruh kasar. That's what a few MPs said after the meeting as told by an East Malaysian-linked source.

Thus far, Anwar has denied the meeting.

Read also MIM's posting here which dispute such possibility.

The rumours may go on and Jahabar can still stretch the spin for a few more days. But, he has not too much time to play this.

Anwar's propaganda, to dispute the election results and EC and his boycott of Parliament and swearing in, which PAS, DAP and Azmin are not going along, will end by June 24th.

Najib's will be left with his real problem of shaking off his incompetent advisers and officers. He should be worried because he seem to be making one too many mistake [Read Syed Akbar here and Life of Annie here] and someone is trying to be a puppeteer. [Read Apanama here.]

They are not thinking right and dragging him down.

Edited: 8::30 PM

Caveat emptor!

In our days in the business, that is the usual warning we gave to any investors before investing. At least, read the Prospectus or research material first.

Whatever the Investment Bankers' professional advise, Auditors approved accounts show, or company claim on their Prospectus, the onus is on the investors to undertake the necessary precaution before making any investment.

There could be ulat inside and worse still if there are HIV, thus any problem to arise have no hope of turning around.

For those cashrich apek, mak janda and thamby in terompah seldom seen at the viewing areas of stockbroking premises, it is most unlikely to expect them to spot those fine printed questionable assumptions and projections in the Prospectus.

However, with a little bit of common sense and some effort to think and investigate, one do not have to be Warren Buffet to figure out whether it is safe to invest in Air Asia X.

Anyway common sense investing is what Warren Buffet and his guru, Benjamin Graham preached.

If one do not wish to invest because CEO Azran Osman Rani said something insulting towards Utusan Malaysia or media and use his position to threaten refusal of advertising, that is one's business. Off course, there is business justification in questioning his business objectivity.

If one is political or moralist because one just found out from a friend that one former high level UMNO official from Permatang Pauh confirmed Azran Osman is son of Dato Rani Ibrahim, brother of Dato Anwar Ibrahim, it is one's business.

Since we have always argued that the affair of business or investment seldom consider moral issue, thus look at business related issues that affect bottom line. All that the common man on the streets can do is to use merely simple logic.

We've few issues based on simple common sense for them to question and ask before sending in their application.

1. If Air Asia X is so good, why then did the successful and eccentric Airliner, Sir Richard Branson pulled out in around June 2012?

What is it that he knows that we do not know? He has been around longer than Tony F in the airline business. Tony F was just his accounts "clerk" at Virgin Record when Richard started with his first few airplanes.

2. That bring us to the second question. The excuse that Business Times reported here is that Air Asia could not give a definite time for IPO or exit plan to Richard.

With anak manja Toh Puan Rahah as Adviser, no problem to list

With boy wonder Dato Nazir Razak as Adviser, there should be no problem to make the accounts qualified, cook up assumptions to improve projection, or matchmaking deals to qualify. As far as the authority, sap sap suei for this anak manja tak boleh ditegur of Toh Puan Rahah ...one phone call only ma.

In the MAS-Asia Asia CCF deal initiated by Nazir, it mentioned of MAS have the option to participate in Air Asia X listing. It means the IPO was already in the making.

Industry believed that Richard pulled out after Air Asia X London route failed. [Read here]. He may have realised that low cost long haul business model does not work. After the fiasco of several routes, Air Asia revised their business model to medium haul of within six hours flight.

This means that this claim on the Prospectus is misleading and misrepresentation:

What is that XTRA LONG? Azran Rani's?

3. If they misrepresent, can one believe their Prospectus?

Those days, Prospectus is a serious documents. No advertisement, nothing else. Strictly information and verified. It's been a while since we read a Prospectus. [Read here]

Perhaps, things has changed but why is the first few pages looking like the company advertising and promoting their share? Off course it is the salient points but rather tacky, isn't it?

Air Asia X gets more overzealous by advertising in their friendly media, The Star.

4. The company presented the following accounts:

Gross profit was RM163 million, 168 million and RM290 million for 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively. It means profit growth by 3% from 2010 to 2011 and 73% from 2011 to 2012.

With the jump coming at the tail-end of 2012, the momentum stretched into first quarter 2013 profit of RM120.8 million (39% y-o-y increase) vis-a-vis of RM87 million for first quarter 2012. It can then show 2013 as a rise rise.

From our experience, the listing requirement would insist on rising profit for 5 consecutive year and consistent rise in profit. This looks suspicious and only from a sudden jump in profit end of 2012.

5. What we heard Air Asia X was not making money in 2011. The profit figure could be questionable.

When Richard was not convince that the Long Haul Low Cost model work, Air Asia immediately changed their model from long haul to medium haul. MAS had to giveaway the Sydney routes upon the signing of CCF using the excuse Sydney was not a profitable route. Air Asia X should suffer some loss and invest money to gain new routes.

Richard probably knew that Air Asia X will do mumbo jumbo account-cheating to justify listing. For instance, MAS only book-in profit of tickets after tickets used or expired. The whole sales cycle is completed. Kamaruddin Melanun's financial policy book-in profit before sales cycle is complete. It means their profit is inflated by forward booking ticket sales.

6. We are not bothered to go through the whole Prospectus to see the 5 year profit record and all. After all, we are not applying. But if we are to see the profit record, it should date back to year 2007.

It should remind us that Air Asia X was previously FAX. They took over or more accurately stole the Rural Air Service for Sabah and Sarawak from MAS. They were given 12 aircraft and when they realised it is social service and not commercially viable, they ended service and returned the aircraft back to MAS.

Six of aircraft was grounded and two of the Fokker was cannibalised for spare parts. It will cost RM40 million to restore and FAX was supposed to pay. Did they? Read this Sarawak blog here and Wee Choo Keong here and here.

Amokh told bloggers, "Air Asia X is dodgy."

Air Asia X was, to quote Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar's own words to bloggers, "dodgy."

They denied but government acknowledged giving them about RM250 million subsidy but MAS operated RAS for about RM150 million only. That is suspected to be the "seed money" scam from Tun Abdullah government for Air Asia X to start with.

7. Is their projection true?

We highlighted in previous posting and will reproduce below:

What is this bullshit about going to North Asia when they had end tie with ANA?

Air Asia Japan also closed shop. Their collaborating partner, ANA took over. Could there be more in the making?

Air Asia close shop fast when something does not work out financially.They may have thrown in their projection routes which are not successful.

8. The IPO is suspiciously over-priced:

Par value 15 sen stocks floated at 10 times price. [Read Wee Choo Keong here.]

Most likely the series of IPOs by Air Asia on the Kuala Lumpur and regional bourses was to pass the buck to the public all over the region. Remember we said that Air Asia can become a systemic risk that can result in regional crash of the regional bourse?

The problem is Air Asia X was said to have a business model issue earlier and changed it to a medium haul airline. Supposed it is now fine, how is it to sustain stable earning based on only flights?

9. The global economy is on a downtrend with low and negative growth. Can Malaysia sustain it's growth?

Many economist are reading a slow down to come and government cannot afford no more BR1M. How is Air Asia X expect to achieve growth when travel business, especially overseas travel, is so dependent on domestic and global economic growth?

When they refuse to move in Kota Kinabalu and concocting excuses to refuse to move in the near futurre in Sepang, it shows something is brewing. Don't tell us that a profitable company cannot spend on the necessary. [Read past posting here.]

10. Air Asia is a flying safety risk. They only got their AOT on temporary basis and was only recently renewed. At the start, the AOT given to FAX after few months of operations was questionable.

Recently, Air Asia was said to do an emergency fueling landing in Indonesia on it's way to India. Thus, their maintenance operations and safety concern is suspect. With so many pictures of crash landings at airports, God forbid but it is a matter of time.

Airline accidents is an expensive affair and wonder if they made the assumption of barring any crashes in their Prospectus?

11. The whole region is coming up with LCC. When Malindo Air is fully operational, they are capable of attracting more passengers with better service and more reliability in their schedule than Air Asia.

With competition on the horizon, economy not so positive, and suspicion of financial problem, They are heading for the perfect storm.

Still wanna apply the IPO and submit it tomorrow? The deadline for retail investors is 19th and institutional is 24th on first day of parliament.

Latest: Read Wee Choo Keong questioning the overzealous promotion by Air Asia X on The Star here. and Freedie Khoo's curiosity on Air Asia's latest dividend here.

Upon putting up two postings on Tan Sri Halim Saad's lawsuit against Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop [here and here], we did a bit of browsing on the Internet.

Found Nor Yakcop had written in his book that he met Tan Sri Azman Yahya, then leading Danaharta on June 1, 2001 a month before he had a meeting on June 12, 2001 where he had fraudulently cheat Halim out of Renong-UEM. [Read Bizkini article by Jose Barrock here]

Thereon, we found an official site where he shared his speech at the launch of his book, Notes to the Prime Minister. [Read here.] We were actually given a complimentary copy from him at a function but threw in into a dustbin.

In the speech, he mentioned his three son's, Nazir, Ridzuan and Khairul Anwar. Like any proud father, one would give some mentioning to his children at any proud moment of his life.

Those names sounds familiar because we wrote about them in 2010 about a company called Kanari Sdn Bhd and contracts to build the new Istana for Agong. It was said then that they are going around town in Lambourgini. [Read here].

Our curiosity got the better of us. We wondered what else have they been up to.

We stumbled into a Facebook for Brothers in Racing [see here]. Does that explain for the talk of Minister son driving around in Lamborgini and also Porsche?

There is a website Kid Chan [read here] that reported the Brothers in Racing unveiled their new car at Kalimullah's Italian restaurant in Bangsar, Vincenzo Ristorante Italiano in 2009.

The unveiled car was Honda Integra (DC5).

The report mentioned "Brother in Racing humble debuts 4 years ago was with a Honda Civic (EG6) at Merdeka Millennium 12-Hour Endurance Race 2006, when they basically had no other support but themselves."

Really?

Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop officiate the unveiling of his sons new racing car.

The team secured sponsors and support from "... such as Arus Dermaga Sdn Bhd, Entertainment Media And Telcoms Sdn Bhd, Titan Racing, Essex Marine, Ambank Group, Integrated Logistics Berhad and Vincenzo Ristorante Italiano."

The Sepang International Circuit website [read here] on November 16, 2011 reported them surviving "the test of time in the 6 years they have competed together in the Malaysia Merdeka Endurance Race (MMER)."

"It obviously helps if your father is a prominent member in the political circles, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop who is Minister in The Prime Minister’s Department, but Nazir says that’s not a very fair assumption given that their father was initially opposed to the trio getting involved in racing."

That year they drove the Nissan Fairlady Z 380 RS.

The next year 2012, Star Motoring section dated December 7th here reported them as moving on to bigger things.

"The world's first 1.6-litre Mazda3 race car will be gunning for a podium finish at the Sepang 1000km Endurance Race on December 8 (Saturday).

A spin-off event from the hugely successful Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race (MMER), the race pits production cars below 1,900cc and is held at the Sepang International Circuit.

The Mazda3 race car is the result of a collaboration between Fawster Motorsports and Bermaz Motor Sdn Bhd, the distributor of Mazda vehicles in Malaysia.

From left (in white shirts): Mohd Nazir and his brothers Mohd Ridzuan and Khairul Anwar, with the 1.6-litre Mazda3 race car and team members.

Mohd Nazir Nor Md (35 years old) and his siblings Mohd Ridzuan (32) and Khairul Anwar (26) are the drivers for the Mazda3 race car.

They formed the Brothers In Racing team seven years ago, which is known as the first such team in Asia and second in the world consisting of siblings.

Mohd Nazir and Mohd Ridzuan are also directors of Fawster Motorsports, while motorsports consultant Faidzil Alang is the chief instructor and race engineer."

Racing is an expensive sports. Car and machine only last for one race. These are not cheap cars. Furthermore, there is testing, practices, machinist, mechanics, travel, drivers, etc to spend on. From the picture, the prize money is only RM10,000. That is not enough.

Back when they started in 2005, Nor Yakcop was a salaried Minister under Pak Lah's administration. Just failed in his corporate venture at Abrar and returned back to government as Special Adviser to Tun Dr Mahathir during the currency crisis.

How did the boys afford a racing team when sponsors only came in 2009? Were they working when they started racing in 2005?

They must have the passion for such sports early in life and may have been saving up since they were kids. Nor Yakcop should be proud of his son.

Can we be proud of them if we know the truth?

At the recent Invest Malaysia conference last week June 13th, NST [read here] reported Prime Minister Dato Najib Tun Abdul Razak stressed on the need to be market friendly and meritocratic to face the challenges ahead.

Off course, the way ahead is his baby, Economic Transformation Plan (ETP) as champion by Pemandu.

As reported, ETP is the definitive vision of the kind of economy Malaysia intend to create including stimulating foreign investment, boosting domestic demand and ensuring the rewards of sustainable growth are made available to all Malaysians.

Much so that he said something conflicting:

"In the medium term, we must make our affirmative action programmes more market-friendly and meritocratic."

When applied to the supposedly upcoming CEO of Felda Global Venture Berhad (FGV), Dr Emir Mavani as seconded from Pemandu, one wonder where was the market friendliness and meritocratic criteria placed?

Bigdogdotcom has been on a roll on this CEO designate of FGV from Pemandu. After three postings [read here, here and here], we realised there are six major issues that does not show him as a choice consistent with PM's and Pemandu's aspiration for market friendly and meritocratic economy.

1. It is inconsistent with PM's statement for "home grown talent" or in other word, internal sucessors. One can understand the rationale is for meritocrasy. Internal succession plan could better groom technically competent with hands-on experience and leadership qualities.

2. Dr Emir Mavani has limited familiarisation with the businesses, let alone operations of FGV. He was only a Director since 2011.

At Pemandu, his area of focus is oil and gas. Certainly Crude Palm Oil (CPO) is not oil one dig from deep under the ground or sea but grown in plantation. Neither does he has sufficient time to acquire working knowledge of CPO, nor does he on other businesses of FGV.

3. Dr Emir will not have the sensitivity to the participants of Felda scheme, which is the downstream activity or base of Felda whole operations. Pemandu prefer to ‘head hunt’ CEOs based on the primary deliverables of Return on Investment (ROI) and it is adhered to the letter.

If that is the spirit of his appointment, then he is doom to fail should he takes an attitude of indifference to the social objective attached to Felda. The blame here is on Pemandu's linearly rigid, template and text book thinking.

4. Then there is the issue of integrity. Dr Emir have been found to have faked his credential. It means his meritocratic consisdertation is suspect. he claimed to earn his doctorate degree from a non existing Warnborough College in the United Kingdom.

5. Another issue of integrity cropped up. Dr Emir was said to have cut a questionable deal to give subsidy for RBD Olein with a pig rearing company in China. Why the unnecessary discount? Should we be market friendly and sell in accordance to the market?

6. Another twst to this is the suspicion that discount could have been shared and pocketed. Maybe it is acceptable in Middle East, but in Malaysia, it is corruption. Not only it is not meritocratic, it is of questionable integrity and finally it is a crime.

Wonder, who selected him to be CEO of FGV? Who appointed him on the Board of Directors of FGV? And who hired him to be in the Pemandu's team?

On all three accounts, the person or persons must be really short in many departments of meritocrasy.

How is Pemandu going to steer the transformation if their own people are not consistent with Pemandu's market friendly and meritocratic criteria?

Gravity is market friendly, meritocratic and neo-liberal Oxford PPE graduate consultant

For want of the apparatus of propositional functions, many logicians have been driven to the conclusion that there are unreal objects.

Bertrand Russell

Philosopher, Mathematician, and Historian

What the hell was Bertrand Russell saying?

One can only simply interpret that the yearning to propose their ideas and suggestion and consequently, to see it through, made many create non existence stuff.

It reminded us of quantum mechanics and the theory on the existence of electrons moving according to probability in s, p dan d orbitals.

In the perspective of current political affairs, it reminded us of PEMANDU, the Performance Delivery and Management Unit under the Prime Minister's Department. If one have government Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Commissions, GLCs et al, why the need for PEMANDU?

And, if PEMANDU driven and derived economic policies and programs are working and should continue as claimed by The Choice [read here], why the need to seek for public feedback on Government policies and programs now?

Dato Omar Ong may have been too arrogant to hear and be sensitive to the lesser beings not students of Oxford's PPE, thus he may have ignored public feedback before implementation and consequently, the policy, program and himself have become political liabilities.

Driving Transformation

PEMANDU was assigned to supposedly look into the TRANSFORMATION or different mechanics in the workings of economy and government.

These time tellers of your watch had gone beyond doing macro and strategic work, but managing the transformation and latest heard, maybe doing a lab to justify their existence.

Does that means PEMANDU have gone irrelevant and will be but another politician's off the cuff reaction?

The existense PEMANDU had been a sore point among the civil servants that saw their roles and functions in the administration being taken away by corporate men and business consultants.

Their reaction was reflected by Tengku Dato Adnan's almost frightening prospect to losing his Parliamentary seat in Putrajaya.

He will publicly and privately deny it. But, he cried privately to the prospect of losing to Dato Husam Musa after a week of unproductive conventional style campaigning.

In their website here, PEMANDU's main role and objective was stated to oversee the implementation, and assess the progress of government policies and programs.

It also serve to facilitate and support the delivery and drive the progress of the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) and the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).

This is the part that gave the impression that PEMANDU imposed on government servants their own conceived changes on the working of government and economic management.

After GTP and ETP, then comes the other acronyms of plans like NKRA, MKRA, and NKEA.

Out-sourcing Government

Since PEMANDU had acted beyond it's role to monitor performance delivery, they literally replaced government servants to manage performance using the excuse to help "facilitate, support and drive the delivery and progress of delivery."

Move over are government servants and age tested procedures and manuals or procedures. In comes the PEMANDUs.

The PEMANDUs are mandated to catalyse bold changes in public and private sector delivery, support the ministries in the delivery planning process and provide an independent view of performance and progress to the PM and ministers.

But that mandate was given to professional consultants.

Both PEMANDU and consultants are young, newly employed, urban particularly in the confine of Bangsar, Damansara and the furthest, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, global thinking, foreign educated, worldly traveled, multiracial and handsomely paid.

Sounds impressive?

Yes but when one should be reminded that they are not involved in a business entity but administration of a large public entity called government. For them to be given such a big mandate?

Imagine these young urban executives whose never seen a padi stalk in their life but trying to reform the agriculture sector. Make one want to throw a bundle of hay on them.

Much to the chagrin of government, these consultants impress the power-at-be by being effective in their art in which one of the trick to remain as "apparatus of propositional function" is to conjure up "unreal objects."

How many of the rakyat could comprehend what is ETP, GTP, NKRA, MKRA, NKEA, and there is more, EPP and BO?

The could not comprehend but the rakyat can feel that the government is administering or addressing issues wholesomely because of the focuses and emphasis.

When criticised, they will say that all their suggestions, plans, etc, are not based on any person's study or thought but derived from the finding of social labs.

It is what the people want, they claim.

Of course, all those involved, from lab rats to the information gatherer, not excluding the urban and affluent consultants will not be mentioned.

That way the man with the agenda like Dato Omar Ong, his consultant firm Ethos Consulting, and his associates, McKenzie & Co, Boston Consulting Group, Booz Allen Hamilton, and most recent Frost & Sullivan does not have to surface and take responsibilities.

Even though they pre-prepared the outcome of the lab from their own study, solution template, and along their neo-liberal agenda, the selective participants were quoted to justify for them.

They do not have to but it is Dato Idris Jala that will face the public with his powerpoint presentations. And there is politician on the demise, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon to help them wiggle their way out of a difficult political situation.

With all that sophistication, the only effective outcome from PEMANDU that helped the ruling government maintain power was only BR1M. Do one need consultants to think of BR1M?

Realising that hundred of millions, if not billion in the total, spent for consultants fees since the days of sleepy, the people are questioning why are we keeping these Consultant-Advisers that have delivered nothing worthy.

Survival

Tun Daim's call to Dato Najib to sack all his advisers will have political ramification at the grassroots. Under pressure, PEMANDU had called a group of people to compile their views on current government policies and programs, and what need to be done.

One can call it as mini-lab to get feedback. One can suspect it to be not just merely to get views but something more sinister. And, one can suspect it to be about politics to get back support to BN.

It is speculative. One is supposed to take it in good faith that PEMANDU is serious to compile public view on government program and policy. But, our trusted instinct tells us that it is merely an effort to sustain their existence.

Since sold to many of Omar Ong's ideas and suggestions, Najib has put aside his qualitative ability in decision making. He has grown more American to want to see numbers, statistics, ratings, ratios, KPIs, and stuff before he decides.

This mini-lab will generate the numbers and massage it to justify their existence. The views of those that participated will be made into questionnaire's questions for favoured lab participants. The outcome can only be favourably anticipated.

Those invited to give their views was heard to be Stephen Hagger, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Dato Yong Pok Kon, and many others.

Stephen Hagger is the Managing Director and Head of Equities at Credit Suisse, Malaysia. He has been around in Malaysia since 1992 and jumping from one firm to another.

This Mat Salleh has some education and made the foray abroad to the Far East. If he had not been in Malaysia, he is probably working at some farm in Scotland.

One wonders what can he contribute to understand what the Malaysian public want or vote-getting expectations for the BN government.

Never trust a broker talking about corruption, cronyism and nepotism. They strive on know who and has no bound on ethics in their business affair.

Mat Salleh does not wish to understand the local tradition, thinking and psyche. They only want to promote their degenerate liberal ideas.

Tan Sri Tony Fernandez is our dear friend Tony F.

Just cannot imagine Tony F understanding what the public wants. Otherwise, we would not be operating his Airline like a teksi prebet sapu. Who does not know of his conniving wants?

Is there integrity in his ideas towards nation building when he is a neo-liberal, corrupt, and discriminatory on application by Malay for cabin crew? Maybe he disagree with Article 153 on special constitutional rights of Malays.

With the recent episode between his Air Asia X CEO, Azran Osman Rani and Utusan Malaysia, does his organisation has sympathy for the BN cause?

When Tony F yells for the sacking of MAHB's Tan Sri Bashir Ahmad and KLIA2, he has DAP's Tony P or Tony Pua echoing him openly and it should be for their common interest.

And, Omar Ong is on the Board of Directors of Tony F's Air Asia X ...

Tan Sri Dato Yong Poh Kon is the owner of Selangor Pewter.

In a recent close door discussion, he blasted the government servants and call for the immediate signing of the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement.

He thinks that opening up the economy will bring more prosperity to his pewter business and enter into US government procurement business.

When asked if he knows that American federal government procurement gives 90% contracts to American company and 10% to European companies, he does not.

He probably did not know no Asian can get much chance to participate American procurement because the bulk of federal government (not state spending) is military. He probably did not know that TPPA is not just about trade with Americans.

And he probably wanted to open up trade because he hated Dr Mahathir and likely to be an anti-Mahathir for playing delay tactics in trade agreements. He does not know the FTAs are full with manouvres. If he made so much noise for signing of TPPA, maybe he should know more of the FTAs with EU countries.

Only few FTAs are signed but most are an endless game of negotiations that will perpetually not agree to anything.

Hmmm ... pro-western, conniving and corrupted, anti-Article 153, neo-liberal, anti-Mahathir and most likely anti-UMNO to advice PM. Is that where the agenda Omar Ong is carrying the PM to?

From Syed Akbar's posting here on rumoured talks amongst powerful Power Rangers, PEMANDU is on course to look into Political Transformation with Omar Ong assigned to look into transforming BN into a single party.

Thought they would look into Social Transformation and political funding reform first then becoming a bigger political liability.

Satu kebakaran besar berlaku di kampong Melayu terakhir di Sibu, Kg Dato Sibu pada beberapa hari lepas pada Jun 19hb.

Kampong ini habis ranap terbakar dan penduduk memerlukan bantuan. Satu Tabung telah ditubuhkan dan kami menyeru sumbangan dan derma untuk membantu diselamatkan Kampong Melayu Sibu terakhir ini..

Menurut blog Satu Destinasi [baca SINI], Kampong Dato' merupakan perkampungan Melayu terawal di bandar Sibu.

Kampong ini menunggu masa untuk bakal pupus seperti mana Kg Nyabor dan Kg Pulo yang kini cuma tinggal sebagai nama Jalan Kg Pulo.

Di Kg Palo lah tempat kelahiran pejuang kemerdekaan Sarawak Rosli Dhoby. Sayangnya Rosli Dhoby hanya diingati di Sibu sebagai hanya sebuah jalan di tepi Dataran Bandar Sibu.

Kampong Dato' terletak di tepi Sungai Rejang yang berderet kelihatan kilang pembiinaan kapal. Terletak di hujung bandar Sibu di tepi padang besar Dataran Bandar Sibu, kampong ini bersempadan dengan pembangunan terbaru Sibu seperti Hotel Paramount.

Pelan pembangunan bandar Sibu bakal meliputi Kampong Dato dan juga Kampong Nangka dalam Dewan Undangan Nangka.

Ekoran satu kebakaran besar-besaran yang telah menghanguskan 500 buah rumah. kebakaran, bakal hilang terus ciri-ciri kekampongan Melayu aslinya ekoran

Memang kampong ini hanya menunggu masa untuk tunduk kepada tuntutan kemajuan dan bakal dimajukan pembangunan yang sedia ada menjadi pusat komersial baru bandar Sibu.

Tiada pula tanda-tanda yang menunjukkan ada usaha sabotaj terancang seperti yang dilakukan oleh pemaju di Semenanjung menggunakan 'gangster' untuk pindah paksa penduduk dari kawasan setinggan.

Ia pun bukan amalan di Sarawak yang aman dan pelbagai kaum hidup dalam harmoni.

Namun begitu, seorang rakan blogger Taiping Mali sini yang pernah tinggal di Sibu dan beristeri orang Sibu mengesyaki ada sesuatu tidak kena apabla mangsa terpaksa tunjuk perasaan menyuarakkan keengganan untuk berpindah,

Bandar Sibu didominasi oleh orang-orang Cina keturunan Foochow. Orang-orang asal Melayu, Iban dan kaum-kaum lain telah diensut sedikit demi sedikit luar dari bandar hingga kini penempatan orang asal adalah sejauh 15 km dari bandar Sibu.

Sejak tahun 2010, Sibu telah mula mengalih sokongan dari BN kepada DAP di mana DAP berjaya memenangi pilihanraya kecil tahun iu dan berjaya mempertahankan kerusi Parlimen tersebut di PRU lepas.

Kawasan bandar terus dikuasai DAP pada Pilihanraya Negeri tahun 2011.

DAP menggunakan isu ugama untuk menimbulkan rasa tidak puashati dikalangan penganut Kristian untuk mengubah sokongan rakyat Sibu dari BN. Kempen politik membenci ini bakal berterusan diguna untuk menumbangkan sokongan rakyat kepada BN di Sarawak.

Adakah ini berlaku akibat penguasaan politik DAP di Sibu dan sokongan padu orang Cina?

It means Anwar acknowledged the result!

At around 11 am this morning, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim took his oath as Member of Parliament for Permatang Pauh.

He swore with all sincerity to his best in carrying out his duties as Member of Parliament. And, he swore allegiance to the country and to defend and uphold the Constitution.

Of course, do not question whether he will carry out his duties, loyal to Malaysia and uphold the Constitution because he will spin and justify his action with conditions and arguments that it is fine to neglect his duties, disloyal to Malaysia and acceptable to question the Constitution.

Prior to the swearing in, questions arised on his call to boycott the swearing in ceremony. He must have thought that it is purely ceremonial and he can remain as MP and Opposition leader without having to swear.

DAP, PAS and his own PKR MPs did not went along and he turnaround to say that he only said he is boycotting the briefing before Parliament commence seating.

By swearing in, he is accepting the results of the election and is in conflict with his position to question the integrity of the Elections Commissions.

Only yesterday, he had the penultimate event of the Jelajah Suara Rakyat roadshow and he was still accusing EC of cheating and calling for the resignation of the EC Chairman and his Deputy.

Strange thing is, while Harris Ibrahim called for Anwar to remain in his position, he was with Badrul Shahrin and his SAMM group together with Anwar Ibrahim and several opposition leaders minus the DAP members in that rally.

They know so well that the opposition leaders they were doing the rally with yesterday will be swearing in today.

The rally saw a reduced crowd of around 10,000 against their claim of 50,000 when compraed to an earlier rally at a stadium in PJ that was attended by 60,000 and field across Amcorp Mall attended by 20,000.

Anwar himself acknowledged the reduce number [read The Choice here] and cited the haze as reason but he failed to realised that many protesters left when he started giving his speech.

They complained that rally speeches were boring and repetitious. Most realised of the protestors realised that the rally is meaningless if the Pakatan leaders were to swear in today.

While PAS did not support the rally, the party's central committee did not disallow members joining the rally. Few DAP leaders were seen speaking but their members did not join the rally this time after police begin to clamping down on protestors and seditous remarks.

DAP and PAS did not agree to Anwar's call for protest. So does some PKR members. They know it will lead to disqualification.

Since losing the election, Anwar have been trying hard to keep the fire of protest and dissension among Pakatan Rakyat supporters. He called for a protest of the results. Below is his speech at the stadium in Petaling Jaya on May 8th which is more fiery and have content than the one yesterday:

In this speech, he claimed that since Pakatan Rakyat has the popular votes, he justified it to accuse EC has cheated Pakatan of a victory.

The problem is and this has been debunked that this is not a Presidential election but a parliamentary election using the first-past-post system. The party that wins the most number of seats will be the one that rules and choose the Prime Minister.

At a national level, Pakatan may have won but not on a state to state basis. Furthermore, the more popular votes by Pakatan is skewed by few DAP seats getting humongous majority like Theresa Kok's 60,000 majority at Seputeh.

Few days before polling, Anwar cook up a lie to say that some 60,000 Bangla Deshi fake voters were brought in from East Malaysia.

That has caused quite many commotion as Malays, Indian and Indian Muslims descendent Malaysians were harrassed by Pakatan supporters, mostly DAP supporters and with some racist slur expressed.

Pakatan orchestrated few paid Bangla Deshi caught but pictures later uncovered few of these so-called Bangla Deshi are friendly parties and seen posing in photos with opposition personalities.

MAS and Air Asia has denied ferrying any Bangla Deshi. In the first place it is not logical to provide at least 200 flights from East Malaysia with limited number of airplanes available.

The Red Bean Army then cook up a story that there were blackout during counting at many counting centres.

However, the only proof they could provide was a fake pictures of a blackout supposedly at a poll centre in Selangor. It turns out the picture showed a major flaw of prohibited media photographer seen in the picture and those in the pictures were without EC tags.

A DAP state assemblymen from the said area denied the blackout.

Initially, PKR's Rafizi made a statement that PKR will make a petition for 25 of their lost seats. On the day Suara Keadilan reported 18 petition was made out, a blogger reported only 5 was submitted to the High Couty. [read here]

Anwar will have to dig deep to reinvigorate his supporters. He cannot allow them any time to think but to just blindly follow him. Should they do give a little ponder, they will realise that this is but another of Anwar's 916.

Talking of 916 and the supposed vote of confidence against Tun Abdullah, there is supposed to be a vote of no confidence against Dato Najib today.

By the end of the first day of parliament. we should be able to see also whether the so-called claim of vote of no confidence by Tengku Razaleigh being spread around by pro-opposition media has any truth also.

Yesterday, Anwar said that the protest will go on. Before yesterday's rally, perhaps realising the rally will not attract much people, Tian Chua denied the rally is a finale.

The question now is what is the relevance of continuing the protest against EC when Anwar swored in this morning? Find some other issues and BN should not be dumb enough to give them new bullets.

There was a farewell dinner event Monday night last week at One World Hotel, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.

Present were notables such Minister in the PM Department in charge of EPU, Dato Abdul Wahid Omar, his Deputy, Dato Razali Ibrahim, Chief Secretary, Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa, Bursa Malaysia CEO, Dato Tajuddin Atan, etc.

A source told us earlier that the host for the night was PEMANDU and not quite relevant but not to be left out TERAJU. The host invited representatives from other irrelevant and the more accurate description should be "fraud" agencies like Equinas, Talentcorp, Yayasan Pendidikan Bumiputera, etc..

The theme for the farewell dinner was "A Great Talent Leaves" and the man honoured but reduced to a mere talent that night was Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.

One would have thought that he be described as leader or man of vision or saviour for his return from the abyss to be Special Adviser to the Prime Minister and later Minister for a good nine years.

For this no different than a common thief and criminal conman, it is still complimentary to be reduced to a mere talent. He surely had the specific talent as a fake and pretender and a master at taking people's idea and rice bowl away.

Complimenting this Mamak from Penang with a humble beginning that later rose up his organisation to fall and rebound to a position of disrepute as talented, it is like being deceived into believing satan is an extraordinary wise, knowledgeable and pious saint.

Since given the task of reshaping Corporate Malaysia before the word Transformation became vogue, he had mentored many of today's big names.

It started with tasking two young boys, Dato Shahril Redza Ridzuan, the current CEO of EPF and Dato Abdul Rahman Ahmad, current CEO of Ekuinas to head or perhaps front the turnaround of Realmild-MRCB.

Then the so-called GLC Transformation. Enter Tan Sri Azman Mokhtar, Managing Director of Khazanah, Dato Abdul Wahid Omar, his predecessor, Dato Ismee Ismail, CEO of Tabung Haji, and many others too many to mentioned.

But the one notable absentee that night was his co-conspirator, Tan Sri Azman Yahya when he was leading Danaharta.

Though this long hour hardworking former Merchant Banker is a corporate businessman of his own in share registrar and IT, he just cannot resist being member of the Board of Directors of every other of Nor Yakcop's conniving endeavour.

While he has no problem of leaving paper trails of his association with the talented ones, he realised it is time to drop this friend.

In finance, contingent liabilities are liabilities that may be incurred by an entity depending on the outcome of a future event such as a court case. When a friend is beginning to be a contingent liability, it is time to disassociate oneself.

Azman Yahya could be distancing himself arising from the lawsuit by Tan Sri Halim Saad. Perhaps he is pissed with Nor Yakcop for mentioned of their private meeting in his book.

It is embarrassing that the Special Adviser to the Prime Minister entered into a deal to fraudulently deceive another corporate businessman. Since Azman will be implicated, his reputation will go down under too. No plan to migrate to Australia but only his reputation is loss.

Unlike Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli that refuse to succumb to his threat, Halim had been rather cooperative with Nor Yakcop.

Yet Khazanah could default on a bona fide agreement using excuse it was UMNO asset. How did he know when he is neither President or Treasurer of UMNO and less than a handful knows UMNO assets?

Khazanah is Nor Yakcop and Nor Yakcop is Khazanah. Azman Mohtar is merely a highly paid messenger to carry the wishes and so-called manouvre of Nor Yakcop.

Like his own version of Baring Brothers 8888 account to cover up trading losses at Bank Negara that accumulated into RM16 billion, Nor Yakcop applied the same currency traders psyche to neglect rules and refuse prudence like busting up trading limits and creatively getting around rules.

Continue to Part 2

Tan Sri Halim Saad's writ of summon before the Prime Minister announced Barisan Nasional's candidate list may have denied Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop's his chance to stand again as Member of Parliament for Tasek Gelugor.

Halim had also denied PAS candidate, Dato Abdul Rahman Maidin the chance to get even for and old score. Rahman was threatened before with investigation by Nor Yakcop in his quest for MRCB, after it was sold by the empat budak Melayu of Realmild.

Tasek Gelugor Division head, Dato Shabuddin ran instead for BN. But, he had to take on as well the former UMNO Division head and former Agriculture Deputy Minister, Dato Shariff Omar who ran as independent. Sharif was sore with Nor Yakcop for betraying a gentleman agreement before he gave way for him to run in 2004.

All this only ended Nor Yakcop's political career and position as Minister. A plum job awaits and he could continue to do the same nonsense as he did before.

Politics pays

When dropped as Minister, Syed Hamid was awarded Tan Sriship and given the highly influential position as SPAD Chairman.

A corrupt politician can make more than a few spuds, to say the least. This is not accusing Tan Sri Syed Hamid will reward himself with thousands of taxi permits like a Minister still in cabinet used to do.

Rafidah was also awarded Tan Sriship. Instead of continuing to face pressure in public service, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz took up Chairmanship in Air Asia X and Lion's Megasteel. Both positions are opportunities to harness her political influence and knowledge in Government policy formulation to further commercial interest.

However, even the illustrous Rafidah was nothing compared with Nor Yakcop. The Malaysian Insider reported the same observation below:

Former ministers do not fade away — they get appointed to plum positions

June 20, 2013

Former tourism minister Ng Yen Yen is expected to take up her position as the chairman of the Malaysian Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB) despite her party, the Malaysian Chinese Association's (MCA) avowed stand not to take government posts due to their poor election results.

The Sun Daily reported today that the MCA politician appointed herself to the position just after the dissolution of Parliament and while she was still the tourism minister.

Her appointment is likely to become a bone of contention and the source of ridicule. Already, opposition politicians have been actively tweeting about Ng's new position.

Ng did not defend her seat in Raub which as expected, fell to the DAP. Her tenure as the tourism minister was pockmarked with controversies over payment of RM1.6 million to set up a few Facebook pages.

Also enjoying a new lease of life after the elections is Datuk Jamaluddin Jarjis, much criticised head of Barisan Nasional war room.

He and members of his strategy team have been blamed for Datuk Seri Najib Razak's unsuccessful attempt to regain two-thirds control of Parliament, with critics saying their predictions had little connection to the pulse of the voters.

Jamaluddin is now a special advisor to the PM with ministerial status. He is also the chairman of PR1MA, the company set up to build affordable houses for those in the middle-income category.

Former Minister of Economic Planning Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop is now the deputy chairman of Khazanah Nasional while former Information Minister Rais Yatim is in the running for a top overseas posting.

Several other former Barisan leaders are also expected to take up positions in various government agencies, in what is seen as a reward for their contribution to Malaysia.

These leaders never fade away, but continue to be part of the public sector with heftier pay checks and not much of the responsibilities of their former posts.

Politics pays, for a long while.

Former role

From only a member of the Board of Directors of Khazanah, he was elevated to the position of Deputy Chairman of Khazanah.

23 May 2013

Khazanah appoints Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop as deputy chairman

KUALA LUMPUR: Khazanah Nasional Bhd has announced the appointment of Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop as its Deputy Chairman effective June 3, 2013.

Nor Mohamed's appointment was nominated by Prime Minister and Chairman of Khazanah, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, it said in a statement.

He will also be appointed as chairman of the upcoming Khazanah Research Institute, it added.

Nor Mohamed joined Khazanah's Board of Directors on Nov 12, 2002.

He was previously Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of the Economic Planning Unit. -- BERNAMA

That is higher than another noteworthy Member of the Board, the Minister of Finance II, Dato Husni Hanazlah.

The farewell dinner was merely ending his hands in Government but maintain his deceitful hands in the Malaysian corporate scene via the GLCs. It is returning to his former role in the so-called GLCs Transformation. This time around it could be given another branding.

Dato Najib thought that the Deputy Chairman position carries no power, thus it could balance the public's negative view of Nor Yakcop and Tun Dr Mahathir's kinship for him. In no time, the mamak Nor Yakcop manouvered to empower himself as Tan Sri Mohd Nor Yusof (current MAS Chairman) vacated the position of Chairman of Executive Committee.

MEDIA STATEMENT
Kuala Lumpur, 4 June 2013

Khazanah appoints Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop as Chairman of the Executive Committee

Khazanah Nasional Berhad (“Khazanah”) is pleased to announce that Y. Bhg Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, who assumed the role of its Deputy Chairman on 3 June, has also been appointed as the Chairman of Khazanah’s Executive Committee (“EXCO”), effective on the same date.

The decision was made at Khazanah’s Board of Directors (“BOD”) meeting, which was chaired by the Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday.

Tan Sri Md Nor Yusof, the previous Chairman of EXCO since 1 April 2006, remains as a member of the BOD and EXCO.

Khazanah Nasional

According to the Khazanah website here, "The Board of Directors is assisted in the discharge of its duties by an Executive Committee and an Audit Committee established by the Board."

This position essentially gives him executive level power and to determine the placement of people all over the investee companies of Khazanah. He will be creating more Azman Mokhtars, Azman Yahyas, Shahril Redzas, Rahman Ahmads, Wahid Omars and Ismee Ismails.

Maintaining relevance

Before public outcry on his appointment can reach the PM, Nor Yakcop has already made another move to make himself more indispensible.

The Malaysian Insider reported:

Khazanah research institute to be government’s thought catalyst

June 25, 2013

The soon to be formed Khazanah Research Institute (KRiS), will serve as a thought leader, by providing the government with input concerning the country's economy and socio-political scene.

Khazanah Nasional Bhd deputy chairman, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, said the institute would be commissioned as a think tank, to provide a fresh opinion stream for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the government.

"Apart from macro economic and socio-political issues, there will be others such as in-depth taxation, faced by middle-class Malaysians," Nor Mohamed, who is also the KRiS chairman, told Bernama.

KRiS will assume the existing functions of the Khazanah Research Division that has been in operation since 2004.

Nor Mohamed said the new institute would complement current think tank groups, as all its studies would be compiled and brought for discussion and presentations.

"There are already a number of think tanks for the Prime Minister. We will work together with them.

"There are some issues that we need to solve as soon as possible to achieve the developed nation status. So, working together, will accelerate the decision making process," he added.

Najib, who is also the Khazanah Chairman, had late last month proposed Nor Mohamed's appointment as the deputy chairman effective June 3, 2013.

Nor Mohamed, 66, a former Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of the Economic Planning Unit, was also appointed chairman of Khazanah's Executive Committee. He joined Khazanah's board of directors on Nov 12, 2002.

Khazanah Nasional is the investment holding arm of the government.

Political cost

Will the more think tanks make it merrier for PM to decide on issues or only the preferred ones will get better attention over the others?

Thus, what was really meant by: :

".. fresh opinion stream for Prime Minister ... and the government"
"Apart from macro economic and socio-political issues, there will be others such as in-depth taxation, faced by middle-class Malaysians ..."
"... accelerate decision making process"
"... issues that we need to solve as soon as possible to achieve the developed nation status"

Does it has implication of alienating further the base supporters to BN that voted them back or still the dream notion of enticing the 94% of the community that rejected BN?

Knowing the way Nor Yakcop thinks and does things, his failures, his insidious manouvers and cover-ups, and his questionable dealings, it is not a comforting prospect that the outfit will be another conduit for the same adviser that resulted in the dismal performance of BN.

One will find here another Adviser on a survival mode doing the same thing to counter call by Tun Daim to fire all of the President's men.

There are those that argued Nor Yakcop had contributed immensely as the architect behind the Selective Capital Control that provided financial stability to counter the 1997/98 financial crisis. Thus, his past sins for breaking the law and causing billions of losses should be forgiven.

But, it does not make sense that he be further rewarded, empowered and revered. It is unfathomably imprudent that he be allowed to continue to cause many more billions lost and suspiciously leaked out of the system. What more, the latest Halim lawsuit expose his dealings for government as fraudulent and made the government defaulted on it's agreements.

It could only mean that the socio-economic cost arising from the numerous and continuous disaster inflicted by Nor Yakcop on the rakyat and nation are either not sufficiently known or appreciated. Perhaps, somebody is putting a blind eye to all that is happening for lack of an acceptable reason.

The problem is the public has no more tolerance with the ruling BN repeating past mistakes and today's more transparent society will ensure an unforgettable political lesson.

Continue to Part 3

Part 1: A great talent leaves

The pursuit for Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop is not a recent interrest but had been on going since 2007. If one were to search using the keyword "Nor Mohamed Yakcop", one would find at least 32 postings on him and it dates back to 2007. [See here]

A bounty hunter like us are patient and relentless. As one journalist used to tell us, "You bloggers never give up."

Former Securities Commission Chairperson, Tan Sri Zarinah Anwar was pursuit for 5 years from the fraudulent ECM Libra-Avenue Capital merger in 2006 till the questionable E&O takeover by Sime Darby in 2011.

With crooks like Nor Yakcop, one cannot give up.

Nor Yakcop attracted this blog's attention because in his capacity as Minister of Finance II, he helped cover-up the said merger for his friend, Dato Kalimullah, former boss's son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin and Zarinah. [Read this 2007 posting here, among others]

He helped Zarinah and Zarinah helped him on many other occasions. In one instance in 2010 and with regard to SC's bullying of journalist in their investigation of Kenmark, he interfered in a Mingguan Malaysia report. [Read here and here.]

Despite the many Zarinah's suspicous indiscretion including to take a position that had her husband's involvement in Tenco and Isyoda [read here and Rocky Bru's here], Nor Yakcop got her renewal in 2010.

There were various issues involving Nor Yakcop's post-foreign exchange trading days, The one that stand out is Abrar. Let's revisit few past extracts on Abrar, starting from one dated July 8, 2010, below:

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Mun Loong as many would have known became the public vehicle of Abrar led by Anwar Ibrahim's boys Dr Wan Hasni and now Australian based Sidek Ghouse. Nor Yakcop was part and parcel of that outfit.

There is an old article from Malaysia Today in my personal archives entitled "Nor Mohd Yakcop: Royal Commission of Inquiry in 2008?" dated February 2008.

In case, some reader is not happy about referring to article associated with Raja Petra, rest assured that the article was not written by RPK but by an anonymous we believe as credible.

The excerpt from the article below:

"Nor Mohd Yakcob had just been fired from Bank Negara at that time. Seeing that Anwar was selling the Islamic bank, Islamic toothbrush, Islamic toilet, Islamic bread, etc., Nor Mohd got Bank Negara to jump on Anwar Ibrahim's Islamic bandwagon.

So, as a favour, Anwar got Rashid Hussain to give Nor Mohd a job. Rashid Hussain gave him a car, a driver, and a small office with no staff.

Then Wan Muhd Hasni and Abrar Corp came along. Muhd Husni was Anwar's carpetbagger man. So Nor Mohd began to fall in love with him too. In no time Nor Mohd joined Abrar as Executive Chairman.

Since old habits die hard, soon Nor Mohd started doing the same old things that got him in trouble at Bank Negara, i.e. breaking rules -- or Mohd's expertise: getting around standard procedures. That is how he became the subject of the Police Report mentioned above.

When Nor Mohd joined Abrar he was offered a chance to own 5% of Mun Loong Bhd. He thought it was a great deal. Since Anwar was the Finance Minister, a RM30 million loan was arranged from Bank of Commerce for Nor Mohd to buy shares in Mun Loong (later Abrar Corp).

But they knew nuts about Mun Loong's business - which was a retailer of medium- and high-end ladies attire for Chinese working women. (What a combo - a bunch of Islamic nuts taking over a retailer that sold mini-skirts to Chinese girls!! Ha. ha.)

Before they could say abracadabra, Abrar-Mun Loong started going bankrupt. Nor Mohd's RM30 million loan was secured by the same Abrar shares. When the share price started going through the floor, the value of the security dropped and Nor Mohd had no money to pay back the loan.

But the report does not say to whom Nor Mohd pay the RM30 million that he borrowed from Bank of Commerce. Obviously to the vendor of the Mun Loong shares. Who else? Possibly Abrar itself, Wan Muhd Hasni, etc.

The report does say that since Wan Muhd Hasni was boss of Abrar Corp, Abrar Global Asset Management (AGAM) and Abrar International, he gave specific instruction to AGAM to invest RM43 million in investments of his choosing, not AGAM's choosing.

The RM30 million which Nor Mohd borrowed from Bank of Commerce could have been be part of this RM43 million. This means Nor Mohd was suckered.

But the report does not say something else of an even more serious nature. AGAM or Abrar Global Asset Management was an asset management company, a fund manager. It was licensed to take funds from the public and invest the money in shares, bonds, etc.

So here is the picture. Abrar Corp is the holding company, going bankrupt at that time. AGAM is a subsidiary with a license to accept money from the public. Wan Mohd Hasni and Nor Mohd Yakcob were at the top of the Abrar food chain. They were the bosses. Hmm.

As a fund manager, AGAM was obliged to act prudently in managing public funds. They should invest some of their funds in blue chip shares, some in Government bonds, and maybe smaller amounts in more risky investments. There is a ranking of risks. The riskier the investment, then the lesser you invest or don't invest at all.

This is where AGAM did a more scandalous thing. They diverted a large portion (some say 95%) of the public funds that had been entrusted to them into just one investment - the shares of Abrar Corporation.

This means they were using public funds to prop up the share price of their holding company, Abrar Corporation. Is anyone surprised anymore that Abrar went bust (into PN4)?

Wan Muhd Hasni and Nor Mohd Yakcob were all shareholders of Abrar Corp. Nor Mohd had even taken a RM30 million loan to buy Abrar shares. So when the Abrar share price started going down, they got AGAM to use public investor funds to prop up the share price of Abrar. This is scandalous.

Then, when the bottom still fell out of the Abrar share prices, the scenario in the Police Report above happened - RM13 million was diverted from Abrar to pay off Nor Mohd's personal debts with Bank of Commerce.

This is Criminal Breach of Trust. But who exactly authorised the diversion of the funds? As beneficiary, Nor Mohd is certainly in the wrong. But who were the accomplices inside Abrar?

There was no investigation by the SEC which was chaired by Munir Majid at that time.

The cast of characters:

Faris Najhan was a softie 'budak jambu'. Over the course of 1998, as the CEO of Abrar, he looked increasingly worried as he came to work everyday. I used to see him sitting moodily at his desk, just staring at anyone who came to the office.

Munir Majid was indeed the Chairman of the SEC at that time. He was a buddy of Nor Mohd Yakcob and another lover of Anwar. As the Police Report says, as Chairman of SEC he did not take any action against Abrar or Nor Mohd Yakcob.

After Nor Mohd became Finance Minister 2 in 2004, he appointed the unemployed Munir Majid as Chairman of MAS. Munir spent millions of MAS' funds buying paintings of fat women and living like a king off MAS' perks and benefits. We all know that part of the story.

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

Excerpt from the November 24, 2009 posting here, below:

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Oversight and over exuberance is nothing new to Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, but luck has always been on his side. That luck must run out fast before the nation have to incur more costly mistake from his misadventures.

Not long after resigning from his job at Bank Negara together with the late Tan Sri Jaafar Huessein due to the humongous foreign exchange losses from his own indiscipline and excesses in trading (but he blamed others including Dr Mahathir privately), he joined the Abrar Group.

He became the group’s public figure for whatever reason for their takeover of Mun Loong Berhad. That placed him with a position and public presence. It also helped to lift him back to prominance. The problem was he was rising higher and higher to the level of incompetence.

Words are Najib is reshuffling cabinet soon. Hopefully this time former sprinter Mumtaz Jaafar will stop 'running' as Nor Yakcop's lobbyist.

No more Mumtaz, please. This is for the nation's sake.

The much needed break

The Abrar Group was a clueless group of Malay boys with a confused political economic agenda. From the words of Malaysian student studying in the US in the 90s, they were managing some mysterious Arab funds. They were armed with doctoral degrees and immediately had access to manage fund out of Connectibut, US.

It is theoretically impossible to beat the S&P 500 without taking excessive risk. Abrar's Wan Hasni dan Rahim Ghouse decided to return and invest the money in Malaysia.

Mun Loong was supposed to be their public listed vehicle to consolidate businesses they acquired. They were acquiring businesses in no orderly and strategic fashion - from plywood factory, Canadian satellite company to prawn farming.

They had no inherent management expertise. Without experiance but thinking big, management was typically command and control style with corporate headoffice mindset. In a matter of time, they failed.

Nor Yakcop left Mun Loong to the boys to sort the mess with bankers, shareholders, and investors. Gone was his plan to be a corporate player. Then, the financial crisis came in 1998. He was brought was brought to meet then Prime Minister Dr Mahathir to assist in solving the crisis.

Dr Mahathir understood that it takes a thief to catch a thief. Thats how he described foreign exchange traders. Nor Yakcop may have failed in his market dabbling, but he knew sufficiently how the market operates and the big boys in the game.

Yes, as described in Edwin Lefevre's investment classic, Reminiscences of a Stock Operator, the foreign exchange market too was a game where knowing the rule book is insufficient.

He was appointed as Adviser of Bank Negara. From there, he was elevated to Ministerial status and appointed to Senatorial position. Under Tun Abdullah administration, he became Minister of Finance II.

Originally the plan was to maintain him in cabinet with the task to restructure and consolidate the Government companies into Khazanah, but he managed to stay longer after Abdullah's departure.

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

That's good enough for a prequel to tomorrow's "Forgiven sins." Leaving the juicy one for over the weekend.

Continued to Part 4

Part 1: A great talent leaves
Part 2: Continued presence

The PM's advisors should be sacked - Tun Daim

Credit where it is due

Adviser Ong insisted Najib repeal ISA and EO

Concur with these bloggers, AND ...

Covering up Nor Yakcop's Renong fraud

Friday June 7, 2013

Halim Saad files suit against those who allegedly forced him to sell his shares

By B K SIDHU
bksidhu@thestar.com.my

This rubbish about no contest

Truth is Nor Yakcop is a fraud

Najib listening ...

Combating Anonymity or Anti Democrasy

KLIA2: Another Nor Yakcop "fraudulent" scheming?

Rumours from the White House

11 suspicous reasons not to apply Air Asia X IPO

Ex-Minister with his racing sons

Pemandu rep failed to meet Pemandu's criteria

PEMANDU's pre-emptive move for relevance

Tabung Bantuan untuk Kampong Melayu Sibu terakhir

What is the relevance of continuing the protest aganst EC when Anwar swore in?

A great talent leaves (Part 1)

A great talent leaves (Part 2): Continued presence

A great talent leaves (Part 3): Bounty to hunt

Friday June 7, 2013

Halim Saad files suit against those who allegedly forced him to sell his shares

By B K SIDHU bksidhu@thestar.com.my

By B K SIDHU
bksidhu@thestar.com.my