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Dear Selangor Mufti ....What is the fatwa on MAIS default?

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Since our March 21st posting to explain there is no official request from the palace for apology and court determined "default" by MAIS [read here], there is no comment or fatwa by the Selangor Mufti, Dato Mohd Tamyes bin Abdul Wahid.

As a member of MAIS and the authority on Islamic jurisprudence to issue fatwa, he should be concerned with the court judgement against MAIS.

Tamyes is currently embroiled in the issue of Valet prayers, in which MAIS, or maybe it is JAIS, ordered such service be stopped.

It must be important and significant that he has to make his position heard. But why no position on MAIS's financial default, in which the civil court made a decision that MAIS failed to honour on a promise.

Furthermore, court threw out MAIS attempt to annual it's guarantee and various agreements.

In simple language for the common folks' understanding, the highest religous body in the state of Selangor dishonoured on its promise.

Tamyes should be aware of a comment made in Rocky Bru posting here for the attempt to annul, reproduced below:
It is MAIS that is not honouring agreement by seeking to annul. Are they hoping that by throwing the name of the Sultan that law and order and agreement can be simply thrown out?

Now that MAIS has resorted to take on bloggers, they have exposed themselves as not honourable. Once signed, an agreement is to be honoured and not annuled.

I believe it is haram not to honour ones agreement. There is a Mufti on MAIS council. Don't tell us he will justify and defend such dishonourable conduct of MAIS.
This is a bigger issue than his position on Valet prayers.

Or, men wearing silk shirt:



Or, some old practises from the past:


Or, feqh issue on dogs:


Or, the brave stance to ban the Mufti of Perlis from dakwah and outlawing Sister in Islam in Selangor.

The financial guarantee was part of a muamalat transaction, and dishonouring an agreement is a weakness on ethical values.

Late issue of CF is not the fault of the contractor. They did not dishonour the agreement made.

In turn, it could be the fault of or corruption by state administration machinery, in which MAIS, Tamyes and prominent members of MAIS are part of.

Most embarassing, defaulting on a promise is a bigger issue because it is an issue of adab and manifestation of a loose iman and ihsan. [Read an earlier posting here]


Tamyes expressed his views on syariah law. It is important structural issue on Islamic judiciary.

More so, RUU 355 and 164 are issues of concern to Muslims and society.

But an issue that directly affecting the institutions Tamyes is associated to should also be a priority.

Furthermore, dishonouring promise is a contravention of syariah law as much as stealing is a punishable offense under hudud law.

For few years, MAIS's higher institution of learning, KUIS collected rental from students amounting to the tens of million.

However, the refuse to pay the contractor as agreed in iron clad agreements to both contractor and Banks.

The lawyers can advise on matter of law. But Tamyes must act from a moral and ethical stand point.

His honour, the honour of the institutions he is associated to, and the public perception of Islam via the guardian of Islam in Selangor are at stake.

Without it, MAIS could lose its credibility. The public will not respect its views on Islamic matter, and role played on Islam in the state of Selangor.

* Updated 8.00 am 6/4/17


Opposing Islam or just politics?

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PAS President, Dato Seri Hadi Awang presented the amendment to Act 355 on syariah law (henceforth to be referred to as RUU 355).

After a year of waiting, the final moment finally came. Video as above.

It is not the introduction of hudud law as twisted and spin by DAP propagandist. Despite the explanation given, opponents still insist in arguing to link the amendment with hudud.

How will the law eventually come to be received?

Many predicted it will not get passed since some component members of BN, particularly non UMNO and East Malaysians did not agree.

Government side decided not to table the law. It was reverted back to PAS to table the law as originally intended.

It is claimed UMNO has washed their hands. UMNO leaders denied. Its only respecting BN consensus.

Some PAS leaders do not think so. The pro-Pakatan Harapan PAS leaders think so.

Hadi tabled it and Dato Takiyuddin seconded.

However, there is no debate today. It ended with a cliffhanger as one will have to wait for the next Parliament session.

Contrary to Rafizi-led survey claiming the young do not agree to the RUU 355, majority of Muslims will not disagree or oppose to RUU 355.

It is about strengthening Islamic law in line with the Quran, Hadith and practises of Prophet Muhammad. The amendment empower the state up to a limit.

The Muslims that disagree are from the Islam liberal, i.e. Muslims claiming to be progressive but to Islamic authorities, ill equipped to misguided in re-interpreting Islam.

There are also Muslim politicians opposing by claiming concern for non-Muslims or view RUU 355 as not Islamic practise or nit picking on isolated areas deemed as weakness.

Its all about seeking influence from non-Muslims voters or fearing political retaliation from non-Muslim voters.

The loudest are former PAS politicians that used to be vociferous to defend hudud.

Though the law should only be applicable to Muslims, The Star feature on RUU 355 highlighted cases of Islamic law allegedly encroaching into non-Muslims.

This has contributed to interfaith conflicts in the past [read here and here].

It became a stumbling block or to some, an excuse for non-Muslim lawmakers to support.

Disunity among Muslim politicians made non-Muslim lawmakers that support passing of Islamic laws in the past dare not support it today. Supporting it could have negative political implication on their political prospect.


RUU 355 is not the only one on the card. There is also amendment to Act 164.

RUU 164 serve to address conversion of children to non-Muslim couple in which one of the spouse converted to Islam and the children converted without the consent of the non-Muslim parent.

Most of such cases involved Indian couple.

The amendment propose that any official change on the children religion will only be allowed at the age of 18.

Some non-Musim lawyer argued it is the way to go based on the original contract of marriage. The Muslim elders including Hadi did not agree and call for the postphonement.

Will that allow time for a solution or agreed resolution between Islamic clergy and no Muslims?

Doubt so.

In the meanwhile, the debate on the tabling of new law on sexual abuse to children created another controversy.

Though it was passed unanimously by both sides in Parliament,  the argument by Dato Shabuddin, MP for Tasek Gelugor became a conversation piece in the past few days.

The Star reported him saying there is nothing wrong with the girl to be married to the rapist.

Many accused The Star as spinning but Shabuddin get criticised from all sides, including his own party MP.

Did he said such?


From this snippet, he did not explain well existing law that do not allow girls below 16 from being married off by the guardian and need syariah court permission.

He may have been misquoted or taken out of context.

Nevertheless, woman's role today is no more just being a wife, mother and eventually grandmother.

It is likely misquoting or spinning Shabuddin's word was part of strategy in attacking RUU 355, and Islamic perspective of RUU 164 that had been the cause celebre of liberals and left leaning NGOs.

Some Muslims will take it as an attack on Islam thus any attempt to explain will be ignored.

While, it can also be Muslims inability to engage non-Muslims or weakness to articulate their argument outside their own perspective.

The nonagenarian political animal, Tun Dr Mahathir brushed off PAS's private bill RUU 355 as politics.

Undoubtedly, everything is politicised in Malaysia. To Mahathir, nothing personal but it is only politics. After all, religion have long been politicised in Malaysia.

So the amendments have its political dimension.

RUU 355 could be PAS's political trump card to have political parties courting them for marriage will have to conform to their agenda.

It is a new strategy for the more polite and less "millitant" PAS without the political animals which are now under DAP control and in PAN. 

With the debate postphoned, political pundits will be watching closely the coming PAS Muktamar.

Which marriage proposal accepted?

Which existing marriage divorced?

Remember that Muslim male can marry four wives. Syiah allowed for mutaah marriage or temporary marriage with pre-agreed divorce.

Some called it as legitamising prostituition.

Its a fine line.

Soy sauce for "bunga telor"

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"Bang, kita ada wedding hari ini".

Hmmm ... murmuring to myself this morning, "Another weekend and another wedding." But no reply to the wife.

She knew we were reluctant. Without kids, no payback in sight from the contributions to wedding.

"Kita kena pergi, Bang. Jemputan kawan baik arwah Pak Murad dan Mak Cik Pe'ah. Mak pun nak ikut kita."

The "mak" word mentioned means its chaffeur duty for the only son-in-law.

At this age, one gets endless stream of wedding invitations from college mates, friends, former colleagues, business acquintances, politicical friends, NGO activists, and so on.

Kacau ...

Had to keep postphoning planned weekend at a cave resort in Perak or ikan patin lunch by the river in Temerloh or overnight at Alam Warisan in Kuala Pilah.

"Masak sendiri, bang."

That is music to the ears. The irresistable and tasty home cooked wedding meals. Hotel and catering food can be rather bland and predictable.

True enough, food were good, simple and ample.

There were nasi beriani with the typical rendang, dalca, ayam masak merah and cucumber pickle.

White rice was served with sambal sotong, jackfruit in coconut milk, salt fish, ulam, and sambal belacan.

Our piece de resistance was the topioca boiled to softness, kelapa parut, ikan masin and sambal sotong. Washed down with cendol.

Simple but exquisite.

The host is a good friend of arwah Makcik Pe'ah. The two family were then traders at the dry section of the wet market.

Our arwah Pak Cik Murad was the one who helped the late Tan Sri Jamaluddin Jarjis and his partner, Azmi the son-in-law the seed to raise capital for their first business break.

Remembered Pak Murad telling how proud he was of JJ when he was TNB Chairman.

"Hari itu, letrik mati. Mamak (uncle in Minangkabau) talipon Jamal. Cepat saja dipasang balik."

It was the only favour he ever seek from JJ. We did tease him, "Patut mintak IPP. Boleh kita partner. Mamak."

"Apa tu IPP?" he asked.

Mamak, and his wife passed on last year. The host's husband passed on too.

Her vision is blurring. So the family and neighbourhood chip in to help with the wedding reception.

The wedding was held at the parking lot in front of an old low cost flat next to Kuala Lumpur's Kampong Datok Keramat wet market.

It's the typical "gotong royong" one find at traditional Malay kampong wedding reception, which is no more typical.

These days it is held in community halls, hotels, and rented halls of commercial buildings.

Last night we saw one akad nikah ceremony held at Mandarin Oriental. We have been invited for a pool-side ceremony before.

Lost are the warmth, casualness, and family and neighbourhood bonding.

Though traditional, the usual bunga telor from the host was non-traditional. It is soy sauce!

The traditional bunga telor had egg as a symbol of fertility.

In Johor, they would offered telor pindang, egg cooked in a bevy of leaves, herbs, and soy sauce that the shell and white turned dark and smell subtly pungent.

The bunga telor these days are substituted with sweets, jelly, chocolate, kerepek and various snacks. Has the symbol of fertility replaced with symbil of casualness?

We have come across home made soap, perfume and glassware as gifts. Don't know what to make of that.

Just guessing that the new husband and wife has preference for darker complexion off-springs. Just kidding ....

Wedding tradition will change with time. Food selection has changed. The manner it is served has changes to buffet style.

One uncle held reception hosted by both bride and bridgroom side of the family. Late grandma, whose fussy in preserving tradition, must be turning in her grave.

Just as wedding tradition change, life in the close knit neighbourhood in an area used to be the peripheral of Kuala Lumpur will change. The warmth and closeness will be a thing of the past.

Back then, Kg Dato Keramat was only a Malay kampong on the outskirt of Kuala Lumpur.

It was one reason we used to love going for Ramadhan prayers at the surau there.

Today, the Putra station is just across the road and it is considered part of the city.

98-year old Pak Wan is the original.owner of Kedai Emas Kelantan in Pasar Dato Keramat

The new market cum UTC has been in operation for few years. The wet market is due to close.

Traders will have to move to the new market. They have been resisting and buying time.

The local MP and MoF II, Dato Jo Ghani announced hostel for working young adults will built on the site.

Not sure if the flats and land be acquired.

If not, some developer will one day make an offer the family member inheriting from their parents could not refuse.

Should it happen, it should not be when the aging owners are still alive. Tough to start anew.

Time will determine. Changes are inevitable.

But change should be for progress and for the better.

Government under leadership of UMNO has changed and is continuing to change or it will get changed too.

For the time being, UMNO and BN are still
the better option than PPBM and Pakatan Harapan.

PPBM is the old UMNO and the out-dated agenda which rakyat demanded to change.

The reformasi and change agenda lies with the new improved UMNO under Dato Najib, not with those still screaming reformasi and Tun Dr Mahathir is courting.

Hope they know what they want and not caught with tall poppy syndrome.


KEMAS infiltrated with Shafie Apdal people!

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Jabatan Kemajuan Masyarakat or the Department of Community Development (in short KEMAS) is a Department under the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKLW).

It was established in 1961 as a Division for adult education to abolish illiteracy with the underlying belief that literate parents will appreciate the need to give their children education.

With the launch of New Economic Policy in 1970, its role was expanded role beyond adult education to include children early education, skill training, community development, and professional training and development.

One of the mission is to disseminate information and provide understanding on government policies. It serve to inculcate positive attitude among the rural communities towards development and be self reliant in uplifting their economic, social and educational well being.

The Prime Minister has the progress of KEMAS in his heart. Regular reports are requested for Dato Najib.

On hind sight, Najib made a mistake to appoint Dato Shafie Apdal as Minister of KKLW in 2009 upon assuming office.

Shafie inherited a Ministry that is receiving budget priority from Government in the billions for rural infrastructure, in particular for Sabah and Sarawak.

Today, it is Dato Ismail Sabri. Is it a mistake?

Not sure but it is heard some projects fell on Shafie's people lap still inside UMNO and it could end up funding WARISAN and PPBM.


The appointment of Shafie was like throwing a corrupt and deceiving man on top of a mountain of money. The Malay has a saying to describe the appointment. "Seperti tikus jatuh ke beras".

Since it difficult to monitor and control the progress of projects deep in the interior, it is open to abuse. Officers from Putrajaya and state capital are reluctant to visit the site regularly.

Instead of having district JKR verify and certify the work progress and payment, it was done internally by KKLW agencies.

Off course, if it is ever done.

There is the likelihood that billions that was meant for rural infrastructure of roads, water, electricity and solar power projects were paid in full to contractors and suppliers, but it is only on paper.

It is not completely implemented. Pipes and cables were delivered to the sites and paid for but it was not installed.

The Sabah Watergate corruption case in court reveals money in the tens of million ringgit were diverted by corrupt officers into personal accounts and political slash fund.

Shafie may have denied involvement, but the only department from the state involved is the Water Department. The money, contract awards, project monitoring, verification, etc. were from KKLW at Putrajaya.

It is an open secret that the open tender contracts are not really open and the recipient contractors are Shafie's proxies and families!

Shafie knows time is not on his side. The long arm of the law will catch up.

He anticipated his proxies - contractors, family members, bankers, lawyers, drivers, and mistress will eventually get rounded up after general election.

Thus he has to go all out politically. Najib and BN has to be defeated to save his neck.


He readied agencies under KKLW, such as KEMAS for his politics.

Returning to the previous posting on "Infiltration inside PMO", it was uncovered recently that one of the names in PPBM's latest prepared list of candidates for election in one of the state is a serving KEMAS officer.

It tallies with information received that Shafie placed his people in various important and strategic positions inside KEMAS.

Quite usual for Ministers to replace such positions with their trusted people.

When he was in UMNO, they were serving him in the capacity as UMNO Vice-President. Upon he resignation, these people now serve him as WARISAN President but conveniently paid salary by government.

Shafie denied, but WARISAN is working hand-in-glove with PPBM. The Kedah side of his family via first wife side is strongly linked to PPBM.

So the people he planted in KEMAS are assisting him by making this government machinery ineffective. It serve to create dissatisfaction and distance the federal government and the leadership from the rural communities.

Funds and programs could be diverted for political purpose, which is not helping the government of the day.

More deceptive, Shafie's people are painting the wrong picture on the rural area in their report to the Prime Minister Office. For instance, they could be wrong reporting on the effectiveness of the state government.

It is believed to have happened. Najib is suspected to have reservation on the performance of one state leader.

Despite being an excellent administrator and visibly able to bring development to the state, his effort is not known to the public. 

His communications team is weak and inexperienced. They could not appreciate the need to use mainstream media to keep public abreast with the work of the state Minister and his development projects throughout the state.

Political propaganda is totally out of the question. Apparently, their idea of political propaganda is the out-dated modus operandi of paying political writers to publish and distribute books!

This is an opportunity for Shafie's infiltrator to weaken the state leadership with false report to Najib.

No wonder there are those in the corridor of power had the impression this "Bajau Laut" or Suluk leader is politically strong in Sabah. They claim he could win 16 Parliamentary seats.

Not knowing Shafie is at best only good for 6 Parliaments, it is heard certain leaders made effort to patch things up.

No doubt, money politics or sentiment can swing Sabah voters without being detected, but Shafie's name is too bad to make it happen.

More so, he is not trusted and respected by other opposition leaders for his corrupt ways.

All his years in politics, he failed to bring anything more significant than that one project to Semporna - a tukun fishery project. He bribe the voters with money to stay as MP all these years.  

False report by Shafie's people in KEMAS will give the wrong impression on the performance of good rural based leaders.

Removing such leaders and worse still, replaced by hopeless and unpopular candidate will weakened BN chances against candidates from Warisan, PPBM, PAN, and PKR.

It is not far fetch that KEMAS operators will subtly highlight personalities within UMNO to push their candidacy. The strategy is for them to jump ship upon winning seats in the general election with UMNO funding.   

Beware that one is dealing with a con-niving short person. Not only do short people come with Napolean complex, he has a Keling as boss.

F1: Another Mahathir serial planning failure

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Tun Dr Mahathir just made a remark that the way to bring down the number of civil servants is through privatisation. It is a political statement intended to send the message his past initiative was justifiable and he has solution for every problem.

An early rumour claimed Mahathir will leave PPBM to head Pakatan Harapan. He will chair PH and be the proposed Prime Minister. If  succeed, he will persuade Kelantan Agong to forgive Anwar and pass the post to him.

There is something illogical but this is what was heard.

Nevertheless, CUEPAC President was not happy with Mahathir's comment. Pushing the civil servants to the private sector means loss of job security. However, the real problems are it was marred with cronyism, power abuse and corruption, false efficiency, rising cost of living, and easy money from stock market play.

It is reasons like these that Mahathir's past legacies, except the physial pyramids he built, could not last. The policy initiatives of Dato Najib's father, late Tun Abdul Razak lasted till today. Only few failed but it was Mahathir's undoing.

F1, Proton and public transportation are another set of Mahathir's shiny example of planning failure and implementation that went astray due to political expediency.

Currently, the pentaksub or protoon are vigorously defending Mahathir's F1 by recycling arguments and claiming the cancellation is another politically motivated move to destroy another of his legacies.

Typical in most arguments by Mahathir and his pentaksub, it is simplifying a complex issue for the kampong folks, selling dreamy visions, and ignoring fundamental issue particularly financial consideration. Beginning to realise the truth in a claim by an old Mahathir operator that he does not understand finance.

This posting rehash two commentaries from The Mole - "Was the long-term benefit to host F1 realised?" and "The price for neglecting public transportation". The indented are quote from the two articles.


To be fair to the pentaksub, their points are valid arguments to promote F1 at the initial stage. After 19 years, were the claimed benefits realised?
SINCE 1999, Malaysia has been host to the premium Formula One motor race (F1) sports event. Then, it was the only race in South East Asia and the second in Asia after Japan. The Sepang International Circuit (SIC) had a unique circuit and its two fast straights were a favourite with drivers.

The novelty has faded. There are now six F1 venues in Asia, including another one in South East Asia. The government has decided to call it quits. This 2017 season will be the last.
International recognition 
One of the benefits then was international recognition and promotion of the country. F1 promote the country on the global stage via its worldwide TV coverage. The event is broadcast to 130 countries and the one-and-half hour race is viewed by an estimated 390 million TV viewers worldwide in 2016.

In turn, there is brand awareness for Malaysia. It then should help the economy.

However, it is difficult to quantify. Of late, viewership has been on the decline due to losing interest from the dominance of the Mercedes AMG Petronas team. In 2014, the estimated viewer worldwide was significantly higher at 550 million.
To be fair to Mahathir, F1 could have catapulted Malaysia to the international stage.

Competition

At the initial stage, it did but not anymore:
Before critics argue to offer alternative item for budget cut, Singapore was reported to consider quitting earlier than Malaysia.

It could be a ploy by Singapore to renegotiate a new contract. Nevertheless, the 100,000 three-day attendance in the first year has declined to a daily average of 73,000 in the last season. Critics need be aware too that Shanghai and other venues are on the verge of quitting too.

In 1999, Malaysians gloated for securing a sports event sought after by the Americans and beating Singapore to it. Again, when Singapore expressed interest in organising F1 in 2012, Malaysians gloated.

But, the competition may have contributed to Malaysia’s declining attendance.
Plunging ticket sales

Empty grandstand in 2016 Sepang race
Back in 1999, the forecasted sale from just the grandstand seats was about RM50 million. There are one-day, two-day and also three-day passes sold to foreigners at RM500 and RM250.

For the past four years, ticket sales have been on the decline. It is a daunting task for SIC to fill up the 30,000 paddock seats and 100,000 hill-side seats.

F1 tickets are expensive and beyond the affordability of average Malaysians. Only motor sports fanatic and foreigners could afford paddock seats. After the initial few years, Malaysian corporate lost interest in buying the corporate seats and in advertising.

Although the sport is expensive, the argument was that the potential revenue is huge. The New Straits Times then used the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne as an example of success.

Has the Sepang race been so, ever?
Racing fee

Only Monaco do not pay racing fee

Local race promoters have to also pay race fee to the F1 owner. The actual figure is not known. Contract agreement prohibits disclosure to third party but is known be continuously on the rise.

According to a March 2017 article on Forbes magazine website, the annual racing fee range from US$49 to US$58 million. It is usually a flat fee and is continuously rising due to a built-in annual fee escalator to take into account rising prices.
Because of their pulling power to the rich and famous, only Monaco do not pay racing fee.

It is for similar reasons that F1 wants Singapore badly thus the hard bargain.

Declining tourism
According to Datuk Nazri Abdul Aziz, since 2008, the government had spent RM300 million a year to host the event. As Tourism Minister, he would have been aware of the declining number from F1-related tourism.
Business off-shoot

F1 owner receives all revenue from trackside advertising, TV rights and corporate hospitality?
Furthermore, the revenue generated from track-side advertisement has to be shared with the F1 owner. TV broadcasting rights is with the FIA owner that Malaysian TV stations have to pay to broadcast the Sepang race.
According to ESPN website here, "... the sport's rights holder, the F1 Group, receives all the revenues from trackside advertising, TV rights and corporate hospitality at the races".
The cost could not be recouped. This has yet to take into account the capex for construction of SIC, and its maintenance. More so, F1 is not the only user of the SIC race track.

After 19 years, it is looking more to be an ego trip than economics. Basically, the host is merely a facility manager and assisting the race promoter.

When organising team personnel arrives in Sepang, they take over the show. Equipment, including helicopter for emergency use, food for racing crew, and catering equipment at the pit building are brought in together.

Local participation in organising and retail business is limited.
Proton and private transportation

Engine development was inextricably linked to the national car project, Proton and the private transportation mode of the past. In the long-term, the car ownership policy is unsustainable and public transportation is urgently needed.
Car manufacturing is difficult to sustain for a country with small domestic market.

Though the Proton car project was meant to spearhead Malaysia’s drive into industrialisation that started in the 1980s, the car ownership policy failed and emulated similar transportation problem experienced by the US.
It came with long term economic cost.
In the US, the car ownership policy has eaten up much of the  government subsidy and came with long-term economic cost!

The car ownership policy put the country stuck in a vicious cycle. More cars on the road require more car infrastructure, thus less funds and construction for mass transit. Commuters have no choice but to use their own cars. In turn, it resulted in more cars on the road, a demand for more car infrastructure and congestion.

Valuable economic time wasted for the hours stuck in traffic jam daily. There is the high occurrence of stress, and stress-related illnesses. The number of cars on the road  has resulted in air pollution and high CO2 emission.
Subsidies and bailout

The car ownership policy tailored to artificially meet an indicator of wealth came with large amount of subsidy channeled for cheap oil, highway construction, and Proton.

There were economic benefits and acquisition of technology and management skill derived, but in the long term, and it is happening now, it became an inconvenience and discomfort for the public and city dwellers.

The excuse to not plan for mass transit then was that it was expensive. Resources were needed for other economic priorities.

If a cost benefit analysis is to be undertaken today, the economic surplus will likely be limited and artificial. If the rising cost of living and billions lost to bailout and keep Proton afloat is considered, it is not a surprise that it turns out negative.
Engine development

In 1999, the then Prime Minister said, Malaysian could learn from the technology related to engine design and production.

The Petronas engineers in the Sauber F1 team acquired the knowledge and experience to develop the E01 gasoline motor engine in 1997. Proton acquired the engine rights in 2012 for more than RM45 million, some reports mentioned RM63 million.

The engine was renamed as Proton E01 engine. However, more R&D is needed before Proton could replace the current CamPro engines. The amount runs in the hundreds of millions that at one time, Proton wanted to sell the engine to a tractor manufacturer in China!

There was technology intent but the only technology venture yet to generate any return.
Petronas


All is not lost and it was Najib's administration decision that supported Petronas to work with Mercedes.
Petronas and Malaysia benefited more from the visibility of the four-year champion Mercedes AMG Petronas team than the one and half hour TV coverage of the Sepang race once a year. And, Petronas does not need to waste money to sponsor the event.

There was economic benefit derived from the use of Petronas lubricant for Mercedes road cars sold and research collaboration on lubricant development.
Reality check
One concern then was the capability of Malaysia and Malaysians to benefit from too fast technology advances. The benefit from F1 could be limited. After 19 years, it is partly proven as true.

It is time for a reality check. F1 is considered a luxury past-time for the rich and famous but without the returns for the promoter. In view of the current austerity drive, it is an endeavour the government should no longer waste money on.
Foresight


Current administration has better foresight to seriously look into public transportation to build new train line, and put the linkages together. As Malaysia becomes part of China’s One Belt, One Road Master Plan and site for the recently launched Digital Free Trade Zone initiative with Jack Ma, logistics will be the future economic growth sector.
Lets not make repeat the same mistake as the past:
If the main shareholder of Malaysian Airline System (MAS) had the foresight to strategically pursue cargo air transport over people transport, and stayed the course on the investment in Hann Airport near Frankfurt, Germany, there would not have been a Malaysia Airline Berhad (MAB).

If not politically acceptable, just appoint Anifah DPM II!

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There is hardly any issue for Dato Najib to appoint Dato Hishamuddin as Minister with Special Functions in the Prime Minister’s Department.

Firstly, it is his prerogative and it is an administrative matter. More so it is a BN government internal matter.

So it is none of the goddamn business of opposition bloggers like Dato Abdul Kadir Jasin or Shabuddin Hussin, and opposition leader like Lim Kit Siang to make instigation comment.

They forgot they are in opposition and should be sorting out their own own internal problems!

Secondly, it is not the first time that such a position was made. As Rocky pointed out here, none of those appointed to the position rose to become Prime Minister.

Politics could be part of the concern.

In one conversation we had with a BN supporter, he was willing to leave BN. The appointment is seen as setting up to appoint a successor. The reasons are argued emotionally than rationally.

Political pundits are speculating Dato Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be walked over

Thirdly, look at the position as Special Errand Minister and not Special Child to given special treatment and be given much love. One blogger believed it relates to Sabah. There is also speculation it relates to China and Middle East.

One reason gauged from the few negative views against Hisham is the special political assistance. In the last party election, Hisham was believed to be given various advantages, including Sultans were campaigning for him.

These days there is opposition in UMNO against retaining the bangsawan (aristocratic) character in the midst of call for Rakyat didahulukan, thus selecting successor can be seen as undemocratic.    


Fourth, the appointment has the support of current DPM, Dato Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. That should be the end of it despite Zahid's supporters and men maybe surprised. It should be seen as work-related and not politics.

No one could help the tempayan from talking. More so the political mulut tempayan.

There have been rumours both camp were at each other and baling batu sorok tangan. Speculation is rife that Hisham is going for Deputy President and it means challenging the Acting Deputy President.

Unless, the man himself announce, there is a general election on hand to prepare for. Ironically, thought the opposition to this appointment was against putting in place a successor.

Fifth, if the appointment is merely to affirm #3 in seniority after Zahid, is that wrong?

Thought it is not a bad idea. For his strength and also weakness, Hisham is considered the most senior among the Vice Presidents and has more cabinet experience than Zahid. This is an indisputable fact.

Having him as "second deputy" after Zahid, it is not a bad idea. The party and government should not be put in a difficult position like when Anwar Ibrahim was sacked by Mahathir and end up with the most unfavourable option.

Off course, be it Zahid and Hisham, they have to get party endorsement. The democratic process must not be tampered and Dato Tengku Adnan Mansor should lay off.

Sixth, it is waste to lose Hisham. He has the experience to contribute.

So the view is that it could be an endorsement of Najib for Hisham. Joceline here looks at it from Najib perspective to fortify his position.

It is a wee bit too far to assume Najib is making Hisham as successor. There is speculation that Najib is ready to quit and the presumption is to get Hisham ready. But, should it not be to get Zahid ready.

One long shot hypothesis believed Najib and Zahid will resign and past the mantle to Hishamuddin and Khairy Jamaluddin to pass the party to the next generation of leaders. As said, it is a long shot and the bloke may have smoke something. Khairy still has to earn his mark as a VP.

Seventh, if the move will destabilise UMNO and BN, one theory speculated that Najib could always announce Foreign Minister, Dato Anifah Aman as DPM II.

It is not the first time this idea is mooted. Possibly, there is agreement.

Anifah is respected by the public and politicians - BN and opposition. It will be a welcome move to Sabahans and Sarawakians as it is an acknowledgement of Sabah and Sarawak.

If he was to run for VP, his block of Sabah and another one or two state could win him a place. So it is a solution.

Off course, there will be those not keen with the idea of giving Sabah more power in UMNO. There will someone out there stretching a theory that appointing Anifah will place him as another successor for the Prime Ministership. Other aspirant will see it tough to get the remaining one spot thus will attack this idea.

Anifah will have to agree first. He would rather spend more time in Sabah, meet his constituents, and ride his noisy Harley Davidson.

Frankly, looking at it from a political point of view is an endless discussion and has no ending. No one will be fully satisfied. Take it as another responsibility for Hisham. He had two Ministries under him before.

Suggest Hisham to be more serious and diligent in his work. Insya Allah, he will be accepted and no one should be leaving BN on a wrong preconceive notion.

JAIS-MAIS impropriety or COA bias leaning?

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The overturn judgement that form negative impression of Court of Appeal

The Star reported yesterday a Court of Appeal judgement against JAIS, the Selangor Islamic Religious Department.

JAIS lost a lawsuit by landowner and developer, United Allied Empire Sdn Bhd (UAE) in the force acquisition of a 26-acre of land at Bestari Jaya.

A list of state statutory bodies were instructed by the court to pay cost of RM100,000, including Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS).

The temptation to rejoice as it is somewhat of a vindication [read here, here and here].

But one is talking of the Court of Appeal (COA) here. Do read back this past posting here that had a passing remark on COA.

The prejudice against COA is partly formed for overturning judgement against religious authorities in the Seremban cross dressing case.

There is an overwhelming tendency to overturn High Court judgement made in favour of government, particularly religious authorities.

The report came from the newspaper that unfairly slandered Dato Shahabudin Yahya, MP for Tasik Gelugor by misreporting his debate in Parliament on syariah ruling on marriageable age of young women as allowing rape victim to be married off to rapist.

The Star report was suspiciously descriptive in legal terminologies in their report..

Description of "unlawful and tainted with bad faith", "land grab", "unlawful acquisition", "evasive conduct constituted mala fide (bad faith)",  "a curious mix of bare denials, contradiction of themselves", and "procedural impropriety" was lavishly applied to JAIS.

The report below:
Friday, 14 April 2017 | MYT 10:04 AM

Court of Appeal makes landmark decision over Selangor land acquisition

by Chelsea LY. Ng


PETALING JAYA: In a landmark decision, the Court of Appeal ruled that the forced acquisition of 26 acres of private land by the Selangor state government and five state authorities including the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) was unlawful and tainted with bad faith.

The court in its grounds of the judgment made available Friday morning restored and enhanced the protection of landowners' rights in Malaysia against such possible land grab.

It stated that there must be strict adherence to the procedural requirements and steps in law that public bodies must fulfil before forcibly acquiring private land.

The judgment stemmed from the case between the landowner and developer United Allied Empire Sdn Bhd (UAE) that had accused Jais and the other state bodies of abuse of power for the unlawful acquisition of the land in Bestari Jaya in 2013.

The panel led by Justice Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, in allowing UAE's appeal, described the response by Jais and the other defendants as "a curious mix of bare denials, contradiction of themselves", Justice Abang Iskandar said, adding that the evasive conduct clearly constituted mala fide (bad faith).

The case clearly was one of procedural impropriety, the court held in its 36-page judgment.

The appellate court also granted all 24 reliefs that UAE had sought, including a court order compelling the Selangor bodies to declare their actual intention for acquiring the massive plot of land in Selangor's Bestari Jaya.

The Court of Appeal granted a total of RM100,000 in costs to UAE for proceedings here and in the High Court, with half of it to be paid by four respondents - the Selangor Land and Mines Department director, the Kuala Selangor land administrator, Jais and the Selangor government.

The other half is to be paid by two others which UAE had sued, namely the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) and Selangor Zakat Board.

The High Court had on Dec 3, 2015, dismissed UAE's application for a judicial review to quash the acquisition decision.

The court was told that there was an existing mosque occupying 0.2 acres of the 26 acres of land. In its development plans for the entire plot of land, UAE had, on its own accord, set aside 0.8 acres for the existing mosque's expansion.

The defendants claimed that the acquisition was bona fide as the planned "mosque" on the 26 acres of land would include a religious school and a burial site, for public purposes.

Lawyer Rosli Dahlan, assisted by Bahari Yeow and Ho Ai Ting, acted for UAE while lawyer Kama Azura Md Kamel represented Mais and the Zakat Board. Selangor assistant legal advisor Naziah Mokhtar appeared for the state and the remaining defendants.
The bona fide basis of the land acquisition was kept to the minimal. If there is bona fide basis to acquire for public purpose, why the judgement by COA came out this way?

There could be legal reasons or interpretations.

However, Justice Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim is not one of those species of "Hishamuddin Yunoses, Ariff Yusoffs, Tengku Maimoons, Rohana Yusoffs, David Wong Dak Wahs, Lim Yee Lans, Idrus Haruns, Nalini Patmanathans, and Hamid Sultans".

UAE is defended by lawyer Rosli Dahlan. Could it be a coincident that cases involving Rosli always get psyched up or twisted by the media - mainstream or pro-opposition or social?


Mahathir and the Tall Poppy Syndrome manipulation

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One observation of the current political narratives in Malaysia is that public is not clear in what they want.

They make demands, but when it is addressed, they forgot the original demand and change to a new demand.

They forgot their demands and got lost in current affairs or propaganda.

It could be a reflection of political immaturity. Politics as in governance and public policy, not partisan exchanges Malaysians wrongly associate politics with.

Or it could be some deep imbedded problem inside.


Forgotten?


For instance, Malaysians used to express uproar towards privatisation, especially Independent Power Producers (IPPs) for causing rising tariff on electricity and gets translated into rising prices.

Privatised highway toll and energy were the underlying reasons that started the escalating cost of living.

IPP was seen as daylight robbery - land and PPA came from TNB, cheap subsidised gas from Petronas, financing given by (or forced upon on) Banks, power generator and equipments from ABB or other few suppliers (with Tun Dr Mahathir's proxy, Tan Sri Arumugam as agent cut) and management by ABB. 

Crony and proxy IPP owner like Tan Sri Franscis Yeoh and Tan Sri Ananda Krishnan do nothing but just ka ching ... easy money!

When Mahathir instigated the public with the 1MDB using slanders, fabricated news, manipulated and wrong figures, and wrongful accusation, they forgot about IPP.

1MDB was meant to address that problem.


One can recall also of public demanding more civil liberty and freedom of expression. There was uproar with abuse of power and judicial oppression.

It was Tun Abdullah and more Dato Najib that heard their call.

But now they are likely to bring back dictatorial and draconian leader, Tun Dr Mahathir. The description came from Lim Kit Siang, Nik Aziz, Anwar Ibrahim, and his current associates.

There is likelihood he wants to return as Prime Minister. It is heard he lost fate with Tan Sri Muhyiddin and Dato Mukhriz.

His choice, Dato Azmin Ali may not likely survive an incoming political onslaught. A possible prosecution on Adam Rusly for money laundering from corruption will be the start of the avalanche.

Again, Malaysians mudah lupa.

The Semangat 46 knows extensively and with clarity how Mahathir compromised the Malay interest and prostituted the National Economy Policy.

They will not forget what he did to LPN, UDA, PERNAS, Industrial Coordination Act, and amendment to Education Act.

The most ironic was he completely destroyed and robbed the legions of corporate Malays he created himself, but yet preserve his Chinese, Indian and foreigners proxies and cronies including underworld linked characters.

Yet, many conveniently forgotten out of political expediency what happened and accept DAP which was anti-NEP and strong opponent to Article 153.

Their brains failed to function.

The alliance with DAP will help get back the over-subsidy handout made by abusing Article 153 in the past for Mahathir's political survival.

Current inclusive policy is far more socially just.


Not sure whether PAS has soften their heart with certain faction wishing to work with PPBM.

It was Mahathir's deep-rooted hatred for PAS and traditional Islam that made him allowed the Memali incident (which for decades he accused it on Tun Musa Hitam).

There was also complaints of leakages in the system and thriving underworld business that contributed to rising prices and monopoly.

Come GST, which was to address the problems, Malaysians conveniently forget.

It is not a memory problem but insecurity that witheld them from being rational.

Tall Poppy Syndrome


Thought it is a case gullible Malaysians that easily forget what they use to ask for or do not really know what they want. 

However, one message received claim Malaysians is suffering from Tall Poppy Sydrome. NST has an article recently:
Trolls attack tall poppies

By HAZLINA AZIZ - March 29, 2017 @ 9:00am

WE sometimes have a strange way of reacting to success stories of our fellow Malaysians. We are also quick to shoot down any dare-to-dream ambitions.

In the recent incident of the viral video interview with Natasha Qisty Mohd Ridzuan, who scored 9A+s in her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) — we all read how she was subjected to a torrent of humiliating attacks online for speaking Malay with an English accent.

On the other hand, when Faiz Subri won the Puskas Award early this year, the comments on social media condemned his lack of command of English.

If there was news on local education achievements on the Internet, there would be at least one comment downgrading our education system instead of recognising the scholarly attainments.

A constructive criticism is when advice is given with good intentions because they want to see the person grow and prosper.

The vindictive comments shared online — like those about Natasha or Faiz — sometimes sound as if they were made just out of spite to tarnish credibility or keeping them down.

The Internet makes it easy for trolls to hide in the shadows. It drastically increases the ability to shut off the empathy virtually, allowing them to emotionally divorce themselves from people they don’t like and those they don’t know.

There is a term used to explain Netizens’ reactions. It is called the “tall poppy syndrome” — a phenomena of a social culture commonly identified in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

Poppies are beautiful flowers that stand tall from other flowers. A tall poppy is defined as a high achiever who stands above the crowd and the backlash. The tall poppy syndrome is the reaction of those less successful to “cut down” what they think as an ostentatious conduct or display of behaviour to normalise these successful individuals.

Perpetuating the tall poppy syndrome is like cutting down achievers for no other reason than to mask one’s own shortcomings and insecurities.

These sorts of social psychological processes — perhaps symptomatic of social injustice, economic disadvantage or disenfranchisement — are likely to occur in many social groups, including businesses, politics or even the school environment.

Some argue that the tall poppy syndrome is not broad resentment at other people’s success, but is rather a levelling social attitude, an attempt to deflate the pretensions of those who flaunt their success without due humility.

Do you think we have a tall poppy syndrome going on in our country? The more I read about it, the more familiar it sounds, similar to the online attacks.

The danger of this tall poppy syndrome is that it would lead to a culture of resentment, indirectly striving to celebrate mediocrity while putting down successful individuals and even ideas.

For Australians, it is said the syndrome is rooted in their culture; it had ruined the success of creative and energetic people and in the long run, hurt the economy.

A research has found that Australian high-performance school-age athletes became victims of the tall poppy syndrome.

It revealed that these female athletes — competing at national and international sports events — were bullied at school about their sports achievements by less successful students. Findings indicated that the bullying had resulted in a detrimental impact on their school life and wellbeing.

It is quite common for us to identify the traditional patterns of bullying in school environments, which are usually of vulnerable children, such as those who had few friends or poor body image.

But, there is also the likelihood of victimisation even among high achievers, who might be ostracised or alienated by their peers. I won’t be surprised if similar bullying takes place in our schools and may affect more students.

When those high achievers are victimised, the negative consequences can be magnified. This could be because they had more to lose or, perhaps, because they were more unsuspecting victims. High-performing pupils can experience more depression, anxiety, anger and social marginalisation as the result of bullying.

We have taught our children, generation after generation, about how to be street-smart. In this digital age, parents and teachers require a greater awareness about tall poppy syndrome behaviours, and teaching them to handle cyber-bullying as well as digital empathy. Schools should promote an anti-bullying culture that includes resilience training for talented individuals.

​Things might still be fragile in our education system and there is more work to be done. But, it is also vital to recognise the achievements of Malaysians. We need to protect the tall poppies who deserve their high status because they may do so much to promote the advancement of our country.

**The writer left her teaching career more than 20 years ago to take on different challenges beyond the conventional classroom. As NST’s education editor, the world is now her classroom.
Malaysians may have the tendency to only pay attention to what they want to hear and not the full picture on issue including the plus and minus, positive and minus, and side effects and compromises need made.

Mahathir


Tall Poppy Syndrome is described in Wikipedia as:
The tall poppy syndrome (TPS) is a pejorative term primarily used in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and other Anglosphere nations to describe a social phenomenon in which people of genuine merit are resented, attacked, cut down, or criticised because their talents or achievements elevate them above or distinguish them from their peers.

Australia and New Zealand’s usage of the term has evolved and is not uniformly negative. In Australia, a long history of “underdog” culture and profound respect for humility in contrast to that of Australia’s English feudal heritage results in a different understanding of “Tall poppy syndrome”.
It is also known as known as "the politics of envy". In a 2012 editorial in The Australian, the politics of envy "to turn the national political debate into a class battle by attempting to set the battlers against the rich." was viewed as threatening the ethos and economy of the country.

Australia has such problem but there is similarity with current happening in Malaysia.

The similarity is clear as one hears similar style of arguments by Mahathir but the same critic is applicable to himself. It was intended to invoke the Tall Poppy Syndrome within Malaysians.

It is common to hear the arguments in their comparison do not make sense.

According to studies done at Flinders University of South Australia and published by Australian Journal of Psychology in 1989, those with TPS tend to be those unable to put high priorities on the aspects needed to achieve success.

Those suffering tend to have low esteem, inferiority complex, and apply narrow criteria to measure successful people.  

This seldom happen as a result of parental focus on child's weakness and punish them instead of looking at the child's initiative and strength. The child grow up to repeat the same. It is a way to lessen their disappointment with themselves.

It closely resembled Mahathir's endless ranting on Malays weakness and at the end of his term, he called Malay forgetful. The Malay is the "child he nurtured in such negative manner ended growing up being in-denial and support him by blaming others and living under his "vision" shadow.

Not only Malays, Mahathir inculcated within Malaysians with TPS for him to manipulate them later. Deep within him, he could likely be suffering from the same envious and vengeful trait.

Mahathir to leave divided PPBM

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The latest Raja Petra posting, Mahathir is second-fiddle to Kit Siang, talks about Mahathir being used by Lim Kit Siang to do what he knows best - to destroy. The previous posting highlighted part of the work of his hand of destruction.

Apparently, his need to destroy 1MDB was motivated more than just IPP. Many of the privatisation he dish out to his proxies and cronies will be expiring and banks are breathing on their neck. So he needs new allies to topple Najib at all cost - UMNO, Malays, his dignity, inconsistency, U turn et al.

However, this time RPK feel he is not in the driver seat. He will be leading the Pakatan Harapan but will end up being the stooge of Lim Kit Siang and DAP. The reason Kit Siang is "shy" to tell acknowledge he does not want the position and feels Mahathir is more effective.

In other word, Kit Siang allows him to be his own self and it will favour DAP's power pursuit immensely. They have used and discarded PAS before. Now they have PAS reject to follow their command. 

Hard-core staunch supporters of Mahathir will remains in-denial. They will claim DAP will succumb to Mahathir. Already they are listening to his advise to accept Malay leadership. If so, it is not seen yet.

Politics is a game of numbers and PPBM is not likely to have sufficient numbers or win states to administer. For the past two to three weeks, all have been quiet on the Kedah front. No major campaign event organised.

Coincidently, two weeks ago on April 7th, some 500 members of PPBM Rembau branch announced their resignation from the party. Branch head said it did not affected them and branch is still operational. However, there was a  tad of casualness  in his statement to accuse them of joining PKR.

Why would they join a currently Mahathir-friendly PKR? Is PPBM falling apart?

This morning, former leader of GKCM, Cikgu Kamarulzaan Haiburrahman is holding a press conference at Hotel Sunway, near PWTC - UMNO's  headquarter.

Kamaruzzaman was part of the UMNO branches movement to oust Dato Najib from inside based on Tun Dr Mahathir's orchestrated and trumped up allegation of 1MDB. He was the Executive Secretary in the first Protem Commitee and is a member in the new protem commitee.

Words are the press conference is about dissatisfaction by grassroot members against President Tan Sri Muhyiddin and Deputy President, Dato Mukhriz Mahathir. Sources within PPBM claimed both Muhyiddin and Mukhriz did not honour their promises to the grassroot.


The rebelion within the rebel-laden PPBM started out when Dato Mukhriz appointed his close confidante, Faizal @Pejo bin Dato Azumu as new head of Perak PPBM. Pejo had in turn appointed his associates to replace the original grassroot leaders that establish the branches.

This angered the grassroot leaders and Dato Hamidah Osman, the PPBM Vice President from Perak. She claimed the establishment of Perak PPBM was her effort. However, Mukhriz believed Hamidah is no popular in Perak and need be replaced.


Part of the "parking" of people has to do with Mukhriz's boys plan to ensure his support and position in PPBM. This led to rumour he was competing with Muhyiddin.

It fulfill the conspiracy theory Mahathir is by-passing Muhyiddin in favour of Mukhriz for premiership. Tunku Aziz claimed there was an agreement between Mahathir and Lim Kit Siang for Mukhriz as Prime Minister and Kit Siang as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister.

As much as both tried to deny and even Mukhriz resort to lawsuit, it is not believed by political pundits.

The idea Mahathir is toppling Najib outt revenge for not giving his soon the easy passage to UMNO Vice Presidency sank in already. Mahathir may have different plans.

On the other hand, Mukhriz game could be a reaction to attempt by Muhyiddin to appoint his oys at the branches and PPBM's position.

There may be truth some iota of truth. Muhyiddin was said to tell Mahathir that he is the President thus he should be allowed to make decisions. Mahathir could advise him.

That would not be something a dictator would like to hear.


Part of the Muhyiddin disappointment with Mahathir was the PAS deal. He was in favour of the Malay and Malay based parties form a new pact, Barisan Harapan. It is Muhyiddin's ultra Malay in nature and aspiration to establish an alternative Malay-led BN.

DAP is to be left on their own.

Mukhriz also agreed to the notion. He needs PAS in Kedah to take on BN. And he has allies in PAS to work with.

While Muhyiddin and Mukhriz wants PAS, Mahathir do not. PAS must join Pakatan Harapan and be subservent. If PAS agree to join at the Muktamar, they are back to their old self.

In the meanwhile, the power play by Muhyiddin and Mukhriz did not go well with grassroot. Muhyiddin and Mukhriz did went down to Rembau and Rasah to promise not to change the nrach heads.

The conference today indicate damage is done. It is heard Anas, the ring leader of PPBM Rembau will be doing a lawsuit against Muhyiddin and Mukhriz. More branches and state PPBM may close up.

The puzzle now is whether they are instigated by UMNO. Sources within PPBM claim they are still loyal to Mahathir and remain steadfast to topple Najib. They claim Muhyiddin and Mukhriz are merely putting in place a manouvre to return back to UMNO.

Their pipedream is Najib loses or BN is in a balance to need seats from other parties. Then they could bargain for Najib to quit and they can get back in. However, their plan was only to save their faction and not to deal for the rest former UMNO.

The faction against Muhyiddin and Mukhriz are unhappy with their commitment and work rate. It seemed only 92-year old Mahathir is doing all the work and attracting the crowd.

Source claim Muhyiddin intention is not to win seats for PPBM but to pull a deception game ala Sabah during Tan Sri Pairin Chief Ministership. Don't think it is not known what you did last summer.

The details are still being checked. Later perhaps.


Mahathir could resolve the four time orgasm-Anina scandal but this unhappiness is disheartening. It upsets his plans. Words are he is for certain going to run at Langkawi.

Just two days after the Rembau rebelion, Dato Khairuddin Abu Hasan made an announcement that Mahathir will help to release Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim. It explains his attempt again to be released through the courts.

It points to only one possibility and that is Mahathir may leave PPBM for Muhyiddin and Mukhriz. He will lead PH with Kit Siang as Deputy. If he wins, he will be PM temporarily and pass the position to Anwar Ibrahim.

Mahathir wanted Azmin Ali to be PM and not even Mukhriz. He is a weak leader he once confided. However, Azmin Ali is having problems in the horizon. He is also disinterested to lead Selangor and jealous of Lim Guan Eng. His treasure chest has not reach RM1 billion.  

However, to get Anwar released, the Federal Judge has to declare his sodomy II case as faulty as happened with his first sodomy case. Otherwise, he will have to wait for 5 years after his probable release end of next year.

That is based on good behaviour so has he been behaving?

Does all this make sense? Maybe not, especially the part of Pakatan Harapan and likely to mean direct membership. They haven't even registered PH. It is the same ploy to register Pakatan Rakyat which they never did.

If all this does not make sense, it is because the source is from PPBM.

These idol worshipper can be the pathetic political supporters ever. They are so naive, stupid and in-denial that it is pointless to get a rational engagement with them. The PAS fanatics of the past are far more intelligent and reasonable..

Even the ones purportedly with some brain are resorting to fake news, false fact and spinning for their propaganda.

Dato Ahmad Zahid made a statement that a leader is as good as his advisers. Mahathir's good advisers are either dead or old decrepit. He has to rely on clowns likes of Kelab Che Det, Khiruddin and Anina.

Arabisation and Malay culture of the future

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Pix from Utusan Malaysia article here on Mekah's Malay community
Tan Sri Johan Jaafar wrote a column in The Star with regard to the recent Congress on Culture.

He is repeating a call once made by Tan Sri Dr Rais Yatim when he was holding the Culture portfolio as Minister.

He wrote here, "... as the Malays become more Muslim, they become less Malay.",

One observation on the nature of Malays is that they are quite flexible. They are able to adapt, or adopt or embrace the best or the worst of other culture and influences.

Being flexible has it's advantage for a race that is still trying to rediscover its past glory and regain back lost time.

However, Johan Jaafar, Rais and many others are concern with Malay adopting other culture and forsaken their own in the name of Islam.

More so, Malays have its own Islamic tradition and intellectual history.

Off course, the definition of culture within the current globalised world of open borders, connected, and free flow of capital, trade and information need a reassessment.

Before discussing this further, the article below:
Monday, 17 April 2017

With Arabisation, whither Malay culture?

by Johan Jaaffar

You don’t need to be an Arab to be a Muslim, but many seem to be abandoning their customs and traditions.

I HAVE said it many times: as the Malays become more Muslim, they become less Malay. They are discarding almost everything that they perceive as positing “Malayness” and embraced what they believe to be “Islamic.”

In doing so they are losing their real identity by trying to be what they are not. There is a real issue pertaining to identity struggle and contestation among the Malays today. In the name of religion, they are questioning not only how they look but their tradition, even folktales and performing arts.

Islamisation is not about Arabisation. You don’t need to be an Arab to be a Muslim.

But what we are seeing in this country today is the process of Arabisation of the Malays. The Malays have never been as confused in manifesting their true identity as they are now.

Islam is never against the discourse on race. The Quran acknowledges the existence of tribes.

But propagating a notion of one’s race as superior to others is not acceptable. In short, there is nothing with wrong with manifesting one’s race and at the same time professing the religion.

It used to be a lot less complicated back then. The race is Malay, the religion, Islam. Insofar as there is no conflict, race and religion co-exist.

But things have changed significantly over the last few decades. The Islamic movement of the 1970s has pressured the Malays to rethink their culture.

The fault lines were established. It is like telling the world that one needs to “look Muslim” to be one. To “look Muslim” is by imitating the Arabs.

There is a new demand to be “more Muslim”, for example in attire. Gestures, too, matter.

Read on here.

To expect Malays to stay to its tradition and cultures, it need to have a strong sense of identity to be proud of their way of life and value system.

It may sound like an old Mahathir record, but Malay need to be economically, politically and socially capable in order to have the cultural confidence.

For a start, Malays should not belittle their own and be excessively critical of themselves to the point of negatively stereotyping themselves.

There has to be a change for a positive attitude.

Malays have to be united or in a less political-cliche term, exist as a proud and viable community that cooperate and collaborate to bring each other up.

The Malay culture and history has the right values and ethos, including the spiritual aspect of Islam. While political power is still within its grasp, though withering bit by bit, there is the social foundation to work on.

All Malays needed is to transform their economic condition to be more sustainable and self-reliant.

It is one way to stem the bad habit of looking at others positively but look at themselves negatively.


It is timely for Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd. Najib Tun Razak to launch the Second Phase of the Bumiputra Transformation Economic Roadmap (BTER).

The emphasis this time, as taken from Bigdog's blog here, are the five main thrusts as defined in the strategy below:
1. Economies and scale and passage to grow. Bumiputra corporations would be supported, facilitated and encouraged to grow into the market.

2. Empowering the talents of Bumiputra. Government would make it a national agenda to facilitate and support the building of talents amongst Bumiputra, in any fields be it academic, commercial, science and technology, professional, arts and culture and sports

3. Improve the resilience of Bumiputra entrepreneurs. Special programs such as Skim Jejak Jaya Bumiputra identify highly potential Bumiputra companies and being nurtured with the target to be listed in Bursa Malaysia.

4. Enabling the social mobility amongst Bumiputra. Bumiputra entrepreneurs would be facilitated and supported to explore and strengthen their trade beyond our waters, as part of the social mobility transformation plan with increasing the quality of life to another level.

5. The holistic transformation for the Bumiputra
An economically independent and confident Malays will evolve a viable culture of its own and create a modern civilisation.

Maybe such gathering of Malay cultural experts should be looking beyond preserving the past way of life and value system

They could be pondering on the future and carve out the evolution of a modern Malay culture with its core values intact and relevant with the world and technology of the day.

Just a passing thought.

1MDB-IPIC resolved, Cap Bunga resort to petty misquote

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1MDB-IPIC has resolved their impasse.

While the Cap Bunga would like to accuse the diverted money from the original destination as money laundering, they fail to realise an important point of law in the evidence.

It was high officials of IPIC that instructed to change the account to receive the disbursed money. With legal documents in place, it is a sure home run in any court for 1MDB.

Till today, Abu Dhabi has not charge the high officials for any crimes.

With the resolution to the impasse, Chap Bunga supporters have no more issue left to pick on but to recycle same old, same old answered, debunked and resolve issues.

Thus, they are latching on to dear life with only a Malaysiakini misquote of Dato Johari Ghani.


It was a desperate attempt to twist into an issue of earlier reports by Bloomberg and Singapore Straits Times:


The Edge reporting on Straits Times:


Whether Jo Ghani was in the negotiating team or not, whoever was in the negotiating team, 1MDB was a government entity and the negotiators are authorised negotiator for 1MDB.

As Rocky described in his posting, The deal that will force DOJ to review what else it has on 1MDB ...

Bigdog puts it to chagrin of the frusted now issue-less Chap Bunga as A bridge to far.

It is too far for Tun Dr Mahathir's propaganda team to reach with only fake news, false fact and spinning without any depth in information and technical capability.

The official statements from IPIC and 1MDB below:
RNS Number : 1128D

IPIC GMTN Limited

24 April 2017

START

International Petroleum Investment Company PJSC (IPIC), Aabar Investments PJS (Aabar), the Minister of Finance (Incorporated) Malaysia (MoF Inc.) and 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) are pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached between all parties that provides for a settlement in respect to the arbitration proceedings at the London Court of International Arbitration (the Settlement). The agreement is conditional on the Arbitration Tribunal making a consent award by 31 May 2017.

Under the terms of the Settlement, IPIC will receive an amount of US$602,725,000 by 31 July 2017 and a further amount of US$602,725,000 by 31 December 2017.

Separately, 1MDB and MoF Inc., undertake to IPIC to assume responsibility fory all future interest and principal payments under the two bonds issued by 1MDB Group companies that are guaranteed by 1MDB and IPIC; (i) US$1,750,000,000 fixed rate 5.75 per cent. notes due 2022 issued by 1MDB Energy (Langat) Limited and (ii) US$1,750,000,000 fixed rate 5.99 per cent. notes due 2022 issued by 1MDB Energy Limited.

The parties have provided suitable undertakings and indemnities in respect of the performance of obligations under the Settlement.

The parties have also agreed to enter into good faith discussions in relation to payments made by 1MDB Group to certain entities.

STOP

This information is provided by RNS

The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

END
--------------------------------
Media statement by 1Malaysia Development Berhad

Issued on 24 April 2017

For immediate publication

Settlement of Arbitration Proceedings and Monetisation of Investment Fund Units

We are pleased to confirm that 1MDB and IPIC have agreed on a settlement of the arbitration proceedings at the London Court of International Arbitration.

As per the settlement, 1MDB will, amongst others, make certain payments to IPIC and will assume responsibility for all future interest and principal payments for two bonds issued by 1MDB Group companies due in 2022.

These obligations will be met by 1MDB, primarily via monetisation of 1MDB-owned investment fund units. 1MDB is pleased to confirm that a first tranche monetisation of approximately US$50 million has been received, in cash.

This arbitration settlement and monetisation of investment fund units represents the resolution of a significant challenge, and is a major part of the 1MDB rationalisation plan, which is now at its final stages of conclusion.

###
--------------------------------

For the Mahathir-parroting Chap Bunga fanatics devoid of any ability to technically understand the financial and legal issues objectively (without political and partisan bias couple with simpleton logic), and stay current with the development on the issue (i.e. not recycling stale and out-dated accusations), do read the link in Lim Sian See blog below:
April 2017 IPIC-1MDB Settlement: What you need to know ...
Please read, we beg of you.

Tun Mahathir basis to topple Najib were:
1. To save murderer Sirul but has no new evidence to offer the court; 
2. Government wastage with BR1M as example but other opposition leaders disagree and he U turned; 

3. Government introduction of GST and he promised to abolish it but now Pakatan Harapan leaders now say they won't abolish it
4. The now settled 1MDB with no evidence presented by accuser Mahathir to proof Najib's direct involvement in any wrongdoings and no criminal charges made against anyone in the Singapore courts. 
After Swiss FINMA has stopped, is the Swiss AG or UK investigation via Standard Chartered Bank internal enquiry getting anywhere? 
Swiss AG is elected position. He could be doing his political drama. 
5. Personal issues with Datin Seri Rosmah. Does self appointed Leader of the Council of Elders expect public to get involved in with his petty personal grumblings?
His complains of Rosmah reflect back on himself and his family members.

It looks now that Mahathir's issues are going nowhere. His perjuangan sudah selesai.His allegations proven wrong, concerns no more relevent, and worldview out-dated.

All the 65 years old and above yearning for the past and fanatically idolising him should move on. The majority of Malaysians are 40 and below.

Your time is up. Be reminded with the lesson from Israq Mikraj on the punishment at the hereafter for the sin of lying and slandering.

May you be saved from bring an accomplice!

Obstructing corruption prosecution in Malacca?

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After the Johor State exco, Dato Latif Bandi prosecution last week, a politician closely linked to Malacca Chief Minister is reportedly to be charged today, Tuesday.

Got wind that the politician, which was formerly attached with Malacca City Council, was conveniently appointed to a Special Officer post.

Sources claimed invisible hands are trying to "block the process of law". The detail is not known yet.

But this is bad news for the effort to abolish corruption. It is something Prime Minister Dato Najib will not tolerate.

The Sun Daily report below:

MACC to charge Datuk for corruption

KUALA LUMPUR: A former special officer to the Malacca Historical City Council (MBMB) mayor is expected to be charged on Tuesday for corruption involving millions of ringgit linked to work contracts awarded by the local government.

The 56-year-old man who has a Datuk title was arrested in Johor by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in Nov last year for investigations and was freed on bail after spending several days in remand.

MACC sources confirmed the man will be taken to court on Tuesday to face corruption charges.

Followin his arrest last year, the MACC seized and froze the suspect's assets worth over RM150 million in cash, vehicles and land titles.

The Umno politician was booted out of his position at the mayor's officer shortly after his release and was re-assigned as a BN working official recently.
----------------

What motivates this attempt to block the process of law and the fight against corruption?

Arrogance or ....?


Adversarial "dakwah" unsuitable for Malay Archipelago

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PERKASA Information Chief, Ustaz Hasan Basri's reactions to critics from Indians, Hindus and non-Muslims generally to reports controversial Muslim Indian preacher, Zakir Naik was given PR is rather discomforting.

Some of critics hurled at Zakir are harsh, racially insensetive, and politically provocative.

It is not politically correct for the ustaz to dish put words like "sekolahkan" (harsh word for to educate), or labelling of "noodies".

Our former fellow in Perkasa Supreme Council should appreciate their emotional reaction to read reports Zakir was offered citizenship.

There are local born Indians that has yet to receive approval for citizenship application.

It is Perkasa's right to be selective in their support of government.

On this matter, they support the past Home Ministry decision to issue PR to him.

However, Zakir Naik is wanted in India for money laundering. The critics have basis to question the decision. No schooling or labelling are necessary.

In Malaysia, money laundering tend to be associated with corruption, and criminal activities.

The Indian authorities could be looking at money to fund Islamic terrorism.

When Zakir was to begin his tour of Malaysia last year, yours truly was briefed by expert on the matter.

PERKASA President, Dato Ibrahim Ali could ask the public to be fair and he has every right to defend the man . However, PERKASA should not be equally emotional as critics of Zakir.

Even current Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister is willing to cooperate with the Indian authorities. Malaysia is active in their anti-terrorism effort, thus have to be consistent.

There is likelihood the decision to issue the PR was made by his predecessor.

India is a sovereign country, friendly nation to Malaysia and of future strategic importance. They deserve the respect as another sovereign country and should not be prejudiced against.

Zakir maybe a great debator in interfaith debate like the late Ahmad Deedat. His method maybe suitable for India but not Malaysia.


  • Adversarial "dakwah" was not the appeal that made Islam appeal to the early inhabitants of Malaysia and the Malay Archipelago.


Historically, Islam came to this region through trade and the spiritual sufi practising preachers.

They adopt the approach of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to spread Islam in non-aggressive manner through the appeal of kindness, truthfulness, honesty and good behaviour.

Interfaith debate approach by Zakir is most inappropriate as it would be perceived as disrespectful and insulting on non-Muslims and their faith.

It does not serve to spread Islam except staged drama of instant conversions.

All religion generally believe to each religion his own and that is the basis to respect the faith and ritual of other religion.

The recent reminder by Permasuri of Johor, Tuanku Raja Zarith Sofea that Muslims should respect non-Muslim is not only approproate but the teaching of Islan and expected behaviour of Islam.

Unleashing Zakir to the public is insensitive on the part of Muslims.

The non-Muslims should not be provocative and felt beseiged. There are sympathetic practising Muslims not "entertained" by the presence of Zakir.

Without revealing the outfit or organisations, the quoted Quranic passages and Hadith cited by Zakir have been studied.

Many are of questionable references, wrong quotations, and some quotes are non-existent. Zakir refused their attempt for a private intellectual dialog.

In the meanwhile, critics of Zakir should not go overboard. As long as he is in this country, he and all of us must respect the law and continue to exist in peace.


Anwar statement on Forex loss tallies, More questions ...

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Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim was called in by the special taskforce enquiring on the foreign exchange speculation losses by Bank Negara Malaysia in 1994.

He issued a statement relating to the enquiry. Bit late but understandably he is in prison.

Anwar quoted few personalities that has passed on. Unless his statement in the enquiry differs from the released statement, it generally tallies with what were already known.

Anwar denied being aware of the losses but did express concern on the riskiness of the operation to Bank Negara Governor then, the late Tan Sri Jaafar Hussein twice.

He said he was not told the real situation. Jaafar only admitted later of not knowing the real situation too.

The officer in charge, now Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yaacob did not give the true situation of the Bank's trading operation to the Governor.

Who gave him the go ahead to undertake such massive speculative operation? If he never did, it could be considered a criminal offense.

Will he reveal there exist person when called in by the Special Taskforce? More so, if is another Keling.


The statement with our comment, as a former foreign exchange dealer with some familiarity with the issue in hand and some inside track, below

KENYATAAN MEDIA 

Berkenaan Kerjasama Saya Dengan Pasukan Petugas Khas Forex 

Saya memilih untuk bekerjasama dengan Pasukan Petugas Khas Forex selaku mantan Menteri Kewangan 1991-1998. Saya berpuas hati dengan ruang yang diberikan oleh Pengerusi Tan Sri Sidek dan jawatankuasa.
Dalam kesempatan singkat pada 20hb April lalu, saya telah jelaskan antara lain bahawa: 

1. Sebaik menyandang jawatan Menteri Kewangan, Ketua Setiausaha Perbendaharaan (Tan Sri Zain Azraai Zainal Abidin) ada menyentuh urusan dagangan matawang oleh Bank Negara Malaysia. Menurutnya, sejak 1989, Perbendaharaan Amerika (Fed); Bank Pusat England dan IMF telah memaklumkan bahawa penglibatan BNM dalam urusan tersebut dianggap membimbangkan. 
Comment: True, the concern by the Fed was as far back as 1989. But IMF?  
It is not their area of operation so why IMF. Guess only Anwar is that close with IMF. 
Berikutnya, dalam taklimat Gabenor Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Tan Sri Jaafar Hussein, beliau menafikan keterlibatan BNM sambil menekankan bahawa penglibatan BNM adalah sah sekadar mempertahankan kedudukan ringgit dalam pasaran. 
Comment: It is an open secret which the whole foreign exchange market knows but those benefitting from the business would not say openly. 
Jaafar did commented to press, in Forex Club dinners and at an International Cambiste conference for traders in Kuala Lumpur of "active reserve management". In market parlance, trading but to common folks, compulsive gambling. 
2. Masalah mula dikesan laporan yang membimbangkan dari media antarabangsa dan pasaran Zurich, sekitar akhir 1991 dan awal 1992, dan perkara tersebut dikemukakan semula kepada Gabenor BNM. Tan Sri Jaafar memberikan keterangan yang sama dan memaklumi bahawa Pengarah Urusan tersebut di BNM adalah Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop. Namun, manakala deraf awal audit BNM 1991 dibentangkan, Perbendaharaan melahirkan kebimbangan. Gabenor BNM akui jumlah terlibat adalah lebih besar dari yang dijangka. 
Memandangkan saya dan Kementerian Kewangan tidak dimaklumkan mengenai hal tersebut, Gabenor sendiri yang menjelaskan kepada media dengan menyebut "kerugian atas kertas".  
Comment: True, the international media was tipped off and were on the prowl. More so, negative news were surfacing on Malaysia and beginning to be the target of international media.  
Later years, British press painted the then Prime Minister as Mr 10%. 
Berikutnya saya terpaksa menangani permasalahan tersebut di Parlimen, terutama persoalan-persoalan yang dibangkit Ketua Pembangkang ketika itu, YB Lim Kit Siang. Kerajaan memberikan penjelasan BNM sambil menjelaskan keutuhan ekonomi. Namun, saya menegaskan arahan agar BNM menghentikan dagangan Forex tersebut. 
Comment: True, it happened amd Anwar's reply in Parliament was made the butt of opposition jokes. 
3. Dari perkembangan tahun berikutnya, 1993, ternyata urusan tersebut diteruskan; dan jumlah kerugian ketika itu, dianggar sekitar RM9 bilion hingga RM10 bilion.

Should Nor Yakcop remain in 
Khazanah Nasional?
Gabenor BNM membuat pengakuan kepada saya bahawa Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop tidak memberi laporan tepat kepadanya dan beliau telah menerima perletakan jawatan Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop sebagai petugas yang bertanggungjawab. Tan Sri Jaafar sendiri mengambil tanggungjawab sepenuhnya, walaupun saya akui kewibawaannya dan percaya bahawa beliau tidak diberikan keterangan lengkap oleh Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop. 
Comment: This is confirmation that Nor Yakcop was the person in charge.  
It begs the question as to if he did not give true picture to his boss, who Nor Yakcob report to?  
If none, was he a rouge trader like the imprisoned Nick Leeson that did illegal trade at Baring Brothers which did not conform with bank policies and procedures? 
The operations were not authorised! 
4. Tan Sri Ahmad Don yang mengambil alih tugas Gabenor BNM pada tahun 1994 telah bertindak menghentikan dagangan tersebut, dan mula membayar kerugian sekitar RM500 juta setiap tahun. Pengurusan BNM bertambah mantap, diperkemas dengan laporan dasar yang lebih teratur kepada Menteri Kewangan. 
Jumlah kerugian akhirnya dianggar sekitar 15 hingga 30 bilion ringgit tertakluk kepada cara BNM mengaudit dan mencatat potongan 'contingency fund', 'reserve fund', 'insurance fund'; kos membendung inflasi dan mempertahan ringgit. 
Comment: True, Jaafar and Ahmad Don were used to cover-up this financial scandal. Re-read past posting  here.
Do include currency swap cost and ascertain the accounting treatment of the "borrowing" foreign exchamge transaction. 
Do verify actual foreign exchange reserves of the time and bring in Ahmad Don as we were reliably informed that it was wiped out! 
George Soros got wind of it and exploited to the hilt. BNM was incapable of defending the ringgit in the infamous attack in 1997. 
5. Setelah saya dipenjarakan pada September 1998, Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop telah dilantik sebagai penasihat ekonomi kepada Perdana Menteri. Dan lebih serius lagi apabila beliau dilantik Menteri Kewangan Kedua pada 2008; walaupun ketika diberhentikan pada tahun 1998, Kementerian Kewangan telah mengemukakan syarat bahawa beliau tidak boleh lagi terlibat dalam mana-mana institusi kewangan negara. 
Comment: Nick Leeson lost his job and was imprisoned. Our own Nick Leeson rose and still around in government and corporate. He was awarded Tan Sri ship.  
Words on the "street" is he is still on.the prowl for questionable deals and mentioned by not to disclosed sources that he id the biggest money launderor in town with operations out Dubai.  
6. Dalam pertemuan dengan Pasukan Petugas Khas Forex ini, berulangkali saya tegaskan keperluan dibekalkan dengan laporan dan dokumen untuk memastikan perjalanan lebih telus dan teratur. Perkara ini belum dilaksanakan. Saya juga perhatikan masalah wujud manakala keputusan Pengerusi membenarkan peguam saya, R Sivarasa, hadir untuk saya rujuk, tetapi keputusan ini diketepikan oleh seorang pegawai di Kementerian Kewangan. 
Comment: Yes, the report and documents need be made known for public viewing.
However, the Special Taskforce may recommend to government whether to proceed for further investigation. If there is ground for prosecution, it will only be made known in court. 
Why should Sivarasa be around?
This is not a criminal investigation. More so, it is dangerous to teach Pattaya Pete boss new tricks 
Anwar Ibrahim
26 April 2017

Mahathir behind?


Was Tun Dr Mahathir behind yet another financial scandal and mother of all losses?

Is this another of his signature scandal cover-up?

Mahathir has expressed willingness to be called in. His motive is clearly for politics to potray he is unafraid.

Unfortunately, his mental seemed to fail him in courts and RCI enquiries. He maybe unfit to do so.

The Special Taskforce need to create a red-colured polical rally with a podium to enable him to be in his elements.

He need to be able to recall his past misdeeds despite the likelihood he will go "deny everything Baldrick" and play the no proof line.

When his memory is working, enquire if he had amended laws to decriminilise the offenses done by Nor Yakcop in retrospective.


Also enquire of a proprietary program trading introduced by a late former Deputy Minister that came from a banking family.

The tip came from former bankers close to a former BNM Governor family.

Just asking in the same manner he ask questions as his way of making various allegations against Dato' Najib on 1MDB.

If he does not answer, will it mean he is guilty too?

Though useful as a tool to guide traders' decisions, program trading triggerred stop losses in the Futures and Options market that led to the accelerated market freefall in the Black Monday crash on Wall Street in 1987.

It is unsuitable for size operations in which every trade will move market.

It makes it difficult to get out of position taken, especially large losing ones like a USD200 million Swiss Franc trade BNM reportedly did.

It need traders able to move steps ahead of the market. The one person capable of doing so on the ringgit market is a member of the Special Task Force.

Get his expert opinion ...

PPBM's devious and dishonest politics

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PPBM have been making claims that they have strong support from the rakyat, particularly Malays due to unhappiness on micro-level issues.

High on the list are rising cost of living, GST, students' scholarship, and civil servants budget.

The usual Chinese bashing of Mahathir era campaign will take the form of China FDI to replace DAP bashing. No more bashing of Najib for donating to Chinese schools.

One odd issue is special rights of Malays but to appease DAP, they will likely do it through Perkasa or the latest addition is Bertindak.

The issues are purely sentiment and outright propaganda. The narrative could neither be verified with statistics or survey nor sound argument.

They know Dato Najib's macro-management and policies are excellent and necessary thus difficult to debate. It will ricochet to Mahathir.

So even PPBM Supreme Council member play dumb when seek for engagement.

They rather play up sentiment to stir up emotion and it can get as petty as free range kampong chicken not returning to the coop in their evening.

One PPBM political operator once blurted, "It is not about being factual. We'll lie or fake news to stir sentiment. It is all politics."

Rahman Dahlan was not lying or trying to bodek Najib to accuse opposition of resorting to lying in their political narratives. [Read BN portal here].

Their propagandist claimed support is many and every where, but remain unseen. They will surface near the general election.

The stealth UMNO members, civil servants, military personnel, and the various supporter cum unofficial components of BN will join PPBM struggle for the one and only agenda to topple Dato Najib.

It does not stop there as there will be PAS leaders and supporters doing the same.

What is not visibly seen are likely to be lies. As Mahathir once said, it is not easy to do conspiracy involving many people.

Mahathir reject PAS


More so, Mahathir have openly said PPBM cut ties with PAS.

Sources claimed Muhyiddin and Mukhriz have deviated from their Chairman statement. They are working with PAS grassroot in Kedah and Johor.

They, the two M, are of the view that Pakatan Harapan are not strong. Only DAP is sure. PKR have no political machinery.

The two M felt PPBM has the machinery thus better to work with PAS at grassroot level as Hadi and top PAS leaders lull Najib into complacency. 

Like PKR, the two M is thinking of using and riding on PAS dedicated and loyal machinery.

This links with the protest of PPBM leaders in Rembau and several places to leave and close branches.

It is a protest against the treatment by the two M towards Mahathir. Notice they do not criticise and the words of loyalty to Mahathir still openly expressed.

The two M treated Mahathir as a Malay Adviser and not a British adviser, whose advise should be stricly followed.

It is unbelievable for fillial son Mukriz to disobey his father.

Considering Mahathir is working hard to open the path for Mukhriz premiership and lending his influence for him inLangkawi, is it an act or for real?

It could be real because Azizul bin Dato Azumu, the person placed as new Perak Chief is his loyalist (for the time being) though he claimed was appointed by Muhyiddin.

Mahathir is keeping quiet and allowing all the critics to come out in the open. He have been quietly visiting areas to douse the fire.

However, he loves the squabbling as they will be praising and bodek-ing him. Anina did the same but was dropped.

As far as Muhyiddin, his disagreement with Mahathir is beginning to come out in the open.

He confidentially told Mahathir to just advise him but allow himself to decide and run PPBM as President. The old man just smile as a sign of disagreement.

The appointment of Azizul and cronies of Muhyiddin and Mukhriz for the new heads of PPBM Divisions are being questioned.

It did not have Mahathir's endorsement.

Emulating Anwar 916


Muhyiddin do not spend as much time as Mahathir. He spend more time finetuning his Malay tsunami secret strategy. Members are questioning.

The hype of a Malay tsunami in the making could or could not happen. With membership of merely 6,000 in Kedah (or the real figure could be more), PPBM will have to work extra hard to make it happen.

Nevertheless, UMNO will have to be aware and not slackened. [Read the analysis of anonymous Malay blog The Flying Kick here].

Muhyiddin's strategy is to emulate Anwar 916 and executed in concurrence with Mukhriz.

It is to get their people become UMNO candidates and then jump ship after winning the election on UMNO platform and money.

This was a game Mahathir did to seize Sabah from PBS by getting just elected assemblymen to crossover to BN immediately after the state election.

However, it was a tic-for-tac to punish PBS for pulling out of BN to join Tengku Razaleigh-led opposition at just before an earlier General Election.

If the potential candidate - likely to be from among Muhyiddin and Mukhriz former supporters and digruntled UMNO leaders - are not selected, they will do the typical UMNO habit of protesting.

It is all pre-planned to jump before election. The psywar strategy is to create a shock and panic impact on UMNO to cripple their machinery.

Compromised principle


This strategy is being questioned in PPBM as it has cronyism all over. It is a political struggle devoid of any principle.

Muhyiddin has been a VIP for too long and Mukhriz is born elite. Both are over-reliance on their people but may not have the instinct on the ground condition.

They underestimated and assumed PPBM members are generally, as UMNO described, mereka yang kecewa and still UMNO in characteristics.

They may deny money is involved but it is not believable that the two M did not use money.

For crying out loud, even Mahathir is known to pay off grey marginal divisions money to the tune of RM5 million to swing support.

The grey and white makan dedak or get nothing. The price of loyalty to Mahathir.

Disgruntled segment of PPBM members that oppose such plan see it as compromising principle, devious and dishonest, and against their aspirations in joining PPBM.

This was the Perak crossover politics DAP was principally and fought vehemently against.

Ah ... unlikely now.

DAP wants PPBM because Lim Kit Siang believed Mahathir can steal UMNO members votes for PH, thus bring the downfall of BN and the rise of DAP to power.

There is no principle in DAP politics anymore since they associated themselves with Anwar Ibrahim and PAS.

Many political observers are correct to comment in the early formation of PPBM that it is the same UMNO with the same bad habit. They will repeat themselves.

Even the idea for PH that Mahathir propose is a replica of UMNO and BN. Lim Kit Siang is not interested in other brand of politics but that of DAP.

However, one has to be more optimistic. The UMNO being demanded change since 2004 is in UMNO.

While, the langau incests from the past inhibiting UMNO reform are in PPBM, PKR and even DAP and PAN.  

PAS reject PPBM?


The plan to hijack will also involve PAS leaders and members. If it is known, will Muhyiddin's political backstabbing be acceptable to PAS leadership?

The current Muktamar is discussing PAS relation with PKR, which refuse to budge on their relations with DAP.

They tried to appease by having PKR Selangor to say they support RUU 355. If PAS severe ties, PKR will be the biggest loser in the next GE.

There is a long shot possibility that Selangor is up in limbo.

PAS believe it can benefit from the current posturing with PPBM, UMNO and PAS.

Their mortal enemy is PAN and DAP. But there is political convenience to trade brickbats with DAP as it strengthen PAS and DAP grassroot supports.

As far as PPBM and PAS, one do not hear strong critics against PPBM at the division and grassroot as compared to PKR.

It is only old quarrels of Mahathir with his Islam liberal inclination versus Hadi and conservative traditional Islam.

Bersatu or split


If Mahathir remain stubborn to oppose working with PAS, two possibilities can happen - Muhyiddin and cronies to join PAS or Mahathir leave PPBM to head PH.

In the later senario, Azmin or Anwar could end up as PM. Anwar stopped blaming forex loss to Mahathir.

However, Mahathir is too cunning to fall for a Taib Mahmud-style trick. The former senario more likely. One can easily guess Mukhriz's decision.

There is also the possibility that PPBM could remain as they are and remain in constant state of flux.

Other parties are unwilling to give their seats to new parties like PAN and PPBM. The motley crue will fight the battle on their own.

The winners will then do horse trading to negotiate for a coalition government.

By then the original struggle of PPBM will wane off and be lost in the politics of the time. Malaysia's failed opposition tend to over-estimate themselves.

As a Chinese proverb reads, "we are living in interesting times" - politically but the public are sick of it.

Bernie Ecclestone made someone "look like idiot"

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This headline will infuriate a pentaksub.

If it has to be so frank to awake him from his illusion, so be it.

The message need be sent.

The man is no god and perfect as pentaksub wants all to be believe that he refuse to accept and shut others from expressing a viewpoint.

It is about Singapore's Strait Times here reporting SIC International CEO, Razlan reaction to comments by former owner of F1, Bernie Ecclestone here.

Extract of the report below:
Speaking to Autosport magazine during the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sakhir circuit, one of several new venues for Formula One since the turn of the century, he said: "When I convinced people to build this place and all the other places, I feel a little bit responsible. I charged them too much for what we provide. 

"On my watch, we didn't deliver the show that we charged people for." 
He added: "Sooner or later I'm frightened that the governments behind them (the track promoters) will say enough is enough, and bye-bye."
ST's intended to swing public opinion in their negotiation with current and new F1 owner.

Differences in politics did not prevent Big Dog and Dato Abdul Kadir Jasin from remaining as friends

This blog's intended to those fail-to-be-critical thinking of a Mahathir-worshipping pentaksub cum PERKASA official.

Had an encounter in which his ability to engage rationally is wanting. He basically blow up to any differences or critical opinion against Mahathir.

F1 used to be one of the many physical pyramid building his loved to use to glorify
Mahathir.

It will anger him but "it does not matter".

Diverse background and history could sit together

More from Lim Sian See below:
At first, I was perhaps 70% supportive of Malaysia dropping Formula One but after hearing what the moronic 86 years old former owner of F1 Bernie Ecclestone said,  I am now 150% supportive.

After Najib saw we were losing huge amount of money hosting F1 every year for 17 years, Malaysia decided to drop it from next year on.

Ecclestone then shockingly admitted that F1 had been deliberately over-charging the venues including Malaysia for the rights to host F1 - hence causing them to make losses.

In reply, our Sepang circuit boss Razlan Razali said that Ecclestone lacked respect and made promoters “look like idiots” when Ecclestone said they were deliberately overcharging.

Ecclestone then replied that no one will miss Malaysia's F1 as they still have Singapore. He then said:

“Nobody made him look stupid, and it’s difficult to make people look stupid. If they are, they are,” and that it is not their fault that the Sepang race cannot make money.

Well... Fook you, Eccelstone.

We do not need to be deliberately over-charged by old white men like you and treated with disrespect.

We already have our old ex-PM who keep doing this.

No wonder so many famous tracks of the past such as Zolder and Zandvoort, Nürburgring and Brands Hatch had stopped hosting F1.

South Korea even stopped their F1 in 2013 just three years after starting citing high costs.

Even the famous Marseilles Grand Prix was axed for 10 years and will only resume next year.

Therefore, I am now 150% supportive of not getting screwed by white-men, lose a lot of money each year and to add insult to injury, get insulted further.

Our Prime Minister had made the right decision to drop F1.

Don't worry. You still have Singapore, right?

LSS.
----
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/highlight/2017/05/01/ecclestone-formula-one-will-not-miss-malaysian-gp/

No one should be denied and stifled from expressing an opinion to please an intellectually and academically inadequate.

Reactions of emotion, temper, and threat to differences in opinion is a clear indication of immaturity and inferiority complex.

Half full and not half empty for 1MDB's Bandar Malaysia

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1MDB announced that the agreement to undertake the 60% shares in Bandar Malaysia Sdn Bhd consortium of Iskandar Waterfront Holdings Sdn Bhd (IWH) and China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC) had lapse.

They failed to meet their payment obligation thus the Bandar Malaysia revert to the original 100% shareholding by Malaysia of Finance.

Malaysiakini was quick to highlight in their report that "... RM7.4 billion deal collapses." FMT was less provocative as merely "Bandar Malaysia Agreement lapses" to publish a Bernama report.

At the material time, it is not clear why IWH-CREC did not execute the agreement. It could be any thing from China capital control measures to IWH commitment for Johor.

However, this is not half empty but half full as it is beneficial and opportunity for 1MDB to realise better value for Bandar Malaysia.


The sale of 60% in Bandar Malaysia was done at a rush due to some noisy old man, whose time has passed but making a racket. It was necessary to revive investors' confidence on the economy and 1MDB and address public concerns.

The economy is looking to be on the road for recovery since the deal was initially made. The country is out of pessimism from the fall in oil revenue. The only issue left is the political aftermath.

There is much benefit to be derived from the lapse or maybe pull-out.


There is better value for 1MDB to derive from new investors for Bandar Malaysia.

With international media acknowledging that 1MDB have resolved its major headache with IPIC with a win-win resolution, report is favourable for 1MDB. The investigation and criminal issue, if any, is a separate issue than the lingering rationalisation.

If it is the usual barriers and constraints in any business, the timing for such problem could not be any better.

Time is on 1MDB side to secure a better deal and more so, with economic, stock market and ringgit conditions getting better since the solution for the IPIC impasse. 

When the 60% was sold two years ago, the HSR to Singapore was not consummated. Today it has and Bandar Malaysia will be a strategic property as a transportation hub.



 
 The press release by 1MDB:

Press Release
For Immediate Release

BANDAR MALAYSIA AGREEMENT WITH IWH CREC LAPSES

KUALA LUMPUR, 3 May 2017

1. TRX City Sdn Bhd would like to announce that the Share Sale Agreement (SSA) entered into on 31 December 2015 with Iskandar Waterfront Holdings Sdn Bhd (IWH) and China Railway Engineering Corperation (M) Sdn Bhd (CREC) – who on 21 July 2016 assigned its benefits and responsibilities to IWH CREC Sdn Bhd – regarding the sale of 60% of the issued and paid-up capital of Bandar Malaysia Sdn Bhd, has lapsed.

2. This is because, despite repeated extensions being granted, IWH CREC failed to meet the payment obligations outlined in the Conditions Precedent under the SSA. As a result, the share sale agreement between the parties stands null and void with immediate effect.

3. Looking ahead, given a significant appreciation in the value of the Bandar Malaysia land, TRX City’s sole shareholder the Ministry of Finance will now be retaining 100% ownership of the site to ensure that the Malaysian people benefit from its development in its entirety.

4. TRX City will immediately be inviting expressions of interest for the role of master developer of Bandar Malaysia, with full ownership being preserved by the Ministry of Finance. The selection process will involve very strict criteria, including track record, speed of delivery and financial capability for such large scale development. This is to enhance all aspects of Bandar Malaysia, including its role as a business, transport, residential and tourism hub.

5. The steps taken today will ensure that there is no detrimental impact on the long-term development of Bandar Malaysia and that, upon its completion, the site will serve the national interest to an even greater extent than before.

6. Bandar Malaysia will be a catalyst for economic growth and national development. The biggest development site in Malaysia in a key strategic position, it will offer many business, investment and employment opportunities, including Kuala Lumpur Internet City, the hub for the new Digital Free Trade Zone. It will also be Malaysia’s transport nucleus, connecting the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail, MRT lines, KTM Komuter, Express Rail Link and 12 highways.

Ends

Please contact Maisara Ismail at maisara.ismail@trx.my for any media enquiries.

More and more recent development proves the pesky old Keling is wrong and a liar. He was behind an all out attempt to sabotage the economy for his selfish politics and self preserving his cronys. 

Bumburiang's political narrative does not stand a chance against Anifah's

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Dato Anifah Aman's latest statement put in place the narrative for MySabah, an effort he initiated to cut across all political affiliation to address outstanding Sabah issues. [Rocky Bru has the full statement here.]

If local graduate Dato Saifuddin Abdullah thinks political freedom is new politics, then this is also a new and more positive politics beyond partisanship that has catched on.

All Parliament support for the North Korea issue recently.Another is UMNO and PAS, two squabbling major political parties are willing to sit together on Islamic interest.

Anifah statement came about when Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS) was not happy with the opposition coalition – Gabungan Sabah (or United Sabah Alliance (USA)), particularly STAR Sabah for their president, Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan’s backdoor move to push the state rights agenda with Barisan Nasional.[Read in The Star here and Daily Express here]

The interparty collaboration is called MySabah.

Last week, PCS announced withdrawing from USA and widely believed to join the alliance comprising Dato Shafie Apdal's Parti Warisan Sabah, PKR, and DAP. [read here]

This is not unexpected as PCS President, Dato Wilfred Bumburiang was the former Deputy President of UPKO that left the party togteher with Dato Laim leaving UMNO to join Dato Anwar Ibrahims Sabah sudah goyang unsuccessful ploy.

Bumburiang's PCS is believed to be funded by DAP and PKR through a businessman in a transaction involving a project at Gaya Island and with Shafies involvement. Save the detail for later.

The Kadazan-Dusun-Murut community voting block have a strong affinity towards issues relating to Sabah rights in the 20-points agreement, Projek IC etc. Shafies political handicap is with the KDM voting block.


In the midst of the current raid on the National Registration Department, including the Semporna office, by MACC for allegedly giving away blue IC for money, a blog had revealed Shafie as recommending fo Pilak (Kadazan for  Filipino) to secure a Malaysian IC and citizenship. [read here].

Shafie is being remembered for being defensive in his comment during the 2014 RCI on Illegal Immigrants being given IC. Project IC have always been blamed to Tun Dr Mahathir as a clandestine effort to bring down a KDM ruling party.

The members will not take this new revelation of PCS new partner involvement in Projek IC. How will Bumburiang justify his political decision now?

Frankly, he does not stand a chance against Anifah's narraitive -  No politics in My Sabah forum, only discussions of Sabah's rights as a state. To all politicians aspiring for success in politics and position in government, get your narrative right and none of those cock and bull spinning. 

A meaningful bilateral relation for 3 million Malaysians

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Datok Najib with the Pope during his 2011 visit

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a press release to inform of the working visit of Vatican City by Dato Anifah Aman.

Relation between Malaysia and Vatican has improved significantly since the incident of July 2013.

The issue then was between Ministry of Home Affairs and the Malaysian Catholic Church following the ban on the church publication, The Herald in Malay and vociferous Archbisop Murphy Pakiam [read bigdogdotcom here].

The then envoy from Vatican, Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Joseph Salvador Marino initially expressed a critical view but later apologise for the misunderstanding after a meeting with Dato Anifah.

All parties agreed to end the rumpuss [read here].

Subsequently, Malaysia appointed former Minister from Sabah and former MP for Penampang, Sabah, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok as the first Ambassador to the Vatican in 2015 [read here].

Dompok said his appointment was a follow-up to effort to establish ties subsequent to Najib's visot in 2011.

Najib was the first PM to make serious effort to establish ties with Vatican City [read MMO here]

Anifah's workimg visit could lead to more significant cooperation between both countries.

Improved relation between Malaysia and Vatican City will be meaningful to about 3 million Christian Malaysians.

The 2010 census estimated 9.1% of the 28.3 million population are Christians. The Department of Statistics estimate the 2016 population at 31.7 million.

The press release below:

PRESS RELEASE            
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia      
____________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WORKING VISIT OF
THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF MALAYSIA
TO THE HOLY SEE
8-10 MAY 2017

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, YB Dato’ Sri Anifah Aman will be undertaking a working visit to the Holy See from 8 to 10 May 2017. This will be the Minister’s first working visit to the Holy See.

One of the aims of the visit is to officiate the Embassy of Malaysia to the Holy See. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is also scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with his counterpart, the Most Reverend Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States, as well as a meeting with His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State to the Pope.

Both sides are keen to explore potential collaboration in various areas, including the effort to promote inter-religious dialogue and understanding. The dignitaries are also scheduled to discuss regional and global issues of common concern. Through these discussions, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will be able to relay Malaysia’s views and position on matters affecting the international community.

The visit will provide Malaysia with the opportunity to expound on the concept of moderation, under its Global Movement of Moderates (GMM) initiative. GMM aims to promote tolerance, mutual understanding and respect through upholding the values of moderation and the rejection of extremism. This is essential in maintaining peace, unity and prosperity in a multi-religious and multi-ethnic community. The GMM initiative was formulated based on Malaysia’s experience in successfully developing its political, economic and social infrastructure, by providing an environment of racial and religious harmony – a fundamental platform that ensures collective effort towards nation building.

Diplomatic ties between Malaysia and the Holy See were formally established on 27 July 2011, subsequent to the working visit of Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak’s to the Holy See in July 2011. Ever since then, bilateral relations, which are based on mutual respect and understanding, have witnessed a positive trajectory.

The opening of Malaysia’s Embassy to the Holy See and the first visit by Dato’ Sri Anifah Aman marks another important milestone and has elevated relations between Malaysia and the Holy See to greater heights.

PUTRAJAYA
7 May 2017
___________________________________________

DIVISION OF COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, MALAYSIA
NO. 1, JALAN WISMA PUTRA, PRESINT 2,
62602, PUTRAJAYA
Portal: www.kln.gov.my
Fax:  03-8889 2726
Email: dcpd@kln.gov.my


G25 is Mahathir's ploy to incite religious sentiment

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For the past few general election, it will be preceded by religious instigation. At one time, it was the kalimah Allah and Catholic publication, The Herald issues. Earlier, it was the conversion of Azlina @ Lina Joy Christianity.

There is also the interfaith issue with regard to the faith of children of usually Hindu couple, in which one of the spouse converted to Islam. The amendment to Act 164 to resolve the issue of children faith was to be tabled in the last Parliament seating but postphoned.

Hindraf gathered influence among the Indians by inciting on religious sensitivity on Hindu-Islam disputes and demolition of illegal Hindu temples. A recent viral video of a Hindraf gathering is rising temperature that a group of Malay Muslim NGOs have gathered to do a demonstration. Perkasa can only be expected to be present in such hot issues. It raise the profile.

Hindraf will be in their elements as general election draws near. This time around the amendment to Act 355 on syariah law as tabled by PAS President, Haji Hadi Awang is a hotly contested issue.

Tun Dr Mahathir said it is PAS's political manouvre. He may be right because DAP that agreed before to allow PAS with their Islamic agenda has now did a U turn. Some how or rather, Mahathir is likely to be more involved in instigating religious sensitivity now.


It is not because Perkasa is involved in the protest against the weakening influence Hindraf, But the recent statement by G25 Sabah  raise such suspicion. The statement can be found in Malaysia Today here.

Sabah and Sarawak BN (including Sabah UMNO MPs) have stated they will not support RUU 355 in Parliament. The opposition will naturally oppose. However the question should be asked as to why the need for G25 to do such a campaign in Sabah.

More so, the gist of their argument is that the Malaysian constitution is secular. It is rather repetitive argument and debate is endless that it has been more rhetorical than factual.

The fact is the Malaysia is neither a fully secular nor fully theological state. It is bit of both for the simple reason the Malaysian constitutional history traces back to the Malacca sultanate era which practises hudud.

Despite what our forefather had said, no secular constitution would have provisions for religion and compulsory state allocation for the Federal religion.

G25 has no basis to convert Sabah to oppose Act 355. That is unless there is a political intention. And, it means lending a hand to Mahathir and Pakatan Harapan and/or to attack the BN seats in Sabah.

People are more likely to be willing to die for their religion than for their race or country. It is the best formula to incite hatred and emotion to hate the government.


However, one may argue that G25 made it clear that they are apolitical. When Mahathir had a meeting with them, they rejected his request for support.

In fact, it ended with exchanges between Tawfik Tun Dr Ismail and Mahathir. Tawfik openly told Mahathir he has baggage and not the right person to criticise or topple Dato Najib. In response, Mahathir said Tawfik and G25 cannot be trusted.

It could be all show and drama because several months later, G25 Sabah was formed.

It is heard G25 people from Kuala Lumpur came and toured the state for a month till the current members are put together.

Who finance G25 expenses to campaign throughout Sabah for a month?

They stayed at Hyatt Kota Kinabalu and being distinguish individuals they are, they do not rough it up in their travel. Who could have paid for their stay and travelling?

Well, words on the grapevine is a well known Mahathir financier paid for it.

It is not a surprise for Mahathir to do a clandestine collaboration. His views on Islam resembles Islam liberal in which the main dispute is the authority of ulamak. This view manifest itself in him hosting anti-hadith Kassim Ahmad forum at Yayasan Kepimpinan Perdana in Putrajaya.

Mahathir's daughter, Dato Marina is a part of G25 and a vociferous women's lib and Islam liberal activist. Mahathir supported Marina in her fight for the cross dressing case in Seremban. 

G25 Sabah serve Mahathir's political purpose to break BN's stronghold in Sabah. Mahathir or his stooge, Parti Warisan Sabah's Dato Shafie Apdal has too many sin in Sabah to be credibly accepted.

The only option is to instigate religious sentiment by using NGOs like G25 to be their voice. These sort of issues appeal to the professional, intellectuals, and upper strata of Sabah society. Their influence serve to swing votes against BN.

The open quarrel after their meeting was meant to be a cover. And the cover is blown when Tawfik's own son join PPBM's protem commitee despite him being a vocal critic of Mahathir. It had been a wayang Tamil of Mahathir all along.

Too obvious, isn't it?
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