The same day Tun Daim delivered a personal letter from the Prime Minister to his China counterpart, Li Keqiang and it was the same day Lim Guan Eng sabotaged the meeting.
On top of getting friendly parties to question Daim's role as representative of Mahathir and as Chairman of CEP, speculation is that Guan Eng got Tommy Thomas to direct MACC to raid China's CCCC office in Kuala Lumpur that morning itself.
It was speculated that Daim was negotiating with Jho Loh at the time, and Jho Loh was to be his "bargaining chip" in the ECRL negotiations.
Guan Eng's sabotage of Daim trip did not made Mahathir's visit in August memorable and beneficial. It did not help when Mahathir insinuate China as "new version of colonialism" with his statement on free trade versus fair trade during the joint conference.
Since Tun Dr Mahathir shamed Guan Eng publicly to announce Daim the exclusivity to negotiate with China, he agreed Daim as the better person. However, it does not mean he will take it laying down.
Guan Eng is vengeful and retaliatory in nature. He could sabotage Daim's on-going effort to negotiate with China on the ECRL. This time it could be done on the oil palm negotiation with China.
The arrogant, stubborn and uncouth Guan Eng is not capable of realising or admiting he was rude and condescending to China's first attempt to reach out to the new government after GE14 when Chinese NGO delegates came to pay respect.
That incident resulted in him being left out of Mahathir's entourage during last year's visit of China. There was also talk then that his visa was rejected. So Raja Petra's retracted revelation of Guan Eng and Tony Pua being told off by Jack Ma make a lot of sense.
It would be no surprise should it be China that requested Mahathir to formally announce Guan Eng will not represent Malaysia to negotiate with China. They are teaching him a lesson and it may not be enough to have Guan Eng reluctantly expressed Malaysia's commitment to BRI.
Penang tunnel return
Guan Eng is not in the comfortable position to retaliate openly to all this shameful actions against him. Raja Petra's revelation of what looks to be MACC's investigation of the Penang tunnel could be conveniently expedited.
The Speaker of Dewan Rakyat could help hold back the tunnel issue from being debated in Parliament, but it may not be for long. The counter argument is the then opposition debated on 1MDB issues when it was still in its infancy and investigation is on-going.
The public discussion on the tunnel issue remained on the consultancy paid by Penang government, cost of highways, Dato Zarul of Zenith-BCUG pay-offs, and exchanged land that still need be reclaimed.
The more damaging issue that could put Guan Eng in the slammer for many years had been left out. Media has not gave sufficient coverage for the lower hanging fruit that could pin Guan Eng is the land reclaimed, developed and properties already sold by Ewein Berhad!
Money trail still need be done and evidence gathered especially the one involving moneygame MBI International. That could implicate recent crossover from UMNO to PPBM, former KPDNKK Minister, Dato Hamzah Zainuddin, who suspiciously was too eager to get the frozen money of MBI International released.
It is heard among Penang Chinese that China delegate was aware of the money Guan Eng allegedly laundered money to Taiwan and this added to reasons Guan Eng is wary of China.
More so, the China contractor involved with the Penang tunnel is believed to have told MACC investigators that they were not genuine contractor for the project but being paid fee without any work done but merely name selling.
Vertice Berhad
It was exposed in 2017 that the contractor to gain from the Penang tunnel was a retail apparel company, Voir Holdings Berhad.
Voir was switching to construction by taking up a stake in Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd, the SPV for the RM6.3 billion Penang integrated infrastructure project. In January 2018, they denied involvement in the project.
Prior to GE14, Voir (renamed as Vertice Berhad) secured a RM218 road upgrade contract from Gambang to Segamat.
The BN lost was a landslide for Vertice as they were awarded RM815 million project in the Penang Mega Infrastructure project at the end of January 2019 and RM100 million subcontract for LRT3. This is despite them losing a RM340 million SUKE contract in September 2018.
Despite MACC raid on the company, Vertice MD Dato Wong Kwai Wah told the business media in October last year that he has confidence and ready to move on.
It is still subject to further investigation, but it is speculated that Guan Eng has interest in Vertice. Last week, Vertice announced to Bursa that JKR had terminated the Gambang to Segamat project .
No reason was reported, but talk in the market is that Vertice is in financial problem and banks refrain from lending to them. The only information heard is that it was due to link with MBI International and the recent revival of tunnel project issue.
Oil Palm sabotage
At the initial stage, there may have been Tun Daim's involvement. Apparently, he pulled out upon sensing something was fishy.
One of the yet to be reclaimed land belongs to E&O and Tan Sri Wan Azmi has re-appeared as main shareholder. His shareholding in SPLASH may involved Daim but not E&O. Guan Eng has nothing to pin Daim on.
Nevertheless, Guan Eng could be buying time before his cases blow over. China could be a sword of democles above him holding on two a strand of hair. He is in a precarious position and either a new government come GE15 or Mahathir's PPBM has a strangehold on power and he is gone.
Guan Eng has to seize on the local Chinese sentiment against the entry of China investors into Malaysia. They could not compete with the bigger and stronger Chinese businesses. It will weaken their stronghold on the economy. China investors prefer to deal and partner with Malays.
Daim has announced that ECRL will be finalised by April. Already, one could see another "raid" happening on China companies.
Securities Commission that fall under auspices of Ministry of Finance reprimanded three China-based PLC for submitting false financial statements to Bursa. MITI, whose Deputy Minister, Ong Kian Meng, is from DAP and was with Tony Pua at MOF to assist Guan Eng, initiated anti-dumping probe against China companies..
From the chart above, oil palm prices have recovered from its low several months ago. But, a deliberate attempt by The Edge and The Star to talk the prices down. Since EU's persistence to ban palm oil, there have been spark of optimism in the market from China's reduced use of soybean meal and demand for green fuel.
In early March, there was intent from China to increase oil palm purchase by 50% for Malaysia to export 1.62 million tonnes. The Chinese uptake would increse by 500,000 tonnes a year. Robert Kuok will play a major role and it has been criticised as CEP member taking advantage of their position.
However, defenders of Kuok claimed it is his last national service for Malaysia. Wilmar is the only outfit that has the storage capacity to handle the size. He may be committing some RM6-7 billion to buy from Malaysia at a time he could source it cheaper from Indonesia.
The oil plam deal is expected to be part of the offset program to pay for the ECRL. A similar deal was recently inked with Russians in exchange for arms.
Daim's negotiation with China is crucial for the new government and more importantly, Malaysia and some 2 million Malaysians involved in oil palm and rubber industry.
Situation is desperate as it is known that farmers are returning back to 1960s income and after deduction for debt repayment, in which new government promised Felda settlers to dissolve old debts, settlers are left with income of less than RM300 a month.
Guan Eng announced allowance for settlers will be paid but the complain is that money has not been received. After 10 months in power, rubber tappers in Sabah are not getting their BMT allowance.
If Guan Eng repeat the same sabotage, it confirms another character of his that is widely known but need be mentioned more. He lack empathy to Malaysians beyond the colour of his own skin and race.
People uprising and public unrest will definitely happen when the peoples' stomach are hungry. But he does not bother and is too fanatics with his version of socialism and equality idealism and stubborn to see the realism on the ground.