Jumaat, 30 November 2012

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

0 ulasan
Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info
Sumber Asal Berita :-

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News


The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 7)

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 06:57 PM PST

Ibak had been watching this mafia for quite some time and had decided that enough is enough. He opened up the meter business to the non-cartel members and we managed to squeeze in. Within three years we walked away with RM40 million in business. But I was the most hated supplier because I ignored the mafia and refused to join the cartel in the price rigging.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

When I reflect on my corporate life, I can probably summarise it as 20 years of the 62 years that I have been walking the face of this earth. I became a businessman at age 24 and 'retired' at age 44. Considering that my father and mother died at ages 46 and 47 respectively, I regarded myself as almost reaching the end of my life.

Hence, maybe, a change of career was in order.

However, I have to admit that my retirement was not actually my choice but the point of frustration that I had reached. When I first started my business in 1974, you could make it with sheer hard work, ingenuity, and plenty of guts to venture into areas where angels fear to tread. However, by 1994, it was no longer about know-how but about know-who.

If you were not aligned to those who walk in the corridors of power then the doors would be closed to you. And mere 'alignment' was not enough. There were also the contributions you had to make to various political funds, all to be made in cash and not with traceable cheques.

I, too, was not exempted from having to 'buy' contracts. In the beginning it was not too bad. A RM500,000 donation to Umno for a RM30 million contract where you earn at least 8% or RM2.4 million was affordable. You still had some money left in your pocket. But when margins dropped to less than 5% and the commissions (or kickbacks) increased to 10%, it was pointless to continue with that type of business.

My wife, Marina, was actually the one who 'pulled the plug', so to speak. As I wrote in the earlier parts of this series, we became 'Born Again' Muslims in the late 1970s and by the early 1980s I was practically a radical Muslim who believed in the Iranian Islamic Revolution and dreamed of such a revolution in Malaysia.

I also became closer to PAS, although still very much a 'closet' supporter because of my business activities. I so very much wanted to come out into the open but I would first have to get out of business to do that. Hence it would have been just a matter of time before I made this switch.

One day, Marina asked me how we could consider ourselves as true Muslims and at the same time indulge in haram activities. When she said haram activities she meant indulging in bribes and giving money to Umno, the enemy of Islam.

What she said made sense but I needed a 'trigger' to spur me into doing the right thing. And that 'right thing' offered itself in the early 1990s. And that story goes as follows.

By 1990, I felt that a change of course was required. For the past 16 years we had been acting as a mere dealer, distributor or agent. No doubt not all our businesses were government business -- maybe about 20% or so -- but we were just selling 'other people's products' and, therefore, were at their mercy.

We needed a product of our own.

I spoke to a friend in TNB and, interestingly enough, he told me that a certain 'mafia' monopolised the electricity meter business and they had formed a cartel and was rigging the price. TNB, therefore, was at their mercy.

I then spoke to someone in GE Singapore who gave me a list of all the electricity meter manufacturers in the world. I found that one manufacturer, Schlumberger from France, was not marketing their meters in Malaysia. (There were many others, of course, but Schlumberger was the best amongst them).

I flew to Paris and met up with a man named Arman Carlier. I proposed a partnership with Schlumberger to manufacture their meters in Malaysia and to try to break into the TNB market.

Arman did not think it was viable. Even 'strong' companies like George Kent (M) Bhd (a company linked to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak) failed to break into the TNB market. And their meters are actually very good -- Landis and Gyr. So what makes me think we can succeed where others have failed?

I told Arman that our meters must be fully manufactured in ASEAN, with maybe 30% of the components locally manufactured in Malaysia -- and the local content to be increased as we go along. We must then 'dive' at least 20% below the prices of the cartel (they all tender at almost the same price with a couple of Sen price difference).

I was confident we could demolish the cartel and beat the 'mafia' that was merely importing their meters and doing a 'bolt-and-nut' operation. But Arman was still not sure. He knows the TBN market, as Schlumberger had done other business with them, so he knows the mafia has a strong hold on the meter business.

I told Arman that if Schlumberger agrees to set up a factory in Malaysia and they fail to get any business, I was prepared to underwrite the entire operation and reimburse them for all their expenses.

Arman finally agreed and said that he will give the Malaysian operation one year to get the business and that if we fail he will then close the factory down. We sealed the deal and then went to 'Le Crazy Horse' (SEE HERE) to celebrate our new partnership.

The factory was set up but after one year we got nothing. So much time and money spent with nothing to show for it. Arman told me it was time to close shop unless I could assure him we would be able to get at least some business.

I asked him for an extension of three months and he agreed. But that was it. Another three months and then they were going to close shop.

The mafia was determined to keep us out. In the meantime, the cartel was laughing all the way to the bank. I was bracing myself for bad news at the end of that three-month extension.

As I said earlier, a drowning man can come up only three times before he goes down for good. I had gone down twice so far, once in 1975 and again in 1985-1987. It looks like this time I was going to go down for good.

Then, suddenly, the unexpected happened. The General Manager, who was not supposed to retire yet, retired. He got a 'golden handshake' involving a large coal supply contract to prompt him to retire. His deputy, Datuk Ibak Abu Hussein, took over as the new number one.

Ibak had been watching this mafia for quite some time and had decided that enough is enough. He opened up the meter business to the non-cartel members and we managed to squeeze in. Within three years we walked away with RM40 million in business. But I was the most hated supplier because I ignored the mafia and refused to join the cartel in the price rigging.

What a stroke of luck! Schlumberger was just days away from closing down the operation. And that would have meant I would have lost my pants, for the third time. But fate decided it was not yet time for me to die.

Unfortunately, Ibak did not last long as the head honcho of TNB (the mafia hated him as well). He was 'pushed' into retirement and Ani Arope, a Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad-Anwar Ibrahim man, took over (the first time in history an 'outsider' was appointed as the head of TNB).

And that allowed the mafia to bounce back and go for me with a vengeance.

We soon began to lose tender after tender even though our price was the cheapest by far. By the third tender we lost, the TNB mafia approached Schlumberger and told them that as long as Raja Petra Kamarudin is their partner they are never going to get any business from TNB. We also lost the fourth tender and this convinced Schlumberger that the mafia was serious about it.

The second unfortunate thing was that Arman Carlier had been transferred to another division and was no longer heading the meter business in France. The new chap had no 'history' with me so there was no sentimental attachment. Hence he made the decision to 'file for a divorce'.

Schlumberger took on a new Malaysian partner who was 'highly recommended' by the TNB mafia. I found out later that his new partner was linked to Anwar Ibrahim. So it was an 'inside job' after all.

I was so furious I decided to get out of this whole 'rat race' once and for all. This was getting very stressful. Fighting your competitors is one thing. But when your 'own people' stab you in the back and grab what you painfully built up with a lot of risks involved, there was just no point in continuing.

I never forgave Anwar's people for taking away my last shot at making it in the business world. Anwar was the Finance Minister and TNB reported to him. But I never once walked into his office to ask for any help all that time he was Finance Minister (Anwar actually complained about this to one ABIM chap). But for his people to take away what I felt belonged to me was something so intolerable that I decided to throw in the towel and go for a career change.

And this new career change was to become a political activist and political writer. I was part of the corrupt system. I worked within that system that eventually 'ate' me up as well. Now I was going to fight that very system I had operated in.

That was 18 years ago in 1994. Today, I am still doing what I started 18 years ago back in 1994. I now have very low tolerance for abuse of power and corruption, even when committed by those from Pakatan Rakyat. And trust me, it does happen in Pakatan Rakyat as well. After all, many of those Pakatan Rakyat people are the same people who 'makan' me back in the 1990s.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 6)

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 03:49 PM PST

Actually, I blame the banks for all this. Back in the 1980s, around ten years after starting my business, bank managers were coming to see me to invite me to lunch. They would practically beg me to 'give them some business'. Over lunch they would confirm RM2 million or RM3 million without even asking me what I would do with the money.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

People assume that since I am Malay therefore all my business must have come from government contracts. That is stereotyping and as 'fair' as assuming that since you are Indian you are a drunkard who beats his wife or since you are a Chinese you are dishonest because you worship money.

I do not deny that I did do some government business. Even Chinese and Indians do government business whenever they can. So this is not really a crime. Nevertheless, over 20 years from 1974-1994, my companies did about RM300-350 million in turnover with maybe about 20% of that in government contracts.

And government contracts are really not that profitable, mind you. Sometimes we get away with a profit of only 2.5%. To make 10% or more from a government (supply) job was a rare thing indeed, especially in those 'early days'.

Government jobs are good when you need to go to the bank to raise funds. If you won, say, a RM30 million government contract, this would allow you to borrow RM6 million or even RM10 million.

In those days, even when I did not need the money (since the supplier gave us credit of 60-90 days anyway), I would still go to the bank to borrow. I would use the funds and then pay back what I used within the same month. This would impress the bank like hell -- although they are not too happy with this since they would earn very little when you pay back almost immediately.

The reason I did this was so that, next time, when you really do need funding, you can go back to the bank and get a loan. In the beginning I borrowed RM2 million. By the time I decided to call it a day, I was rolling with RM20 million, all borrowed funds.

Actually, I blame the banks for all this. Back in the 1980s, around ten years after starting my business, bank managers were coming to see me to invite me to lunch. They would practically beg me to 'give them some business'. Over lunch they would confirm RM2 million or RM3 million without even asking me what I would do with the money.

You see, branch managers had a quota to fill and they were trying to use me to fill their quota. So they would offer me facilities in the millions even though I did not need the money and would not have known what to do with it anyway.

Once I was even invited for lunch in the executive suite of HSBC in Kuala Lumpur. The Kwailo then asked whether his bank 'could be off assistance' to me. He then offered me RM3 million and instructed his Chinese officer to follow up on this 'application'.

The Chinese officer followed me back to my office and sat down with me to work out the details. But we had one problem. We could not justify the facilities. In other words, we could not show that I needed the money. After cracking our heads for an hour, I told the officer to just forget it. Actually I don't need the money.

I felt good to be able to tell HSBC that I don't need their money. That boosted my image and even more bank managers came a courting when they found out that I told the Kwailo from a Kwalio bank that I don't need their money.

Yes, bank managers get an orgasm when you tell a bank you don't need their money.

It came to a stage that all I needed to do was to phone the MD or GM of the bank and over the phone I could raise a million or two with no questions asked. Of course, I was not the only one enjoying this VIP treatment. All over town banks were throwing money our way.

Then, in mid-1980, the folly of this attitude hit us. Many of us were over-geared. No doubt our loans were 'backed by assets'. But these so-called assets were 'paper assets'. They were stocks and shares trading at ten or twenty times their value -- or worse.

No one cared about PE ratios. In the UK, you may be looking at PE ratios in the single digit. In Malaysia (plus Singapore and Hong Kong) the PE ratios of the 'darlings' of the stock market were sometimes in the triple digits.

That was crazy. Banks should not have touched such company shares with a ten-foot pole. But who thought that the bubble was going to burst? We were on a roller coaster ride and it was going up, up and up. Then, in 1985, it went down, down and down.

It was then that I understood the meaning of 'fair weather bankers'. They invite you to lunch and beg you to borrow from them when you do not need their money. However, when the market turns, they become your 'wakeup call' early in the morning when they phone you to inform you of the 'margin call'.

If you do not 'top up' by the time the market opens for the day, expect them to 'force-sell' your shares. And the more they force-sell the more depressed the market gets and the more depressed the market gets the lower your shares go and the lower your shares go the more margin you need to top up -- and so on and so forth. It basically becomes a vicious cycle.

Now that you need the money the banks no longer want to deal with you. The banks do not want to give you money because you need the money. They only want to give you money when you do not need it.

I was only 35 then and about ten years in business. But I was very rapidly finding out that another word for 'banker' is 'shark'. When they smell blood they go into a feeding frenzy. And when you are floundering in the water trying to keep your head up so that you do not drown, these sharks come up from behind you and bite off your balls.

Yes, we were greedy. I admit that. We may even have been inexperienced and were taking too many risks. But when you are still quite young and new to business, you tend to be like this. That is what being young is all about.

But the banks were also greedy. These banks that have been around for a long time and have seen many recessions come and go should have practiced prudent banking. They should have known that bubbles eventually burst. And they should not have been the ones to inflate the bubble and then, as soon as it shows sign of deflation, they prick the bubble by pulling the rug from under our feet.

Many suffered. Almost everyone, regardless of race, collapsed. Many saw their companies change hands. Some were even unfortunate enough to end up in jail. As I said, at 35 I could afford to pick up the pieces and start all over again. Those who no longer had the luxury of time chose the easy way out by ending their life.

We would have imagined that by 1985-1987 the banks would have learned their lesson. Apparently they did not -- as 1997 and now, 2012, have proven. Banks will still be banks and risk-takers will still be risk-takers.

I am just glad I am no longer in the game where we live day-to-day with the anxiety that when we wake up the following morning we are going to find out that the bottom has fallen out of the market.

As they say: let the borrower beware.

TO BE CONTINUED

 
Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

0 ulasan
Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info
Sumber Asal Berita :-

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News


Deepak Jaikishan : A Pattern of Lies and Deception

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 07:37 PM PST

Freedom Come Freedom Go

From reports and blogs, some excerpts of personalities involved in the PI Bala SD I and II affair.

Lawyer M. Puravalen, who was Abdul Razak Baginda's first lawyer in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case two years ago, has refused to divulge to the police today the details of "privileged information" shared with him by his client.

The 54-year-old lawyer said such information when made in full confidentiality was a fundamental and sacrosanct aspect of the lawyer-client relationship. - As posted on the Malaysian Bar website.
That was 3 years ago, 18 July 2008.

Fast forward, 14 August 2012 a press statement by Sivarasa Rasiah, PKR Member of Parliament for Subang,
RPK was invited to that meeting in Puravalen's house the day before the 3nd July press conference to be given a pre-view of Bala's 1st SD to put up on his blog and write about it which he did.
I just cannot reconcile the above two quotes. For anyone who understands what Bala SD I was all about, it raises questions.

For example, how could Mr Puravalen house a meeting related to a statutory declaration which had (at the time) significant references to his former client and not risk breaching "privileged information" of the lawyer-client relationship?

Was it judicious for Mr Puravalen to be involved, in any way, with a statutory declaration that could, one way or another, be seen as damaging to his former client?

Anyway back the Deepak fellow.

Bear in mind, of course, we do not know to whom or what the Deepak fellow is referring to, as he is riddling us this and that.

These are for those are frothing at the mouth and think whom and what the fellow is referring to.

For starters.

Then,
Deepak Jaikishan, the carpet dealer mentioned numerous times by blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin, said Rosmah "is a good person, if you know her personally".
Now,
"I had no business being there, I am a businessman. I regret helping a friend whom I thought was true... I am not supposed to be involved in this James Bond movie."
Then,
He also rubbished the website's claims that he had played a key role in silencing private eye P. Balasubramaniam in the 2006 sex-murder scandal of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu; and in Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's ongoing sodomy trial.(sic0
Now,
"It was damage control to stop the problem... I was tasked - don't ask who tasked me - with getting him to agree to sign another SD, not because of the (first) SD itself but because of the repercussions that will happen the next day if that (first) SD was not reversed," he said.
I see a distinct stratagem here and the personalities involved in the PI Bala saga are interconnected.

Support first and later, in the familiar words for Raja Petra Kamarudin, whack.

And whack first and later, support.

RPK prints all over.

"I would have better use for the millions of ringgit that I would have needed to do that, which I don't have in the first place" - Sivarasa Rasiah
Mull on that for now.

READ MORE HERE

 

The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 7)

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 06:57 PM PST

Ibak had been watching this mafia for quite some time and had decided that enough is enough. He opened up the meter business to the non-cartel members and we managed to squeeze in. Within three years we walked away with RM40 million in business. But I was the most hated supplier because I ignored the mafia and refused to join the cartel in the price rigging.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

When I reflect on my corporate life, I can probably summarise it as 20 years of the 62 years that I have been walking the face of this earth. I became a businessman at age 24 and 'retired' at age 44. Considering that my father and mother died at ages 46 and 47 respectively, I regarded myself as almost reaching the end of my life.

Hence, maybe, a change of career was in order.

However, I have to admit that my retirement was not actually my choice but the point of frustration that I had reached. When I first started my business in 1974, you could make it with sheer hard work, ingenuity, and plenty of guts to venture into areas where angels fear to tread. However, by 1994, it was no longer about know-how but about know-who.

If you were not aligned to those who walk in the corridors of power then the doors would be closed to you. And mere 'alignment' was not enough. There were also the contributions you had to make to various political funds, all to be made in cash and not with traceable cheques.

I, too, was not exempted from having to 'buy' contracts. In the beginning it was not too bad. A RM500,000 donation to Umno for a RM30 million contract where you earn at least 8% or RM2.4 million was affordable. You still had some money left in your pocket. But when margins dropped to less than 5% and the commissions (or kickbacks) increased to 10%, it was pointless to continue with that type of business.

My wife, Marina, was actually the one who 'pulled the plug', so to speak. As I wrote in the earlier parts of this series, we became 'Born Again' Muslims in the late 1970s and by the early 1980s I was practically a radical Muslim who believed in the Iranian Islamic Revolution and dreamed of such a revolution in Malaysia.

I also became closer to PAS, although still very much a 'closet' supporter because of my business activities. I so very much wanted to come out into the open but I would first have to get out of business to do that. Hence it would have been just a matter of time before I made this switch.

One day, Marina asked me how we could consider ourselves as true Muslims and at the same time indulge in haram activities. When she said haram activities she meant indulging in bribes and giving money to Umno, the enemy of Islam.

What she said made sense but I needed a 'trigger' to spur me into doing the right thing. And that 'right thing' offered itself in the early 1990s. And that story goes as follows.

By 1990, I felt that a change of course was required. For the past 16 years we had been acting as a mere dealer, distributor or agent. No doubt not all our businesses were government business -- maybe about 20% or so -- but we were just selling 'other people's products' and, therefore, were at their mercy.

We needed a product of our own.

I spoke to a friend in TNB and, interestingly enough, he told me that a certain 'mafia' monopolised the electricity meter business and they had formed a cartel and was rigging the price. TNB, therefore, was at their mercy.

I then spoke to someone in GE Singapore who gave me a list of all the electricity meter manufacturers in the world. I found that one manufacturer, Schlumberger from France, was not marketing their meters in Malaysia. (There were many others, of course, but Schlumberger was the best amongst them).

I flew to Paris and met up with a man named Arman Carlier. I proposed a partnership with Schlumberger to manufacture their meters in Malaysia and to try to break into the TNB market.

Arman did not think it was viable. Even 'strong' companies like George Kent (M) Bhd (a company linked to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak) failed to break into the TNB market. And their meters are actually very good -- Landis and Gyr. So what makes me think we can succeed where others have failed?

I told Arman that our meters must be fully manufactured in ASEAN, with maybe 30% of the components locally manufactured in Malaysia -- and the local content to be increased as we go along. We must then 'dive' at least 20% below the prices of the cartel (they all tender at almost the same price with a couple of Sen price difference).

I was confident we could demolish the cartel and beat the 'mafia' that was merely importing their meters and doing a 'bolt-and-nut' operation. But Arman was still not sure. He knows the TBN market, as Schlumberger had done other business with them, so he knows the mafia has a strong hold on the meter business.

I told Arman that if Schlumberger agrees to set up a factory in Malaysia and they fail to get any business, I was prepared to underwrite the entire operation and reimburse them for all their expenses.

Arman finally agreed and said that he will give the Malaysian operation one year to get the business and that if we fail he will then close the factory down. We sealed the deal and then went to 'Le Crazy Horse' (SEE HERE) to celebrate our new partnership.

The factory was set up but after one year we got nothing. So much time and money spent with nothing to show for it. Arman told me it was time to close shop unless I could assure him we would be able to get at least some business.

I asked him for an extension of three months and he agreed. But that was it. Another three months and then they were going to close shop.

The mafia was determined to keep us out. In the meantime, the cartel was laughing all the way to the bank. I was bracing myself for bad news at the end of that three-month extension.

As I said earlier, a drowning man can come up only three times before he goes down for good. I had gone down twice so far, once in 1975 and again in 1985-1987. It looks like this time I was going to go down for good.

Then, suddenly, the unexpected happened. The General Manager, who was not supposed to retire yet, retired. He got a 'golden handshake' involving a large coal supply contract to prompt him to retire. His deputy, Datuk Ibak Abu Hussein, took over as the new number one.

Ibak had been watching this mafia for quite some time and had decided that enough is enough. He opened up the meter business to the non-cartel members and we managed to squeeze in. Within three years we walked away with RM40 million in business. But I was the most hated supplier because I ignored the mafia and refused to join the cartel in the price rigging.

What a stroke of luck! Schlumberger was just days away from closing down the operation. And that would have meant I would have lost my pants, for the third time. But fate decided it was not yet time for me to die.

Unfortunately, Ibak did not last long as the head honcho of TNB (the mafia hated him as well). He was 'pushed' into retirement and Ani Arope, a Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad-Anwar Ibrahim man, took over (the first time in history an 'outsider' was appointed as the head of TNB).

And that allowed the mafia to bounce back and go for me with a vengeance.

We soon began to lose tender after tender even though our price was the cheapest by far. By the third tender we lost, the TNB mafia approached Schlumberger and told them that as long as Raja Petra Kamarudin is their partner they are never going to get any business from TNB. We also lost the fourth tender and this convinced Schlumberger that the mafia was serious about it.

The second unfortunate thing was that Arman Carlier had been transferred to another division and was no longer heading the meter business in France. The new chap had no 'history' with me so there was no sentimental attachment. Hence he made the decision to 'file for a divorce'.

Schlumberger took on a new Malaysian partner who was 'highly recommended' by the TNB mafia. I found out later that his new partner was linked to Anwar Ibrahim. So it was an 'inside job' after all.

I was so furious I decided to get out of this whole 'rat race' once and for all. This was getting very stressful. Fighting your competitors is one thing. But when your 'own people' stab you in the back and grab what you painfully built up with a lot of risks involved, there was just no point in continuing.

I never forgave Anwar's people for taking away my last shot at making it in the business world. Anwar was the Finance Minister and TNB reported to him. But I never once walked into his office to ask for any help all that time he was Finance Minister (Anwar actually complained about this to one ABIM chap). But for his people to take away what I felt belonged to me was something so intolerable that I decided to throw in the towel and go for a career change.

And this new career change was to become a political activist and political writer. I was part of the corrupt system. I worked within that system that eventually 'ate' me up as well. Now I was going to fight that very system I had operated in.

That was 18 years ago in 1994. Today, I am still doing what I started 18 years ago back in 1994. I now have very low tolerance for abuse of power and corruption, even when committed by those from Pakatan Rakyat. And trust me, it does happen in Pakatan Rakyat as well. After all, many of those Pakatan Rakyat people are the same people who 'makan' me back in the 1990s.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 6)

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 03:49 PM PST

Actually, I blame the banks for all this. Back in the 1980s, around ten years after starting my business, bank managers were coming to see me to invite me to lunch. They would practically beg me to 'give them some business'. Over lunch they would confirm RM2 million or RM3 million without even asking me what I would do with the money.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

People assume that since I am Malay therefore all my business must have come from government contracts. That is stereotyping and as 'fair' as assuming that since you are Indian you are a drunkard who beats his wife or since you are a Chinese you are dishonest because you worship money.

I do not deny that I did do some government business. Even Chinese and Indians do government business whenever they can. So this is not really a crime. Nevertheless, over 20 years from 1974-1994, my companies did about RM300-350 million in turnover with maybe about 20% of that in government contracts.

And government contracts are really not that profitable, mind you. Sometimes we get away with a profit of only 2.5%. To make 10% or more from a government (supply) job was a rare thing indeed, especially in those 'early days'.

Government jobs are good when you need to go to the bank to raise funds. If you won, say, a RM30 million government contract, this would allow you to borrow RM6 million or even RM10 million.

In those days, even when I did not need the money (since the supplier gave us credit of 60-90 days anyway), I would still go to the bank to borrow. I would use the funds and then pay back what I used within the same month. This would impress the bank like hell -- although they are not too happy with this since they would earn very little when you pay back almost immediately.

The reason I did this was so that, next time, when you really do need funding, you can go back to the bank and get a loan. In the beginning I borrowed RM2 million. By the time I decided to call it a day, I was rolling with RM20 million, all borrowed funds.

Actually, I blame the banks for all this. Back in the 1980s, around ten years after starting my business, bank managers were coming to see me to invite me to lunch. They would practically beg me to 'give them some business'. Over lunch they would confirm RM2 million or RM3 million without even asking me what I would do with the money.

You see, branch managers had a quota to fill and they were trying to use me to fill their quota. So they would offer me facilities in the millions even though I did not need the money and would not have known what to do with it anyway.

Once I was even invited for lunch in the executive suite of HSBC in Kuala Lumpur. The Kwailo then asked whether his bank 'could be off assistance' to me. He then offered me RM3 million and instructed his Chinese officer to follow up on this 'application'.

The Chinese officer followed me back to my office and sat down with me to work out the details. But we had one problem. We could not justify the facilities. In other words, we could not show that I needed the money. After cracking our heads for an hour, I told the officer to just forget it. Actually I don't need the money.

I felt good to be able to tell HSBC that I don't need their money. That boosted my image and even more bank managers came a courting when they found out that I told the Kwailo from a Kwalio bank that I don't need their money.

Yes, bank managers get an orgasm when you tell a bank you don't need their money.

It came to a stage that all I needed to do was to phone the MD or GM of the bank and over the phone I could raise a million or two with no questions asked. Of course, I was not the only one enjoying this VIP treatment. All over town banks were throwing money our way.

Then, in mid-1980, the folly of this attitude hit us. Many of us were over-geared. No doubt our loans were 'backed by assets'. But these so-called assets were 'paper assets'. They were stocks and shares trading at ten or twenty times their value -- or worse.

No one cared about PE ratios. In the UK, you may be looking at PE ratios in the single digit. In Malaysia (plus Singapore and Hong Kong) the PE ratios of the 'darlings' of the stock market were sometimes in the triple digits.

That was crazy. Banks should not have touched such company shares with a ten-foot pole. But who thought that the bubble was going to burst? We were on a roller coaster ride and it was going up, up and up. Then, in 1985, it went down, down and down.

It was then that I understood the meaning of 'fair weather bankers'. They invite you to lunch and beg you to borrow from them when you do not need their money. However, when the market turns, they become your 'wakeup call' early in the morning when they phone you to inform you of the 'margin call'.

If you do not 'top up' by the time the market opens for the day, expect them to 'force-sell' your shares. And the more they force-sell the more depressed the market gets and the more depressed the market gets the lower your shares go and the lower your shares go the more margin you need to top up -- and so on and so forth. It basically becomes a vicious cycle.

Now that you need the money the banks no longer want to deal with you. The banks do not want to give you money because you need the money. They only want to give you money when you do not need it.

I was only 35 then and about ten years in business. But I was very rapidly finding out that another word for 'banker' is 'shark'. When they smell blood they go into a feeding frenzy. And when you are floundering in the water trying to keep your head up so that you do not drown, these sharks come up from behind you and bite off your balls.

Yes, we were greedy. I admit that. We may even have been inexperienced and were taking too many risks. But when you are still quite young and new to business, you tend to be like this. That is what being young is all about.

But the banks were also greedy. These banks that have been around for a long time and have seen many recessions come and go should have practiced prudent banking. They should have known that bubbles eventually burst. And they should not have been the ones to inflate the bubble and then, as soon as it shows sign of deflation, they prick the bubble by pulling the rug from under our feet.

Many suffered. Almost everyone, regardless of race, collapsed. Many saw their companies change hands. Some were even unfortunate enough to end up in jail. As I said, at 35 I could afford to pick up the pieces and start all over again. Those who no longer had the luxury of time chose the easy way out by ending their life.

We would have imagined that by 1985-1987 the banks would have learned their lesson. Apparently they did not -- as 1997 and now, 2012, have proven. Banks will still be banks and risk-takers will still be risk-takers.

I am just glad I am no longer in the game where we live day-to-day with the anxiety that when we wake up the following morning we are going to find out that the bottom has fallen out of the market.

As they say: let the borrower beware.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

RM40m Sabah Umno ‘donation’ is pittance, say Umno delegates

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 02:21 PM PST

Several Umno members appeared today to dismiss the controversy over Sabah Umno's RM40 million "political donation", saying the sum was pittance compared to the millions the party dishes out during elections.

Arsit Sedi @ Sidik, a delegate from Sabah, even described the sum as "a very small dot" and revealed that in the Putatan constituency in his home state, Umno would have to spend up to RM6 million during the polls.

"RM40 million is a small sum, I don't think it can even support the next election.

"The amount needed is very high, especially Sabah. If you are talking RM40 million, it is not enough to even move the election machinery.

"RM40 million is a very small dot only," he told The Malaysian Insider when approached on the sidelines of Umno's 66th general assembly here.

Sabah Umno chief Datuk Musa Aman has been at the centre of allegations linking him to a RM40 million corruption scandal that the opposition has been using as fodder to discredit the Barisan Nasional (BN) state government in its east Malaysian fortress.

The issue hit media headlines last month when Umno minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz told Parliament that Musa had been cleared of corruption and money-laundering allegations in a case involving Sabah timber trader Michael Chia.

Musa's alleged link with Chia first exploded in the media following an April article by whistleblower site Sarawak Report, which had claimed that latter was caught trying to leave the Hong Kong International Airport with the RM40 million in Singapore currency.

At the time, Chia had allegedly told the authorities that the money was meant for Musa, kicking off a probe on the series of funds transfers from Malaysia to Hong Kong that was then believed to be the possible laundering of monies generated from illegal logging activities in Sabah.

But Nazri said Musa's name was cleared after Malaysian and Hong Kong anti-graft authorities found that the money was a "political donation" to Sabah Umno and was not meant for Musa's personal use.

In the ensuing debates on the issue, however, Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lawmakers chided Nazri for declaring Musa innocent without providing proof that Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) had cleared the chief minister of its own accord.

According to Nazri, the ICAC had closed the case after the MACC discovered in its probe that the money in Chia's possession was meant for Sabah Umno and not Musa.

READ MORE HERE

 

Dubes Malaysia: Video Hina Indonesia Itu Adu Domba

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:49 PM PST

http://static.liputan6.com/201211/video-hinaan-121130b.jpg 

(Liputan.com) - Menjelang pertandingan Indonesia dengan Malaysia di Piala AFF, ada video berisi hinaan terhadap Indonesia dari suporter Malaysia beredar di YouTube. Dalam video berdurasi 1 menit 48 detik itu, suporter Malaysia meneriakkan 'Indonesia itu anjing'.


Dubes Malaysia untuk RI Dato Syed Munshe Afdzaruddin menegaskan hal tersebut dilakukan oleh orang yang tidak bertanggung jawab. Pemerintah Malaysia tidak tahu asal usul video tersebut.

"Itu tidak dibenarkan. Video tersebut datang dari kelompok tertentu yang sengaja mengadu domba hubungan kita. Entah dari negara luar, Malaysia, ataupun Indonesia," kata Dato Syed kepadaLiputan6.com di Jakarta, Jumat (30/11/2012).

Menurut Dato Syed, pertandingan sepakbola Piala AFF seharusnya menjadi ajang persatuan antar bangsa. "Sepakbola harusnya bisa menjadi olahraga atau game yang enjoy. Kerajaan Malaysia amat mendukung persatuan antar kedua bangsa," ucap Dato.

Hubungan Indonesia dengan Malaysia memang seperti love and hate relationship. Layaknya orang memadu kasih. Kadang benci, kadang cinta. Kadang bermusuhan, kadang berteman baik. Tetapi tetap saling membutuhkan.

Namun, Dato Syed menegaskan apapun yang terjadi hubungan Malaysia dan Indonesia harus tetap rukun dan tidak mudah terprovokasi.

"Apakah sengaja untuk melakukan propaganda? Bisa juga. Yang jelas kedua negara jangan terpancing," imbau Dato Syed. (RZK)

 

Political WTF 2 - Musa Hassan

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:47 PM PST

KTEMOC KONSIDERS

Free Malaysia Today reported in its news article No plans yet to bring Musa Hasan into PKR the BIGGEST hint yet by PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution that it is likely to admit former IGP Musa Hassan as its new member.

PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that when someone 'important' decides to join the party, the application is given special attention.

"Approval of applications is done on a monthly basis. When we have distinguished names of 'big people', of course we take note of it." [...]

When asked if Anwar Ibrahim would be the stumbling block if Musa wants to join PKR, Saifuddin said the decision is made collectively.

"When there are applications made by big names, the decision to approve them is made by the party leadership," he said.

He explained that usually the supreme council members will come up with the decision. He further stated that it is definitely not done by an individual.


Manmanlai, indeed.

Incidentally, Saifuddin Nasution was one of those UMNO Youth thugs who violently disrupted the international forum Apcet II in 1996 at Asia Hotel in KL some years ago (PIC ABOVE) when Anwar Ibrahim (then in UMNO) was the acting PM, bringing humongous shame to our country.

After Apcet II was forced to be abandoned by the UMNO-initiated violence, acting PM Anwar Ibrahim praised the violent hecklers and stated very proudly: "Our mission was to stop the conference and we did just that."

READ MORE HERE

 

Shame on you, Shahrizat: You are a fear-monger

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:44 PM PST

http://aliran.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/shahrizat-prada.jpg

It is disgraceful that a politician seemingly on the way out has to ressurect the fear factor to shore up her flagging fortunes in Umno.

P. Ramakrishnan, Former President, Aliran 

As a former minister, she should have more sense to be responsible and appreciate the democratic process. Instead, she comes across as someone who is not prepared to accept the verdict of the people in a democratic election if that verdict went against Umno.

Is she planting the seeds of hatred in the minds of Umno members and instigating them to run amok and create havoc?

How does one view her statement when she said at the Wanita Umno Assembly, "If we are no longer in power, we would lose political stability. Certainly, the Malays, the majority in this country, would be unsettled" (Malaysiakini, 28 November 2012).

"I am concerned and worried that this would bring racial tensions that could lead to a repeat of the May 13, 1969 tragedy."

Is she threatening Malaysians that there will be a recurrence of the May 13, 1969 tragedy if Umno were to lose power? Why should that be so? Is she calling on Umno members to get ready to do the unthinkable if they were forced by the electorate to vacate Putrajaya?

Is she aware of the terrible consequence of rioting following the likely routing of Umno? She doesn't care to think for a moment of the destruction and the loss of innocent lives that can ensue in such an eventuality. Her concern seems not to be for the well-being of the country and the people but only focused on remaining in power at whatever cost.

This is utterly irresponsible!

Her unintelligent gibberish only bewilders thinking Malaysians. Consider this for a moment when she rambles, "We must address this now if we don't want to be refugees in our own land. A split in the Malay vote would dull the political power of the Malays."

How can citizens become refugees in their country? Refugees are people who flee their own country because they no longer feel safe for their lives. Refugees run away to another country for some valid reasons: political oppression, social upheavals, unrest, persecution, absence of rule of law, absence of protection from the government, inability to eke out a livelihood, etc.

Can anyone foresee this ever happening in this country i.e. people being forced to flee? She has to exaggerate this lie to create fear and horror in the minds of unthinking Umno members!

How would "a split in the Malay vote dull the political power of the Malays"? The Malay vote has been split for decades. That has not dulled the political power of the Malays. This goes to show that Umno doesn't necessarily equate with the Malays, and vice versa. The political reality is much more complex than Umno would like us to believe. Besides, Malays, like any other ethnic group in the country, should instead unite around noble principles of justice, equality and compassion.

Take Kelantan for example. There was and has been a split in the Malay vote but has that dulled the political power of the Malays? Has that forced Umno members to seek refuge elsewhere outside the country?

There was a change in government in Kedah. Has that dulled the political power of the Malays? How many Umno members fled Kedah to seek safer haven elsewhere?

Take the case of Perak that was taken over by the Pakatan Rakyat. In recognising the political reality and the make-up of the polity of this country, Tan Sri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin was appointed the Menteri Besar of Perak. Obviously, Pakatan was very sensitive to the Malay sentiment and did not do anything that could be upsetting. We are not aware if Umno members were involved in any exodus from Perak!

Then there is Penang, which fell to Pakatan Rakyat in March 2008. In keeping with the tradition and original understanding – unlike Malacca – Lim Guan Eng was sworn in as Chief Minister. There was no unrest. There was no flight of refugees from Penang.

So there is no basis to claim that the Malays will become refugees or that their political power will be diminished. What has been established is the fact that change can be peaceful and that the harmony of the country will not necessarily be destroyed.

As long as we accept and respect the political process as a legitimate avenue of expression, political change will be without any untoward incident. By and large, the majority of Malaysians are peaceful, sensible and responsible. However we must be on the lookout for the few who may try and stir up trouble. We should leave them to the police to take care of.

Umno must be desperate if such lies have to be manufactured! 

 

Umno rejects Islamic liberalism, pluralism

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:42 PM PST

(fz.com) - Umno will always strongly reject a pluralistic or liberal understanding of Islam, party president Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

He said that Umno has and will always defend and protect Islam as the Federal religion.
 
"We are strongly against those who support pluralism and liberalism (in Islam)," he said in his opening speech at the Umno annual general assembly.
 
Taking on Islamic PAS head-on, Najib said that Islam must be defended through concrete policies and not only with rhetoric.
 
He said that Umno was the party which has allowed Islam to prosper as a way of life in Malaysia.
 
He listed down several policies pertaining to Islam which the government has carried out such as the Lembaga Tabung Haji to assist Muslims to fulfil the obligatory pilgrimage to Makkah, one of the five pillars of Islam, the support for the Islamic banking industry that does not charge interest and Malaysia's commitment to assisting Palestinians.
 
"We may even be the first country to open a Palestinian embassy here in the future," he said.
 
He also took a dig at PAS which recently held a prayer for Umno's destruction during the party's annual general meeting.
 
"Their behaviour is weird. At the moment when our Muslim brothers are suffering in Gaza and are in need of solidarity of Muslims, they (PAS) here are busy praying for the destruction of others," he said.
 
Unsurprisingly, rhetorical criticism of PAS had been one of the major talking points with the delegates yesterday.
 
The theme came up on several occasions in the delegates' presentations when they were debating Najib's speech.
 
Kepala Batas division delegate Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican said that PAS was a party that propagated deviant teachings of Islam. 
 
He cited the example of PAS spiritual leader, Nik Aziz Nik Mat's recent label of Umno as a parti murtad saying that it has strayed from the teaching of Islam.
 
"PAS itself is a party that is deviant in its teachings," he said.

 

Worked to death

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:38 PM PST

http://www.aljazeera.com/mritems/Images/2012/11/28/2012112814433773734_20.jpg

Migrant workers from countries like Bangladesh, Nepal and Indonesia often take up dangerous jobs which locals do not want to do [Sarah Yeo/Al Jazeera] 

(Al Jazeera) - The deaths of thousands of migrant workers in recent years bring Malaysia's safety standards into question

Thousands of foreign workers have died in Malaysia in recent years from accidents, illnesses and suicide. They work in so-called '3D' conditions - dirty, dangerous and difficult.

Critics say the death rate is a result of slack safety standards, poor housing conditions and weak enforcement of laws to protect them. Last year, more than 1,000 foreign workers died from accidents, illnesses and suicide.

Malaysia is the largest importer of labour in Asia. Migrant workers provide cheap labour in construction, manufacturing and plantation industries. There are more than three million foreign workers, of which nearly a third is undocumented. 

Most of the migrant workers come from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia and Nepal.

Desperate to repay debts from the high recruitment agency fees and under financial pressure from their families back home, migrant workers are vulnerable to exploitation. Many suffer non-payment of wages, abuse, serious injuries and even death.

On this episode, the 101 East team meets those who risk it all to make a living in Malaysia and ask: Is enough being done to keep them safe? 

101 East airs each week at the following times GMT: Thursday: 2230; Friday: 0930; Saturday: 0330; Sunday: 1630.

Click here for more 101 East 

 

On The Malay Apocalypse Yesterday and UMNO as the Messiah

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:30 PM PST

Where in the holy scripture is written that UMNO is chosen by god I would ask? I believe Malays are now scrambling to read all existing scriptures of the Abrahamic tradition -- the Talmud, the Torah, the Old and New Testament, the Psalms of David, the Quran ,.. in order to find evidence of this profoundly new revelation that must have been passed down to a messenger in the 21st, century.

A REPUBLIC OF VIRTUE

Dr Azly Rahman

This news story interests me and I offer my thoughts on it: 

" ...Umno is the party chosen by God to liberate the chosen land of Malaysia and to uplift the chosen race of the Malays, claimed Umno Youth information chief Reezal Merican Naina Merican.

"When it comes to power, since 55 years ago, He had chosen Umno as the ones to liberate our country.

"Remember, we are mukhtarin, the chosen ones," he told the Umno general assembly while debating the president's address.

As such, he said that no matter how people want to choose otherwise or have the right as humans to make their own choices, they must realise that they are bound by God's dictates.

And God's choice, he said, is that the assembled delegates are Malays living in the chosen land of Malaysia and is to be liberated and administered by Umno.

He explained that God is the true authority over all governments and shall give power to those that He has chosen. ... "
SOURCE: http://www.freemalaysiakini2.com/?p=57328


Where in the holy scripture is written that UMNO is chosen by god I would ask? I believe Malays are now scrambling to read all existing scriptures of the Abrahamic tradition -- the Talmud, the Torah, the Old and New Testament, the Psalms of David, the Quran ,.. in order to find evidence of this profoundly new revelation that must have been passed down to a messenger in the 21st century. I for one would be thinking of embarking on such a hermeneutically-inviting reading of the holy texts and along the way I might also discover that god does read newspapers. We must not take these claims lightly and brush them off as another "LOL" occasion or "ROTFL" moment if we are to use the lingo of Generation XYZ at an age wherein the line between cybernetics and existentialism has become thinner than a piece of human hair split into seven strands for the believer to walk on in their journey to the gates of paradise.

And verily .. only the chosen people will be delivered from the dungeons of destitute and desolation in this game of salvation that has taken a semiotic turn and a flavour of deeply moving religiosity; as moving as the decision Moses made to deliver the chosen people out of Egypt, as inscribed in the Exodus. And for those Malays who believed that UMNO is the chosen party of god and that salvation must only come from the sacrifices UMNO has made and died for, for the sins of men, and that the Messiah will come from amongst those of the race of Sawojaya (brown-skinned sawo matang folks,)

For those Malays, I assume that there will be an exodus of the Malays and forty years of wandering in the deserts of Bintang Walk before they come to a promised land right beside the Melaka tree Parameswara sat under when he saw a Rottweiler kick a mousedeer into the river and declared that the kingdom shall be called Malaka-ka-ka and when he installed himself as a sultan thenafter, he shall pardon his own sins of the Palembang fugitive who went to Singapore and killed that Siamese-installed ruler named Temagi who was shot with a Russian-made machine gun while Temagi was eating Maggi mee. This is the seriousness of the latest claim by the high priest-politicians in their effort to call for the unity of the Malays and to save the chosen people from the prospect of not being chosen this time around.

I don't know ... do you? 

Lets' get serious will you politicians ? .. this is an age in which we might not be smarter than an eighth grader ... 

**********************************

DR AZLY RAHMAN, who was born in Singapore and grew up in Johor Baru, holds a Columbia University (New York) doctorate in International Education Development and Master's degrees in the fields of Education, International Affairs, Peace Studies and Communication. He has taught more than 40 courses in six different departments and has written more than 300 analyses on Malaysia. His teaching experience spans Malaysia and the United States, over a wide range of subjects from elementary to graduate education. He currently resides in the United States.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/azly.rahman

http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/

 

Najib: Umno and BN offer Malaysians the best

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:28 PM PST

http://starstorage.blob.core.windows.net/archives/2012/11/30/nation/umno-going-najibn1.jpg

(The Star) - DATUK Seri Najib Tun Razak told voters that they face a choice in the next general election between a proven Barisan Nasional and an inconsistent Opposition that has a track record of unfulfilled promises.

Opening the last Umno general assembly before the polls, the party president said: "The choice before you is between Barisan Nasional as a party with holistic plans for the future of the country and an Opposition that is chaotic and confused about its aim of whether to make Malaysia secular, theocratic or a welfare state."

Urging Malaysians not to gamble with their future, the Prime Minister and Barisan chairman said they should not look upon the election as an experiment.

Najib began his 90-minute speech by reminding Umno members that unity and discipline were key to success in the polls to come, with Parliament's term expiring on April 28.

"Now that the war drums have been sounded, it is time to prepare our strategy and consolidate our team ... and return to the people to renew our mandate," Najib said.

He then appealed directly to the audience beyond Dewan Merdeka at the Putra World Trade Centre, presenting his case on why Umno and Barisan were the only viable choice for the country's 13.1 million voters.

"We believe that Malaysians have a right to get the best Government and we are certain that it is Umno and Barisan which are capable of offering the best for Malaysians," he added.

Najib said there was a view that it was not wrong to give an opportunity to the Opposition to hold power to evaluate their capability in managing the country.

"The risk is high because the future of the country, our families and children is too valuable to be made the subject of an experiment," he said.

The Prime Minister urged Malaysians to evaluate Barisan by considering whether its past promises had been fulfilled, and whether new pledges would bring more benefits to the people.

The Opposition meanwhile should be evaluated on whether the promises that they were now making were believable and achievable.

If not, then it should be better not to support them, Najib said.

<b>Show of strength:</b> Najib and other party leaders holding Barisan flags while singing the BN anthem at the Umno General Assembly in PWTC.Show of strength: Najib and other party leaders holding Barisan flags while singing the BN anthem at the Umno General Assembly in PWTC.

Defending Barisan's track record, Najib noted that Malaysia was recognised by the World Economic Forum as being among the 20 most competitive countries in the world.

The Government had also raised the country's per capita Gross National Income from US$6,700 (RM20,100) in 2009 to US$9,700, (RM29,100) in 2011, he said.

On the other hand, the Opposition's populist pledges, which included abolishing tolls and public academic institution students loans, would increase the country's deficit to almost 30% in the first year of implementation alone, Najib added.

He said that while the Opposition included the abolition of the Internal Security Act in its Buku Jingga manifesto, Barisan not only did away with the ISA but also went on to scrap related laws such as the Restricted Residence and Banishment Act.

Najib criticised Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim whom he described as an inconsistent political chameleon who tailored his message according to his audience.

Referring to the special prayers PAS performed for the destruction of Umno, Najib said: "At a time when our fellow Muslims in Gaza were facing disaster and in need of solidarity, some here were busy calling for the downfall of fellow Muslims."

Najib said that it was PAS that had caused a rift among Muslims after current party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang issued an "edict" in 1981 which declared Umno an infidel organisation.

 

Stay out of our hair, PAS!

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:24 PM PST

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ7ktSt05YD6WNeojA3i8911k8zTl4Bsaur50I0t23m0oULy9eo07T-aAle 

Swetham M 
 
PAS is trying to set the clock back when the nation is moving ahead. True. PAS should go back to the Dark Ages when there was no need for barbers, and it didn't matter whether hair matted or not.
PAS's ruling on gender segregation in barber shops is the unkindest cut of all for Indian barbers who have been the backbone of the Malaysian hairdressing industry for over 100 years. Contending, as they have to, with rising rentals and a shortage of skilled workers, barbershops are facing tough times. 

Now, PAS's insistence on Men Only and Women Only salons is throwing sand into their rice bowls. In a statement, K. Kaviarasan, chairman of the Malaysian Indian Barbers Association told PAS to stay out of its hair. He called on PAS not to interfere in their business which have traditionally been family-run and handed down from father to son. These barbershops have been catering for the needs of male and female family members for generations.

If PAS still insists that its ruling is to be followed, then it should be fair and extend it to all other areas where there is human contact, including hospitals where doctors and nurses (both male and female) work as a team to help all those in need of medical care, regardless of gender.

Kaviarasan said PAS is trying to set the clock back when the nation is moving ahead. True. PAS should go back to the Dark Ages when there was no need for barbers, and it didn't matter whether hair matted or not. 

 

Stop fooling Malays with racial sentiments, Zuraida tells Shahrizat

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:23 PM PST

Ida Lim, The Malaysian Insider

PKR Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin has told her Umno counterpart Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil to stop fooling Malays with racial sentiments.

"Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil should not play with politics of racial sentiment because it is not in line with the 1 Malaysia concept that is dilaung-laungkan (raised) by Prime Minister (Datuk Seri) Najib Razak," Zuraida said in a statement.

Najib is also chairman of the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition and president of its mainstay party Umno.

Zuraida said Malaysians have long lived in unity, but claimed that political foe Umno has been playing dirty politics.

"Just look at Perkasa which frequently makes various racial and religious provocations that have caused all sorts of negative reactions towards non-Malay voters," she said, referring to the Malay right-wing group that is seen to have close ties with Umno.

"Why would Malays be sidelined if they lose political power? After over 50 years of Umno in power as the government, is that not enough time to bring up the living standards of the Malays?"

Zuraida claimed that the Malays who have helped economically by the government were the family members and cronies of Umno politicians, while the people only got leftovers.

She also pointed to the alleged involvement of Umno members in bribery scandals as a reason for the people losing confidence in the party's ability to fight for their rights.

"So I want to remind Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil to stop the shallow politics of fooling Malays with racial sentiments because the people are not stupid and can judge between diamond and glass."

The Malaysian Insider had reported on Wednesday that Shahrizat raised the May 13 riots during the opening of the Wanita Umno general assembly here to encourage delegates to work harder for Umno's victory.

She told nearly 1,000 delegates at the PWTC that a weak Umno would spread uneasiness among the Malay community and possibly invite the same racial conflict that caused the bloodshed during the 1969 tragedy.

"Do we want to have such a terrible situation repeated in our country? Of course we do not," she had said, according to the text copy of her opening address to those gathered at Dewan Merdeka here.

Shahrizat said Umno must overcome five key challenges to strengthen itself ahead of the coming polls, including fighting off its foes in PAS, attracting more young voters and ensuring that the Malays continue to hold political power.

"If we no longer have power, then the country's political stability will be affected.

"I fear that this could lead to a racial tension that could invite the same tragedy of May 13, 1969," she said.

The upcoming 13th general election is expected to be a closely-fought battle between BN and PR when the federal mandate ends by next April.

 

Will they or won't they demolish that shrine again?

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:21 PM PST

http://www.humanrightspartymalaysia.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Copyof20121120_104603_thumb.jpg 

Steve Roads

The silence until now of the Selangor government over the destruction last week of a Hindu shrine inside the house of Gopikumar in Sepang had many people questioning the sincerity of Pakatan Rakyat in protecting religious rights in the state. The news made page one headlines in the Tamil papers but the Selangor government chose to remain silent for almost a week. 

In the incident, officers of the Sepang Municipal Council used sledgehammers to demolish the shrine built inside the porch. Yesterday, EXCO member Dr. Xavier Jayakumar issued a press statement defending the action. In the statement he also said the house owner did not get official approval to build the structure. Since when was it necessary to get permission to set up a shrine in one's own home? As I understand it, it becomes illegal only when approval is not sought for any house modification that affects it structurally. 

A shrine does not in any way affect the structure of the building. An extension of Dr. Xavier's rationale is that all the hundreds of religious shrines in the compounds of Chinese homes in Selangor must also face the sledgehammer. They were all built, and rightly so, without any need for official sanction.

Also, if that Gopikumar shrine was illegal, the Sepang authorities should take a ride in all the housing estates in the area and destroy the hundreds of extensions and modifications that have been built without permission.

It has been reported that Gopikumar's shrine has since been rebuilt, in defiance of the Municipal order. If the Selangor state Government wishes to be credible, its officers should go in and demolish the shrine again. The question is, WILL IT?

 

Rep faces fine over alleged sexist remarks

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:13 PM PST

(The Star) - An assemblyman may end up having RM5,000 docked from his allowance for allegedly making sexist remarks at the state assembly.

Gan Pei Nei (PKR-Rawang) filed the motion against Datuk Mohd Isa Abu Kasim (BN-Batang Kali) for making the alleged remarks during the state assembly last Thursday.

Mohd Isa was said to have told state executive councillor Elizabeth Wong "to remember to take care of your own forest" during the debate.

The following day, Mohd Isa denied that the remarks were sexist in nature, saying he only commented on Wong's work in maintaining the state's forest reserves.

"I did not make any such statement. The Hansard can prove that I did not say it when it is released," he said.

At a press conference at the state assembly lobby yesterday, Gan said a fine was not enough to teach Mohd Isa a lesson and recommended he go for counselling sessions as well.

"A fine will serve to highlight the seriousness of his remarks. Not just a fine, Mohd Isa needs to go for counselling too," she said.

Rodziah Ismail (PKR-Batu Tiga) said it must be made compulsory for Mohd Isa to attend a "crash course" on gender sensitivities.

Wong accused Mohd Isa of interjecting during the debate just to humiliate her.

"At the workplace, it would constitute sexual harassment. But in the Dewan, what he said is protected by privilege," she said.

On Monday, MPs proposed a change to Parliament rules, where Standing Order 36 now reads: "It shall be out of order for Members of the House to use offensive language or make a sexist remark."

However, Selangor state assembly Speaker Datuk Teng Chang Khim said there was no need to emulate Parliament as members of the House could ask for the offending statement to be retracted or file a motion on the matter.

 

Abim bantah konsert Elton John/Jennifer Lopez

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:59 PM PST

(From left) National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students Association (PKPIM) president Muhammad Faisal Aziz, Abim secretary-general Mohd Raimi, PKPIM vice-president (international relations) Abu Qassim Nur Azmi and PKPIM deputy president Mohd Akmal Afiq Mohamad (8 Jan 2010 pic).

(Harakah) - Khuatir generasi muda terus dibanjiri idola tanpa teladan, Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim) mengecam penganjuran Konsert Elton John, serta Konsert Jennifer Lopez. 

Ini memandangkan konsert tersebut dianjurkan taktala negara masih bergelut untuk merungkaikan pelbagai kemelut sosial yang melanda negara ini.

Persembahan Elton dibuat melalui Elton John & Band: 40th Anniversary of the Rocket Man pada 29 November 2012 manakala Jenifer pula melalui Jennifer Lopez live in Malaysia pada 2 Disember ini.

Abim juga menilai penganjuran konsert seakan-akan menggambarkan sikap acuh tidak acuh pihak tertentu terhadap pelbagai bantahan yang dikemukakan terhadap penganjuran konsert-konsert serta program hiburan melampau membabitkan artis-artis dari luar Negara.

Hiburan merupakan elemen berpengaruh terutama sekali di kalangan golongan remaja. Hiburan yang bersifat mendidik akan mendorong golongan remaja untuk mengembangkan sahsiah diri mereka secara positif.

Akan tetapi sekiranya mereka menerima pendedahan dari hiburan yang bersifat hendonistik semata-mata, ia akan mendorong golongan muda ini untuk bertindak menurut kepuasan hawa nafsu semata-mata.

Tambahan pula, salah seorang artis tersebut secara terbuka mengamalkan hubungan sejenis (gay) yang boleh memberikan ekspresi keteladanan yang salah di kalangan golongan muda.

"Seharusnya ancaman LGBT serta beberapa gejala songsang yang lain membuatkan pihak-pihak yang berwajib lebih berwaspada serta berhati-hati dalam menyaring sebarang kemasukan serta penganjuran hiburan membabitkan artis-artis luar negara," kata Setiausaha Agungnya, Mohamad Raimi Abdul Rahim.

Penganjuran kedua-dua konsert tersebut, katanya,  merupakan titik hitam di sebalik kemilau kebangkitan hiburan Islamik serta selebriti dakwah di negara ini.

Ketegasan serta keprihatinan dari pihak berwajib serta masyarakat adalah perlu untuk mengelakkan golongan muda dari terus dibanjiri "idola" tanpa sebarang rujukan keteladanan yang positif, tegasnya.

 

Sabah cops worried about political implications

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:53 PM PST

The Internet is abuzz with claims that foreigners were involved in the recent murder of a teenager in Sabah.

Queville To, FMT

KOTA KINABALU: The unexplained death of a local teenage girl that ignited a torrent of comments and speculation on social network sites has put police here on the spot and drawn comments from senior political leaders.

Norikoh Saliwah's body was found by the roadside, near Kampung Ranau, about 2km from Kota Marudu town on Nov 25 and since then the Internet has been abuzz with claims that foreigners are linked to her death.

The theory that Sabah's teeming population of illegal immigrants and foreign workers has something to do with her death has especially alarmed the police, given the political ramifications of such insinuations.

State Police Commissioner Hamza Taib said earlier this week that inaccurate facts on the case published in the Internet would not only create undue fear among the people but could also threaten national security.

Kota Marudu MP Maximus Ongkili, Tuaran MP Wilfred Bumburing and Tandek state assemblyman Anita Baranting have visited the family of the victim to express their condolences. In doing so they also applied further pressure on the police to solve the case.

However, the police here, already under pressure over the abduction in Lahad Datu of two businessmen by a group of gunmen believed to be foreigners, are worried that the uptick of anti-immigrant sentiments on the back of political pressure to solve Sabah's hot-potato issue regarding the massive number of illegal immigrants in the state could spiral out of control.

Hamza said claims circulating on the Internet that five Pakistanis had gang-raped the victim before killing and dumping her body by the roadside was "just too much" as the case is still under police investigation.

Pakistani detained

Saliwa, said to have been working as a maid, was from Kampung Bombong 1, Kota Marudu, and had accompanied her 32-year-old sister and a 15-year-old male cousin to Kota Marudu to look for a job for the boy.

From there the trio had gone to a furniture shop in Goshen, some 2km from Kota Marudu, where the cousin was given a job.

The trio then returned to Kota Marudu together with the manager of the furniture shop for a drink.

"While they were having a drink in Kota Marudu, the victim's sister realised that she had left something at the furniture shop in Goshen and asked the victim to follow the store manager back to the shop to collect it," Hamza said.

"After the victim and the store manager had left, the victim's sister was still able to call the victim to check if she was fine and the victim replied saying that she was all right and nothing was wrong.

"Moments later, the sister and the cousin heard news of the victim's body with head injuries being found on the roadside, placing the 40-year-old Pakistani store manager as the last person known to be with the victim before she died," he said, adding that police had detained the latter on Nov 27 to assist in their investigation.

"I strongly remind online publishers to stop releasing false information or action will be taken under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act, which carries a fine of up to RM50,000 or one year's jail term," he said during a press conference at the state police headquarters in Kepayan.

Ongkili, who is also Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, said he had been briefed by the district police and assured the family on Tuesday that a thorough and speedy investigation was being conducted.

"The post-mortem has revealed a cracked skull but no sign of rape on the victim. Police have not ruled out that she might have been killed and a suspect has been arrested," he said.

Did Nazri lie?

On Thursday, Bumburing who recently resigned from his Barisan Nasional coalition member party, United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) and crossed over to the opposition over the government's failure to resolve Sabah's long-standing illegal immigrant problem, said the country was facing a "serious security threat".

"We want to know what is the real cause of the death of the girl, whether a post-mortem has been carried out to determine the cause of death and if the victim was raped before her death.

"If indeed the police discover in the course of their investigation that foreign nationals are found to be involved in the death of the girl, then it confirms what I have said in Parliament about foreign elements posing serious security threat in the country.

"If this incident is true, then what Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Aziz said in Parliament recently that foreigners are not posing any form of security threat, are lies to hoodwink the people," he said in a statement.

Former chief minister Yong Teck Lee also muscled into the debate today by ticking off Hamza for intimidating Sabahans about posting comments on the Internet about the alleged murder.

He said police should be doing their job and providing security to the people in the state rather than warning citizens that actions could be taken against them under section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act.

READ MORE HERE

 

Numbers do not denote strength

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:41 PM PST

The number of people at an event does not determine the strength or weakness of a political party.

By Shen Yee Aun, FMT

The numbers at any political event is not the right and accurate benchmark to indicate a political party's weakness or strength. I wonder how can some claim that the current Himpunan Hijau protest is a sign of a death knell for MCA ?

In the past when Barisan Nasional was at its peak, we saw large numbers attending opposition ceramah but the opposition still failed to make inroads during the polls.

MCA's mega dinners have drawn an attendance ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 in each division but did MCA ever claim that it would win the next general election or that Pakatan Rakyat is losing steam?

MCA only claimed that it was recovering and was stronger than before. MCA would never take the numbers game for granted to brag that it was a sign of early victory.

In 1998, the Reformasi movement saw huge crowds, bigger than those who turned up for the Bersih and Lynas rallies, taking to the streets. But still MCA did well in the 1999 general election.

If the strength and weakness of a political party were just based on the impact of the numbers at a protest, then we must also include the 1,500 NGOs that participated in a rally with Barisan Nasional recently. Do we interpret this as BN's strength?

If we want to play the numbers game, then 1,500 NGOs is much bigger compared to Himpunan Hijau. If we are talking about numbers, then it would be 1 (Pakatan) vs 1,500 (BN).

What about the recent 2,000 single mothers who protested against the Selangor Pakatan government that had cheated and manipulated them with empty promise after taking over the state? Is this the death knell for Pakatan in Selangor?

Selective environmentalism

The Lynas issue is actually one of the most successful political deceptions, lies and manipulations in history. Until today, there are still many who believe Pakatan that Lynas is actually a nuclear plant.

Any neutral science expert would tell you that the radiation of Lynas is way lower than the radiation from our mobile phones and even the radiation of taking flights. In reality, Lim Guan Eng's solar plant in Penang would produce more radiation than Lynas.

READ MORE HERE

 

Just words and lip service

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:35 PM PST

The Umno president's speech lacked substance and had no clear policy direction for the people and country, says Chua Jui Meng. 

By Chua Jui Meng, FMT

Najib Tun Razak delivered his presidential address at the annual Umno general assembly yesterday. It was shocking that his speech lacked substance – no clear policy direction for the people and country, just words and lip service.

It was also an amazingly short policy speech, if not the shortest, ever delivered by an Umno president.

To quote William Shakespeare's Macbeth, Najib was "full of sound and fury signifying nothing".

Pre-Umno assembly Najib had also claimed that change can be initiated within Umno and Barisan Nasional (BN) in general.

After 55 years, did we see any change in the attitude of the party national delegates, in the quality of debates at the assembly?

It was the same old rhetoric featuring inflammatory issues coupled with ridiculous claims like "God has chosen Umno".

The May 13 bogey was still used to intimidate Malaysians to continue to support Umno and BN, racist remarks like "Malays will lose power if Pakatan Rakyat (PR) rules" and "May 13 will recur if PR rules".

Is Umno claiming that only Umno Malays are Malays or Muslims? What about the Malays and Muslims in PKR, PAS, and others?

What changes are Najib and his deputy, Muhyiddin Yassin, talking about?

Clearly, there has been no change after 55 years and after the March 2008 political tsunami. The same arrogance is displayed by Umno and BN.

Do you mean there are no important and serious public issues covering competency, accountability, transparency, integrity, abuse of power, corruption and economic policies to discuss or debate?

If Umno has really changed, how could its top leaders go into the assembly pretending as if the following did not happen:

  • The ongoing French court probe on alleged corrupt practices in the Defence Ministry's purchase of two second hand Scorpene submarines at RM6.7 billion and Deepak Jaikishan's explosive admission of his ties with Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor and his role in private investigator P Balasubramaniam's second statutory declaration (SD) that neutralised a first damning SD that implicated the prime minister and his wife in the murder of Mongolian interpreter Altantuya Shaariibuu.
  • How and who erased the Immigration Department's records of Altantuya's entry and exit?
  • Ex-IGP Musa Hassan's allegations of infiltration of criminal elements in the force, political interference and the lack of control by the current IGP.
  • Ex-serviceman Nasir Moni's revelation that he and several colleagues had to mark thousands of postal ballots meant for soldiers during general elections. Hence the need for international observers in the next general election.

Compare the above with what the Umno leaders focused on their debates:

READ MORE HERE

 

Sabah businesses shifting alliances?

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:31 PM PST

Opposition STAR's recent meeting with the Chinese business community in Sabah is indicative of the state's political direction. 

(FMT) - Is the "ground shifting" in Sabah? The general consensus seems to be an emphatic "yes". But the question remains: how far will this leaning towards the opposition be?

In the meantime, any hope of hearing Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak announce polls next month came to naught at the end of the current parliamentary session yesterday after he failed to humour soothsayers and supporters of his deputy Muhyiddin Yassin.

Speculations were rife that Muhyiddin's supporters were (indirectly) "pressuring" Najib to dissolve Parliament by Nov 30. But there was no indication of this during Najib's speech at the Umno general assembly yesterday.

Technically the current government's term ends on April 28 next year, so once again the wheel of fortune will grind with soothsayers and punters tossing possible dates post-Chinese New Year.

The further delay, albeit exasperating, has given Sabah chapter of the State Reform Party (STAR) under Jeffrey Kitingan added time to continue convincing voters that they should be voted in.

For fast-rising STAR, it's the state that matters most and Jeffrey's team is training its guns on the state seats. A recent series of meetings with the local Chinese business communities seem to attest to that.

STAR has some 7,000 Chinese among its 200,000 members and its Chinese task force recently gathered 60 members of the business community to a discussion at the Sabah Golf and Country Club.

Attending were "influential" members of the Sabah Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers (FMM), the Sabah chapter of the Malaysian Travel and Tours Operators Association (Matta) and several other local business councils.

On the table were issues and policies"plaguing", "controlling" or "holding back" the development of commerce in the state.

But this was not the first time STAR had met with key players from the Sabah Chinese community.

READ MORE HERE

 

Two BN leaders join STAR

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:28 PM PST

The crossover of two senior BN men to opposition STAR means Sabah leaders are beginning to accept the reality of the unfair treatment, says Jeffrey Kitingan. 

Queville To, FMT

KOTA KINABALU: Maverick Sabah opposition leader Jeffrey Kitingan had something to smile about this week. Two former Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition party leaders jumped ship and joined him in the State Reform Party (STAR).

After months of watching Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition leaders going rogue but refraining from joining his Sabah and Borneo-centric party, Kitingan welcomed two more BN want-aways into his fold on Tuesday.

Patrick Paunil, a former United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun and Murut Organisation (Upko) division secretary and John Bague, a senior leader from Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) have joined Sabah STAR along with their supporters to provide the local party with fresh impetus as it prepares for the 13th general election.

The crossover will come as a much needed boost for Kitingan whose pleas to his fellow Sabahan politicians to ditch the BN over its decidedly peninsula-bias stand at the expense of Sabah have so far been ignored including by his elder brother Joseph Pairin Kitingan, the de facto leader of the native Kadazandusun community.

Kitingan's relief that at least some BN leaders are listening to pleas was discernible in his welcome speech to the duo and their supporters at the launching of the party's Timbou polling district election body in Tambunan, on Tuesday.

"Sabah BN leaders should emulate the both of you and take up the challenge to fight for the restoration of Sabah's rights and autonomy and to stop the colonisation and further damage to Sabah," he said.

"A change of the BN support in Sabah will also lead to a change of the BN federal government and stop the rot in Sabah.

"In the true spirit of Sabah rights and autonomy in a true Malaysia federation, the time has arrived for all Sabahans to stand up and unite and remove the BN state government and take charge of their future destiny," he said.

READ MORE HERE

 

Umno leaders and London properties

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:23 PM PST

It a known fact among Malaysians in the UK that senior Umno leaders own an extensive array of properties in London.

Luke Rintod, FMT

LONDON: There is no doubt that Umno leaders are filthy rich. In fact, word here is that almost all senior federal leaders in Umno are so wealthy that they own multiple properties in central London.

Not surprising, their spendthrift ways and that of their children have been making the news for a while.

Malaysians living in London have been privy to this information for decades and view it with repugnance and shame.

They are surprised that despite the dazzling light on the unusual wealth accumulated by government ministers which is displayed in their purchase of numerous properties around the world, their brazen hypocrisy elicits little comment back home.

Malaysians living here claim a former top Umno leader is linked to over a thousand properties in various parts of central London. Most of the properties are in the Canary Wharf areas.

"We know for a fact of this Umno guy who owns 1,400 properties in London. He is filthy rich… very, very rich. He even has a new wife now," said one Malaysian who has been residing here for the last 20 years.

He told FMT that politically-aware Malaysians in London do keep tabs on these Umno leaders, while the Umno leaders in turn are aware that their properties in the United Kingdom are no secret at all to Malaysians residing here.

"We know some of their kids are studying here and we know where they live and what they do. They may be Muslims but they drink and they flirt a lot here, something that they dare not do openly back home, but who cares when they are here," the London resident said.

Political rot

He said that it was a known fact that many Umno national leaders, both present and past, are rich and own properties around the world, including here in central London.

"The [federal] ministers own at least a few properties in London. Once in a while they do visit their houses or in some cases their children and family stayed while on study or holidays here."

Asked if he could provide evidence of his claims, he said it was no secret here and that some of them have been caught on camera and the photos had made their way onto social media sites.

Another Malaysian residing here, who also requested anonymity, claimed that Sabah and Sarawak leaders also own properties in various places here either under their own names or their family members.

"How can they afford it? With just a minister's salary they could not be this rich… they own properties everywhere in Europe.

"We also know of one who have bought properties even in Argentina.

"He could be preparing for himself to live in Argentina if Umno loses at the coming general election to Pakatan Rakyat," he said.

The fact that Malaysians outside the country are mortified by the wealth of their nation's leaders should be a reminder to delegates at the ongoing annual general assembly in Kuala Lumpur that what they consider non-issue speaks volumes about how deep is the political rot in the country.

 

After speaking to media, ‘Carpetman’ finds himself unwanted in his companies

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:43 AM PST

(Harakah) - Deepak Jaikishan said he was pressured by his board to resign from 26 companies where he is a director following his interviews with alternative news portals, including Harakahdaily.

"This morning I was asked by my board of directors to resign from all the 26 companies where I am a director because of the controversy involving Altantuya  and private investigator Bala (Subramaniam)," he said during his press conference yesterday.

Deepak said he was pressured as soon as he finished interview with various news portals.

"Especially my interview with Harakah (daily), and I have been asked to resign from all 26 companies," he said.

Deepak also claimed that his families members had also objected to him coming out in the open. However, he insisted on continuing his expose as he strongly believed that the controversy would not rest until  Mongolian citizen Altantuya Shaariibuu who was murdered in 2006 using a C4-bomb, a weapon available only in the army's arsenal, received a just trial.

"We all know Altantuya did not get the fair trial. This case cannot be silenced anymore," he added.

Deepak was heavily involved in the saga of P Balasubramaniam, the private investigator who issued a damning statutory declaration implicating prime minister Najib Razak of an affair with murdered Altantuya only to retract it the next day.

Two days ago, he had told various news portals about his relationship with Najib's family and explained that his involvement with Bala was unintentional as he only meant to help a drowning friend.

"So I jumped into the pool to help a friend. I felt at that time, I was the only one (they) sought after for help. It's not that I helped directly. The lawyer was theirs, I just helped in coordinating," he said, who quickly replied "Najib's family" when asked whom he meant by 'theirs'.

On another development, Deepak and his company Astacanggih Sdn Bhd were suing a UMNO wanita leader over a fraud transaction involving three plots of land in Bukit Raja, Selangor.

It was learnt that the 233 acres of land worth RM72 million was sold by the government to the UMNO wanita leader, who then sold it to Astacanggih for RM120 million.

However, the transaction did not materialise despite multiple payments being made.  It was understood that the UMNO wanita leader had then sold off the plots of land to another company at the price tag of RM150 million.

 

The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 5)

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 09:56 PM PST

I had never tendered for fishing nets before so I was not too clear of the costing. I sought the advise of a friend who gave me the previous year's prices and asked me to drop my bid 7% below that price so that we can be the cheapest bidder. That was the most screwed up advice I ever received, as I would soon learn.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Most Malays are Ali Baba businessmen, said Chia Kim Peong a.k.a. Ah Piow. The Chinese use the Malays to get business. You, however, are a Baba Ali businessman. It is the other way around. You use the Chinese to do business. And you do all the work while I just sit back and collect my dividends. Ah Piow probably found that very amusing.

That quip was triggered by an episode involving the fishing net business that I started. I tried to get supplies from the Fusan fishing net manufacturer in Port Kelang but they told me that Nam Lee was their sole distributor.

I tried to meet up with Nam Lee but they refused to see me. They told me they were not interested in my business because they already had more than enough business to handle.

I spoke to Ah Piow who told me that he knows the Nam Lee people very well. He asked me to meet him at their office and he brought me in to meet the Managing Director although we had no prior appointment. I tried many times to meet them but failed and Ah Piow can just walk in unannounced. Clearly contacts are the key to business success.

Nam Lee agreed to supply me the fishing nets on condition that Ah Piow guaranteed my company's debts. Ah Piow told me not to make him 'lose face'. 'Face' is everything to the Chinese so I have to make good my debts to Nam Lee.

Once I had learned the ins and outs of the fishing net business I participated in my first public tender. The tender was for RM12 million and seven companies participated. Amongst the seven were Pernas and Nam Lee plus companies owned by Bank Pertanian and Shamelin, an Umno-linked company founded by Tan Sri Sanusi Junid, the one-time Agriculture Minister.

I had never tendered for fishing nets before so I was not too clear of the costing. I sought the advise of a friend who gave me the previous year's prices and asked me to drop my bid 7% below that price so that we can be the cheapest bidder. That was the most screwed up advice I ever received, as I would soon learn.

The buyer called the seven of us for a meeting and I was informed that our prices were 30% below everyone else. They said I had clearly made a mistake so they were giving me the opportunity to withdraw, leaving the remaining six in the race. The RM12 million contract would then be divided six ways, around RM2 million per bidder.

I refused to withdraw and insisted that we remain in the race. I noticed the others around the table, who had been in this game a number of years, whisper and snigger. I was furious. There was no way I was going to withdraw and 'lose face'. I was going to stay and fight even if I lost my pants. And if they were right that I had made a mistake then I stand to lose quite a bit of money. But then this is about 'face', not money.

Because our price was 30% lower than all the rest, they had no choice but to give us the entire contract. The rest got nothing. With variation orders and a two-year extension, the RM12 million contract became RM20 million.

As luck would have it, Korea, which had many fishing net factories (unlike Malaysia which had only one) saw an oversupply situation when the market for fishing nets coincidentally took a dive. Fishing nets have a short shelf life so they needed to dispose off these nets as fast as possible. So now many factories in Korea were scrambling and were trying to dump their nets at fire sale prices.

The Koreans came to see me to try and get me to buy from them. They told me that based on normal pricing I was going to lose money big time because I had made a mistake in my pricing. However, they were prepared to supply me and would allow me to make 2.5% over the contract price.

I told the Koreans that their price was not attractive enough and that I could get the nets cheaper elsewhere. They told me that that would be impossible because nowhere in the world could I get nets at that kind of pricing. I told them in that case they should sit back and watch me do it.

They went off after telling me they will remain in Kuala Lumpur in case I change my mind because they were still interested in doing business with me.

I never called them back. In the meantime, the clock was ticking. I was supposed to supply the nets within 60 days and now 30 days had passed. If I can't get my hands on the supply I would default and the contract would be cancelled plus I would lose the performance bond of RM600,000.

Five days later, the Koreans called again and said they agree to my terms. They will give me 30% and supply all my requirements. But they will require a Letter of Credit. I told them, "No Letter of Credit." They were the ones chasing me, not me chasing them. If they want me to buy from them then they will have to give me 60 days credit.

The deal was sealed and I made my first delivery after requesting a 30-day extension for the first delivery and then 60 days delivery thereafter.

Fusan and Nam Lee were taught a lesson of their lives. Pernas, which had about RM500,000 in unsold stocks had to write off their fishing nets because the rats and cockroaches had eaten all the nets in their store (nets are perishable items when left in the store).

My satisfaction was not in making around RM5 million on that three-year contract that eventually totalled RM20 million. It was in teaching the 'big boys' a lesson to not snigger at me during a meeting as if I did not know what I was doing.

Well, actually I did not know what I was doing. It was just luck and a game of poker with the Koreans that prevented me from losing my pants, yet again. Needless to say, I never tried that stunt again.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

No plans yet to bring Musa Hasan into PKR

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 08:03 PM PST

PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail says if there is an application from the former IGP, then it would be given special attention.

Alyaa Azhar, FMT

There are no plans to bring former IGP Musa Hassan into the PKR fold just yet. PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that when someone 'important' decides to join the party, the application is given special attention.

"Approval of applications is done on a monthly basis. When we have distinguished names of 'big people', of course we take note of it," he said.

There has been some talk that Musa is leaning towards the opposition with his constant attacks on his former employers – the Barisan Nasional government.

Yesterday Musa at a press conference accused Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein of interfering with police affairs.

Musa is the patron of a new NGO called Malaysian Crime Watch Task Force (MyWatch).

When asked if Anwar Ibrahim would be the stumbling block if Musa wants to join PKR, Saifuddin said the decision is made collectively.

"When there are applications made by big names, the decision to approve them is made by the party leadership," he said.

He explained that usually the supreme council members will come up with the decision. He further stated that it is definitely not done by an individual.

 

Now can you see the light?

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 05:55 PM PST

 

No, I am not going to write about this matter. I just want you to read what the news portals reported (below) and for you to form your own opinion and come to your own conclusion. What I want you to take special note about, though, is to compare what was reported below to what I have been saying for more than five years since early 2007.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

'Criminal elements present in police, politics'

(FMT) - Criminal elements have infiltrated the police force and even politics, the former Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan suggested when he kick-started a new anti-crime NGO, MyWatch. "Looking at the present situation, where there is a lot of illegal activities, do you think there is no links? You can answer yourself," he told a press conference where he was named patron and advisor to MyWatch yesterday.

He revealed that there are cases where the links are too high up and "nobody dares talk about it". He cited a case of a high-ranking police officer he did not name who was brought overseas for golfing by a "shady businessman".

"Sometimes I feel they can even dictate officers, sometimes even spend [money] on police officers," he said. "It is very bad now. Later on the Mafia will be ruling this country, we don't want that to happen, it took 30 years to clean up the Mafia in America," he said.

Musa himself has been accused of such links, especially in the case of Johor kingpin Goh Cheng Poh a.k.a. 'Tengku' Goh but has repeatedly dismissed the claims as attempts to bring him down. "During my time, there was a professional way of doing things if we needed to get close to underworld characters. That is undercover work. When I was in narcotics, my relationship would be to purely gather evidence. There must be a line drawn," he explained.

Musa named Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and his deputy as the people who would usually try to give instructions to the force, and that this bad trend was still occurring. "During my time whenever I arrested some crooks, there will be phone calls from top people. They even ask us to release. I will ask for an instruction in black and white," he said, adding that the politicians would usually back off after being asked for a written order.

He also said that aside from ministers and deputy ministers, there were also "others" who attempt to give orders to the police, including opposition politicians.

**************************************

'Bala's U-turn foiled Anwar-Umno's Altantuya expose'

(Malaysiakini) - Because there was a concentrated effort. There were two factions here - you had Bala sitting down with (opposition leader) Anwar (Ibrahim) and you had another faction (in Umno) that didn't want the people named in the first SD to come to power.

They were determined, although they were from different sides, to work together to achieve this and both had the power to do so. Hence the absolute concern.

**************************************

Deepak to reveal more dirt from under the carpet

(FMT) - "The SD was not just about the opposition. There was a concentrated effort of two factions here. You had Bala sitting down with Anwar and you had another faction who didn't want the people named in the first SD to come to power. They were determined, although they were from different sides, to work together to achieve this. Both had the power to do this," he said, adding that the other side came from Umno itself.

He said that the side that wanted to push for the second SD and overturn the original SD was the one that protected or ensured that Najib became prime minister. "I got involved in the second SD to protect the interest of Najib. There is no other logical reason, is there?" he said.

 

Lawyer flays Deepak for land scam claim

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 05:17 PM PST

Controversial businessman Deepak Jaikishan (right) is represented by PKR leader Sivarasa Rasiah.

Chua Sue-Ann, fz.com

A senior lawyer flayed controversial businessman Deepak Jaikishan today for apparently making up allegations of land fraud by a Wanita Umno leader that is now the subject of a court case.
Deepak was the sole plaintiff witness and shareholder of Astacanggih Sdn Bhd, the private company that is suing Awan Megah (M) Sdn Bhd for rights to three parcels of land measuring 223 acres in Bukit Raja, Klang.
 
Astacanggih claims that Awan Megah, a vehicle of Senator Datuk Raja Ropiaah Raja Abdullah, resold part of the land that was initally sold to Astacanggih.
 
When cross-examined by Awan Megah's counsel Datuk Saseedharan Menon, Deepak said Awan Megah resold the land to Gunnyunip Sdn Bhd but the deal, which was masked as a joint venture, was "merely a facade of an actual sale where they took money and banking facilities".
 
Saseedharan objected to Deepak's statement as hearsay.
 
"No documents are given. It is hearsay. This is a creation of his own, a figment of his own mind!" an exasperated Saseedharan told the court.
 
In describing the turn of events, Deepak claimed that Astacanggih had on May 16, 2007 entered into an agreement with Awan Megah to acquire government land that was awarded to Awan Megah.
 
Awan Megah was awarded the land and RM28 million cash in exchange for developing a defence education centre called Pusat Pengajian Pertahanan Nasional (Puspahanas) in Putrajaya.
 
Deepak claimed Astacanggih paid Awan Megah RM13 million and procured a RM72.5 million land bond in favour of the government as the purchase consideration for the three pieces of land.
 
But the deal fell through when Awan Megah failed to hand over the land rights.
 
Deepak said he filed a police report and lodged a caveat on the land after he found out this year that Awan Megah had on July 9, 2007 sold one of the three land parcels to Guppyunip for a joint venture.
 
Deepak also alleged that Astacanggih had to seek special permission from the then Defence Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to transfer the land privatised to Awan Megah to a nominee company called Cebur Megah Sdn Bhd.
 
According to Deepak, he had discussed the matter with Najib's wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor whom he claimed later arranged for him to meet Najib.
 
Deepak further alleged that Najib had consented to the transfer of land to Cebur Megah and instructed the defence ministry deputy secretary-general to arrange the paperwork.
 
During cross examination, Deepak however admitted that he did not know if the land in question had already been transfered to Awan Megah or Cebur Megah from the government.
 
Deepak also claimed he was unaware of letters sent by Awan Megah's solicitors that the land could not be transferred due to objections from the Selangor state authorities on the subdivision of the land.
 
Earlier during the hearing, High Court Judge Datin Zabariah Mohd Yusof instructed Deepak to refrain from mentioning the political positions held by Raja Ropiaah as the details were not relevant but Deepak pleaded that it was relevant to show "political conspiracy".
 
Zabariah also warned Deepak, who was represented by PKR leaders Sivarasa Rasiah and N Surendran, not to use the court process to embarrass certain parties.
 
"I hope you don't go overboard. We don't want to put any inference that is not in the pleadings.
 
"Once you say things you cannot just erase it, especially now I know the press are here," Zabariah said referring to the presence of reporters at the hearing.
 
Aside from Deepak, defence called one witness to the stand, lawyer Nasir Zihni Yusoff, who is Awan Megah's solicitor.
 
The court will hear submissions from both parties on Dec 4.
 
Deepak earlier told fz.com that the 223-acre land is now worth about RM400 million with a gross development value of RM11 billion if developed in phases.

 

Umno chosen by God, says Reezal

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 05:13 PM PST

NONE

Hazlan Zakaria, Malaysiakini

Umno is the party chosen by God to liberate the chosen land of Malaysia and to uplift the chosen race of the Malays, claimed Umno Youth information chief Reezal Merican Naina Merican.

"Remember, we are mukhtarin, the chosen ones," he told the Umno general assembly while debating the president's address.

As such, he said that no matter how people want to choose otherwise or have the right as humans to make their own choices, they must realise that they are bound by God's dictates.

And God's choice, he said, is that the assembled delegates are Malays living in the chosen land of Malaysia and is to be liberated and administered by Umno.

He explained that God is the true authority over all governments and shall give power to those that He has chosen.

'Umno united Malays under Islam'


Reezal also reminded Malays that Umno is the party that uplifted them, united them and gave them dignity.

"What is there of the Malays before Umno came along?"

The Malays before Umno, he claimed, were a race of people fragmented by sectarian identities amongst the subracial groups like those from Java, Banjars, Sabah Malays and Indian Muslims.

It was the party, he claimed, which united the various Malay groups as one under Islam and the constitutional provision that defines everyone who is a Muslim, practices Malay customs and speaks the Malay language is a Malay.

 

Hisham dismisses ex-IGP’s claims as distraction from Umno assembly

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 05:05 PM PST

Mohd Farhan Darwis, The Malaysian Insider

Tan Sri Musa Hassan's claim yesterday that the government interferes in police matters is merely an attempt to divert attention from the ongoing Umno general assembly, party vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said today.

Hishammuddin, who was named by the former Inspector-General of Police as among those who interferes in police investigations, added that the issue has already been discussed and explained in Parliament.

"There are parties trying to divert (attention) with side issues... I hope the public will not be confused with their agenda.

"It is an attempt to divert from issues here (Umno assembly)," he told a press conference at the Umno general assembly here.

Musa dropped a bombshell at a press conference yesterday when he named Hishammuddin (picture) as among the ministers and politicians whom he claimed would regularly interfere in police matters during his term as IGP.

The former top cop described his working relationship with Hishammuddin as cordial, but the home minister did not see eye-to-eye with him on the command of the police force.

"When I found out that instructions were given to junior officers and OCPDs (Officer in Charge of Police Districts) without my knowledge, then something is wrong.

"So I highlighted to him the section 4(1) of Police Act ... command and control of the police force is by the IGP, not a minister.

"I talked to him nicely, he didn't like it ... that's why (my tenure) was not extended," Musa claimed.

Musa, who retired as IGP in September 2010, even suggested that the practice still continues today, saying that his refusal to indulge those who tried to interfere was likely the reason why his contract was not renewed.

READ MORE HERE

 

A Present for the UMNO Delegates- A Dead MCA

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 04:56 PM PST

SAKMONGKOL AK47

There is a system in their madness. UMNO has to go to town saying Malays will be in danger should PR wins. DAP will dominate everything. The country will turn republic and Malay kings will be in danger. Islam will be sidelined. UMNO has to do this because it must do everything to keep Malays in check. Why? Because if only 30% of the Malay electorate in each of the parliamentary seat where MCA is the incumbent vote PKR, MCA is wiped out. UMNO wants to save its Islam bashing partner at all costs even if it means speaking like an infidel.

MCA on the other must do everything to keep the Chinese intact. It is facing an uphill battle. MCA has lost its credibility and relevance. It goes to town, saying if PR wins, then PAS will talibanise everything. You can't play mahjong, eat pork, bah kut teh, wash hair, yam seng and all that. MCA must say, PAS will restrict everything.

UMNO and MCA are playing two sides of the same coin, but the subterfuge is not fooling everyone. How do we kill off MCA for good? There is a simple formula. if only 30% of the Malay voters vote Pakatan and 80% of non-Malay voters vote the same way, MCA is finished. This is all we need. MCA can lose all its 15 seats.

The prospects of eliminating MCA are good. 80-85% of non-Malays are supporting Pakatan and 50% of the Malays will vote for Pakatan. We have many instances where voters in  areas with Malay majority giving substantial support to Pakatan. A place like Jerantut in Pahang which is almost 90% Malay gave 46% support to PR. Therefore UMNO can't assume that just because an area has a majority Malay electorate, it can get big support. In 2008, UMNO candidates got only 2 million votes from the 5.7 million Malay voters. That's only 35% Malay support.

But let us use 30% Malay support for Pakatan as a benchmark. Assume also that 80% of non-Malays support Pakatan. UMNO knows that it has to get big Malay support otherwise its doomed. That is why it using all the dirty tricks- racism, the specter of racial clash, the demise of Malay royalty, the assault on Islam.

So that we won't have to see the fornicating face of Soi Lek, puke at seeing Wee Ka Siong and Ms Yen Yen, all we need is to ensure the 30:80 formula. Just get 30% of Malay support in the MCA areas and ensure we get 80% non-Malay support.  

Only 30% of Malay voters are what we need. If 30% of the Malay voters in the seats MCA won in 2008, now vote for PR- MCA is finished. If voting goes along the same line as it did in 2008, UMNO is already doomed. So we can treat UMNO's General Assembly now as a just a sideshow- its last before the party crumbles.

Let's do as what UMNO shouts for and let us take on what UMNO says. If the Malays heed what UMNO wants, they should withdraw their support from these MCA seats. MCA is your enemy. Its president made fun of Islam -does not the Quran command the Muslims to not make friends with Muslims and non Muslims who make fun and belittle Islam? See Quran 5:57.

MCA has 15 parliamentary seats most of them in Johor. Out of the 7 seats in Johor, only 2 have Malay majority. It's sinful for the Malays in Air Hitam and Alor Star to vote for MCA infidels. Do like the Quran instruct- do not take them as friends or protectors because they have soiled Islam.

READ MORE HERE

 

‘For Indians’ sake, let’s talk to Pakatan’

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 04:44 PM PST

MIC leader S Vell Paari is proposing that the party holds unity talks with Indian opposition and NGO leaders in order to address the community's woes.

B Nantha Kumar, FMT

MIC, which is the largest Indian-based political party in the country, should initiate talks with Indian opposition and NGO leaders for the betterment of the community.

This suggestion was put forth by MIC communication chief S Vell Paari during the party's recent Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting.

He told FMT that MIC should aggressively pursue the idea of holding unity talks with Indian leaders whether from DAP or PKR and work towards a united approach to solving the community's woes.

"If Umno can invite PAS for such talks on Malay unity, why not MIC? The unity talk would only strengthen the community and enable it to make certain demands that is good for the community.

"A united front would be the way to go for Malaysian Indians.

"Mistakes were made in the past but we must ensure that the same mistakes are not repeated. If not our children and granchildren would face the same predicaments," he added.

Citing the Hindraf rally in 2007, Vell Paari said that the movement had invited MIC to a discussion then but the latter turned it down.

"We refused Hindraf's invitation just to defend Umno's stand of banning Hindraf and declaring it an illegal movement.

"But today, Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak is ready to talk with Hindraf to gain votes in the upcoming election. Thus, it is clear that the current situation is different," he said.

"I am sure those in the opposition also want a better life for the community. So let's start by working together," he added.

Vell Paari, who is the son of former MIC president S Samy Vellu, revealed that the CWC had not made a decision on his proposal.

He also stressed that the unity talk proposal was his personal stand.

READ MORE HERE

 

‘Criminal elements present in police, politics’

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 04:37 PM PST

Ex-IGP Musa Hassan makes several hard hitting allegations, including the infiltration of criminal elements in the force, political interference and the lack of control by the current IGP

Teoh El Sen, FMT

Criminal elements have infiltrated the police force and even politics, the former Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan suggested when he kick-started a new anti-crime NGO, MyWatch.

"Looking at the present situation, where there is a lot of illegal activities, do you think there is no links? You can answer yourself," he told a press conference where he was named patron and advisor to MyWatch yesterday.

He revealed that there are cases where the links are too high up and "nobody dares talk about it". He cited a case of a high-ranking police officer he did not name who was brought overseas for golfing by a "shady businessman".

"Sometimes I feel they can even dictate officers, sometimes even spend [money] on police officers," he said.

Musa advised the current police leadership to be careful with the people they mingle with or face dire consequences.

"Of course as a police officer, you cannot have links with dubious people. The people now have eyes, every phone has a camera. You are living in a glass house. If you don't take care of yourself, if you allow to be friendly then your organisation will be destroyed," he said, adding that politicians should not have underground links.

"It is very bad now. Later on the Mafia will be ruling this country, we don't want that to happen, it took 30 years to clean up the Mafia in America," he said.

Musa himself has been accused of such links, especially in the case of Johor kingpin Goh Cheng Poh aka Tengku Goh but has repeatedly dismissed the claims as attempts to bring him down.

"During my time, there was a professional way of doing things if we needed to get close to underworld characters. That is undercover work. When I was in narcotics, my relationship would be to purely gather evidence. There must be a line drawn," he explained.

The press conference was chaired by MyWatch chief R Sri Sanjeevan and advisor S Gobi Krishnan, both PKR leaders.

Sri Sanjeevan said that the main objective of this new NGO, called the Malaysian Crime Watch Task Force, was to fight crime and not merely criticise the government.

However, he warned that if he did not get the cooperation of the current police, under IGP Ismail Omar, he would "go public with evidence".

Gobi Krishnan said that the NGO would be challenging "every official statistic", and promised to reveal "real" numbers.

Political interference

During the press meet, which lasted close to three hours, Musa also spoke about political interference and implied that his successor Ismail was losing command and control of the force.

Musa named Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and his deputy as the people who would usually try to give instructions to the force, and that this bad trend was still occurring.

"During my time whenever I arrested some crooks, there will be phone calls from top people. They even ask us to release. I will ask for an instruction in black and white," he said, adding that the politicians would usually back off after being asked for a written order.

"You read the papers, sometimes you hear 'I have directed the police to do this and that'. That's wrong," he said. He cited Section 4 of the Police Act which says that control and command of the force should come under the sole power of the IGP.

He also said that aside from ministers and deputy ministers, there were also "others" who attempt to give orders to the police, including opposition politicians.

Musa chastised the current police leadership under Ismail.

"The current IGP must make his own decisions on how to run the police force, not taking orders and all that from anyone.

"Even before I retired, I said, 'please don't interfere with the police administration'. Let the police do their job, do not interfere with the police… there are dissatisfaction on the ground among officers who said that they received instructions not from (their police superiors) but from the Home Ministry.

"He [Ismail] is a good man, but being a good man alone is not a criteria to be an IGP. You have to be tough also. Sometimes you have to be vocal towards your superiors. When it is not right," he said.

"Dont just say "Yes". I use to say, if the IGP is a 'yes man' he will be the best IGP in the world, if he is vocal then he will have alot of allegations against him. If you are a 'yes man' then you are the best IGP in the world, because in Malaysia it works that way," he added.

Musa, however, expressed confidence in Ismail from his past record under him: "He was good before, strict. I feel that he is clean, that's why I groomed him to be the IGP, but now he has to perform. I use to tell him he must be better than me!"

He also spoke about the time when he was speculated to have a fall out with Hishammuddin, saying their relationship was "so far so good".

"When I found out that instructions were given [by Hishammuddin] to junior officers and OCPDs (Officer in Charge of Police District) without my knowledge, then something is wrong.

"So, I highlighted to him Section 4(1) of the Police Act … command and control of the police force is by the IGP, not a minister. I talked to him nicely, he didn't like it… that's why I [my tenure] was not extended," said Musa, who retired as IGP in September 2010.

Musa also lamented that "nobody seems to respect the police now" and asked the "top police generals to look at themselves whether they can improve further on their service."

"If you want to improve things, you need to introspect and see the weaknesses in your organisation, you identify that weakness then you change and improve," he said.

READ MORE HERE

 

Ex-IGP: 6P encourages human trafficking

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 04:32 PM PST

Musa Hassan also says former minster Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad cannot claim ignorance of the operations of the company in which he is a director. 

Teoh El Sen, FMT

Former Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan weighed in on the controversy surrounding the 6P amnesty programme, alleging that the way the government had conducted it was akin to human trafficking.

"When you privatise 6P and foreign labour, and allow third parties to be making money out of it… this can regarded as human trafficking," Musa told FMT.

Although more than 300 6P agents were appointed by the government, Musa said that it does not stop the outsourced companies, including unlicensed agents, from exploiting foreigners.

"Why do you need a third party to do it for you? That is not really good. Because you already have the proper channels and agencies in charge of this.

"Managing foreign workers is the job of the Immigration Department and Labour Department. You don't need to privatise it, which opens it up to manipulation," he said.

Musa also said former Home Minister Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad cannot claim ignorance of the operations of SNT Universal Corporation Sdn Bhd, a 6P agent, being probed for abuses.

"Being a director in the company, Radzi cannot say that he doesn't know what the company is doing. He should know," said Musa.

Musa: Things must be done properly

FMT, in a series of articles, exposed SNT Universal Corporation Sdn Bhd to be behind the exploitation of foreign workers, mainly Bangladeshis.

The company has been accused of committing several offences, including cheating by falsely claiming to be able to register foreigners under the 6P programme and getting work permits for them, and setting up dozens of bogus employment agencies.

Those working in the company were also accused of assaulting these foreigners, an episode of which was captured on CCTV recordings.

READ MORE HERE

 

Amaran 13 Mei bukan ancaman

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 04:17 PM PST

Namun perbezaan ideologi antara parti dalam Pakatan Rakyat menjadi faktor utama yang mampu menggugat kestabilan negara, kata Muhyiddin Yassin.

Jamilah Kamarudin, FMT

Timbalan Presiden Umno Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin menegaskan parti itu tidak akan membenarkan peristiwa hitam 13 Mei berulang kembali.

Namun beliau tidak menjamin perkara yang sama tidak akan berlaku sekiranya kuasa pentadbiran Pusat beralih tangan kepada Pakatan Rakyat selepas Pilihan Raya Umum 13 (PRU13).

Ini kerana menurut Muhyiddin, perbezaan ideologi antara parti dalam Pakatan menjadi faktor utama yang mampu menggugat kestabilan negara.

"Maksud kita keadaan akan jadi porak peranda (kerana) pertembungan ideologi yang besar. Bayangkan kalau mereka duduk semeja, bagaimana nak capai keputusan tadbir negara pada lima tahun akan datang?

"Di peringkat negeri yang mereka kuasai pun ada pertembungan yang nyata…konflik agak jelas," kata Muhyiddin yang juga Timbalan Perdana Menteri dalam sidang media di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra (PWTC), Kuala Lumpur hari ini.

Kenyataannnya itu sekaligus mempertahankan ucapan dasar Ketua Wanita Umno Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil semalam mengenai kemungkinan berulangnya tragedi tahun 1969 jika Umno kehilangan kuasa selepas PRU nanti.

"Jika kita tidak lagi ditampuk kuasa, maka kestabilan politik negara akan goyang. Pastinya kaum Melayu yang menjadi rakyat majoriti di negara kita tidak akan senang.

"Saya bimbang dan khuatir ini mungkin akan membawa kepada ketegangan kaum yang boleh mengundang kembali tragedi 13 Mei 1969," kata bekas Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat itu.

Mengulas lanjut, Muhyiddin berkata ucapan Shahrizat itu bukan berniat untuk menakutkan rakyat, sebaliknya satu peringatan tentang impak negatif sekiranya Pakatan menguasai Putrajaya.

READ MORE HERE

 

The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 4)

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 03:28 PM PST

This was no longer about making money. We were already making plenty of money -- Johan's turnover was in the hundreds of millions a year and our business interests were spread out in all the continents of this world. This was about which of the Taikos can become the Taipan. It was a game of prestige. I suppose at that time we felt immortal and lost focus of the objectives of doing business.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

They say a drowning man surfaces only three times. On the third time he goes down he stays down for good. He will never surface again. He will die.

It is now 1991. I was already 17 years in business and had survived two economic recessions and had fought off two bankruptcies. Therefore I could afford only one more collapse before I go down for good and never rise again.

The first crisis I faced was in 1975, merely a few months after I started my business back in 1974. And that story is as follows.

My business partner, Zulkifly Mohd Nor, an ex-Pernas officer, had cleaned out our bank account and had absconded with the company's money. This could only be done with the collaboration of the branch manager of Bank Rakyat Kuala Terengganu.

I confronted the bank manager, Ghazi, and he confirmed he had released all the payments for the sales of the Yanmar engines that we had made to the fishermen. The arrangement was: Bank Rakyat would finance our buyers and would pay us for the cost of the engines. The money was supposed to have been paid directly to the company. However, instead of paying the money into the company's bank account, it had all been diverted to Zulkifly's personal bank account.

I spoke to Michael Toh Hong Hooi, the manager of Chong Lee Leong Seng, our Yanmar supplier, and told him that the money was all gone. Zulkifly had 'kebas' the money and there was nothing left. I only had a few hundred Ringgit in my pocket, and that was all.

Chong Lee Leong Seng can choose to sue us and get us declared bankrupt or they can allow us to 'live' and I will ensure that all the money will eventually be paid back in full. I would also need them to continue giving us credit so that we can continue to trade.

Michael Toh agreed to create two trading accounts for us. 'Account A' would be the old unpaid debt while 'Account B' would be the new credit line that Chong Lee Leong Seng would extend to us. 'Account B' would have a RM30,000 limit with a 90-day credit period. Once we reach 90 days, or we reach the RM30,000 limit, we would have to pay up before more supplies can be made. But each time we paid for 'Account B' we would also have to pay for part of 'Account A'.

In time, it was hoped, 'Account A' would be fully settled.

One more condition that Michael Toh imposed on us was that I would have to take a Chinese partner and give him 30% of the company. This Chinese businessman would offer Chong Lee Leong Seng the 'comfort' of continuing to do business with us.

I was introduced to this Chinese businessman, a man named Chia Kim Peong from Sabak Bernam. Chia gave me RM10,000 as working capital and he guaranteed the RM30,000 credit line from Chong Lee Leong Seng. I would have to 'roll' with this RM10,000 and the RM30,000 credit line from Chong Lee Leong Seng.

When Chia cashed out his 30% interest in my company in 1985, he made about RM300,000 on the RM10,000 he gave me in 1975, not a bad return for just ten years.

With this new 'lease of life' in 1975, it took me three years of hard work to rise again. I practically lived in my car with my daughter, my only child then, Raja Suraya, sleeping in the back seat of the car as I drove from Kelantan to Johor to Kedah to market my Yanmar engines. In 1975, we did only RM300,000 in sales. By 1976 and 1977, we touched RM1 million a year. In 1978, our sales touched RM6 million. And in 1979 and 1980 we did about RM10 million a year in sales.

It took me three years to make our first million. That was in 1978. They say the first million is the most difficult to make. Once you have made your first million then the second million is easier. That is quite true. It took me only two years to make our second million and by 1980 we had RM3 million in cash reserves and had done roughly RM30 million in sales over those five years or so.

We were now Chong Lee Leong Seng's number one Yanmar dealer.

It was now time to go big time. And 'big time' to us then was, of course, to 'go public'. Public listed companies was the measure of a person's success and a status symbol back in 1980.

Michael Toh introduced me to his uncle, Tan Kay Hock (now a 'Tan Sri') -- yes, the man currently in the middle of the George Kent (M) Bhd/Ampang LRT controversy -- who was about to take over a dormant public listed company, Johan Tin (now called Johan Holdings Berhad). I invested heavily in Johan, mainly through bank borrowings (and the main reason for my RM20 million debts which I wrote about earlier in parts 2 and 3 of this series).

From a 'bankrupt' in 1975 to a millionaire in 1980 and a multi-millionaire in 1985 -- I thought nothing was going to stop me. The sky was the limit. I was now in the ranks of the corporate chiefs like Tan Sri Ibrahim (Promet), Vincent Tan (Berjaya), and so on. We were all 'racing' to see whose shares could go the highest. Promet's and Johan's shares had both exceeded RM10 per share but Promet's shares were RM0.20 ahead of Johan's.

This was no longer about making money. We were already making plenty of money -- Johan's turnover was in the hundreds of millions a year and our business interests were spread out in all the continents of this world. This was about which of the Taikos can become the Taipan. It was a game of prestige. I suppose at that time we felt immortal and lost focus of the objectives of doing business.

And we would soon learn that we would pay a heavy price for that arrogance.

In 1985, the recession hit us, followed by the 1987 stock market collapse. What I had made over the last ten years was lost in a mere couple of months. Our RM10 shares dived to less than RM0.50. I was saddled with RM20 million in debts but with shares that could not even cover half that amount. I had no choice but to bail out and embark upon a 'fire sale' -- as related in parts 2 and 3 of this series.

So there you are. I was now, again, broke, and would have to start from the bottom all over again. The dream of becoming the Taipan had now turned into a nightmare. But how do I bounce back with the economy and my personal finances in tatters?

I found out that many companies were still listing their shares but there were no takers. No one wanted to invest in the stock market. Everyone was still licking his/her wounds from the last disaster and it appeared like full recovery may take some years yet.

One company, Hexza Corporation Berhad, was facing this same dilemma. They had issued a few million shares, which the Ministry of Trade and Industry was holding on to but with no investors wanting to pick them up.

I approached the Ministry to enquire into these shares and they told me that they could let me have ten million shares at RM0.65 per share if I wanted them. The Ministry was happy to get rid of these shares that no one wanted. I told them I only wanted a million shares and they told to come back with a bank draft for RM650,000.

I went home and told my wife, Marina, about the offer. She phoned her stockbroker who told her that Hexza was trading at RM0.95 per share. She said it was a good deal and that we should pick up those shares. But let's not be too greedy, Marina said. Let's pick up just one million shares, in case.

Marina dug into her cookie jar and pulled out RM150,000. So we were still short of RM500,000. I went to Kwong Yik Bank and they agreed to give me a loan of RM500,000 -- if we hand over the RM150,000 to the bank and ask the Ministry to issue the shares in the name of Kwong Yik Nominees.

We completed the transaction over the next few days and then lodged the one million Hexza Corporation Berhad shares with the bank. I then told Marina to do what she wanted with them. By the time Marina unloaded the shares a few months later, the shares had climbed to more than RM2 per share. After paying back the bank the RM500,000 we owed them, we managed to walk away with about RM1.5 million in cash.

It was time to reinvest this money and make that RM1.5 million grow to RM15 million.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

Sabah Umno has the most number of members

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 01:25 PM PST

(The Star) - Sabah Umno holds the record as having the highest membership in the country.

Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said Sabah had 505, 852 members, and Kampung Kinosop in Libaran Sabah had 1,837 members, the highest at branch level.

Nationwide, Umno has 3,386 274 members.

Umno has also changed its membership application procedure to enable members to apply directly to the party headquarters.

"Applications would be returned to the respective division to be forwarded to the respective branch.

"If in two months there is no action, the new membership application would be automatically accepted,'' he said at the Umno assembly at Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday that was attended by 2,718 delegates.

Umno also welcomed 57 foreign delegates representing 24 parties from 21 countries. The delegates from Palestine were greeted with standing ovation.

Tengku Adnan said the assembly also saw a large media presence with 1,782 crew from 102 local and foreign media organisations. Also present were former prime ministers Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Others include MCA president Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek, Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, and MIC president Datuk G. Palanivel.

 

'Bala's U-turn foiled Anwar-Umno's Altantuya expose'

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 01:15 PM PST

Nigel Aw, Malaysiakini

The second statutory declaration (SD) of private investigator (PI) P Balasubramaniam was hastily drafted as part of an effort to thwart a planned confession on the Altantuya murder organised by politicians from both sides of the divide.

Bala made his second SD immediately after withdrawing his earlier accusation linking Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu, businessperson Deepak Jaikishan claims.

NONEThe first SD, Deepak said, was to set the table before one of the individuals involved in the murder would confess to it and expose who had instructed the murder.

However, he added, the personalities named in the first SD had moved in to prevent that from happening.

The following is an excerpt from Deepak's press conference on the matter in Kuala Lumpur yesterday evening:

Do you know who ordered the Altantuya killing?

No, no, no. I was not involved. I was not aware of what happened on that day. My involvement came at a point when PI Bala made the (first) SD. And that evening I was given a call to try and help resolve this problem.

As I mentioned earlier, it was not the SD that was of concern to these people, the SD didn't matter. But the repercussions from the SD - there were people involved in the actual act, one of these persons was going to come out and admit that he was involved and who had instructed him.

They were worried of this repercussion because they knew this was the next stage of the first SD. Because of the first SD, the pact among these people (Umno factions) would have broken up.

Someone named in the SD will come out to confess?

No, one of the people involved in the Altantuya incident itself was going to come out and confess as a result of the SD.

Why?

It was a concentrated attempt, the SD was not just about the opposition (to get at the government)...

Why would the SD trigger such a response?

anwar and umnoBecause there was a concentrated effort. There were two factions here -  you had Bala sitting down with (opposition leader) Anwar (Ibrahim) and you had another faction that didn't want the people named in the first SD to come to power.

They were determined, although they were from different sides, to work together to achieve this and both had the power to do so. Hence the absolute concern.

And those who pushed the second SD were those wanting to ensure Najib becomes prime minister?

Yes. I think the only reason I got involved in helping with the second SD was to protect the interests of Najib. There is no other logical reason, is there?

What other information do you have to help authorities to solve the case?

Well, I think if the authorities are serious about solving it, they have all the evidence already. It's whether they want to or not. As you are well aware, my involvement was when the second SD came in, not before that.

How did you know someone was going to come out to confess after first SD?

It was from the group itself (named in the first SD). They were aware. They were a very formidable group and had very credible information coming in.

You received this information from "the group"?

Yes. Hence the hurry. The second SD was done the very same day (when it was made public).

NONEAlthough no confession materialised after the second SD, however, Balasubramaniam re-emerged in 2009 in a series of YouTube videos, claiming that he made the second SD only after being offered RM5 million by Deepak, an amount that was never honoured in full.

Deepak had since claimed that he merely facilitated the meeting between Balasubramaniam and the parties named in the first SD, and it was they who made such promises and therefore it was contingent upon them to fulfill those promises and not him.

A fallout with Najib's family

Since then, Deepak has admitted to a fallout with Najib's family, claiming that several of his business projects with the government had been terminated.

"All this while I have taken a platform denying my involvement, but it is a stigma on me... until the Altantuya matter is resolved and justice is given to her, I don't think this stigma will leave me. It's been a very tough two years for me from the time this thing  started.

"I won't say I'm a very religious man, but I am a spiritual person. I believe the reason why the businesses I'm involved in is not succeeding is because of my involvement in hiding the Altantuya matter, of concealing whatever I know about it, so I wish to put it out in the open.

"I want to ask for forgiveness, I have minimal involvement (in the case) and I want to cleanse myself of this," he said.

NONEAsked why he thought Altantuya (right) had yet to receive justice even though her killers had already been convicted, he replied: "Whoever actually killed her, who actually instructed her killing, should be responsible. They must take the responsibility."

However, Deepak said he did not know who was responsible.

Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, bodyguards in an elite police unit, were both sentenced to death on April 9, 2009, by the Shah Alam High Court for the 2006 murder of Altantuya, who was shot to death and her body blown up with military-grade C4 explosives.

High Court judge Mohd Zaki Md Yasin, in his 70-page written judgment on the case, had noted that the motive of the murder was not essential to the trial.

While Azilah testified on the witness stand that he was not at the crime scene at the time of the alleged incident, Sirul Azhar, in his elaborate, unsworn statement, described how he was made "a scapegoat".

razak baginda acquitted 311008 09The duo has appealed their death sentence, but the hearing of their case at the Court of Appeal has been repeatedly put off.

Another accused, Abdul Razak Baginda (left in photo), a close associate of Najib and alleged lover of Altantuya, was acquitted without his defence called.

Altantuya is said to have met Abdul Razak in her role as an interpreter in a RM7.3 billion deal to purchase two Scorpene submarines from French defence company DCNS, a deal in which Abdul Razak had a hand in facilitating.

 

PAS, still the same old iron mould?

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 01:08 PM PST

Lim Sue Goan, Sin Chew Daily

The rivalry in Malaysian politics will very often take the extreme course, banking on the sensitive racial and religious issues. The current Umno general assembly is not expected to be any different.

Meanwhile, to appease the emotions of its supporters, PAS is poised to accentuate its religious hues.

Coincidentally, in the PAS general assembly earlier this month, some delegates hit out at the party leadership for its softened and wavering stand on the hudud issue, overlooking the fact hat the hudud law forms the core principle of the party. MPKB enforcers slapped summonses to Chinese hair salon operators in Kota Bharu during the raids carried out last Tuesday and Friday.

As what we understand, Friday is a gazetted holiday in the state of Kelantan. However, on a rare occasion, the MPKB officers went on plainclothes last Friday to raid the NICE and E-Life hair salons inside KB Mall, accusing the hair salons of operating without a valid permit and a female employee serving a male customer in breach of state regulations.

The operation carried out irrespective of race on the eve of the Umno general assembly should help abate the firepower of Umno targeted at PAS.

Although Islamic measures have been in force in Kelantan all these years, the state authorities hardly take on hair salon operators. The latest episode, therefore, appears a little eccentric.

If the above speculations have been inaccurate, it is essential for the Kelantan state government or PAS to clarify..Unfortunately, state exco Takiyuddin Hassan was resolved to defend the action of the enforcers even after DAP National Chairman Karpal Singh had hit out at the incident.

Meanwhile, menteri besar Nik Aziz said the state ulama council would talk about this issue and might bring the matter to the state legislative assembly if warranted. This raises the question whether the ulama council or the state government would have the final say on administrative matters.

Similar to Umno, PAS needs to take care of its fundamental support base. PAS is concerned that Umno's racist card could possibly erode its support and would therefore resort to flashing its Islamic policies every now and then to consolidate its hold, especially in Kelantan which Umno is pouncing on and which Muhyiddin has anticipated a political tsunami.

Enforcing Islamic decrees on non-Muslims is nevertheless contrary to the party's pledge not to impose such regulations on non-Muslims in the state while contradicting the party's direction of diluting its religious hues in a bid to win over non-Malay voters.

Perhaps PAS feels Chinese voters would still lean on the opposition pact with the anti-Lynas, Chinese education, corruption and other issues now diverting their attention, providing an opportune timing for the party to manifest its Islamic laws while not adversely affecting the support of Chinese voters.

The party has obviously overlooked the fact that MCA will never let go of this opportunity to hit out at PAS. If this matter is eventually brought to the court, it will sustain for some time and will very likely develop into a heated electoral issue that will have a negative bearing on the opposition pact.

It cannot be denied that the Kelantan state government has been fair and unbiased in its governance but their thinking is nevertheless out-of-date. Take the movie theatres for example. How do you expect the audience to enjoy the movie if the lights inside the theatre have to be left on? How many would pay to see a movie that conforms completely to the teachings of Islam? Little wonder that no new cinemas have opened for business in the last ten years.

There is an urgent need tor PAS to transform itself, or risk losing the opportunity to grab the helm in Putrajaya.

PAS must make an unequivocal choice between clinging on to its fundamental support base and enlarging its political reach.

 

Khairy: We’ll smash Opposition’s arguments

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 01:05 PM PST

(The Star) - UMNO Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin has issued the movement's battle cry, promising to counter each of the Opposition's attacks against Barisan Nasional and the Government.

"We will debate them in Parliament, we will smash their arguments in coffee shops, and we will expose their lies in cyberspace.

"We will defeat these traitors of the nation. We will fight, we will attack, we will lay this wretched Pakatan Rakyat coalition into the ground," he said in his policy speech, drawing roars of approval from the delegates.

In the speech titled "Between Two Futures", Khairy cautioned the people against believing Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who had painted a rosy picture if Pakatan won, including its promises of reduced fuel prices, abolishment of tolls payment and cheaper cars.

"The promises would cost more than RM200bil to fulfil in the first year alone," he said.

"This is the crux of the matter. If they deliver on their populist promises, the nation will go bankrupt and drown in a sea of debt. Or it may well be their intention to fulfil the short-sighted wishes of their de facto leader to drive the country to the edge of ruin before being rescued by his band of friends at the IMF."

Unity is strength: Khairy (centre) and his deputy Datuk Razali Ibrahim (fourth from left) together with top Umno council members posing for photographs during the Umno Assembly 2012 at PWTC. Unity is strength: Khairy (centre) and his deputy Datuk Razali Ibrahim (fourth from left) together with top Umno council members posing for photographs during the Umno Assembly 2012 at PWTC.

Khairy said the track record of Pakatan in its four states was rife with unfulfilled promises.

He cited the Selangor government's Child Heritage Fund which promised to issue fixed deposit certificates of RM100 for every Selangor-born child. Despite 61,000 applications, he claimed only 36% were approved.

He noted how Universiti Selangor, which recorded RM5.97mil in profits in 2008, went into the red two years later.

As for Kelantan, Khairy noted the failure of the state government's Ladang Rakyat project that was meant to assist the poor through dividends.

He also trained his guns on Kedah, which he said made investments overseas without proper internal approval and which had seen cases of unqualified contractors appointed to undertake projects.

"Such is the poor management of Pakatan, where lands are being confiscated, allocations are being sacrificed, the environment is disrespected and financial management severely compromised," he said.

 

20 ‘gates’ to shut out Pakatan from Selangor

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 01:03 PM PST

(The Star) - A WANITA Umno delegate detailed 20 dalil (reasons) why Pakatan Rakyat should be ejected from Selangor.

Selangor Wanita information chief Datin Paduka Mesrah Selamat listed down the various "gates" which broke in the state since Pakatan took over in 2008, including the Talam issue.

"There is the Talam-gate scandal with questionable deals involving RM1bil when the state could not even repair the lifts at a district office. Then there is the manifesto-gate where Pakatan failed to fulfill election manifesto. (Also) water-gate, sand-gate, Unisel-gate and a sex-gate.

"I have listed down 20 reasons why they (Pakatan) should be rejected and I urge the one million women voters in the state to rally behind Barisan Nasional and Umno to determine a better future for themselves."

Another delegate vented her frustration at the Penang government and its Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, saying how "sad and difficult" it was to live in the state.

"It's true that he (Lim) is a tokong, because the rest are scared of him," she said.

"Under Barisan Nasional's 50-year rule, we took care of the people from when they were in their mother's womb till they were sent to the grave. But in less than five years of Pakatan's rule, they've made things difficult for the people," she said.

 

Najib: Malaysia akan hilang kedaulatan tiga tahun selepas Pakatan perintah

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:58 PM PST

Amin Iskandar, The Malaysian Insider

Malaysia akan hilang kedaulatan dan musnah ekonomi tiga tahun selepas Pakatan Rakyat (PR) memerintah, Datuk Seri Najib Razak memberi amaran hari ini.

Menurut presiden Umno itu, jika janji-janji PR dalam Buku Jingga dilaksanakan, ekonomi negara akan musnah seperti negara Greece.

"Pada tahun pertama seandai (Buku Jingga) dilaksanakan, defisit bajet Kerajaan pusat akan melonjak kepada hampir 30 peratus.

"Kedua, menjelang tahun 2015 kadar nisbah hutang negara kepada KDNK akan melambung kepada 140 peratus.

"Dalam tahun ketiga, kita akan mencapai tahap keparahan dan hilang kedaulatan ekonomi seperti negara Greece," kata beliau semasa menyampaikan ucapan dasarnya presiden di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra (PWTC) hari ini.

Menurut Najib senarai janji-janji PR tidak lojik untuk dilaksanakan dan bertujuan untuk memancing undi bagi memenangi pilihan raya.

"Jika disenarai, mereka mendakwa kononnya mampu menjamin pendapatan purata bulanan setiap isi rumah Malaysia pada kadar RM 4000, menghapuskan tol dan hutang PTPTN, memberikan elaun khas kepada guru sebanyak RM 500 sebulan dan menaikkan royalti petroleum sehingga 20 peratus kepada negeri-negeri.

"Mana mungkin semua itu diperbuat kerana natijahnya akan memusnahkan ekonomi negara," katanya.

Najib turut menyelar ketua pembangkang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim kerana mahu melibatkan Australia dalam pilihan raya umum ke 13 nanti.

"Sebab itulah tanpa segan silu mereka mengadu kepada kuasa asing bagi mengantarabangsakan masalah dalaman, sedangkan mereka tahu tindakan berkenaan hanya mengaibkan negara dan menghina intelek rakyat Malaysia.

"Tidak perlulah kita libatkan orang asing untuk menunjuk ajar bagaimana menguruskan negara. Janganlah menjadi Si Kitul moden sampai sanggup mengkhianat bangsa dan tanahair.

"Dah lebih separuh abad pun kita merdeka ... tahulah kita selok belok negara sendiri. Persoalannya, selepas mereka menang di lima negeri pada pilihanraya lalu tiada pula rumah siap pahat berbunyi," tambah Najib lagi.

Perhimpunan Agung Umno ke 66 berlangsung dari 27 November sehingga 1 Disember.

2,722 perwakilan parti tersebut dari seluruh negara berhimpun bagi mendengar amanat pimpinan tertinggi Umno menjelang pilihan raya paling sengit,  bakal berlangsung tidak lama lagi.

 

Who is the key behind Deepak’s exposé?

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:47 PM PST

Who has managed to get Deepak to expose Najib and Rosmah? Who stands to gain the most in toppling the Umno president? 

By Chua Jui Meng, FMT

Deepak Jaikishan's shocking and damning revelations of his ties with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor is serious and embarrassing to Malaysia.

Deepak indirectly exposes Najib and Rosmah's link with the murder case of Mongolian interpreter Altantuya Shaariibuu via his involvement in private investigator P Balasubramaniam (PI Bala)'s statutory declarations.

Deepak also said his mistake was to jump in to help friends – referring to Najib, who was then a defence minister, and his wife.

The ongoing RM6.7 billion scandalous purchase of two second-hand French-made Scorpene submarines which is being investigated by a French court is also damaging Najib and Malaysia.

Deepak's timing to spill the beans on Najib and Rosmah is also very suspicious – coming a day before Najib is scheduled to deliver his presidential address at the opening of an annual Umno General Assembly.

The immediate question is: Who has managed to get Deepak to expose Najib and Rosmah?

It can be answered with a question: Who stands to gain the most in toppling the Umno president?

It will be amazing that Najib is able to face his Umno central delegates without any feeling of embarrassment.

How can Najib's conscience not be pricked with all the ongoing scandals exposed is mind boggling.

How can Umno members, the enforcers of law and Malaysians in general ignore such strong accusations against this man?

The federal administration is certainly undergoing a crisis of sorts, and possibly a breakdown, when it cannot swiftly and confidently resolve wrong doings afflicting the country, especially when it concerns public accountability, corruption and crime.

Public confidence is therefore eroded, and the socio-economic fabric of the nation is shaken.

READ MORE HERE

 

Deepak to reveal more dirt from under the carpet

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:36 PM PST

Controversial businessman Deepak Jaikishan, however, wants protection for himself as he would be talking about the 'prime minister and his family'.

Teoh El Sen, FMT

Businessman Deepak Jaikishan, who said he "can't get the ghost of Altantuya out of me", yesterday promised to reveal more details on the behind-the-scenes dealings surrounding the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.

But said that he required protection for himself first as he would be talking about the "prime minister and his family".

In a press conference he called yesterday, Deepak, a well-connected carpet dealer, said he is appearing now to clear his conscience as "the ghost of Altantuya continues to haunt" him.

He said that he had suffered in his business and mentally after he got himself involved with arranging for the second Statutory Declaration (SD) for private investigator P Balasubramaniam on the behest of a "female friend".

The second SD reversed an earlier one which had directly linked prime minister Najib Tun Razak to the Altantuya murder.

"I can't get the ghost of Altantuya out of me. It is bothering me. I want to come clean, I want to apologise to her that I was trying to conceal the fact that I was involved in facilitating the second SD," he said.

"I want justice for her. I want the people responsible to be incriminated, given appropriate sentences. Whoever actually killed her and instructed it, they must take the responsibility."

When asked if he had direct knowledge of who instructed the killing, Deepak said he did not.

However, he revealed more details surrounding the reason why he was roped in to help facilitate a second SD in such a hurry.

'Police have all the evidence'

"Everybody knew there was a second SD, but why was there this urgency for it to be done the next day, and not the next week?"

"The SD was not just about the opposition. There was a concentrated effort of two factions here. You had Bala sitting down with Anwar and you had another faction who didn't want the people named in the first SD to come to power. They were determined, although they were from different sides, to work together to achieve this. Both had the power to do this," he said, adding that the other side came from Umno itself.

He said that the side that wanted to push for the second SD and overturn the original SD was the one that protected or ensured that Najib became prime minister.

"I got involved in the second SD to protect the interest of Najib. There is no other logical reason, is there?" he said.

Deepak said that if the police were serious about solving the case, they would be able to. "They have all the evidence already, it's whether they want to or not."

He said the faction supporting Najib was not so much worried about the contents of the first SD, but the subsequent repercussions.

"[As a result of the first SD], there were people involved in the actual act… one of these persons was going to come out and admit that he was involved [in the Altantuya incident] and who had instructed him. They [faction supporting Najib] were worried of this repercussion, because they knew this was the next stage," he said.

In July 2008, Balasubramaniam had gone public with the first SD but withdrew it at another press conference the following day.

Balasubramaniam then produced a second SD, claiming that he had made the first one under duress and fled the country the next day.

'We have been intimidated'

Balasubramaniam re-emerged on Nov 12, 2009, in the form of a five-part YouTube video interview – believed to be shot in India – retracting his second SD and claiming that he had only made it after being offered RM5 million by Deepak.

Deepak, who only addressed the controversy on April 6, 2011 after whistleblower Raja Petra Kamarudin revived the matter, then described Balasubramaniam as his mere clubbing mate.

In the press briefing yesterday, Deepak said that subsequent to his involvement in 2008, he has been pressured by the "powers that be" to be silent.

"[During 2010 and 2011], I have been raided by various agencies sent by the government to silence me not once but many times. They have taken documents from us. We have been intimidated and kept silent all this while," he said.

"This was the first time I saw the magnitude of the government machinery coming down on me. I had government officers everywhere – in my bedroom, my office, my factory, my secretary's office, my father's room, everywhere."

Deepak said that he also lost a lot of business deals with the government.

"Other things have happened. There has been a lot of withdrawal and cancellation of contracts and concessions given to us. We had a 20-year contract to build 16 1Malaysia Mara hostels overseas worth RM2 billion. It was suspended," he said.

He said that he may now take legal action against the government, including the prime minister himself, for terminating the various contracts.

READ MORE HERE

 

True, I am not you. I can’t know.

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 09:06 AM PST

http://sayaanakbangsamalaysia.net/images/pics/jati-diri/houses1.jpg  She's only 28. And she's already borne nine children

It's so easy for me to look at her from the outside and judge her motives, her attitude, her actions. From my higher ground of better education, relative wealth and resolve, how can I possibly understand her circumstances and emotions fully, no matter how much I care? 

 

Laura

 

She's only 28. And she's already borne nine children - the last one just six months ago. While I believe that children are gifts, I also believe that gifts come with responsibility. I feel that to leave the conception and bearing of children to chance or fate when you can intervene, to a degree of course, is inexcusable and this when they can ill afford to have another baby. As it is, they have to depend on charity.

 

I ask her if she's taken steps to stop further pregnancies and she says no. My feelings are mixed. I want to cry because she doesn't know better. I want to cry because she's so poor, legacy of an oppressive system and a vicious cycle of learned helplessness. At the same time, I am also angry because I feel she shouldknow better. From my position, I feel that every woman should know instinctively to give the best protection, education, care and love to their offspring, and that if they can't, they should seriously not consider bringing another kid into the world. Surely she can see what her many children are lacking. The filthy squalor they live in alone is reason enough not to have more children and I haven't even started on education which is every child's right.

 

Her toddlers lie on the cold, sticky and slimy floor of the bare flat - half naked, sharing a dirty bottle which contains what looks more like "kopi susu" than "susu". The older ones sit with dirty faces and hair staring vacantly, flashing their white teeth in wide grins when I smile at them. I feel pity for them. And her. But I also feel a little angry that she brought them into the world, to a life of abject poverty - without their permission. They did not ask to be born and to be subjected to such a life.

 

Because I've spoken to her before on a few occasions, I know that she is quite intelligent and so I find it even more unacceptable that she did not take the necessary birth- control measures. When I asked her to go and "ikat" and she replied with the "mahal lah" answer, I'm thinking "bullshit" because to my knowledge, it doesn't cost that much. Besides, based on my prior observation of her children, she had chosen to spend money on clothes, accessories and even gold-plated necklaces for them instead. When I asked her about the wisdom of these purchases, her smiling reply of "Hari besar mah. Bagi budak happy" infuriated me even more.

 

I'm aware of feeling exasperated by her misplaced priorities and careless spending. I find myself gesticulating wildly and reasoning with her in a lecturing tone, practically expounding on the possibilities where money and education is concerned. I asked her if she wants to see her children repeat the life she herself has lived and the kind of example she wants to set for them - especially her daughters. When I suggested helping her with regards to tubal ligation, she responded by saying that she can just take some "ubat cina – murah saja… banyak bagus punya". I questioned the efficacy and safety of it but she insisted that it's safe. I feel utterly frustrated that what is so obvious to me is not so to her.

 

At one point, she said that she "sudah takut….tak mau lagi …saya cakap dengan suami saya, jangan dekat ah…". She said that she told him if he wanted sex, she'll give him the RM5 to go pay a prostitute for it.

 

My shoulders are slumped. I feel quite exhausted. I must have been shouting because my throat feels tired too and my mouth feels dry. I think to myself, "Why do I even bother?" I give up. But for just a while only. And then, I'm back at her again.

 

I ask her how old she is. "28," she replies. I ask her, "You tak mau, kah?" in reference to sex. She coyly smiles and says, "Mau…". I said, "Habis, macam mana? Nanti dapat sakit macam mana? You muda lagi, subur lagi. Nanti, sekali saja dekat, bunting lagi, macam mana?"

 

She just smiles, shakes her head and says, "Ok punya lah." I'm aware of wanting to grab her and shake some sense into her. Instead, I place my hand lightly on her shoulder, laugh like a loser and say, "Saya ta-boleh cakap lagi lah." I feel so ineffective. I heave a heavy sigh. 

Read more at: http://sayaanakbangsamalaysia.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=764:true-i-am-not-you-i-cant-know&catid=36:a-relevant-life&Itemid=91 

Delusional talks on anarchism and May 13: a friendly reminder

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 04:05 AM PST

The Malays now are more united than before -- the speak in unison with their brothers and sisters of other Malaysians -- in their fight against racism, degenerative monopoly capitalism, and all forms of state-sponsored militarism. The May 13 boogeyman is dead!

A REPUBLIC OF VIRTUE

Dr Azly Rahman

Isn't the May 13, 1969  boogeyman long dead and gone and its bad spirit never again be invoked? 

For those invoking the ghost of May 13 1969 and insist that another racial riots is going to happen is living in a delusionary lost world of "new politics". The past decades have seen the rise of new consciousness; of the gradual embracing of the idea of "cosmopolitanism" rather than "cummunitarianism" borne out of the "old school" idea of communal politics emblematic in the emergence of the neo-feudalistic neo-colonialist Alliance Party of 1952 and its rebranded coalition party National Front whose idea is no longer in synchrony with what Malaysians of all walks of live have been educated with.

The invocation of the May 13 1969 racial riots is merely a desperate attempt by leaders who themselves do not believe in the root cause of the event itself and fear the loss of power in toto and consequently to attend to their fear of persecution when a new regime comes into power; a new regime that will no longer buy into the idea of the continuation of the night of the living dead of the boogeymen and boogeywomen of May 13 1969.

Think Malaysian. Because this land does not belong to one race alone. It belongs to those who labored on it since independence and those who have surrendered their Natural rights to the will of the "State".

And onwards to the march of the revolution of meaningful pluralism and multiculturalism. "Democracy" nurtured wisely will not lead to anarchy though dialogues leading to an evolutionary ideas and practice of a civil society is never easy but rewarding and challenging. The advanced industrialized nations may lead the way to understanding the pattern, anatomy, physiology, and chemistry of the evolution of liberal democracy that can accommodate differing cultural philosophies without going down the road to anarchism. All talks that democracy leads to anarchism is delusional, as delusional as talks that the loss of "Malay power" will lead to chaos.

The Malays now are more united than before -- the speak in unison with their brothers and sisters of other Malaysians -- in their fight against racism, degenerative monopoly capitalism, and all forms of state-sponsored militarism. The May 13 boogeyman is dead!

**********************************

DR AZLY RAHMAN, who was born in Singapore and grew up in Johor Baru, holds a Columbia University (New York) doctorate in International Education Development and Master's degrees in the fields of Education, International Affairs, Peace Studies and Communication. He has taught more than 40 courses in six different departments and has written more than 300 analyses on Malaysia. His teaching experience spans Malaysia and the United States, over a wide range of subjects from elementary to graduate education. He currently resides in the United States.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/azly.rahman

http://azlyrahman-illuminations.blogspot.com/

 

Rosli Dahlan’s RM50 Million Trial: A Classic Case of Justice Denied

Posted: 27 Nov 2012 11:21 PM PST

DIN MERICAN

Preamble: Amidst the excitement and din of UMNO politics, which is receiving a lot of media attention, it is easy for us to forget the struggle of lawyer Rosli Dahlan (right) for honour, justice and truth. Since 2007, when he was first handcuffed in his office and charged on the eve of Aidil Fitri, my good friend Rosli has been taking on the establishment and its mainstream media to clear his name and restore reputation.

With this in mind, I am posting my latest piece on his Rm50 million trial so that this saga will not escape our attention. As usual, the media has distorted his story.–Din Merican

————————————————–

November 16 2012 was a glorious day for Dato Ramli Yusuff as Polis DiRaja Malaysia (PDRM) gave him a full honour farewell complete with a General's salute by a mounted Guard of Honour and a retreat in a PDRM's ceremonial open top Land Rover in full regalia in the best traditions of the Police Force. The Government seems to have found peace with Dato Ramli.

Thus, I was surprised when I found out that his lawyer and good friend, Rosli Dahlan, is still fighting the MACC and the Government. That can only mean that Rosli did not settle with the government. That can only mean that Rosli has been left out in the cold. I recalled that until now Dato Ramli has yet to file any law suit against the government, the A-G Gani Patail or even against Musa Hassan whom Ramli had repeatedly accused of conspiring to cause his downfall.

In the meantime, I noted with amusement that Musa Hassan now appears to have joined the Opposition bandwagon by attacking PDRM and current IGP Ismail Omar for rigging the country's crime statistics. And today, Musa Hassan accused Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein of interfering with the Police Force. I don't know what Musa is up to but he is certainly living up to his name Musa the Musang, or Musa the cunning fox.

So, I got a bit confused when I read reports from the mainstream newspapers that Rosli had lost his case when his claim was struck out like this report from The Star:

READ MORE HERE

 

Shahrizat slams news portals, says God is with Utusan

Posted: 27 Nov 2012 11:00 PM PST

The Wanita Umno chief goes on a tirade against 'unfair' news portals, but sings praises for Utusan over its sincerity.

Anisah Shukry, FMT

Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said today that Malaysian news portals give "unfair and irresponsible coverage" of Barisan Nasional, whereas God is with Malay daily Utusan due to its "sincerity".

"There are pros and cons to social media, but the cons is that it has no limits. They speak without responsibility, especially news portals," said the Wanita Umno chief in her winding-up speech at the Umno general assembly today.

"I don't need to elaborate on that. [The news portals] use the word 'Malaysian' in their name, am I right? What is this… if you use the word 'Malaysia', then you must write with pride, honour and dignity!" she cried.

She was likely referring to news portals such as Free Malaysia Today, MalaysiaKini and The Malaysian Insider, which have often been accused of being "pro-opposition" due to their critical stance towards the ruling government.

Shahrizat today claimed that a common "trick" used by news portals was to write provocative headlines that lead people into trouble.

"How can it be like that? You want to fight for democracy, am I right? Come on… even in the media, pro-opposition news portals, you have to be fair to everyone.

"If you have pride in your profession, do it."

On the other hand, she said she "saluted" Umno-owned Utusan and its board member Abdul Aziz Ishak for its "sincerity in championing religion, the nation, the country and the people".

"I notice that Utusan has always been targeted ceaselessly. Why does this happen? The opposition keep suing them, people do all sorts of things to Utusan…

"But Utusan remains steady because it is sincere in championing religion, the nation, the country and the people. I salute Utusan," said Shahrizat, without a trace of irony in her voice.

"Do not be afraid. Why? Because, ultimately, God is with Utusan."

She reminded the people in the hall that while "the pen is mightier than the sword", there was a Malay saying that roughly translates to "a knife can eat its owner".

"Remember that. Do not target Utusan so much. Because Utusan has its own soul," declared Shahrizat.

READ MORE HERE

 

No, it is not over yet

Posted: 27 Nov 2012 10:06 PM PST

 

AG Gani Patail has seen Rosli's witness statement and he is worried. It is explosive. It tells the real story behind why they brutally arrested and charged him one day before Hari Raya in 2007. Why else would AG Gani Patail ask the Judge, Hue Siew Kheng, to not allow Rosli to give his witness testimony if Gani was not afraid of Rosli's tell-all evidence? Gani is afraid. That is very clear.

THE CORRIDORS OF POWER

Raja Petra Kamarudin

Why is the Attorney General so afraid of allowing lawyer Rosli Dahlan have his say in court? Well, maybe the previous reports on the issue can enlighten you as to why.

Ahah! Did we not say so?

According to Tajudin Ramli: "At all material times, I was acting as a nominee and agent of the Government and in the performance of a public duty and I was bound to act under the instructions and directions from the government."

Malaysia Today, 12 August 2011 (READ MORE HERE)

10th episode: Now let's see how else MAS was plundered

Since 15th August 2010, Malaysia Today published nine reports on how Tajudin Ramli plundered MAS and reduced this airline company from a surplus of more than RM600 million to a deficit in excess of RM8 billion. Malaysia Today also showed documents to not only prove this but also to prove that there was collusion between the AG Chambers, MACC and PRDM to sweep this entire episode under the carpet. But that is not the whole story. Today, we are going to show you how else MAS was plundered.

Malaysia Today, 27 August 2010 (READ MORE HERE)

The police and AG Chambers colluded to cover up the fraud in MAS

On 20th May 2009, Shahari Sulaiman, the Managing Director of MASKargo, lodged a report with the MACC alleging, amongst others, that when Tajuddin Ramli took over MAS it had more than RM600 million in cash reserves and when he left seven years later the national airline company had accumulated losses of more than RM8 billion. He also gives details of Tajuddin's various fraudulent dealings plus he raises allegations of collusion between the Malaysian police (PDRM) and the AG Chambers.

Malaysia Today, 23 August 2010 (READ MORE HERE)

The web of deceit

Datuk Ramli Yusuff, the head of the CCID, managed to untangle the web of deceit and presented to the prime minister the corporate and organisation chart of Tajuddin Ramli's holdings and cross-holdings plus that of his family, his cronies and his mistress, Wan Aishah Wan Hamid. The prime minister decided to do nothing. Was this because his own family would also be implicated if the shit were to hit the fan?

Malaysia Today, 22 August 2010 (READ MORE HERE)

How the RM9 billion 'hole' was left to the taxpayers

In seven years, Tajuddin Ramli turned a profitable airline company that had more than half a billion ringgit in cash reserves into a company that was RM8 billion in deficit. In March 2007, the head of the CCID, Ramli Yusuff, wrote to the Prime Minister, going into great detail about what happened. But it was Ramli and not Tajuddin who was dragged before the courts on various fabricated charges -- where he was acquitted without his defence being called.

Malaysia Today, 21 August 2010 (READ MORE HERE)

Tajuddin Ramli enters into a contract with himself

In May 2005, Dato' Ong Jyh Jong, the Senior General Manager Cargo of MAS, made a police report (12532/05) at the Dang Wangi Police Station alleging that Tajuddin Ramli entered into many fraudulent contracts. The police report was made on the instructions of MAS's Board of Directors. One such contract involves Advanced Cargo Logistics of Germany, which is a company owned by Tajuddin himself.

Malaysia Today, 20 August 2010 (READ MORE HERE)

Eight years and still counting

On 4th January 2002, Mohamadon Abdullah, the Senior General Manager Corporate Services of MAS made a police report (number 347/02) at the Dang Wangi Police Station about a crime committed in 2000. That was eight years ago and the crime was committed ten years ago -- but then who's counting? Even the MACC has stopped counting.

Malaysia Today, 19 August 2010 (READ MORE HERE)

The MACC says thanks but no thanks

On 6th July 2010, the lawyers for Malaysian Airlines (MAS) wrote to the MACC. A copy of that letter was also sent to the MACC Chief. On 22nd July 2010, the MACC replied that since two police reports about the same matter had already been made (back in 2002 and 2004), then the MACC will not get involved and will let the police investigate the matter instead. This means the MACC is 'washing its hands' over the matter.

Malaysia Today, 18 August 2010 (READ MORE HERE)

The MACC Chief can't plead ignorance

Thus far we have come out with two reports on the MAS scandal. Just in case the MACC Chief tries to plead ignorance, we are going to show you a copy of the letter that he received from the lawyers acting on behalf of MAS. This letter was smuggled out of the MACC office. You can see the 'pointing finger' stamp plus the acknowledged receipt chop and signature.

Malaysia Today, 17 August 2010 (READ MORE HERE)

The MAS scandal: what the MACC swept under the carpet and marked NFA

On 20th May 2009, Malaysian Airlines (MAS) wrote to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and lodged a report (no. 119/2009) with regards to an act of corruption by its previous Executive Chairman, Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli, which MAS asked the MACC to investigate.  The MACC report also refers to two previous police reports made on 4th January 2002 and 4th May 2004.

Malaysia Today, 16 August 2010 (READ MORE HERE)

Abu Kassim Mohamed, are you now going to resign?

On Saturday, 31st July 2010, the MACC Chief, Abu Kassim Mohamed, pledged to resign if any graft reports were not investigated by his agency. Tomorrow, Malaysia Today is going to reveal reports, letters and documents of one such corruption case that has been swept under the carpet. Malaysia Today's question to Abu Kassim is: will you now resign?

Malaysia Today, 15 August 2010 (READ MORE HERE)

Long before Dato' Ramli Yusuff, the former Director of the CCID, and his lawyer, Rosli Dahlan, got into trouble with the authorities in 2007, Malaysia Today had already revealed the connection between the then IGP, Musa Hassan, and the loan shark (a.k.a. ahlong) syndicate of Goh Cheng Poh @ 'Tengku' Goh.

Malaysia Today had warned Rosli to distance himself from Dato' Ramli and the then Home Minister, Johari Baharom. However, Rosli not only did not listen, he even volunteered to act for Dato' Ramli as the latter's lawyer when the IGP tried to fix him (Dato' Ramli) up on fabricated corruption, abuse of power, and failure to declare assets charges.

Malaysia Today had known all along that IGP Musa Hassan is the underworld boss who was giving protection to the BK Tan/Tengku Goh crime syndicate. That was why AG Gani Patail refused to prepare the CCID's affidavits and subsequently released 'Tengku' Goh on what was rumoured for a payment of a few million Ringgit. (Later they tried to pin a RM5.5 million bribe charge on Johari Baharom on the allegation that he had released a few underworld bosses).

Other than his 'crime' of acting as a lawyer for Dato' Ramli, the IGP's sworn enemy, Rosli was representing MAS in its suit against Tan Sri Tajudin Ramli, the airline's ex-Chairman who had plundered the company to the tune of billions. It was actually a national project to enrich certain people who walked in the corridors of power -- a sort of 'backdoor' Malay Affirmative Action Plan but only for the Umnoputeras.

That was the reason why no action was taken against Tajudin and also why last year Nazri Aziz publicly announced that the Government will make an out-of-court settlement with Tajudin. And that, too, was was why AG Gani Patail plus his wife and son were 'hosted' for a Hajj trip with Tajudin's proxy, Shahidan Shafie, the former Officer-in-Charge of Secret Societies in Johor -- BK Tan's and 'Tengku' Goh's home state -- who was charged for corruption in 1990.

Because of his recalcitrancy, on 11 October 2007, Rosli was brutally arrested in his office by the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) -- now called the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) -- in full view of his staff. He was then locked up overnight like an animal in the MACC underground cell and then, the following day, was paraded through the Jalan Duta Court corridors to face a trumped-up charge of 'not replying to ACA's letter' (although he did reply to that letter).

However, Rosli was acquitted of this frivolous charge in 2011 and the AG, who had initially wanted to appeal the acquittal, made a last minute withdrawal of the appeal application.

Rosli then launched a RM50 million law suit for criminal conspiracy, wrongful arrest, assault and defamation against the most powerful Umno-owned newspaper, Utusan Malaysia, the MACC, the Government and various MACC officers.

The AG Chambers, however, is blocking Rosli from being allowed to take the witness stand and tell his side of the story (see the Malaysiakini report below).

AG Gani Patail has seen Rosli's witness statement and he is worried. It is explosive. It tells the real story behind why they brutally arrested and charged him one day before Hari Raya in 2007. Why else would AG Gani Patail ask the Judge, Hue Siew Kheng, to not allow Rosli to give his witness testimony if Gani was not afraid of Rosli's tell-all evidence? Gani is afraid. That is very clear.

So the predictable thing would happen. They will tire Rosli down, make him spend astronomical legal costs, drag the case, make technical objections to delay the case, as they are doing now, and, after all that, they will still not allow Rosli to take the witness stand and tell his story. And Malaysians will never know what Rosli was going to say in court.

But no worries. If that happens on 28 December 2012, Malaysia Today will fill in the gaps for you. You see, the Malaysian Courts now has a new e-filing system. What most people do not realise is that this e-filing system is created by friends of Malaysia Today. As documents are filed in court using this e-filing system, they are routed to Malaysia Today's secret server.

So, if what Malaysia Today says is going to happen and they do block Rosli from telling his story, we will post all the evidence regarding this case. Malaysians will then understand what a screwed-up country Malaysia is. Did I not say that Malaysia Today has eyes and ears in Bukit Aman, the AG's Chambers and the judiciary? If not, how we would know who is bonking whom in the AG's Chambers and how the boardroom has been turned into a bedroom?

*****************************************

AG moves to silence Rosli on roles of Gani, Musa

(Malaysiakini) - In a bid to silence lawyer Rosli Dahlan, the Attorney-General's Chambers today objected to him giving evidence on matters pertaining to the 'Copgate affair' involving attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail and former inspector-general of police Musa Hassan.

Rosli applied to Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Hue Siew Kheng, in chambers, to allow him to read his witness statement in open court, which the judge allowed.

However, Rosli's lawyer Chethan Jethwani said, senior federal counsel Azizan Md Arshad, representing the officers from the (then) Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) and the government, objected to certain portions of Rosli's testimony.

Following this, Justice Hue fixed Dec 28 to hear submissions on the matter and ordered Azizan to file a formal application to expunge those portions before the application is heard on that day. The judge also fixed Jan 25 for to hear Rosli's testimony.

Azizan argued that third parties were named in the statement of the witness, which was why the AG's Chambers was objecting.

It is learnt that the objection arose because Rosli's testimony would touch on the role of Musa and Gani in Rosli's charge of not complying with the ACA's procedures to declare his assets, before the sessions court in 2007, on which he was acquitted without his defence called.

Rosli, 51, had named several officers in the ACA, the precursor to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, including present chief commissioner Abu Kassim Mohamed and deputy head of prosecution Anthony Kevin Morais, as defendants in his RM50 million defamation suit.

He had also named Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia and its senior editor Mohd Zaini Hassan.

The lawyer, who had represented former Commercial Crime Investigations Department director Ramli Yusuff, in is seeking damages over defamatory statements made, the injury to his reputation, assault and false imprisonment.

Ramli, who was later charged by the ACA, was also acquitted of the five charges against him and the decision was further upheld by the High Court and Court of Appeal.

Yesterday, Justice Hue had called on the parties to try and settle the case and to take into account the decisions made by the other courts.

'Arrest of Goh an act of disloyalty'

Rosli in his writ described the acrimonious relationship between Ramli and Musa and how the IGP had used the ACA and the AG's Chambers to implicate him and Ramli following the arrest of an underworld kingpin, Goh Cheng Poh or 'Tengku Goh'.

Rosli said he acted for Ramli and the then deputy home minister Johari Baharom against Goh's habeas corpus application in 2007, after the AG's Chambers refused to draw up their affidavits.

He said Musa saw the arrest of Goh as disloyalty on the part of Ramli, resulting in the IGP initiating further ACA investigations against Ramli. This resulted in a strained relationship between Musa and Ramli and Johari.

Rosli further claimed that he earned the wrath of Musa and the attorney-general when he drew up the affidavits for Ramli and Johari, and this led to the ACA investigations against him and his subsequent arrest.

He said an ACA officer kicked his leg, twisted his arms and handcuffed him tightly, resulting in lacerations and swelling of his wrists.

He gave his statement at the ACA headquarters, but was held overnight and taken to court and charged on the eve of Hari Raya, on Oct 27, 2007. These were malicious actions out to tarnish his image, he added in his writ.

 

The journey in life is never a straight line (PART 3)

Posted: 27 Nov 2012 07:10 PM PST

Tan Sri Basir Ismail, the Chairman of BBMB, was very angry about what I said. He cancelled my facilities with the bank and gave me 14 days to make full settlement on my loans. According to the manager of BBMB Kuala Terengganu, the interest they earn on my loans covers the entire operating cost for the branch. In fact, we were the second biggest account after the Terengganu State Economic Development Corporation -- or the biggest non-government client.

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

It took me a year or so to settle all my debts with the various financial institutions. BBMB (Bank Bumiputra) was the first bank I had to pay off because they gave me only 14 days to do so. That cost me around RM6 million. MBF was another RM3 million, followed by Amanah Chase, also another RM3 million. Kwong Yik, D&C, and Bank Islam totalled RM5 million. By the time I finished with this 'cleaning up' exercise, including those smaller loans here and there, about RM20 million had been settled and that got the banks off my back.

To achieve this, I had to unload all my shares while at the same time not dump too much, too fast, lest that depress the share price. My wife, Marina, handled that part of the exercise, as she was the market 'wizard' in the family. However, we managed to raise only about RM12 million or so due to the selling frenzy at that time.

To cover the shortage, I had to sell off the four shop lots that we owned plus two condos in Kuala Lumpur, one in Bangsar and the other in Subang Jaya. The part that hurt the most was when I had to sell of my 'flagship', my 30% interest in a Mercedes Benz dealership, which was actually quite profitable.

Basically, I was forced to embark upon a 'fire sale' to clean up my debts and then try to restart from the bottom.

The RM6 million that I had to pay off BBMB within 14 days is a story by itself. Around that time, the Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry organised a seminar, which was officiated by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and I was selected as one of the presenters.

In my presentation, I whacked BBMB and said that it had deviated from the objectives of its creation, which was to assist Malays who needed help to get into business. I talked about the BMF scandal in Hong Kong, which resulted in the tragic murder of Jalil Ibrahim, as one example of how it had deviated from its 'charter'.

Just to digress a bit, the man arrested and jailed for Jalil's murder was Dax Mark, a close friend of mine. I am still not sure whether he did murder Jalil but if the court says he did then it must be true. I suppose it is very difficult to accept the possibility that a close friend of yours could be involved in such a high profile murder. There were a few other deaths as well, although some were said to be suicides -- although you can never tell when someone is found drowned in his swimming pool whether it was a suicide or a murder.

I always found Dax quite fascinating. He was married to a MAS stewardess while at the same time he was keeping a SIA stewardess as a mistress. His wife and mistress worked different shifts so both would not be in town at the same time. I asked Dax what would happen if suddenly their shifts were changed and they both landed in town at the same time. How was he going to handle that situation? He shuddered and told me not to tempt fate.

Anyway, back to the issue of the seminar and BBMB. I went on to say that Malaysia is going through a serious economic crisis that is affecting everyone -- Malays, Chinese, Indians and all. The Chinese cooperatives are collapsing and need RM3 billion to bail them out. We are talking in terms of mid-1980s money value, mind you.

The Chinese threatened to abandon MCA and vote DAP if the government does not bail them out. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad instructed the banks to form a consortium to bail out the Chinese cooperatives, which they did (after all, who can say 'no' to Dr Mahathir).

The Malays, too, I said, need bailing out, just like the Chinese. If the government can bail out the Chinese cooperatives to the tune of RM3 billion (even though it was 'under duress' because of the Chinese threat to abandon MCA and vote DAP), why can't the government also bail out the Malays? Instead of bailing out the Malays, BBMB is taking legal action against defaulters and is filing bankruptcy against them, I explained.

I then quipped that BBMB now stands for 'Basir buat Melayu bankrup'. What do we have to do to get the government's attention? Do we also need to make threats like the Chinese -- threaten to abandon Umno and vote opposition?

Tan Sri Basir Ismail, the Chairman of BBMB, was very angry about what I said. He cancelled my facilities with the bank and gave me 14 days to make full settlement on my loans. According to the manager of BBMB Kuala Terengganu, the interest they earn on my loans covers the entire operating cost for the branch. In fact, we were the second biggest account after the Terengganu State Economic Development Corporation -- or the biggest non-government client.

I related this story to an old friend of my father, Chai Fook Loong. Uncle Chai was surprised. "Basir knows your late father very well," he said. "Why would he do this to you?" I replied that I did not know why (and at that time I really did not know -- I did not realise it was related to what I had said about Basir).

Uncle Chai phoned Basir and spoke to him. "Kam's son, Raja Petra, is sitting in front of me," Uncle Chai told Basir (my father's close friends used to call him Kam -- pronounced Kem and short for Kamarudin). Before Uncle Chai could say more, Basir replied, "I know who Raja Petra is. His file is on my table and I am looking at it now."

I do not know what else Basir told Uncle Chai because he refused to tell me. He looked extremely perturbed when he put the phone down and just said, "What did you do to the old man? I know him very well and I have never seen him so angry. He is actually a very nice man but today I am seeing another side of him."

I just told Uncle Chai, "Never mind. I think I know why." I did not want to say anything more about the matter. I knew I was in deep shit with Basir.

The seminar was not a total waste, though. Dr Mahathir agreed to the setting up of the Tabung Pemulihan Usahawan (TPU). Bank Negara was to be put in charge of that fund but the Malay Chamber can form its own committee to recommend those businessmen who needed help.

During the many meetings that we held to sieve through the deserving cases to assist, the Chairman told us that certain names on the list would have to be removed from the list. We were furious and demanded to know why. (My name was not one of those on the list, though, because I was not one of those who the banks were suing for bankruptcy).

There was a lot of shouting and table banging and finally the Chairman revealed that the names that are to be removed from the list are those who have been 'blacklisted' by the government. We told the Chairman that Dr Mahathir had promised us that the TPU would be 'politically blind' and that help would be given to Malays in trouble based on their eligibility and not based on their political affiliations.

We told the Chairman that we demand a meeting with Dr Mahathir to clear this matter up. Dr Mahathir had promised us RM500 million and that if RM500 million was not enough he was prepared to increase it to RM1 billion. But start with RM500 million first and see how far that goes, Dr Mahathir said. And Dr Mahathir had also promised that while Bank Negara would be the trustee of the fund, there would be no political interference from Umno.

It was then that the Chairman told us that the instruction to remove certain names from the list did not come from Dr Mahathir but from Anwar Ibrahim. And one of the people who Anwar insisted should not get any assistance was Marina Yusoff.

Imagine my surprise when around ten years or so later, when Dr Mahathir sacked Anwar, Marina Yusoff came out to support Anwar and even joined PKR (then called PKN) and became one of the Vice Presidents of the party.

I later asked marina Yusoff whether she knew that Anwar had tied to 'kill' her back in the late 1980s and she confirmed that she did. In fact, she had to request an audience with Anwar to make peace with him and he agreed to help Marina but would give her only one-third of what she needed.

One-third was far from sufficient to bail her out and eventually her business collapsed. Yet, in spite of that, she still stood by Anwar in his hour of need. And when she joined PKR and opposed Umno in 1999, the government finished her off for good and buried her.

Many say she is stupid for sacrificing herself for Anwar, a man who tried to destroy her ten years earlier. I suppose that stupidity is in most of us.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

Deepak says he paid Najib's family for land deal

Posted: 27 Nov 2012 05:41 PM PST

NONE

Deepak said the transfer was made possible after he "contributed heavily" to Najib's family.

Nigel Aw, Malaysiakini

Businessperson Deepak Jaikishan claimed that he paid the family of Najib Abdul Razak an undisclosed sum for the premier's intervention to allow him to come in as a party in a Defence Ministry project deal.

According to Deepak, he stitched a deal with a Selangor Umno leader's company where he would participate as a third party in the proposed project.

This began, Deepak explained, with a privatisation agreement in 2005 where the company was tasked to work on a Defence Ministry project in Putrajaya.

In exchange for the estimated RM100 million project, which the company was to build at its own cost, the company would be paid RM20 million by the government and would acquire 223.3 acres of government land in Klang.

However, Deepak said the politician did not have the credit-worthiness at that time to secure a land bond of RM72.5 million necessary for the project and had therefore approached him for help.

The deal, he added, would require him to secure the RM72.5 million land bond and top it up with RM23 million in cash payments to the company.

In return, Deepak said the politician's company was to give him ownership of the said property, which is a piece of prime land adjacent to the now booming Setia Alam township.

najib abdul razak in perth chogm 1The names of the politician and the company involved have been withheld pending their reply to Malaysiakini's request for comments.

"She couldn't get the government to agree that the land bond be issued to a third party because under privatisation, the company that gets the privatisation (project), the land must remain under their name.

"So, I organised a meeting for her to meet (Najib), at that time our defence minister, to allow this land be transferred to a third party company," he said.

Deepak said the transfer was made possible after he "contributed heavily" to Najib's family.

Below is the excerpt of Malaysiakini's interview with Deepak:

Malaysiakini: You mentioned earlier that there were bribes involved in this project?

Deepak: Okay, I think as far as the dealings with the politician were concerned, is was a business deal. But yes, as I mentioned - I wouldn't use that word that you used just now - but we had to contribute heavily to ensure that we get the approval from the defence minister at that time.

Contribute to whom?

A close family of his (Najib) lah. I will elaborate at later sessions.

Why the deal?

We couldn't procure the land to be given to a third party otherwise.

It happened around 2007?

Correct.

Can you disclose how much?

Not this session.

Is it a substantial amount of money involved?

Yes.

How big is the amount?

Maybe we go to the next question.

For clarity, this "contribution" is with regards to the meeting that you mentioned just now, set up between the politician and the then defence minister?

Correct.

The contribution is in terms of money and not material?

Financial.

Najib expressed 'no opposition'

Deepak noted that "a third-party scenario should not happen in normal circumstances", but was only made possible with Najib's help.

He claimed that he possessed the minutes of the meeting in which Najib expressed "no opposition" in approving the third-party land transfer.

The revelation comes following a land dispute in which Deepak's company had not received the promised land from the politician, despite, he said, having held up his end of the bargain.

"He (Najib) is well aware (of this dispute) but I don't see any action coming out. I don't see him carrying the responsibility of solving this matter," he said.

Deepak has filed a legal suit in the Kuala Lumpur High Court and a police report on the matter was lodged in July.

The carpet trader had yesterday told Malaysiakini that he regretted helping a female friend in the case involving private eye P Balasubramaniam.

 

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net
 

Malaysia Today Online

Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved