Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 04:41 PM PDT

"I have a few hats to wear – politician, social worker, lawyer. But I am a lawyer first above everything else, even above my political party. Upholding the law is the most important thing to me and that is why I am vocal, even if it goes against the grain of my party's struggle," he said when asked about the strong opinions about him.

Razak Ahmad, The Star

Those who expect Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz to mellow out will be disappointed.

The Tourism and Culture Minister has been in politics for 35 years and he has a reputation for being vocal. The Umno leader would occasionally air views that go against the grain of conventional thinking, either within his party or the Government.

But despite the recent controversy which erupted after he appointed his son as his special officer, Nazri, in a recent interview, said he would remain as outspoken as ever.

"If I have done something wrong, I will apologise but if I know that my stand is a principled stand, I will hold my ground, no matter what people say about me," Nazri said.

The incident has inflamed some of his critics who, over the years, have accused him of going overboard in voicing controversial opinions.

"I have a few hats to wear – politician, social worker, lawyer. But I am a lawyer first above everything else, even above my political party.

"Upholding the law is the most important thing to me and that is why I am vocal, even if it goes against the grain of my party's struggle," he said when asked about the strong opinions about him.

Views about him among Umno members and supporters are also mixed. Some feel that he is a maverick while his critics say he is kurang ajar (insolent) and have not forgiven him for crossing swords with people whom, they say, he has no right to question, namely Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"It is principles and nothing personal. I debate and argue with a clear mind," said Nazri when asked about the former prime minister.

"When I was the minister in charge of parliamentary affairs, I would argue with the Opposition all the time but I also get along with many of their MPs because they knew it was not personal."

He attributes his outspokenness to his father Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yeop.

Abdul Aziz studied law in Britain and later became one of Malaysia's leading public servants, holding positions including as high commissioner to Britain and secretary-general to the Education Ministry.

"My late father was a lawyer who instilled in me the importance of having a strong conviction and principled stand," he said.

Another trait he credits his father with is a strong faith in multi-culturalism.

"He mixed a lot with people from all races and this also moulded me to become a person some would probably consider unorthodox.

"To me, it's very simple. I am a Malay but if I want to do something for my race, it should not be a zero sum game whereby it is seen as being at the expense of another race. You love your race but, at the same time, it doesn't mean that you must hate the others," he said.

Love him or hate him, the fact is that Nazri is no newbie to politics. Appointed as an Umno Youth exco member in 1978 when he was just a 24-year-old fresh law graduate, Nazri gradually climbed up the party ranks in a political career that has spanned over three decades.

He has been on the Umno supreme council since 1990 and in 1993, became Umno Youth deputy chief.

To many of his supporters, peers and colleagues, he is known simply as "chief", a moniker he considers more than just a nickname but a term of endearment.

"When I was appointed as an Umno Youth exco member in 1978, I was neither a Datuk nor an elected representative, so many did not know what to call me.

"I was from the Malay College Kuala Kangsar and I was a ringleader among a group of friends. My old friend Datuk Naim Mohamad (currently the deputy president of the Malaysian National Cycling Federation) used to call me chief and somehow, the name stuck.

"To me, when someone calls me chief, it makes that person feels closer to me," he said.

In the Cabinet, Nazri has served as Entrepreneur Development Minister from 1999 to 2004 after which he served as Minister in the Prime Minister's Department before being appointed as Tourism and Culture Minister following the last general election.

Nazri said that he was worried about the recent spate of shootings and crime as this could scare tourists away.

He said he was equally vocal in the Cabinet, voicing dissenting opinions which his colleagues sometimes disagreed with.

"My views are independent because I believe that what is right is right and what is wrong is wrong, so I will always tell it as it is," he said.

In Jho Low, magazine sees link between 1MDB and Mid East funds

Posted: 24 Aug 2013 04:04 PM PDT

Low is also believed to have been part of the 1 Malaysia Welfare Club that had funded a series of free dinners and events to help BN's ultimately unsuccessful effort to regain Penang from the opposition Pakatan Rakyat in the May 5 general election.

Zurairi AR, The Malay Mail

What a tangled web he weaves.

It is an intricate network of firms, directorships and partnerships with flamboyant tycoon Jho Low at its centre, but Focus Malaysia believes it has unravelled it to show the connection between local investment fund 1 Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and its Middle East backers.

In a front-page story on the enigmatic Penang-born businessman, the business weekly sought to chart the link between 1MDB and Jynwel Capital Ltd, the flagship of the mogul believed to be behind Korean pop sensation Psy's appearance at the Barisan Nasional (BN) Chinese New Year open house in Penang earlier this year.

Low's part begins with the role he played in setting up the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA), which was subsequently rebranded by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak as 1MDB in September 2009, to expand its operations to the federal level.

"I was involved in the setting up of TIA from January 2009 to mid-May 2009. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong was kind enough to ask me to assist, given my relationship with the Middle East and the insight I had on how they had set up their sovereign wealth funds," Low was quoted as saying by Focus, referring to Terengganu Ruler Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin.

Although Low did not expressly say, it is believed he was referring to his connection with Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Development Corp, which has since invested in several 1MDB projects.

Mubadala is the investment arm of Abu Dhabi, fully-owned by the government of the United Arab Emirates, with total assets valued at US$55 billion (RM181 billion), as of last year.

It has invested US$4 billion in the development of an aluminium plant that is part of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE) project.

Its subsidiary, Mubadala Oil and Gas, has also signed a development and production sharing agreement with Malaysian government-linked oil and gas giant Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) to operate an offshore block in Sarawak.

Low is linked with Mubadala through its subsidiary hospitality unit Viceroy Group of Hotels, of which he is a director.

Jynwel and Mubadala were also involved in Sony's US$2.2 billion takeover of international record label EMI Music Publishing in 2011.

Low now serves as EMI's non-executive chairman for Asia and a member of its advisory board.

The entrepreneur was also said to have influenced the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company to invest in Malaysia.

Despite his role in setting up TIA, 1MDB and Low have both denied his involvement in the investment arm.

"The role of Jho Low as far as 1MDB is concerned is zero," said 1MDB CEO Datuk Shahrol Halmi, denying that Low has received compensation for his previous role in the firm.

"I've heard talk that he is advising the government on Middle Eastern investors but it's not true. What he does is help promote Malaysia to investors."

The son of MWE Holdings Bhd's Datuk Larry Low previously caught the attention of the public with his lavish partying lifestyle, which included public outings with socialite Paris Hilton and R&B superstar Usher.

Aside from arranging for Psy to perform at the BN open house, Low had also brought in other stars such as US rappers Ludacris, Swizz Beatz, and Busta Rhymes as well as Hong Kong performers Leon Lai, George Lam and Alan Tham to a concert in George Town to promote the ruling coalition's campaign.

Low is also believed to have been part of the 1 Malaysia Welfare Club that had funded a series of free dinners and events to help BN's ultimately unsuccessful effort to regain Penang from the opposition Pakatan Rakyat in the May 5 general election.

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Ahad, 25 Ogos 2013

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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