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Posted: 10 Nov 2011 05:37 PM PST

THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER

It is understandable that Khairy Jamaluddin wants to defend fellow Umno ex-officio vice-president Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil over excess public funds for a cattle-farming project being used to buy a luxury condominium in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

It makes good financial sense. Get into real estate rather than livestock and see your money multiply quickly in the capital city's upscale residential suburb.

Except, the money for the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) project wasn't for such investments. The money is part of public funds for a project to reduce Malaysia's dependence on beef imports.

And the NFC and the National Meat and Livestocks Corporation (NMLC), a management company owned by Shahrizat's family, is in the business of cattle-farming, not real estate.

If Putrajaya wanted to make quicker money, it might as well play poker in the casinos. Or buy and sell properties in Bukit Tunku, Bangsar and Ampang to reduce the federal deficit.

The Umno Youth chief said today that when the government ran out of funds to develop satellite cattle farms, NMLC was left with surplus funds that had been disbursed to it and that it decided real estate investment was a good way to get returns.

"Should they have left the money in the current account which does not have a high yield while waiting for the satellite farms or should they have invested the money while waiting?" asked Khairy. "The management made a decision that the best return on investment would have been from real estate."

He was referring to PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution's statement yesterday that the luxury apartment at One Menerung, Bangsar, was recorded by NFC, a cattle-farming project managed by the minister's family, as part of a RM83 million "loan" to the NMLC.

Khairy also said the condo has since been rented out and has also appreciated in value since it was purchased but did not specify the rental yield.

His explanation might make sense to Umno delegates at its annual congress at the end of November as much as one can believe there's a pie in the sky but not to the public or even civil servants who have to account for every sen spent for specific projects.

If anything, Khairy's stout defence of Shahrizat and her family, while admirable, only draws further scrutiny to the project that the government auditor said was "in a mess".

Right now, the stench from the project has just become a lot more overwhelming.

‘Rosmah, a thorn in Najib’s side’

Posted: 10 Nov 2011 04:43 PM PST

Umno grassroots members wish BN would lose at the polls just so her antics and extravagant lifestyle can be toned down, says the author of 'Kesilapan-kesilapan Najib'.

Several of the chapters headings include: 1Malaysia Silap Pertama Di Hari Pertama Sebagai PM (1Malaysia the first mistake on the first day as PM); Pelantikan Apco (Engaging foreign public relations consultancy firm Apco Worldwide) and; Gagal Mengawal Karenah dan Gaya Mewah Rosmah (Failure to control (his wife) Rosmah (Mansor)'s luxurious lifestyle.

Tarani Palani, Free Malaysia Today

The author of "Kesilapan-kesilapan Najib" (Najib's Mistakes), Shahbudin Husin, said Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak should step down if he does not rectify his errors soon.

Shahbudin, a member of Umno's Wangsa Maju branch, said: "It serves as a warning… he should correct his mistakes before the next general election."

"If he fails to do so, then he should step down. We support our party but we cannot support a weak leader," added the former deputy Youth chief of Wangsa Maju.

Shahbudin's 267-page book touched on various issues, including Najib's 1Malaysia concept, his use of international public relations firm Apco and the alleged influence of his wife Rosmah.

"I even caught my 12-year-old child's friends discussing Rosmah's hairstyles and her luxurious spending. Her antics have not gone unnoticed by many of the Umno grassroots members."

"Many didn't like ex-premier Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) because he crossed so many people. But no one made nasty comments about his wife Siti Hasmah. Rosmah gets everyone talking," he told FMT.

Shahbudin added that her antics were so distressing to some Umno members that they wish Najib will not retain two-thirds in the polls so as prevent Rosmah's antics from getting worse.

He also touched on the US$24 million (RM73 million) diamond ring fiasco implicating Rosmah, which was exposed by Pakatan Rakyat NGO, Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM).

Its president, Badrul Hisham Shaharin, claimed that the ring had passed through Customs without import duties paid on it.

'No smoke without fire'

Pro-Umno bloggers came to Rosmah's defence, claiming that the ring was brought into the country for a four-day private display.

Forced to respond to the issue, Najib denied that the ring was purchased by Rosmah or used for private display.

Asked if he, as an Umno member, believed that pro-Pakatan bloggers may have exaggerated the issue, Shahbudin said that there was no smoke without fire.

"I believe there has to be a basis for such an extravagant story. In three to four days they wanted to return the ring. But why did it come here in the first place?" he asked.

He said that history has shown many leaders fell because of their spouses such as former Philippine president, Ferdinand Marcos, and his infamous wife Imelda Marcos. But Najib seems to pay no heed to it.

Shahbudin whose first book, "Najib, the last Prime Minister", which was also highly critical of the premier's leadership, denied that he was sponsored by any faction within Umno.

"I did it on my own time and money. I paid for the 13,000 copies of the first book with my own money. In fact, I was quite embarrassed to approach Harakah daily to advertise my book because I'm an Umno member.

"So how can people say that someone within Umno or even the opposition is funding me?" he asked.

READ MORE HERE

SPOTLIGHT: A test of Umno's reinvention

Posted: 10 Nov 2011 04:23 PM PST

The Umno general assembly in three weeks' time will be closely watched for proof that the party has reformed and prepared itself for the next general election

"How the assemblies of Umno's three wings, Wanita, Youth and Puteri, take shape will indicate what can be expected at the general assembly proper the next day. The wings are the movers, their assemblies are a prelude to the main assembly," said Prof Datuk Mohamed Mustafa Ishak, head of the politics, security and international affairs cluster of the National Council of Professors.

By Zubaidah Abu Bakar, New Straits Times

Umno, the linchpin of the 13-party ruling Barisan Nasional, holds its general assembly in less than three weeks -- likely its last before the 13th general election.

What goes on during the convention, which kicks off on Nov 29 and goes on until Dec 3, of this most scrutinised party will be of great interest to many.

One question for which answers will be sought is whether Umno, which boasts a membership of 3.5 million, has taken the pulse of the people and adopted changes to meet the political demands of discerning voters. Another is whether the grand old party has instituted reforms following the setbacks it endured in the 2008 general election. This will restore its founding status as the party that represents the Malays in the country.

Umno had renewed its commitment to put the people first when it celebrated its 65th anniversary on May 11 this year, as the party worked to ensure it remains the bedrock of Malay politics and revives the selfless spirit of its establishment in 1946.

In doing so, it affirmed the principle of inclusiveness of the other races.

The party has been brutally honest with itself, conceding for the first time that it could lose power if it failed to change its ways, and eliminate power struggles and money politics.

What the public is keen to see in the general assembly is how far Umno has reinvented itself.

"How the assemblies of Umno's three wings, Wanita, Youth and Puteri, take shape will indicate what can be expected at the general assembly proper the next day. The wings are the movers, their assemblies are a prelude to the main assembly," said Prof Datuk Mohamed Mustafa Ishak, head of the politics, security and international affairs cluster of the National Council of Professors.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak is scheduled to deliver the president's message at a pre-council meeting on Nov 29. The three Umno wings will hold their respective assemblies the next day while the assembly proper will take place for three days beginning Dec 1. Transformation has become crucial for Umno, which will rest its fate with the people at the next polls.

Umno's top leaders, especially Najib, have reiterated that it cannot be business as usual for the party.

Najib is determined to fix the party's image to win over lost support. This will be first time that he is leading the Umno-led BN coalition into the general election.

All new leaders, said former Umno secretary-general Tan Sri Sabbaruddin Chik, wanted to score a decisive win in their first electoral outing and Najib was no exception.

"His predecessors secured big victories when they led BN into a general election for the first time. It is natural for Najib to want to win back BN's traditional two-thirds majority in Parliament at the next general election. He will also do this in his own way," said Sabbaruddin.

Najib has for some time now been upping the tempo, rousing his troops for what analysts say is a do or die electoral campaign for Umno.

"It's a battle royale, so delegates have to leave the general assembly with renewed spirit and a high level of confidence in winning the election," Mustafa said.

Najib has been pressing the party's rank and file to close ranks, discard factionalism and embrace the collective objective of putting up a strong challenge to their political foes. Party members were reminded that the enemy was outside the party, not within.

But rivalries among divisional leaders have not stopped, even in the constituencies where internal discord had been identified as the cause of Umno's defeat in 2008.

Recent incidents during Aidil Adha have raised eyebrows.

Grassroots leaders had even politicised the religious festival as they competed to outdo each other in the ritual slaughter of cattle for the poor.

Umno wants to win many more seats in all states and what it needs most, at this point, is to see its machinery intensify preparations for the polls.

The party is now on a mission to identify winnable candidates, even looking elsewhere for suitable personalities. Grassroots leaders are hoping that such criteria will be spelled out more clearly at the assembly.

"Yes, some will be waiting to get a clearer picture of what winnable candidates mean at the assembly," said Umno information chief Datuk Ahmad Maslan.

Najib has been telling the Umno grassroots to leave the selection of candidates to the party leadership and not squabble when those from the divisional hierarchy fail to make it into the final list. But he has not specified the qualities that he is looking for, only saying that prospective candidates must be popular and acceptable to the people.

Umno, as the largest party in the country, cannot afford to be seen as self-absorbed in its internal conflicts but rather should work more visibly towards achieving a bigger victory for itself and BN.

Former Umno president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has also warned Umno members against disunity and disarray, urging them to return to the party's original struggle and cast aside self-interest to win the general election.

Kredit: www.malaysia-today.net

Jumaat, 11 November 2011

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

Malaysia Today - Your Source of Independent News

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